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Pelkey, Arthur Symonds, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name Pelkey, Arthur Symonds, Jr   
Rank Private First Class / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 11038302   
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #62 dated 3 August 1943, effective 3 August 1943.
Duty Flexible Gunner
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 8 September 1944
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 12 December 1920
  • Promoted to Corporal per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #63 dated 4 August 1943.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #12 dated 18 January 1944.
  • Transferred in grade to the Casual Pool, 8th AFRD, AAF Station 594 on 8 September 1944 per Squadron Morning Report.




Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
39 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29554 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Molesworth.
Sortie Report
46 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France
Tail Gunner 42‑3259 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
54 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report
55 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37974 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report
56 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31433 Combat Mission Credit
Low group. Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31484.
Sortie Report
57 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3441 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group.
Sortie Report
61 8 February 1944 Target: Piston Ring Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report
62 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Stansted, Essex, due to low fuel and #1 engine knocked out by flak.
Sortie Report
67 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29632 Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron, Lead Group. Landed away at RAF Boreham, Essex, on return due to low fuel.
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
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31166 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
71 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37792 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1010 hrs because engineer was knocked out while fixing the ball turret; when azimuth power switch was released, it caused the turret to swing around and hit the engineer in the head; he was taken to Thrapston Hospital for observation.
Sortie Report
72 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3440 Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off
Did not take off because of gas leak.
Sortie Report
73 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37982 Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
75 16 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97521 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 0955 hrs because #3 & #4 engines failed; #1 oil cooler was leaking very badly and the lead was off of sparkplug of #7 cylinder, #2 engine.
Sortie Report
81 24 March 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
83 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97521 Combat Mission Credit
94 Group.
Sortie Report
84 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31346 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
85 29 March 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37816 Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report
86 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
Joined 41st Composite Combat Wing A and bombed their primary target.
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
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
88 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97178 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
89 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97178 Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report
92 20 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97178 Combat Mission Credit
B Wing, High Group.
Sortie Report
93 22 April 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97178 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
96 27 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102518 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. Did not attack target due to malfunction of bomb bay doors; dropped 2x1000# GP bombs between IP and target.
Sortie Report
100 4 May 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97271 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, lead group, 41st CBW.
Sortie Report
101 7 May 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑32106 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
105 11 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31484 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, Group Lead.
Sortie Report
108 15 May 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Mimoyecques, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102449 Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. Gee-H ship (assumed).
Sortie Report
113 23 May 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38014 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group Lead.
Sortie Report
118 28 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107125 Combat Mission Credit
Group Deputy.
Sortie Report
123 2 June 1944 Target: Four Medium Howitzer Batteries, Tactical Support
Type: Military
Location: Neufchatel (5 miles SE of Hardelot), France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107125 Combat Mission Credit
Group Deputy.
Sortie Report
130 7 June 1944 Target: Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: Condé-sur-Noireau, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107125 Combat Mission Credit
Low Group Lead. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
132 10 June 1944 Target: Chateau Bougon Airfield (41A) & Vannes Airfield (41B)
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nantes & Vannes, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107125 Combat Mission Credit
41B Group, Group Lead.
Sortie Report
147 27 June 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Storage Depot)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Saint-Martin-L'Hortier, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107125 Combat Mission Credit
Group lead, 41st A section. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report

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