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Retherford, Archie (NMI), Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name Retherford, Archie (NMI), Jr
Rank Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 35370807
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #70 dated 11 March 1943, effective 11 March 1943.
Duty Flexible Gunner
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 30 December 1943
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Ditched, and entire crew rescued on 1 December 1943 mission to Solingen, Germany; no MACR.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Original 384th Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. LeFevre, Charles HPilotTBD
2nd Lt. Fields, LeonCo-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Hegstad, Lester Olaf, "Red"NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Carlson, Clyde PembertonBombardierTR
S/SGT. Griffith, Roy WesleyRadio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Ralston, William ClarkEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Savage, Clyde HenryBall Turret GunnerCT
PVT. McNutt, Julius FrederickTail GunnerCT
S/SGT. Shelton, William Abner, JrFlexible GunnerCT
S/SGT. Retherford, Archie (NMI), JrFlexible GunnerCT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 25 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
2 25 June 1943 Target: Industrial Area & Submarine Pens
Type: Military
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑30058 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back with gyrocompass out and altimeter erratic. Landed away at Bottisham, AAF Station 374.
Sortie Report
4 28 June 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger, France
Tail Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
5 29 June 1943 Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
6 4 July 1943 Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Le Mans, France
Tail Gunner 42‑5849 Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5838. Frink had taken off in 838, detected a short circuit that made the aircraft unusable for combat, and landed. It took him 20 minutes from landing to taking off again!
Sortie Report
7 10 July 1943 Target: Drucat Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Abbeville, France
Tail Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
8 14 July 1943 Target: Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5848.
Sortie Report
9 24 July 1943 Target: Aluminum & Magnesium Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Herøya, Norway
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑30043 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
11 28 July 1943 Target: Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑29699 Combat Mission Credit
Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron deputy. Turned back with #2 & #3 engines unable to produce enough power to stay with the formation.
Sortie Report
12 29 July 1943 Target: Naval Base
Type: Military
Location: Kiel, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑29699 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
13 30 July 1943 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑29699 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Martlesham Heath, AAF Station 369, on return, reason unknown.
Sortie Report
14 12 August 1943 Target: Synthetic Fuel Hydrogenation Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑29699 Combat Mission Credit
Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back because #1, #3 and #4 oil pressure dropped off between nothing and ten; feathered #1 and #3.
Sortie Report
15 15 August 1943 Target: Poix-en-Picardie and Amiens-Glisy Airfields
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Poix-de-Picardie & Amiens, France
Tail Gunner 42‑5849 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
16 16 August 1943 Target: Le Bourget Airport & Air Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France
Tail Gunner 42‑30043 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
17 17 August 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑29699 Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Turned back before target because of trouble with three engines; dropped his bombs on a target of opportunity (TOO), an unidentified fighter airfield.
Sortie Report
18 27 August 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Watten, France
Tail Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report
19 31 August 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France
Tail Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
20 3 September 1943 Target: Air Park and Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France
Tail Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead
Sortie Report
21 6 September 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Hornchurch, Essex, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report
22 7 September 1943 Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium
Tail Gunner 42‑29768 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Difficulty controlling #4 engine and prop caused Butler to abort, after assembling his section.
Sortie Report
23 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France
Tail Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
24 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France
Tail 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
Tail Gunner 42‑5838 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
-- 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑29987 Sortie Report
34 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑29987 Combat Mission Credit
Squadron of composite group.
Sortie Report
35 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑29987 Combat Mission Credit
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
38 29 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31073 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back; #2 & #4 engines running rough.
Sortie Report
39 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑39796 Combat Mission Credit
Ditched off Portsmouth, entire crew rescued; no MACR.
Sortie Report
47 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37801 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report

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