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Barto, Louis Joseph

Individual Personnel Data
Name Barto, Louis Joseph   ‡
⇗
Rank Private / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 13089928   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per 547th Bomb Squadron unit history, effective 25 January 1943.
Duty Non-flying duty / Flexible Gunner
MOS521 - Airman Basic
Last Duty Date 24 April 1944
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
DecorationsPresented Oak Leaf Cluster (to Air Medal?) on 24 February 1944 (microfilm B0376-01676).
Awarded the Purple Heart medal for wounds received on 7 January 1944 per General Orders #21, Headquarters, 1st Bomb Division dated 26 January 1944.
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 1 September 1923
  • Appointed Private First Class effective 1 March 1943 per 547th Bomb Squadron March 1943 Payroll Roster.
  • Promoted to Corporal on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #40 dated 1 July 1943.
  • Promoted from Corporal to Sergeant on AAF Station 106 SO #60 dated 1 August 1943.
  • Placed on Detached Service on or about 2 August 1943 for approximately ten days to Gunnery School located at Snettisham, Norfolk; AAF Station 106 Special Orders 61 dated 2 August 1943.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant effective 31 October 1943 per Squadron Morning Report dated 1 November 1943.
  • From Squadron history (microfilm A0641-00216): 'April 24th [1944] - Sgt Barto finished his tour of duty and left for the States. A lot can be said about Sgt Barto, he had joined the organization in Wendover and had served as the Squadron mail clerk until we came overseas. From there he volunteered for a tour of operational missions. The whole squadron was happy to see him finish and go home. He was quiet, courteous and willing to help at all times.'
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 28 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
23⇗ 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
24⇗ 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
25⇗ 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
32⇗ 14 October 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 41‑24525⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Little Staughton.
Sortie Report⇗
--⇗ 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑3441⇗ Sortie Report⇗
34⇗ 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3441⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Squadron of composite group.
Sortie Report⇗
35⇗ 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; deputy flight lead.
Sortie Report⇗
36⇗ 16 November 1943 Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Division lead. Salvoed bombs near target (faulty bomb release mechanism).
Sortie Report⇗
51⇗ 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 41‑24578⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
53⇗ 14 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Meillard, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3087⇗ 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 41‑24578⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 41‑24578⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 41‑24578⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead group flying spare; turned back at Burnham due to #3 engine oil pressure dropping to 30 lbs and becoming erratic; cylinder head tempurature on #1 engine ran high with cowl flaps open.
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
61⇗ 8 February 1944 Target: Piston Ring Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑39991⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron. Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑39809.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 41‑24578⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 41‑24578⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
65⇗ 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 41‑24578⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group. Landed away at Kimbolton, AAF Station 117, 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 42‑3440⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1048 hrs because oil cooler broke and oil pressure dropped rapidly.
Sortie Report⇗
70⇗ 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back because #2 engine supercharger became uncontrollable.
Sortie Report⇗
71⇗ 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31871⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38158⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
78⇗ 20 March 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
82⇗ 26 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38158⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
83⇗ 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38158⇗ 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 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38158⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 0955; could not locate formation due to bad weather.
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 42‑38158⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
88⇗ 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38158⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
90⇗ 18 April 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38158⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
91⇗ 19 April 1944 Target: Fieseler Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel (Waldau), Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97367⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗

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