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Curtis, William Stanley

Individual Personnel Data
Name Curtis, William Stanley
Rank Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 18130481
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #78 dated 22 August 1943, effective 22 August 1943.
  • Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report - transferred to Casual Pool, 12th Replacement Control Depot, AAF Station 591, effective 3 March 1944.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 3 March 1944
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 16 May 1923
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Sundlun, Bruce GeorgePilotEV
2nd Lt. Zitnik, Charles AllenCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Jylkka, Reino OswalNavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. McGovern, Vincent JamesBombardierCT
S/SGT. Snyder, Charles LeslieRadio Operator / GunnerPOW
T/SGT. Ramsey, William MarionEngineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Curtis, William StanleyBall Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Lekas, Frank (NMI)Tail GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Cappelletti, Mike JosephFlexible GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Hayes, George ClayborneFlexible GunnerKIA

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 25 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
21 6 September 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Deanland, East Sussex, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report
22 7 September 1943 Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium
Ball Turret 42‑29554 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
23 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
24 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
25 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report
26 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back prior to assembly due to a runaway supercharger on #2 engine
Sortie Report
27 2 October 1943 Target: Port Facilities
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
Dropped 7,200 Code #4s 'nickles' over target.
Sortie Report
30 9 October 1943 Target: Aircraft Factories
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Anklam, Germany
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report
31 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
33 20 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Düren, Germany
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
-- 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Maj. Ketelsen HSqLd
Sortie Report
34 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
35 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Ball Turret 41‑24557 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
43 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑29733 Combat Mission Credit
Crash-landed (overshot) at RAF Coltishall due to battle damage. "The A/C is a total wreck but none of the crew were injured."
Sortie Report
45 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑37792 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1325 hrs due to #2 supercharger going up to 60 inches at 23000ft; forced to feather #2 prop; returned bombs.
Sortie Report
46 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France
Ball Turret 42‑29828 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
47 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑3259 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Gatwick with #4 engine out; bombed target; sent to 2 Strategic Air Depot at Little Staughton for repair.
Sortie Report
49 4 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑37788 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑29809. Took off late, then turned back with engine trouble.
Sortie Report
55 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report
57 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑40005 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report
58 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑39991 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, 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
Ball Turret 42‑29554 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
60 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Ball Turret 42‑29688 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
61 8 February 1944 Target: Piston Ring Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑31484 Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Lead Squadron. Turned back at 1026 hrs while over enemy territory because of detonation (pinging) in #1, #2, and #3 engines, causing aircraft to fall behind group. Crew granted credit for the mission.
Sortie Report
63 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report
64 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
65 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑37792 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group.
Sortie Report
66 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑38112 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron, lead group.
Sortie Report
67 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑31926 Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron, Low Group.
Sortie Report
68 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Ball Turret 42‑31166 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report

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