| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1944‑08‑24 | 183 | 568 | Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany |
| Oil Pressure: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided all three groups of the 41st C Combat Bombardment Wing on today's mission. The 8th AF continued to decimate the enemy's fuel supply by attacking this giant chemical complex. The C wing was to follow the A and B wings, but over the North Sea, they caught up and passed both, leading them from the enemy coast, for the rest of the mission. This was apparently due to the wings making different adjustments for cloud layers, and perhaps navigation errors. Although the 384th was prepared for a target obscured by clouds and smoke screen, there was sufficient visibility for visual bombing. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Returned Early Comments: Turned back due to flak damage prior to primary and bombed unknown target of opportunity (TOO). Landed away at Rackheath, AAF Station 145, with two engines out. |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17G | 44‑6141 ⇗ | 544th | SU*F | SNEAKIN DEACON |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Murchan, Lawrence Aloysius⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Co-pilot | Fisher, Robert Jeremy⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | Mayo, Roy Oscar, Jr⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Togglier | Snyder, Henry Franklin⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Radio Operator | Gwin, Reginald (NMI)⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Grindell, Robert Dennis⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Ball Turret | Witherspoon, Elmer Stanley⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Tail Gunner | Pollack, Alexander (NMI)⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Smith, Leland Royce, Jr⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |