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Butler, Ralph Willard

Individual Personnel Data
Name Butler, Ralph Willard   ‡
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Rank Corporal / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 39921236   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders # 204 dated 15 October 1944, effective 15 October 1944.
Duty Tail Gunner / Togglier
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 21 February 1945
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 9 November 1924
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #207 dated 19 October 1944.
  • Reclassified from MOS 611 to MOS 612 effective 9 January 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #8 dated 9 January 1945.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant effective 12 January 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #10 dated 12 January 1945.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Drake, William Bright⇗PilotPOW
Flt. Ofcr. Johnson, Richard Arthur⇗Co-pilotPOW
Flt. Ofcr. Dunning, Leonard Francis⇗NavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. Hart, Daniel Alphonso⇗BombardierKIA
CPL. Clymer, Charles Richard, "Chuck"⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
CPL. Pire, Irwin Joseph, Jr⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
CPL. Owen, Robert Ralph⇗Ball Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. May, Gayle Gustavus⇗Tail GunnerPOW
CPL. Butler, Ralph WillardTail GunnerCT
CPL. Lewis, Richard Lowell⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 36 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
215⇗ 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Fourth Squadron lead. PFF ship. Deputy's Gee-H failed during assembly, so the Squadron lead conducted a PFF attack on the secondary target.
Sortie Report⇗
216⇗ 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
218⇗ 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron. On return, landed away at Woodbridge due to difficulty with #4 engine.
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
221⇗ 6 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
222⇗ 8 November 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flew entire mission, but due to mechanical failure could not release bombs; bomb load returned to base.
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
229⇗ 25 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Gee-H ship; landed away at Aldermaston, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
233⇗ 30 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
234⇗ 2 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
236⇗ 6 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Togglier 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron hot camera ship
Sortie Report⇗
240⇗ 18 December 1944 Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
241⇗ 19 December 1944 Target: Railway Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Glaadt, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38927⇗ Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off
Did not take off due to weather which deteriorated after lead aircraft took off.
Sortie Report⇗
242⇗ 23 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ehrang, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Ridgewell due to weather. Ferried to Grafton Underwood and flew mission the next day.
Sortie Report⇗
244⇗ 27 December 1944 Target: Bridge (Tactical)
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenahr, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
247⇗ 31 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
248⇗ 1 January 1945 Target: Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Derben, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
249⇗ 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
250⇗ 3 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: St Vith, Belgium 		Togglier 43‑38927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
251⇗ 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
252⇗ 7 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38850⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
253⇗ 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38850⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron flying spare. Joined formation (low Squadron).
Sortie Report⇗
255⇗ 15 January 1945 Target: Neuburg Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Assumed Squadron lead when low Squadron leader was ordered to fly in lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
257⇗ 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship. Landed away at RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire.
Sortie Report⇗
260⇗ 23 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Ridgewell Airfield, AAF Station 167.
Sortie Report⇗
261⇗ 28 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Togglier 42‑97960⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
264⇗ 3 February 1945 Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Togglier 44‑8608⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
265⇗ 9 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
266⇗ 14 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Dresden, Germany 		Togglier 44‑6892⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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