2024 MEMBERSHIP
 JOIN OR RENEW NOW
 MEMBER APPLICATION FORM⇗

Hartness, Joseph George, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name Hartness, Joseph George, Jr
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / Captain
Serial Number O-685154
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 17 November 1943, effective 17 November 1943.
Duty Co-pilot / Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 28 March 1945
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Flew more than the required number of missions for a combat tour.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to 8th Air Force Officers Rest Home, Aylesfield (a FLAK House) on or about 20 April 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #73 dated 18 April 1944.
  • Appointed First Lieutenant effective 30 April 1944 per 546th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 17 May 1944.
  • Landed in enemy territory on 9 September 1944 near the French town of Harville, Meuse. Aircraft left formation on return near Luxemburg due to battle damage; crash-landed in France; crew evaded and all returned to allied lines by the next day; the aircraft was salvaged.
  • Granted a seven (7) day sick leave of absence effective 16 September 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #183 dated 15 September 1944.
  • Placed on seven (7) days Temporary Duty (TD)to Southport, AAF Station 524 (a Flak House) on 2 October 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #195 dated 2 October 1944.
  • Granted a seven day opertional leave of absence effective 19 December 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #249 dated 18 December 1944.
Related Documents Accident Report # 45-03-16-523⇓ (3.493 MB)
Beesley's 9 September 1944 Debrief⇓ (4.554 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Courtemanche, Ralph Eudor⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Hartness, Joseph George, JrCo-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Parisette, Donald Frederick⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Thaxter, Floyd Wilson⇗BombardierCT
SGT. Brown, Oakley Wayne⇗Nose GunnerCT
S/SGT. Turner, Claude Murphy⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
CPL. Geronemo, James Anthony⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
PFC. Aronson, Isadore Irving⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Zee, Julius (NMI)⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
SGT. Zieba, Edmund (NMI)⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 48 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
50⇗ 5 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31222⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
52⇗ 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31045⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31045⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
62⇗ 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1000 hrs because flight engineer became unconscious from anoxia and 'bends', requiring immediate medical attention.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑37789⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group. Landed away at RAF Bourn, Cambridgeshire, on return due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Released 25 parcels of G-27 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) and six 500-pound general-purpose bombs on the target.
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31222⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41C Group, High Squadron, Lead Group. Turned back at 1142 hrs because fuel had to be siphoned out of #4 wing tank when fuel pressure went up to 19.5 lbs, and #3 engine began throwing oil.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Co-pilot 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low 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 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
70⇗ 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑30026⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Uncontrollable superchargers made formation flying difficult.
Sortie Report⇗
72⇗ 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing.
Sortie Report⇗
75⇗ 16 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
78⇗ 20 March 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31222⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron, composite high group. Turned back at 1142 hrs because of excessive vibrations and loss of power in #2 engine.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97081⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
81⇗ 24 March 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
82⇗ 26 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France 		Co-pilot 42‑97510⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1335 hrs over Molesworth because of smoke in bomb bay from unknown source. Landed away at Molesworth.
Sortie Report⇗
83⇗ 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France 		Co-pilot 42‑97139⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41 Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
84⇗ 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
85⇗ 29 March 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Landed away at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Horsham St. Faith, Norfolk, on return due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
88⇗ 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
89⇗ 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97139⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
90⇗ 18 April 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑107057⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
91⇗ 19 April 1944 Target: Fieseler Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel (Waldau), Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑107057⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
99⇗ 1 May 1944 Target: Launch Site in Foret Nationale de Tournehem
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Foret Nationale de Tournehem, France 		Co-pilot 42‑107057⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
100⇗ 4 May 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑107057⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
101⇗ 7 May 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑107057⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
106⇗ 12 May 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97139⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102601⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed in enemy territory on 9 September 1944 near the French town of Harville, Meuse. Aircraft left formation on return near Luxemburg due to battle damage; crash-landed in France; crew evaded and all returned to allied lines by the next day; the aircraft was salvaged.
Sortie Report⇗
216⇗ 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑107121⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Co-pilot 43‑38747⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
218⇗ 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany 		Pilot 43‑38588⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Lead Squadron. Could not find formation.
Sortie Report⇗
219⇗ 4 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑102501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
222⇗ 8 November 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37713⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37713⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
230⇗ 26 November 1944 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenbeken, Germany 		Pilot 42‑107083⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
232⇗ 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102500⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
236⇗ 6 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑107083⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
237⇗ 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany 		Pilot 43‑38616⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38616⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
246⇗ 30 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF& Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
251⇗ 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany 		Co-pilot 43‑38630⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF ship. Bombed secondary target on first run, PFF with visual assist.
Sortie Report⇗
263⇗ 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead; Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
271⇗ 22 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ülzen, Germany 		Commander 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
272⇗ 23 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Plauen, Germany 		Commander 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
289⇗ 15 March 1945 Target: Army HQ
Type: Military
Location: Zossen, Germany 		Commander 44‑8668⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
-- 16 March 1945 None
Non-combat sortie 		Passenger 42‑37822⇗ Right main landing gear collapsed after a hard landing at RAF Ringway. There were no injuries to personnel.
Sortie Report⇗
299⇗ 28 March 1945 Target: Berlin/Spandau Motor Transport Works
Type: Industry
Location: Spandau (Berlin), Germany 		Co-pilot 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead
Sortie Report⇗

Every effort has been expended to ensure all information on this page is complete and accurate.
Please inform webmaster of any discrepancies or omissions by using the button below.