| Name | Hammerstein, Lester Eugene |
| Rank | Flight Officer / Second Lieutenant |
| Serial Number | O-2029783 |
| Unit Assignments | Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #234 dated 28 November 1944, effective 28 November 1944. |
| Duty | Co-pilot |
| MOS | 1091 - Pilot, B-17 |
| Last Duty Date | 25 April 1945 |
| Results | Flying Combat Missions At End Of War |
| Additional Information | |
| Photos of this Veteran signing the Wing Panel | Hammerstein Signing⇗ |
| Photo Album: | Crew Photo Album⇗ |
| CREWMEMBER | POSITION | RESULTS |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Lt. Van Pelt, Charles A⇗ | Pilot | CT |
| Flt. Ofcr. Hammerstein, Lester Eugene | Co-pilot | FCMEW |
| 2nd Lt. Murphy, Edward J⇗ | Navigator | CT |
| 2nd Lt. Gay, Joseph Bates, Jr⇗ | Bombardier | CT |
| CPL. Guentzel, Otto William⇗ | Radio Operator / Gunner | CT |
| CPL. Secrest, Marvin Victor⇗ | Engineer / Top Turret Gunner | CT |
| SGT. Slack, Raymond Carl⇗ | Ball Turret Gunner | CT |
| CPL. Den Herder, Edward (NMI)⇗ | Tail Gunner | CT |
| CPL. Groom, William Emmett, Jr⇗ | Flexible Gunner | CT |
| Number | Date | Target | Position | Aircraft | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 240⇗ | 18 December 1944 |
Target: Road Junction Type: Transportation Location: Gemünd, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑102661⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 243⇗ | 24 December 1944 |
Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Kirch Göns, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑39888⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit 41C Group. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 244⇗ | 27 December 1944 |
Target: Bridge (Tactical) Type: Transportation Location: Altenahr, Germany |
Co-pilot | 43‑37703⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 245⇗ | 28 December 1944 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Brühl, Germany |
Co-pilot | 43‑37703⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 247⇗ | 31 December 1944 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Neuss, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑37822⇗ |
Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back; took off late, unable to find formation. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 257⇗ | 20 January 1945 |
Target: Rail and Road Bridges Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑102661⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Landed away at RAF Newmarket, Suffolk. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 265⇗ | 9 February 1945 |
Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Lützkendorf, Germany |
Co-pilot | 44‑6898⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Due to an oxygen regulator failure, attacked a target of opportunity, railroad marshalling yards at Kaub, Germany. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 268⇗ | 19 February 1945 |
Target: Coking Plant Type: Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑102661⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 269⇗ | 20 February 1945 |
Target: Main Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑102661⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 270⇗ | 21 February 1945 |
Target: Tank Factory Type: Industry Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑102661⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 300⇗ | 30 March 1945 |
Target: Deutsche Schiff- u. Maschinenbau A.G. (DESCHIMAG)
Submarine and Warship Yard Machine Shop Type: Submarine Facility Location: Bremen, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑102459⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 301⇗ | 31 March 1945 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Lützkendorf, Germany |
Co-pilot | 43‑39203⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High Squadron flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 302⇗ | 3 April 1945 |
Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot Type: Oil Industry Location: Kiel, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑102620⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 307⇗ | 9 April 1945 |
Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany |
Co-pilot | 43‑38062⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back prior to target when #2 engine started smoking. Peeled off. made 180° turn and headed back for England. The aircraft was under control and apparently landed somewhere in allied territory. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 316⇗ | 25 April 1945 |
Target: Skoda Armament Works Type: Industry Location: Pilsen / Plzeň, Czechoslovakia |
Co-pilot | 43‑39444⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |