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Swanson, Kenneth John

Individual Personnel Data
Name Swanson, Kenneth John
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-735346
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #121 dated 18 October 1943, effective 18 October 1943.
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #132, effective 8 July 1944.
  • Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #171, effective 25 August 1944.
Duty Bombardier
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 2 November 1944
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 3 April 1917
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at Roswell AAF, Roswell, New Mexico, Class #43-01, 2 January 1943.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 12 February 1944 to Air Force Officers Rest Home, Stanbridge Earls, Hampshire (a Flak house) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #27 dated 9 February 1944.
  • Granted a seven day sick leave effective on or about 1 March 1944 per AF Station 106 Special Orders #40 dated 28 February 1944.
  • Detailed as Assistant Group Bombardier of the 384th Bomb Group (Additional) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #54 dated 21 March 1944.
  • Granted a seven day sick leave of absence effective 1 September 1944 per AAF station 106 Special Orders #173 dated 29 August 1944.
Related Documents Accident Report # 44-02-22-511 (22.753 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Jeter, Sydney Ryland, JrPilotKIA
2nd Lt. Schutz, George Frederick, JrCo-pilotKIA
T/SGT. Shattuck, Jack DaleNavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Swanson, Kenneth JohnBombardierCT
T/SGT. Dupuis, George EdwardRadio Operator / GunnerKIA
T/SGT. MacDonald, Donald Van BuskirkEngineer / Top Turret GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Lisch, John Robert, "Bob"Ball Turret GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Scheffer, Edgar A (IO)Tail GunnerKIA
T/SGT. Madl, Ferdinand JacobFlexible GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Persoskie, Metro (NMI)Flexible GunnerKIA

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 27 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
35 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Bombardier 41‑24575 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
38 29 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Bombardier 42‑29636 Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
41 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany
Bombardier 42‑29723 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
42 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Bombardier 41‑24525 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report
43 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Bombardier 42‑37776 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
46 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France
Bombardier 42‑31045 Combat Mission Credit
Composite group.
Sortie Report
48 31 December 1943 Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship)
Type: Transportation
Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France
Bombardier 42‑31045 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Chelveston; bombs jettisoned.
Sortie Report
50 5 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany
Bombardier 42‑3087 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
54 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Bombardier 42‑37776 Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report
56 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Bombardier 42‑29636 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report
57 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Bombardier 42‑29636 Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report
58 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Bombardier 42‑29636 Combat Mission Credit
High group, 41st A Combat Wing. Landed away on return at RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report
60 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Bombardier 42‑31211 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
64 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany
Bombardier 42‑31516 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron deputy, lead group. Aborted because #3 prop began throwing oil excessively, was feathered for examination, and could not be unfeathered.
Sortie Report
65 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany
Bombardier 42‑31516 41B Group. Collided with 42‑38041 from 303rd BG, Molesworth, while forming up at 0956; crashed near Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire; only survivors were bombardier and navigator who parachuted to safety.
Sortie Report
83 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France
Bombardier 42‑37776 Combat Mission Credit
41 Squadron.
Sortie Report
92 20 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France
Bombardier 42‑97510 Combat Mission Credit
A Wing, High Group, High Squadron Lead. Aborted shortly before target. Supporting documents show that the crew was granted credit for this sortie.
Sortie Report
93 22 April 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany
Bombardier 42‑31211 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, high group.
Sortie Report
159 17 July 1944 Target: Beautor Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Beautor, France
Bombardier 42‑107148 Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
160 18 July 1944 Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Peenemünde & Zinnowitz, Germany
Bombardier 42‑107148 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, Group Deputy.
Sortie Report
165 25 July 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Montreuil-sur-Lozon, Le Châtel,
& La Chapelle en Juger, France
Bombardier 42‑107148 Combat Mission Credit
Wing Deputy, Hot Camera Ship.
Sortie Report
166 28 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Bombardier 42‑97941 Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead.
Sortie Report
168 31 July 1944 Target: Aero Engine Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Munich / München, Germany
Bombardier 42‑97941 Combat Mission Credit
High Group Lead.
Sortie Report
173 5 August 1944 Target: Luftwaffe Controlling Station
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Langenhagen, Germany
Bombardier 42‑97941 Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead.
Sortie Report
181 16 August 1944 Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany
Bombardier 42‑97941 Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead.
Sortie Report
202 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany
Bombardier 42‑97986 Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report
204 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany
Bombardier 42‑102449 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
213 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Bombardier 42‑97592 Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy. PFF ship. Took over on bomb run after lead Gee-H equipment failed, but too late to bomb primary. Led Squadron to attack secondary by PFF.
Sortie Report
218 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany
Bombardier 42‑102449 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Gee-H ship. Led Squadron on bomb run.
Sortie Report

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