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Waggoner, Buford (NMI)

Individual Personnel Data
Name Waggoner, Buford (NMI)
Rank Corporal / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 38627749
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #179 dated 8 September 1944, effective 8 September 1944.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 17 January 1945
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #183 dated 15 September 1944.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #211 dated 25 October 1944.
  • Ordered on seven days Temporary Duty to Spetchley Park, AAF Station 562 (a Flak house) on 14 December 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #244 dated 12 December 1944.




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Fahr, John (NMI)PilotCT
2nd Lt. Ryan, Chilton (NMI)Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Niemiec, Leonard RoyNavigatorCT
CPL. Casteel, Raleigh JamesTogglierCT
CPL. Luburich, Michael (NMI)Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Hanrahan, Francis GlenEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Waggoner, Buford (NMI)Ball Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Roach, William EarlTail GunnerCT
CPL. Virtue, Earl EleryFlexible GunnerCT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
200 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97521 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
201 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑107148 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
202 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97521 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
203 2 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑102430 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare. Filled in.
Sortie Report
204 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97521 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
207 7 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Leipzig, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97521 Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
208 9 October 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑102430 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
209 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑102430 Combat Mission Credit
Second Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
211 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97521 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
212 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97521 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
213 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97521 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron. Soon after bombs away, this aircraft started to drop back from formation under control, and continued to drop back until out of sight; returned to base and resumed combat missions after seven weeks.
Sortie Report
215 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report
216 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
219 4 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
221 6 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany
Ball Turret 44‑8409 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
222 8 November 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38721 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back with a gas leak in engine #3 and #4 on fire.
Sortie Report
223 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report
224 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, Lead Squadron. Hot Camera ship.
Sortie Report
225 11 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
226 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 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
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron, 41st Bomb Wing D group.
Sortie Report
228 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
229 25 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship; landed away at Bovingdon, due to weather.
Sortie Report
233 30 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
234 2 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑37717 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
236 6 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Ball Turret 44‑6109 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
237 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
238 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
239 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
242 23 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ehrang, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97510 Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 43‑37917. Landed away at RAF Wethersfield, Essex, due to weather. Apparently ferried to Ridgewell prior to 24 December mission.
Sortie Report
243 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97510 Combat Mission Credit
Took off from Ridgewell Airfield, AAF Station 167 (was unable to return to GU after prior day's mission due to weather) and flew the mission with the 381st BG, attacking their assigned primary target. Diverted to Sudbury Airfield, AAF Station 174, on return due to inclement weather.
Sortie Report
244 27 December 1944 Target: Bridge (Tactical)
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenahr, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38823 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report
249 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38673 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
253 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑102518 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
254 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38721 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
256 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38673 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report

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