Name | Bonacker, Marlyn Ray ‡ |
Rank | Corporal / Sergeant |
Serial Number | 39473149 ‡ |
Unit Assignments | Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #65 dated 25 March 1945, effective 25 March 1945. |
Duty | Tail Gunner |
MOS | 611 - Aerial Gunner |
Last Duty Date | 6 April 1945 |
Results |
Prisoner Of War POW Camp: Captured after parachuting to safety after the 6 April 1945 mid-air collision, Bonacker was interrogated and confined in a makeshift detention facility he referred to as 'STALAG IV-F' in Hartmannsdorf, Germany. However, he escaped when his guards fled in the face of advancing Allied Armies. Therefore, no POW records regarding him have been found. |
Additional Information |
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Related Documents | Missing Air Crew Report # 13851⇓ (9.305 MB) 2014 Interview Transcript⇗ 2017 - A Tail Gunner's Story⇗ 2016 Veteran's History Project Oral History Interview⇗ |
Photos of this Veteran signing the Wing Panel | Bonacker Signing⇗ |
CREWMEMBER | POSITION | RESULTS |
---|---|---|
2nd Lt. Martino, Dominick Thomas⇗ | Pilot | KIA |
2nd Lt. McGill, Arthur C⇗ | Co-pilot | FCMEW |
2nd Lt. Johnson, Thorston Julius⇗ | Navigator | KIA |
2nd Lt. Crawford, Raymond Harold, Jr⇗ | Bombardier | KIA |
S/SGT. Weeks, Thomas Clayborn, Jr⇗ | Radio Operator / Gunner | KIA |
CPL. Gatto, Stephen Lawrence⇗ | Engineer / Top Turret Gunner | KIA |
SGT. May, Frank Dean⇗ | Ball Turret Gunner | KIA |
CPL. Bonacker, Marlyn Ray | Tail Gunner | POW |
CPL. Reaves, Phien D⇗ | Flexible Gunner | FCMEW |
Number | Date | Target | Position | Aircraft | Mission/Sortie Information |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
304⇗ | 5 April 1945 |
Target: Ordnance Depot Type: Military Location: Ingolstadt, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 43‑38016⇗ |
Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back after #4 prop sheared off. Sortie Report⇗ |
305⇗ | 6 April 1945 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (Visual Primary) Type: Transportation Location: Leipzig, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 43‑38801⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Failed To Return Collided with 43‑39164 after target at 1018 hrs. Sortie Report⇗ |