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Preble, James Jarvis

Individual Personnel Data
Name Preble, James Jarvis   
Rank Corporal / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 11082362   
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #190 dated 26 September 1944, effective 26 September 1944.
Duty Engineer / Top Turret Gunner / Togglier
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 11 April 1945
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #196 dated 4 October 1944.
  • Reclassified from MOS 611 to MOS 748 effective 6 January 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #5 dated 6 January 1945.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant effective 17 January 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #15 dated 17 January 1945.
  • Ordered to Ebrington Manor, AAF Station 498 (a Flak house) for seven days Temporary Duty on 25 January 1945 to carry out instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #20 dated 23 January 1945.
  • On the 26 February 1945 mission to Berlin, the crew was reported missing on MACR 12760. Their aircraft had a run-away prop and lost oxygen at 32,000 ft, possibly due to flak. They made a wheels-up forced landing in Rawa Ruska, Poland. The crew were met by Russians (allies at that time) and taken to Lvov, Poland for two weeks until 'rescued' by a U.S. Salvage crew in a stripped-down B-17, who flew them to Poltve [Poltava?], Russia. ATC returned them to Grafton Underwood via Tehran, Iran, Athens, Greece, Cairo, Eqypt, Tunisia, Naples, Italy and Brighton, England.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 12760 (2.688 MB)
Accident Report # 44-10-12-521 (3.499 MB)




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Holmes, George WPilotCT
2nd Lt. Mohr, James HenryCo-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Mason, MarkNavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Gerlach, Menceslaus AnthonyBombardierKIA
CPL. Burke, John JosephRadio Operator / GunnerCT
CPL. Preble, James JarvisEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Hensley, Clyde WilburnBall Turret GunnerTBD
CPL. Harshman, William EverettTail GunnerCT
CPL. Applegate, William CharlesFlexible GunnerCT
CPL. Hultberg, Stanley RobertFlexible GunnerCT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
-- 12 October 1944 None
Non-combat sortie
Engineer/Top Turret 43‑37717 A hard landing caused starboard main landing gear to collapse, resulting in damage to that side of the aircraft. There were no crew injuries.
Sortie Report
210 14 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38678 Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑102518.
Sortie Report
211 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38678 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
212 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑102430 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
213 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 43‑37971 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
224 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑37717 Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report
226 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany
Togglier 43‑37917 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report
228 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Togglier 43‑38678 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
232 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany
Togglier 42‑97271 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
235 4 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Soest, Germany
Togglier 43‑38721 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron. Landed away at Boxted due to low fuel.
Sortie Report
236 6 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Togglier 43‑38721 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
237 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany
Togglier 43‑37971 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
238 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Togglier 43‑38721 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
240 18 December 1944 Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany
Togglier 43‑38721 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
242 23 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ehrang, Germany
Togglier 43‑38721 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Horham due to weather.
Sortie Report
243 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany
Togglier 43‑38721 Combat Mission Credit
13F Squadron.
Sortie Report
244 27 December 1944 Target: Bridge (Tactical)
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenahr, Germany
Togglier 42‑97271 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report
245 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany
Togglier 43‑38721 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
246 30 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany
Togglier 43‑38721 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
247 31 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany
Togglier 43‑37717 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
248 1 January 1945 Target: Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Derben, Germany
Togglier 42‑97309 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron. Left formation over friendly territory and landed on Continent, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report
251 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany
Togglier 43‑37917 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to internal failure of #3 engine.
Sortie Report
257 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Togglier 43‑38678 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire.
Sortie Report
259 22 January 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade, Germany
Togglier 43‑38673 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
265 9 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany
Togglier 44‑8408 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
266 14 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Dresden, Germany
Togglier 44‑8408 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
267 15 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany
Togglier 44‑8408 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Bassingbourn Airfield, AAF Station 121.
Sortie Report
273 24 February 1945 Target: Submarine Construction Shipyard
Type: Shipyards
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Togglier 44‑6923 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
274 25 February 1945 Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany
Togglier 42‑107125 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report
275 26 February 1945 Target: Schlesicher Railroad Station (Bahnhof)
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Togglier 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Damaged by flak near the I.P.; at 1158 one engine was feathered; at 1230 hrs #2 and #4 engines were out, and aircraft was under control, headed toward Russia. MACR 12760
Sortie Report
302 3 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Kiel, Germany
Togglier 43‑37917 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
303 4 April 1945 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Fassberg, Germany
Togglier 42‑102518 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report
305 6 April 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (Visual Primary)
Type: Transportation
Location: Leipzig, Germany
Togglier 42‑97309 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
306 7 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Plant
Type: Military
Location: Hitzacker, Germany
Togglier 43‑37917 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
307 9 April 1945 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany
Togglier 42‑97309 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
308 10 April 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot Workshop Area
Type: Military
Location: Oranienburg, Germany
Togglier 43‑37717 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
309 11 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Freiham, Germany
Togglier 42‑97309 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report

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