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LaSeur, William Veryle

Individual Personnel Data
Name LaSeur, William Veryle
Rank Second Lieutenant
Serial Number O-670571
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #126 dated 23 October 1943, effective 23 October 1943.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 18 March 1944
Results Interned, Neutral Country
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 1920
  • Ditched, and entire crew rescued on 1 December 1943 mission to Solingen, Germany; no MACR.
  • Placed on one day Temporary Duty to Wharton, purpose to ferry aircraft to this station per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #12 dated 18 January 1944.
  • SSO #12 was amended from one day to three days per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #15 dated 22 January 1944.
  • Interned in Switzerland.
  • In 2013, the USAF formally changed his wartime status from Interned to Prisoner of War and authorized the award of the Prisoner of War Medal.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3485 (1.373 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. LaSeur, William VerylePilotINT
2nd Lt. Lovvorn, Hollie RayCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Kazmerski, John ThomasNavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. Fleenor, Charles Thurman, "Chuck"BombardierPOW
S/SGT. Schwarz, James CorneliusRadio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Wilson, Gerald EugeneEngineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Miller, Robert LeeBall Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Taylor, Homer WilliamTail GunnerPOW
SGT. Fernandez, Severino JeanFlexible GunnerEV
PVT. Leach, Kenneth (NMI)Flexible GunnerEV

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 14 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
34 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29768 Combat Mission Credit
Squadron of composite group.
Sortie Report
37 26 November 1943 Target: City Center
Type: Non-Military
Location: Bremen, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29927 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
38 29 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑31073 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back; #2 & #4 engines running rough.
Sortie Report
39 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑39796 Combat Mission Credit
Ditched off Portsmouth, entire crew rescued; no MACR.
Sortie Report
42 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Pilot 42‑31073 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead group. Aborted with #2 and #4 engines running rough.
Sortie Report
44 20 December 1943 Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Capt. Frink lead Squadron leader.
Sortie Report
45 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29688 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
47 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑3087 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
53 14 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Meillard, France
Pilot 42‑5404 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
55 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Pilot 42‑37801 Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report
56 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Pilot 42‑37801 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group high Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report
57 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Pilot 42‑37801 Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Low Group. Turned back because he lost the formation over enemy territory; jettisoned bombs over the North Sea (54°44'N,6°13'E)
Sortie Report
58 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Pilot 42‑37801 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High group, 41st A Combat Wing. Turned back at 1055 due to uncontrollable supercharger on #2 engine.
Sortie Report
60 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Pilot 42‑37793 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back over field; oxygen system was going out.
Sortie Report
61 8 February 1944 Target: Piston Ring Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑37801 Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Flying Spare.
Sortie Report
62 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑37788 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1008 hrs; #2 supercharger ran away and could not be controlled.
Sortie Report
65 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑37788 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41B Group. Turned back at 1053 hrs as #2 supercharger ran away.
Sortie Report
66 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Co-pilot 41‑24578 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead Squadron, low group. Turned back because #2 supercharger ran away and engine began losing oil and smoking; could not be feathered.
Sortie Report
67 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑3441 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
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 42‑3441 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1046 hrs because #1 prop ran away (prop governor sheared). Landed away at RAF Gatwick, West Sussex.
Sortie Report
70 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑3441 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back because #2 engine supercharger ran away.
Sortie Report
71 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑3441 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
72 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑38158 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
Pilot 42‑38158 Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑38013.
Sortie Report
76 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Pilot 42‑31871 Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
At 1445 hrs called Group Leader saying he had two engines out and would try for home; had escort of four friendly fighters; force-landed at Dubendorf, Switzerland; MACR 3485. From 303rd BG: 'Secret equipment destroyed. Landed wheels down at Dubendorf. Wheels retracted after landing, but aircraft could not be burned because of Swiss interference. Target was bombed. Could not feather #1 engine out on bomb run. Half power obtained from engines Nos. 2 and 3 which were running rough.'
Sortie Report

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