Cole, Richard Eugene

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Cole, Richard Eugene ⇗
Rank	Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number	O-740750
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #34, effective 20 February 1944. Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report - 305th Bomb Group, effective 20 March 1944. Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #150, effective 28 July 1944.
Duty	Pilot
MOS	1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date	8 September 1944
Results	Transferred
Decorations	Awarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received on 3 June 1944 per General Orders #95, Headquarters 1st Bomb Division dated 13 June 1944. Awarded the Air Medal and one oak leaf cluster.
Additional Information	Graduated from Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School, Roswell Army Flying School, Roswell, New Mexico in March 1943. (designated For Four-Engine Assignment) Richard E. Cole's Individual Sortie Report indicate he flew twelve combat missions. Six of the twelve missions were flown with other bomb groups. Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to American Red Cross Club, Southport, Lancashire (a FLAK House) on 9 August 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #159 dated 9 August 1944. Transferred in grade to the Casual Pool, 8th AFRD, AAF Station 594 on 8 September 1944 per Squadron Morning Report.
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Cole, Richard Eugene	Pilot	TR
1st Lt. LeTourneau, Marcel Laurent⇗	Co-pilot	POW
2nd Lt. Warren, Dexter Holt⇗	Navigator	KIA
Flt. Ofcr. Getty, Darrell Clark⇗	Bombardier	POW
S/SGT. Romano, Vincent Peter⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	POW
S/SGT. Ward, Jack Paxton⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	POW
SGT. Orean, Clinton Herman⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	EV
SGT. Consoli, Vincent Sam⇗	Tail Gunner	POW
SGT. Allen, John Rutland⇗	Flexible Gunner	POW
SGT. McLain, James Wallace⇗	Flexible Gunner	POW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 6 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
69⇗	2 March 1944	Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Co-pilot	42‑29688⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31484. Sortie Report⇗
72⇗	6 March 1944	Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Co-pilot	42‑97477⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing. Sortie Report⇗
75⇗	16 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Co-pilot	42‑31166⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
76⇗	18 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Co-pilot	42‑31740⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
77⇗	19 March 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Wizernes, France	Co-pilot	42‑29828⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
114⇗	24 May 1944	Target: Unidentified Military Installations Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97647⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing Lead. PFF ship and radio operator (T/Sgt L A Taylor) provided by the 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105. Col. William L Travis, 41st Bomb Wing, aboard as combat flight leader. Sortie Report⇗
116⇗	27 May 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany	Co-pilot	42‑97699⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Group, Wing Deputy. PFF ship provided by the 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105. Sortie Report⇗

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