| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1943‑10‑14 | 32 | 115 | Target: Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany |
| "Second Schweinfurt" aka "Black Thursday": The 384th Bombardment Group (H) put up three squadrons on today's mission. However, six aircraft aborted, reducing the number that bombed the primary target. A further six aircraft were knocked out by enemy action. An all-too-familiar situation faced the returning crews - bad weather over East Anglia. Three Aircraft were lost when the crews, unable to locate a suitable place to land in England, bailed out and abandoned them, while most of the remainder landed at other airfields. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Failed To Return Comments: Damaged by enemy aircraft; exploded and crashed near Dilsen, Belgium; MACR 841. |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17F | 42‑3216 ⇗ | 545th | JD*S | THE JOKER |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Kopf, William Everett⇗ | 547 | KIA |
| Co-pilot | Scott, Alfred William, Jr⇗ | 547 | KIA |
| Navigator | Massey, Toscha Melody⇗ | 545 | KIA |
| Bombardier | Connor, Eugene Warren⇗ | 547 | Evaded |
| Radio Operator | Yeryar, Herbert Eugene⇗ | 547 | Evaded/Wounded |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Mauritho, Hugh (NMI)⇗ | 547 | Evaded |
| Ball Turret | Smith, Clyde (NMI)⇗ | 547 | KIA |
| Tail Gunner | Buddemeyer, Elton William⇗ | 547 | KIA |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Bernard, Lee Roy (NMI)⇗ | 547 | KIA |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Perroni, Anthony Pasquale⇗ | 547 | KIA |
| SORTIE-RELATED DOCUMENTS: | |
| TYPE | IDENTIFICATION |
| MACR | Missing Air Crew Report # 841⇗ |
| ESCAPE | Escape & Evasion Report # 1527⇗ |
| ESCAPE | Escape & Evasion Report # 2212⇗ |
| ESCAPE | Escape & Evasion Report # 2214⇗ |