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Griffith, Leonard Raymond

Individual Personnel Data
Name Griffith, Leonard Raymond   ‡
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant
Serial Number O-682476   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 17 November 1943, effective 17 November 1943.
Duty Bombardier
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 13 April 1944
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received on 30 January 1944 per General Orders #48, Headquarters, 1st Bomb Division dated 19 February 1944.
Awarded an oak leaf cluster to the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received on 4 March 1944 per General Orders #52, Headquarters, 1st Bomb Division dated 16 March 1944.
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 22 December 1915
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at Big Spring AAF, Big Spring, Texas, Class #43-08, 3 June 1943.
    Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 3 February 1944 to Air Force Officers Rest Home Stanbridge Earls, Hampshire (a Flak house) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #22 dated 1 February 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3869⇓ (24.961 MB)
Missing Air Crew Report # 14416⇓ (13.023 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Fioretti, Edward Anthony⇗PilotPOW
2nd Lt. Briley, Scott Andrew⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Merlo, Samuel Joseph⇗NavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. Griffith, Leonard RaymondBombardierPOW
S/SGT. Sylvia, Joseph Herbert⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Stuhl, Walter Edward⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerKIA
SGT. House, Horace Doster, Jr⇗Ball Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Day, Huley Newton⇗Tail GunnerPOW
SGT. Wolfe, Clark Benjamin, Jr⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Wallo, Andrew (NMI)⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 23 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29828⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
44⇗ 20 December 1943 Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29828⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying Spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
47⇗ 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
50⇗ 5 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31246⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
51⇗ 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous. Bomb load included 'nickles' - propaganda leaflets.
Sortie Report⇗
52⇗ 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31415⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group. Turned back at the IP and jettisoned bombs at some point because ship was on fire due to enemy aircraft. All of the enlisted men except top turret gunner bailed out at the IP, due to a misunderstanding between the radio operator and bombardier after ship caught fire; crash-landed at base. 1st Lt. Edward Fioretti, pilot, and 2nd Lt. Scott Briley, co-pilot, both awarded Silver Stars, Owens p. 199. Aircraft salvaged.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron deputy, lead group. Turned back at 0950 hrs because of a sheared fuel transfer selector valve shaft.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron Deputy, Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
69⇗ 2 March 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
This aircraft dropped 'Nickles' (propaganda leaflets) in addition to regular bombs.
Sortie Report⇗
71⇗ 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31926⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
77⇗ 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France 		Bombardier 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31166⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑37785⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
81⇗ 24 March 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
83⇗ 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France 		Bombardier 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
94 Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
84⇗ 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France 		Bombardier 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
85⇗ 29 March 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Nuthampstead, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑38112⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron lead, low group. Turned back at 1013 hrs; could not locate formation due to bad weather.
Sortie Report⇗
87⇗ 10 April 1944 Target: Evere Airfield (50°54'3"N 4°20'9"E)
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium 		Bombardier 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
89⇗ 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Shot down during fighter attacks which lasted from 1354 to 1357 hrs; crashed near Lindenfels, Germany. MACR 3869
Sortie Report⇗

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