| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1944‑09‑11 | 192 | 623 | Target: Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Lützkendorf & Merseburg, Germany |
| Primary Targets Spared By Weather: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) flew as the high section of the 41st A Combat Bombardment Wing (41A Group) and as the high section of the 41st B Combat Bombardment Wing (41B Group) on this mission. The primary target for the 41A Group, Lützkendorf oil installations in Germany, were obscured by a solid undercast, as was the secondary and an airfield near Giessen. Finally, a successful visual attack was accomplished on an unidentified factory in the Friedberg, Germany, area. This group saw several Me-163 'Komet' rocket-powered aircraft in the vicinity of Leipzig, and one near the Belgian coast, but they were not attacked. The 41B Group primary target, oil installations in the Merseburg, Germany, area was obscured by weather conditions. The formation then proceeded to the secondary target. Although the rest of the formation broke off the attack, the 384th pressed on and were able to drop their bombs in the vicinity of the target, although results were deemed 'poor.' This group was attacked by a single ME163 'Komet' rocket-powered aircraft, which made two passes on his formation (the high and low squadrons), in the vicinity of the primary target. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Completed Mission Comments: 41A Group. Landed with bomb bay doors open. |
Other (Visual) Target: Factories Type: Industry Location: Friedburg & Eisenach, Germany |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17G | 42‑37822 ⇗ | 544th | SU*C | THE 'LEAD BANANA' |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Gabel, Raymond John⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Co-pilot | Robilotta, Robert Frank⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | Lovegren, Richard Leroy⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Bombardier | Bass, Sam (NMI)⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Radio Operator | Snow, James Kenneth⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Airhart, L G⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Ball Turret | Deaton, Marshall Taylor⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Tail Gunner | Kolinek, Henry Joseph, Jr⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Hunt, Virgil Dowell⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |