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Zink, Chester Harvey

Individual Personnel Data
Name Zink, Chester Harvey   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 36558095   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #126 dated 23 October 1943, effective 23 October 1943.
Duty Flexible Gunner
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 24 April 1944
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15
Additional Information
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #178 dated 30 December 1943.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 5 April 1944 to Moulsford Manor near Cholsey, Berkshire (a FLAK House) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #64 dated 3 April 1944.
  • C. H. Zink is on a mission interrogation form for 11 January 1944 and a loading list for 23 March 1944 and 20 April 1944; Chester A. Zink is on the loading list for 24 April 1944.
  • At this time (2011-01-12) there is no evidence to suggest that the two names refer to different individuals. Unless and until such evidence presents itself, the two names are deemed to refer to a single combat crewman.
  • Middle name confirmed by family sources to be HARVEY. Army records listing MI as A are in error.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 4348⇓ (9.171 MB)



Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Mabe, Walter Breeden⇗PilotEV
2nd Lt. Bailey, Everett Lee⇗Co-pilotKIA
2nd Lt. McKittrick, Vernon Russell⇗NavigatorCT
SGT. Hopper, Hugh David⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Smith, Roger Carlton⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Johnson, James Hansel, Jr⇗Ball Turret GunnerKIA
PVT. Fleming, Paul Hane⇗Tail GunnerPOW
SGT. Zink, Chester HarveyFlexible GunnerPOW
SGT. Folmar, Warren Alexander⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 16 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
36⇗ 16 November 1943 Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
39⇗ 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29828⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37816.
Sortie Report⇗
40⇗ 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
41⇗ 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy; assumed lead when group lead aborted.
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group, low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
45⇗ 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead
Sortie Report⇗
51⇗ 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31246⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
52⇗ 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31246⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, high group, 41st B Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
59⇗ 5 February 1944 Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Orleans, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. Gen. Robert F Travis, Commander, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy), Molesworth, England, flew aboard this aircraft as Flight Leader.
Sortie Report⇗
71⇗ 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
92⇗ 20 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
B Wing, High Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
94⇗ 24 April 1944 Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
High composite group lead. Left formation immediately after target and instructed deputy Laboda to take over lead; set course for Switzerland; 4 chutes; e/a, cr Maulbronn (25 miles NW of Stuttgart), Germany. MACR 4348
Sortie Report⇗

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