| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1944‑06‑20 | 141 | 425 | Target: Oil Refineries Type: Oil Industry Location: Harburg (Hamburg area), Germany |
| Oil Refineries Targeted: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided aircraft and crews for the lead and low groups of the 41st B Combat Bombardment Wing, the second of nine Wings comprising Mission 425 Air Task Force #3 for today's mission. The target area weather was generally clear, and bombs were away visually with good results. After bombs away the low group became separated from the wing leaders (probably due to the damage and injuries on the lead ship) and tacked on to a wing with the 401st BG, flying back to the English coast with them. According to one 384th crewmember, the flames and smoke rose above the attack altitude (~27,000') and a crewmember from another group reported the smoke was clearly visible the next day from bombers returning from Berlin. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Completed Mission Comments: Low Group Deputy. Assumed lead after Stallings aborted; Thoma (pilot) killed by flak over target, co-pilot and navigator seriously wounded. Although wounded, the co-pilot (Strand) completed the attack, re-formed the group and led them out of enemy territory. He relinquished the lead at the enemy coast. 2Lt. Robert Strand, co-pilot, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his valorous action (Owens, page 196). |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | |||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME | GROUND CREW CHIEF |
| B-17G | 42‑102933 ⇗ | 546th | BK*Q | QUEENIE | Slotwinski, Ted F |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Thoma, Edward Paul⇗ | 546 | KIA |
| Co-pilot | Strand, Robert Earl⇗ | 546 | Seriously Wounded |
| Navigator | Simmons, Wilbur (NMI)⇗ | 546 | Wounded |
| Bombardier | Rarick, Harold Linwood⇗ | 546 | Wounded |
| Radio Operator | Zinninger, William Maynard⇗ | 546 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Ticknor, Edward Charles⇗ | 546 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Ball Turret | Connolly, William Edward, Jr⇗ | 546 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Tail Gunner | McDonald, Edward William⇗ | 546 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Wilson, John Franklin⇗ | 546 | Completed, Uninjured |