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Mission # 54

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date 21 January 1944
Eighth Air Force Operations Show Operations
384th Bomb Group Mission
384th BG Mission Number 54, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 187
Weather Affects Bombing
The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided two group formations of two squadrons each for today's mission: one flew as the Lead Group of the 41st A Combat Bombardment Wing (41A Group) and the other flew as the Low Group of the 41st B Combat Bombardment Wing (41B Group). The 384th was alerted for an operational mission just as they were about to take off for a practice mission. In the space of one and one-half hours, these 34 aircraft were reconfigured for combat, and dispatched to attack 'NOBALL' targets in France. The 41A Group of 18 aircraft, led by Major Alfred C Nuttall, attacked the Preuseville target on their fourth bomb run. The 41B Group of 16 aircraft, led by Major George W Harris, were unable to locate the assigned target in the Pommereval area due to cloud obscuration, despite making seven bomb runs, and returned their bomb loads to base.
Primary Target Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Target Attacked (Mode) Primary (Visual)
Sortie/Aircraft Summary Completed Mission, not including spares - 32
Aborted - 2
Did Not Take Off - 2
Mission Personnel Mission Personnel Roster or Mission Loading Lists
Mission Documents Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives

36 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
41‑24560Hines, James WesleyCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
41‑24578Outen, Charles LeviCompleted Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑3051Corcoran, John JosephDid Not Take OffThis aircraft, prepared for the practice mission, was not dispatched on the operational mission, possibly due to insufficient time available to reconfigure it for combat in the 41B Group. Pilot for the intended practice mission, Corcoran, did not take part in the combat mission.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑3087Kew, William JosephCompleted Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑3429Morrison, Donald SylvesterCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑3440Carpenter, Walter RichardCompleted Mission41A Group Deputy.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑3441Price, William MerrimanCompleted Mission41B Group, Low Squadron Deputy.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑5404Ashcraft, Archie BertisCompleted Mission41A Group, Low Squadron Lead.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑29554Yelvington, Melton AlbertCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑29636Writz, Horace FredCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑29651Allison, Earl ThomasCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑29688Smith, Roger ClementAborted Mission After Taking Off.41B Group. Turned back over base as prop governor on #4 engine broke and had to be feathered.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑29717Larsen, Jack KirbyCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑29723Reed, Merlin HowardAborted Mission After Taking Off.41B Group. Turned back at 1350 hrs over Beachy Head because 'this aircraft took off late and could not find a position open in the formation.'
SORTIE REPORT
42‑29809Bedsole, Joseph LinyerCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑31045Laboda, Joseph StanleyCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑31058Rinne, Austin DeanCompleted Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑31211MacPhail, Philip RayCompleted Mission41B Group Deputy.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑31235Robinson, Robert LawrenceCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑31364Estes, Thomas JeffersonCompleted Mission41A Group Lead.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑31415Ross, Burton RaymondCompleted Mission41A Group, Low Squadron Deputy.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑31433Carter, T L (IO)Completed Mission41B Group, Low Squadron Lead.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑31606McDonald, Raymond LeroyCompleted Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37727Heffley, Farris OrmondCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37776Jeter, Sydney RylandCompleted Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37788Booska, Maurice ArthurCompleted Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37792Poole, George IrvinCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37793DeFrees, Norman FrancisCompleted Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37801Daskey, Kendall (NMI)Completed Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37848Ulrey, Edgar EllsworthCompleted Mission41B Group Lead.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37885Lotz, William HenryCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑38014Markow, Henry VictorCompleted Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑39784Covington, Royston TruittCompleted Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑39888Jorgenson, Henry (NMI)Completed Mission41A Group.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑39991Courtemanche, Ralph EudorDid Not Take OffThis aircraft, prepared for the practice mission, was not dispatched on the operational mission, possibly due to insufficient time available to reconfigure it for combat in the 41B Group. Pilot for the intended practice mission, Courtemanche, did not take part in the combat mission.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑40005Stier, George WithersCompleted Mission41B Group.
SORTIE REPORT