| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1945‑04‑25 | 316 | 968 | Target: Skoda Armament Works Type: Industry Location: Pilsen / Plzeň, Czechoslovakia |
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THE LAST ONE!: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) flew as the 41st Combat Bombardment Wing C Group in Air Task Force 1 on today's mission, the last strategic bombing mission of the war in Europe. Under strict orders to bomb by visual means only, the Lead and Low Squadrons made two bomb runs, and the High Squadron made three. Results appeared to be good, and the delay resulted in the 384th dropping the final bombs of the war on Axis targets in Europe. It was not known that this would be the last strategic bombing mission of WWII in the ETO until well after this mission ended. |
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| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Completed Mission Comments: Group Lead. PFF ship. |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17G | 44‑8789 ⇗ | 545th | JD*X | not known |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Commander | Hutchinson, Thomas Dale⇗ | GpHQ | Completed, Uninjured |
| Pilot | Lucas, Roy E⇗ | 545 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | Hushbeck, Elgin Lewis⇗ | 545 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | Ladendorff, Edmund (NMI), Jr⇗ | 545 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | Rovero, Aldo John⇗ | 545 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Bombardier | Slachetka, Henry Joseph⇗ | 545 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Radio Operator | Hart, Kenneth Cecil⇗ | 545 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Harting, Lester Elias⇗ | 545 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Observer | Schaaf, Herbert Henry⇗ | 546 | Completed, Uninjured |
| SORTIE-RELATED DOCUMENTS: | |
| TYPE | IDENTIFICATION |
| Photo | 1945-04-25, Group Lead, PFF Ship, T. Hutchinson, R. Lucas |