Mission # 256

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date 17 January 1945
Eighth Air Force Operations Operations description not yet available.
384th Bomb Group Mission
384th BG Mission Number 256, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 798
Secondary Target Attacked
The 384th Bombardment Group (H) led the 41st Combat Wing on today's mission. Because he was experiencing problems with his PFF equipment, the group leader ordered the low squadron to fly as his deputy (low squadron deputy moved into lead position, and lead squadron deputy moved into low squadron deputy position) in case a PFF attack was needed. At the IP, the Gee-H operator reported that his equipment could not be used, so the deputy (formerly low squadron leader) was ordered to lead the formation in a PFF attack on the secondary target. Bombs were dropped in group formation after a good PFF run.
Primary Target Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany
Target Attacked (Mode) Secondary (PFF)
Target: Railroad Workshops
Type: Transportation
Location: Paderborn, Germany
Sortie/Aircraft Summary Completed Mission, not including spares - 36
Flight Completed - 1
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused - 3
Scrubbed - 1
Mission Personnel Mission Personnel Roster or Mission Loading Lists
Mission Documents Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives

41 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
42‑32106Van Pelt, Charles ACompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑37788Van Popering, Earle AllenCompleted MissionGround Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37822.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑37822[N/A]Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffReplaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑37788.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑38013[N/A]Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
42‑38208Birder, Rodney HughCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑97251Rush, Joseph HenryCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑97510Milligan, George RobertCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑97592Shelley, John KeithCompleted MissionHigh Squadron lead. PFF ship.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑97824Rice, Robert EugeneCompleted MissionLow Squadron deputy. Assumed Squadron lead when low Squadron leader was ordered to fly in lead Squadron.
SORTIE REPORT
42‑97960Molder, Charles RichardCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑97986[N/A]Lead Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
42‑102459[N/A]Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
42‑102501McKay, William MonroeCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑102518Welsh, James HCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑102620Fleshman, Warren GrayCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
42‑107148MacKellar, Donald AllenCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑37843Ruckman, George FrancisCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑37917Hewes, Charles PershingCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑38016Minor, Henry WFlight CompletedWeather aircraft; remainder of crew (N, RO, Eng) not identified
SORTIE REPORT
43‑38062Warner, Henry LCompleted MissionLow Squadron hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT
43‑38501Tatulis, Charles PaulCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑38548Ramsay, Walter ECompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑38630Klatt, Merton DaleCompleted MissionHigh Squadron deputy.
SORTIE REPORT
43‑38673Weisenberg, LeonardCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑38678Holmes, George WCompleted MissionDivision deputy. Ordered to fly as the low Squadron deputy to make room for the low Squadron leader to fly in the division deputy position.
SORTIE REPORT
43‑38721Boyette, Irving HCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑38752Phillips, Herbert DyerCompleted MissionHigh Squadron hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT
43‑38757Whitesides, John BoyceCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑38800Smisek, William JosephCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑38823Starr, William GeorgeCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑38927Fisher, Robert JeremyCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑38994Johnson, Donald ErnestCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑39053Spangler, George KnoxCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
43‑39060Gilmer, Charles ECompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
44‑6109Peterson, Calvin JamesCompleted MissionLead Squadron hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT
44‑6476Festersen, John CarlCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
44‑6514Belsinger, Harry FlairCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
44‑6592Tebo, Clerance LCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT
44‑8211Blankenmeyer, William JCompleted MissionDivision lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. PFF started acting up during assembly, so the air commander ordered the low Squadron lead (PFF-equipped) to move up and fly as his deputy. At the IP, the Gee-H equipment was unusable, so lead was turned over to the deputy.
SORTIE REPORT
44‑8401Orr, James WallaceCompleted MissionLow Squadron lead. PFF ship. Ordered to fly as division deputy while en route, due to failure of PFF equipment on lead aircraft. Led formation from IP (because lead Gee-H equipment also failed) in attack on secondary target using his PFF.
SORTIE REPORT
44‑8608Galiano, Joe VincentCompleted Mission SORTIE REPORT