| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1944‑02‑22 | 65 | 230 | Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany |
| Big Week, Day Three: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided two group formations for today's missions. One formed the high group of the 41st A Combat Bombardment Wing (41A Group), and the other formed the high group of the 41st B Combat Bombardment Wing (41B Group).The 41A Group lost its formation when forced to fly into clouds during assembly: the entire group aborted, and all bombs were returned to base rather than being dropped at Halberstadt. The 41B Group attacked their primary target at Aschersleben, but while bombs appeared to strike in the target area, heavy smoke from prior groups made assessment difficult. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Failed To Return Comments: 41B Group. Shot down in vigorous attacks by 15 Me-109s, between 1230 and 1300 hrs, near Münster, Germany; 10 chutes emerged; crashed near Wesel, Germany. MACR 2464. Description from As Briefed: 'Plane hit by FW-190s, incendiaries in bomb bay were set on fire, one engine knocked out, another on fire, oxygen out, rudder gone, elevator control damaged, nose knocked off and most guns out of service; three men slightly wounded. Crew bailed out, except bombardier 2nd Lt. George Littleton (who had no parachute) and Markow. They met at the forward escape hatch. Littleton went to search ship, Markow apparently jumped. Still no chute. Alone, Littleton climbed into the pilot's seat where he was joined by Markow who took the co-pilot spot and crash-landed the plane in Germany, while on fire and under attack from three FW-190s.' |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17G | 42‑97450 ⇗ | 546th | BK*M | not known |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Markow, Henry Victor⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Co-pilot | Lundgren, Edward Warren⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Navigator | Schweikart, John William⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Bombardier | Littleton, George James⇗ | 546 | POW/Wounded |
| Radio Operator | Atkinson, Owen Glenn⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Fooder, Elmer Hoben⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Ball Turret | Stropek, George Vincent⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Tail Gunner | Misiewicz, Joseph Raymond⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Sager, Edwin Millard⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Madden, Arthur Willliam⇗ | 546 | POW |
| SORTIE-RELATED DOCUMENTS: | |
| TYPE | IDENTIFICATION |
| MACR | Missing Air Crew Report # 2464⇗ |