2025 REUNION
 PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
ON HOME PAGE

Mission # 51

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date 7 January 1944
Eighth Air Force Operations Operations description not yet available.
Mission
384th BG Mission Number 51, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 178
Few Aircraft Join Formation
Next Mission
Previous Mission
The 384th Bombardment Group (H) was planned to fly as the high group of the 94th Combat Wing on today's mission. After group assembly, clouds encountered on the climb to the wing rendezvous point separated the squadrons. The high squadron (plus two aircraft from the low squadron, and one from the lead squadron which later aborted) tacked on to several wings in succession, trying to find their assigned wing, finally joining a wing that included groups of the 1st and 94th Combat Wings. From that point on, the mission proceeded as planned, and bombs were dropped on the wing leader.
Primary Target Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Target Attacked (Mode) Primary (PFF)
Sortie/Aircraft Summary Completed Mission, not including spares - 7
Aborted - 13
Did Not Take Off - 1
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⇗

22 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⇗Garner, Walter Ernest⇗Failed To ReturnLeft formation after bombing target. Most of crew bailed out near Abbeville, France; aircraft crashed near Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, France; MACR 1608.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
41‑24578⇗Outen, Charles Levi⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑3087⇗Kew, William Joseph⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5444⇗Wolf, Richard Vance⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Turned back at 1025 hrs due to runaway supercharger on #3 engine.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29632⇗Ross, Burton Raymond⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29703⇗Heffley, Farris Ormond⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29809⇗Fioretti, Edward Anthony⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous. Bomb load included 'nickles' - propaganda leaflets.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29828⇗Laboda, Joseph Stanley⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31045⇗Stier, George Withers⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31211⇗Moore, Clifford Orville⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31222⇗Taylor, Sidney Paul⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31246⇗Edwards, Floyd Clinton⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Low Squadron lead.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37727⇗Penney, Comus Robert⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Flying spare. Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37758⇗Lovell, James MacNaughton⇗Completed MissionLanded away at Nuthampstead with one wounded crewmember.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37776⇗Corcoran, John Joseph⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37788⇗Booska, Maurice Arthur⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37793⇗DeFrees, Norman Francis⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37801⇗Carter, T L (IO)⇗Did Not Take OffHigh Squadron lead; did not take off due to engine trouble.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37848⇗Algar, Philip Morris⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Group lead. Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37885⇗Yelvington, Melton Albert⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37924⇗Stearns, Clarence Grover⇗Completed MissionHigh Squadron #4; assumed Squadron lead after assigned Squadron lead aircraft failed to take off; then led remaining group aircraft on the mission after weather broke up the group formation, causing most (including assigned group lead) to turn back.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑39784⇗Smith, Roger Clement⇗Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Flying spare. Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗