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Mission # 243

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date 24 December 1944
Eighth Air Force Operations Operations description not yet available.
Mission
384th BG Mission Number 243, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 760, Task Forces 1 & 2
Various Targets Attacked
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Previous Mission
The 384th Bombardment Group (H) flew two formations for today's mission. The first formation formed the lead and low squadrons of the 41st Combat Bombardment Wing C Group (41C Group) as part of 8th Air Force Mission 760 Task Force 2, while the second formation, comprised of aircraft that had landed at Horham Airfield, Station 118, the previous day, flew in squadron strength with the 13th Combat Bombardment Wing F Group (13F Squadron) as part of 8th Air Force Mission 760 Task Force 1. Other 384th aircraft participated with other units as indicated in Sortie comments.
The 41C Group attacked their primary target, an airfield at Kirch Göns, Germany, and most returned to Grafton Underwood, except as noted. The 13F Squadron was unable to pick up their primary target in the bombsight so they attacked their secondary target, railroad marshaling yards at Kaiserslautern, Germany, by visual means: all 13F Squadron aircraft were diverted to Sudbury Airfield, Station 174, on their return due to inclement weather.
Primary Target Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany
Target Attacked (Mode) Primary (Visual)
Sortie/Aircraft Summary Completed Mission, not including spares - 41
Flight Completed - 1
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused - 3
Mission Personnel Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗
Mission Documents Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗

45 AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED TO THIS MISSION
Table is sorted by Pilot, and may be sorted by any column: click the column head.
Aircraft Pilot Results Mission/Sortie Information
42‑3441⇗Gabel, Raymond John⇗Flight CompletedWeather aircraft.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31484⇗Rummel, Brian Dunn⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑32106⇗Touton, William Frank⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37788⇗Woodworth, John Dempster⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑38208⇗Smisek, William Joseph⇗Completed Mission41C Group. Landed away at Sudbury Airfield, AAF Station 174, due to weather.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑39888⇗Van Pelt, Charles A⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97150⇗Jackson, Oakley Homer⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97251⇗Festersen, John Carl⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97263⇗Gregg, William G⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97271⇗Backman, Glenn Elmer⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97320⇗Ultcht, John Preston⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97510⇗Fahr, John (NMI)⇗Completed MissionTook 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 ⇗
42‑97592⇗Kinnaird, William Robert⇗Completed MissionTook off from Ridgewell Airfield, AAF Station 167 (was unable to return to GU after prior day's mission due to weather), to lead a Squadron of the 381st BG to attack Steinbach Airfield in Germany.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97960⇗Molder, Charles Richard⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97986⇗Mohler, John Grigsby⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron Deputy. PFF ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑98000⇗Warner, Henry L⇗Completed MissionTook off from Eye Airfield, AAF Station 134 (was unable to return to GU after prior day's mission due to weather), and flew the mission with the 490th BG, attacking their assigned primary target.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑98027⇗Ellis, Harold Richard⇗Completed Mission41C Group, Low Squadron Lead. Landed away at RAF Wratting Common, Cambridgeshire.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102501⇗Hollingsworth, Fredrick Clay⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102661⇗Freiman, Peter Paul⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑37703⇗Galiano, Joe Vincent⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑37717⇗Starr, William George⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑37917⇗Zink, Joseph Darrell⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38016⇗Wismer, Richard Glen⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38062⇗DeFrancesco, John Joseph⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38262⇗Blankenmeyer, William J⇗Completed Mission41C Group Deputy. Gee-H ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38501⇗McLean, William S⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38616⇗Oosterhof, Franklin Gerald⇗Completed Mission41C Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Landed away at Ridgewell Airfield, AAF Station 167, due to weather.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38630⇗Owens, Robert Clare⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38673⇗Storey, Wallace Arnold⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38678⇗Weisenberg, Leonard⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38721⇗Holmes, George W⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38752⇗Klatt, Merton Dale⇗Completed Mission41C Group. Took off from Great Ashfield Airfield, AAF Station 155 (was unable to return to GU after prior day's mission due to weather), and flew mission with the 384th BG. Crewmember S/Sgt E Duff (FG), provided by 385th BG.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38757⇗Hicks, Ralph Benjamin⇗Completed Mission41C Group. Landed away at Sudbury Airfield, AAF Station 174, due to inclement weather.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38800⇗[N/A]Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
43‑38823⇗[N/A]Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
43‑38927⇗Gilmore, James Robson⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38994⇗Gilmer, Charles E⇗Completed Mission41C Group, Low Squadron Hot Camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6105⇗Abbott, William H⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6109⇗Kinkead, Robert Miller⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6476⇗Tatulis, Charles Paul⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8211⇗Walker, Jay Frank⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron. PFF ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8216⇗[N/A]Lead Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
44‑8221⇗Herzog, John Henry⇗Completed Mission41C Group Lead. PFF ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8401⇗Rowe, George B⇗Completed Mission13F Squadron Lead. PFF ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8430⇗Worthen, Kirk Winthrop⇗Completed Mission41C Group.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗