384th 2025 REUNION
INFORMATION PAGE⇗

Mission # 261

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date 28 January 1945
Eighth Air Force Operations Operations description not yet available.
Mission
384th BG Mission Number 261, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 809
Transportation Targeted
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Previous Mission
The 384th Bombardment Group (H) led the 41st B Combat Wing on today's mission. At takeoff, a snowstorm prevented three aircraft from taking off. However, once airborne, assembly was accomplished without difficulty. Nearing the IP, the group commander found the target area cloud covered, and his Gee-H equipment was inoperative. Therefore he chose to bomb the designated secondary (the city center) using PFF. The low squadron's Gee-H was working, so they bombed the primary with good results.
Primary Target Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Target Attacked (Mode) Primary (Gee-H with Visual Assist)
Sortie/Aircraft Summary Completed Mission, not including spares - 22
Flying Spare, Completed Mission - 2
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused - 1
Scrubbed - 5
Failed To Return - 1
Mission Personnel Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗
Mission Documents Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗

31 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
42‑37788⇗[N/A]Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffReplaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 44‑6476.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑38013⇗Whitesides, John Boyce⇗Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffGround Spare Aircraft; replaced 43‑38757 when displaced by Ruckman. Did not take off due to snowstorm.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑38208⇗Tebo, Clerance L⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97592⇗[Non-384th Pilot]Completed MissionLoaned to the 306th BG, with Gee-H navigator.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97960⇗Kramer, William Leo⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102501⇗Spangler, George Knox⇗Completed MissionLead Squadron hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102661⇗[N/A]Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
42‑107125⇗Zink, Joseph Darrell⇗Completed MissionGroup deputy; Gee-H ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑37917⇗Baughman, John R⇗Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffLead Squadron hot camera ship. Did not take off due to snowstorm.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38501⇗Tatulis, Charles Paul⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38630⇗Bennett, Ralph J⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38647⇗Ultcht, John Preston⇗Completed MissionLow Squadron deputy.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38673⇗MacKellar, Donald Allen⇗Spare, Completed MissionLead Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38678⇗Fletcher, Graydon James⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38747⇗Milligan, George Robert⇗Spare, Completed MissionLow Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38757⇗Ruckman, George Francis⇗Completed MissionOriginally assigned to Whitesides; taken by Ruckmman when he scrubbed 44‑6592.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38766⇗Gregg, William G⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38994⇗McKay, William Monroe⇗Completed MissionLanded away at RAF Manston, Kent, due to severe flak damage.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑39019⇗Boyette, Irving H⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑39053⇗Springsted, Donald George⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑39060⇗Worthen, Kirk Winthrop⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑39131⇗Rush, Joseph Henry⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6105⇗Jackson, Oakley Homer⇗Failed To ReturnDamaged by flak; sent SOS at 1320 and left formation under control; crashed near Ossenzijl, The Netherlands. MACR 11990
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6476⇗Reed, Verlin Dean⇗Completed MissionGround Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37788.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6514⇗Patterson, Nelton Dreward⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6590⇗Sharp, Alan E⇗Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffDid not take off due to snowstorm.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6592⇗[N/A]Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffReplaced by 43‑38757 - Ruckman displaced Whitesides from that aircraft.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8007⇗Tuck, Sam Gail⇗Completed MissionLow Squadron lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8008⇗Kinnaird, William Robert⇗Completed MissionGroup lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8211⇗[Non-384th Pilot]Completed MissionLoaned to the 401st BG, with Gee-H navigator.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8408⇗Starr, William George⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗