| 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: Knocked down by enemy aircraft; crashed near Simmershofen, Germany; MACR 840. |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | |||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME | GROUND CREW CHIEF |
| B-17F | 42‑29800 ⇗ | 546th | BK*H | ME AN' MY GAL | Coon, Lawrence John |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Harry, William Russell⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Co-pilot | Rice, Ivan Luther⇗ | 546 | KIA |
| Navigator | Black, David Hall⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Bombardier | Mannka, Charles Pershing⇗ | 546 | KIA |
| Radio Operator | Simpson, Edward Francis⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Wheeler, Tom Brooks⇗ | 546 | POW/Wounded |
| Ball Turret | McKenna, John Conat⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Tail Gunner | Parent, Leroy (NMI)⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Markus, Julius Martin⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Parks, Howard David⇗ | 545 | POW |
| SORTIE-RELATED DOCUMENTS: | |
| TYPE | IDENTIFICATION |
| MACR | Missing Air Crew Report # 840⇗ |