| Mission Date | 18 March 1944 |
| Eighth Air Force Operations | Operations description not yet available. |
| 384th Bomb Group Mission |
384th BG Mission Number 76, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 264
Two Targets Attacked The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided two formations for today's mission. A group size formation led the 41st Combat Bombardment Wing, while a squadron size formation led the high composite group of the same wing. All targets were attacked by visual means.
Five aircraft of High Composite Group, led by Capt J M Merritt, bombed an airfield in the vicinity of Memmingen, Germany as a Last Resort Target: they were unable to drop on the primary target because another formation was below them. |
| Primary Target |
Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany |
| Target Attacked (Mode) | Primary (Visual) |
| Sortie/Aircraft Summary |
Completed Mission, not including spares - 23 Returned Early - 1 Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed - 3 Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused - 3 Failed To Return - 2 |
| Mission Personnel | Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗ |
| Mission Documents | Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗ |
| Other Mission Documents | 1944-03-18, 41st Combat Bomb Wing Lead, W. Buck, L. Armstrong⇗ |
| Aircraft | Pilot | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42‑3440⇗ | Baylor, Robert Bledsoe⇗ | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron, high composite group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑3441⇗ | [N/A] | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 42‑30026⇗ | [N/A] | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 42‑31166⇗ | Yelvington, Melton Albert⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31211⇗ | Decker, Charles Edgar⇗ | Completed Mission | High Squadron lead, lead group, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31222⇗ | Miller, James Gilmore⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31235⇗ | Allison, Earl Thomas⇗ | Completed Mission | High group lead, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31346⇗ | Robinson, Robert Lawrence⇗ | Completed Mission | High group deputy, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31375⇗ | Courtemanche, Ralph Eudor⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31495⇗ | Morrison, Donald Sylvester⇗ | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron, high composite group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31740⇗ | Heffley, Farris Ormond⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31871⇗ | LaSeur, William Veryle⇗ | Failed To Return | At 1445 hrs called Group Leader saying he had two engines out and would try for home; had escort of four friendly fighters; force-landed at Dubendorf, Switzerland; MACR 3485. From 303rd BG: 'Secret equipment destroyed. Landed wheels down at Dubendorf. Wheels retracted after landing, but aircraft could not be burned because of Swiss interference. Target was bombed. Could not feather #1 engine out on bomb run. Half power obtained from engines Nos. 2 and 3 which were running rough.' SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37758⇗ | Barad, Robert Leo⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37776⇗ | Horton, Lloyd (NMI)⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37785⇗ | Herbert, Joseph Robert⇗ | Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37789⇗ | Goller, Theodore (NMI)⇗ | Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37793⇗ | Smith, Roger Clement⇗ | Failed To Return | At 1440 hrs he turned from formation; at 1455 he called Group Leader that two engines were out and he was heading for Switzerland, escorted by P-38s through a mountain pass to the south; damage caused by flak; crash-landed at Altstetten, Switzerland. MACR 3484
From 303rd BG: '#1 engine would not feather, vibrated badly and ran away over target. Supercharger on #2 inoperative 30 minutes before initial point, was rough and lost oil. Supercharger on #3 did not function properly. Aircraft landed at Dubendorf [sic] wheels up. Destruction completed of secret equipment. Target was bombed.' SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37982⇗ | Clayton, John Earl⇗ | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron, high composite group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑38013⇗ | Kravet, Marvin Robert⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑38112⇗ | Fioretti, Edward Anthony⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑38158⇗ | Lavin, James Robert⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron deputy, lead group, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑38208⇗ | Bennett, Phillip Nathan⇗ | Completed Mission | Dropped ten parcels of 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) in addition to bombs. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑39888⇗ | Yokie, John Olivi⇗ | Returned Early | Lead Squadron, high composite group. Turned back at 1246 hrs, deep in enemy territory, because #3 supercharger went out and aircraft could not maintain position in the formation. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑97081⇗ | Pryor, Raymond Thomas⇗ | Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑97124⇗ | Hines, James Wesley⇗ | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑97139⇗ | Rich, John (NMI)⇗ | Completed Mission | High Squadron deputy, lead group, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑97142⇗ | MacPhail, Philip Ray⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑97150⇗ | Smith, Harry Bailey⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead, lead group, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑97449⇗ | Daskey, Kendall (NMI)⇗ | Completed Mission | SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑97477⇗ | Armstrong, Lloyd Rowland⇗ | Completed Mission | 41st Combat Bombardment Wing Lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑97510⇗ | [N/A] | Lead Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 42‑97523⇗ | [482nd BG Pilot] | Completed Mission | 41st Combat Bombardment Wing deputy. PFF ship and unidentified crewmembers loaned by 482nd BG. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |