Mission # 39

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date	1 December 1943
384^th Mission	Mission Number 39 Next Mission Previous Mission
8^th Air Force Mission	Mission Number 145
Mission Comments	Primary Target Attacked The 384th Bombardment Group (H) flew today's mission under very challenging conditions. During initial climb in wing formation, the low squadron was forced to fly through a cloud layer with icing conditions. This caused three aircraft to fall out of position, which were then unable to return to the formation. Also, during most of the mission, flying speeds were excessively high - as much as 175 mph - causing fuel shortages on return.
Primary Target	Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant Type: Industry Location: Solingen, Germany
Target Attacked (Mode)	Primary (PFF)
Sortie/Aircraft Summary	Completed Mission, not including spares - 12 Failed To Return - 3 Aborted - 3 Scrubbed - 4 Flying Spare, Completed Mission - 2 Ditched - 1 Returned Early - 1
Mission Personnel	Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗
Mission Documents	Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗

26 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
41‑24525⇗	Rich, John (NMI)	Completed Mission	Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31274. Landed away at Woodbridge. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
41‑24557⇗	Sundlun, Bruce George	Failed to Return	Shot down by enemy aircraft, crashed near Ettingen, Germany; MACR 1334. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
41‑24578⇗	Stearns, Clarence Grover	Flying Spare, Completed Mission	Flying Spare; joined formation. Landed away at Manston. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑3259⇗	Bedsole, Joseph Linyer	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5838⇗	[N/A]	Scrubbed	Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑39784. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29554⇗	Yelvington, Melton Albert	Completed Mission	Landed away at Molesworth. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29632⇗	Jones, William Arch	Completed Mission	Landed away at Kimbolton. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29703⇗	Robinson, Robert Lawrence	Flying Spare, Completed Mission	Flying Spare; joined formation. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29723⇗	Reed, Merlin Howard	Completed Mission	Low Squadron. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29768⇗	Nelson, Darwin George	Failed to Return	Shot down by enemy aircraft; crashed near the Zwarteberg/Mont Noir on the Belgian-French border. The crewmembers bailed out, Easley landed near Boeschepe (Nord), France, some others landing near Abele, Belgium, and the rest near Westouter, Belgium. These locations are all within four miles south and west of Poperinge, Belgium; MACR 1336 SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29828⇗	Edwards, Floyd Clinton	Completed Mission	Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37816. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29935⇗	Markow, Henry V	Scrubbed	Did not take off SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑30033⇗	Goulder, Edmund Samuel	Failed to Return	Group lead; mechanical problems; crashed near Prüm, Germany; MACR 1335 SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31058⇗	Wilson, William Monroe	Aborted	Low Squadron lead; turned back due to excessive icing (3/4' on wings), frozen guns, and lagging turbo. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31073⇗	Carter, T L (IO)	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31211⇗	MacPhail, Philip Ray	Aborted	Low Squadron. Aborted due to excessive icing (3/4' on wings, etc.); aircraft stalled and went into a spiral. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31274⇗	[N/A]	Scrubbed	Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 41-24525. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37727⇗	Van der Haeghen, Joseph Albert	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37776⇗	Moore, Clifford Orville	Aborted	Low Squadron. Aborted due to excessive icing; aircraft stalled at 80mph and dropped 3000' after hitting propwash in icing conditions. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37792⇗	Thompson, Siguard (NMI)	Completed Mission	High Squadron lead; landed away at Woodbridge. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37801⇗	Booska, Maurice Arthur	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37816⇗	[N/A]	Scrubbed	Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑29828. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37848⇗	Ulrey, Edgar Ellsworth	Completed Mission	Landed away at RAF Waterbeach, Cambs. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37885⇗	Jorgenson, Henry (NMI)	Returned Early	Flying Spare; joined formation; turned back over enemy territory due to a cracked cylinder head on #4 engine. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑39784⇗	Willing, Mark Skinner	Completed Mission	Lead Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5838. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑39796⇗	Martin, Rudolph Alfred	Failed to Return, Ditched	Ditched off Portsmouth, entire crew rescued; no MACR. SORTIE REPORT ⇗