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Mission # 173

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date 5 August 1944
Eighth Air Force Operations Show Operations
384th Bomb Group Mission
384th BG Mission Number 173, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 519
Fighter Control Center
The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided all three groups of the 41st B Combat Bombardment Wing on today's mission to knock out a control center for enemy fighter aircraft. Intense flak at the primary target did not deter the bombers, and visual bombing conditions enabled accurate bombing.
Primary Target Target: Luftwaffe Controlling Station
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Langenhagen, Germany
Target Attacked (Mode) Primary (Visual)
Sortie/Aircraft Summary Completed Mission, not including spares - 33
Flying Spare, Completed Mission - 1
Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed - 2
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused - 2
Scrubbed - 1
Aborted - 1
Some Crewmembers Bailed Out - 1
Mission Personnel Mission Personnel Roster or Mission Loading Lists
Mission Documents Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives
Other Mission Documents 1944-08-05, Low Group Lead, A. Bean, G. Morris
1944-08-05, High Group Lead, G. Sammons, F. Allred

41 AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED TO THIS MISSION
Table is sorted by Pilot, and may be sorted by any column: click the column head.
Aircraft Pilot Results Mission/Sortie Information
42‑31222Pranger, Nicholas VincentCompleted MissionHigh section lead, low group. Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑107057.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑32106McDaniel, Clifford FranklinCompleted MissionLow group hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37788Rainey, Harry WesleyFlying Spare, Returned As BriefedLead group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37822Hughes, Robert DavisFlying Spare, Returned As BriefedHigh group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37982Shwery, Arthur JohnCompleted MissionA flak shell exploded beside the nose of "Tremblin Gremlin" on the bomb run. "I'm hit" said the bombardier, 1st Lt. Marvin Fryden, but he remained at his bombsight until bombs-away, then collapsed. He had been hit in the chest, and subsequently died of his wounds. Schwery (pilot) and Seeley (TT) were also wounded, and the plane was severely damaged, barely making it back to England to land at Halesworth, AAF Station 365, on two engines, with no brakes, and many flak holes.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑38013Skehan, Joseph LynneCompleted MissionLead group hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑38014Hanlon, Ernest EdwardAborted Mission After Taking Off.Prop governor on #2 engine defective.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑97150Sienkiewicz, Edward AlfredCompleted MissionLead group hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑97204Soester, Wilbur LeroyCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑97251Tracy, Edward HanksSpare, Completed MissionLow group flying spare; joined formation.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑97263Bills, Edgar LCompleted MissionFour bombs hung up.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑97282Patella, Joseph DavidCompleted MissionHigh group hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑97320Groff, Richard HubertCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑97699Kelsay, Omar FrankCompleted MissionWing lead. PFF ship.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑97941Morris, Gordon (NMI)Completed MissionLow group lead.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑97960[N/A]Lead Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
42‑102459Norton, Paul ECompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑102501Clements, Ben HillCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑102518Kinnaird, William RobertCompleted MissionLow Squadron deputy, low group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑102566Wood, Rodney JCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑102620Cline, Walter WilliamCompleted MissionHigh section deputy, lead group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑102661Allred, Frank LavonCompleted MissionHigh group lead.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑102959Thompson, Paul WaldronCompleted MissionLow Squadron lead, high group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑107057[N/A]Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffReplaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑31222.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑107058Mead, Frank WillardCompleted Mission, Some Crew Bailed OutFive EM bailed out before target at 1230 near Garlstorf, Germany, when a hydraulic motor burned out, causing intense smoke in the cockpit: 'Stand by to bail out' order was heard by EM as 'Bail out' and they jumped - see MACR 7885. Plane attacked target with remaining 4 crew members.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑107083Peterson, John WrightCompleted MissionHigh section lead, high group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑107121Hassing, Eugene TheronCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑107125Herzog, John HenryCompleted MissionLow group deputy and hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT
43‑37703Dodson, Lee WhiteCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑37713Davis, L K (IO)Completed MissionHigh section lead, lead group.
SORTIE REPORT
43‑37717Wismer, Richard GlenCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑37822Strong, Bert FranklinCompleted MissionHigh group deputy and hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT
43‑37843Bean, Donald WCompleted MissionLow Squadron deputy, lead group.
SORTIE REPORT
43‑37917Martin, Donald FrancisCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑37990Parker, George FrederickCompleted MissionLow Squadron lead, lead group.
SORTIE REPORT
44‑6080Mock, John MontagueCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
44‑6105Plowman, Noel ElwinCompleted MissionHigh section deputy, high group.
SORTIE REPORT
44‑6109Kass, Robert HilerCompleted MissionLow Squadron lead, low group.
SORTIE REPORT
44‑6135Maxey, Jesse EdwardCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
44‑6141Toler, Harold MortonCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
44‑6294[N/A]Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused