| 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 Metz, France; MACR 838. |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17F | 42‑29867 ⇗ | 544th | SU*C | not known |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Williams, Walter Gordon⇗ | 544 | POW |
| Co-pilot | Candler, Belford Bruce⇗ | 544 | POW |
| Navigator | Abele, Carl William⇗ | 544 | POW |
| Bombardier | Breen, Thomas Carroll, Jr⇗ | 544 | POW |
| Radio Operator | Hanrahan, Thomas Patrick⇗ | 544 | POW |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Bush, Clyde Thomas⇗ | 544 | POW |
| Ball Turret | Genette, William Raymond⇗ | 544 | POW |
| Tail Gunner | Wickline, Albert John⇗ | 544 | Evaded |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Henneberry, Michael Raymond⇗ | 544 | POW |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Deese, James William⇗ | 544 | POW |
| SORTIE-RELATED DOCUMENTS: | |
| TYPE | IDENTIFICATION |
| MACR | Missing Air Crew Report # 838⇗ |
| ESCAPE | Escape & Evasion Report # 2770⇗ |