| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1944‑05‑22 | 112 | 361 | Target: Warehouse District in the Dock Area Type: Transportation Location: Kiel, Germany |
| Docks Area Attacked: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) led the 41st Combat Bombardment Wing on today's mission. The bombardier decided not to drop bombs on the assigned aiming point as it had apparently been destroyed by bombs from previous groups, and was completely obscured by smoke and clouds. Instead, he aimed at a warehouse district adjacent to the destroyed area. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Failed To Return Comments: Low Squadron Deputy. At 1308, seven minutes after bombs-away, peeled off from formation; #1 and #2 engines feathered; went into spin, damaged by enemy aircraft; crashed near Rethwisch-Feld/Oldesloe, Germany. MACR 495 |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17G | 42‑102402 ⇗ | 547th | SO*L | not known |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Castleman, Milton Eugene⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Co-pilot | Hickey, Jack Franklin⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Navigator | Hepp, Eugene Francis⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Bombardier | Merkley, Ronald Charles⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Radio Operator | Hardman, John Bethany⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Stevens, Howard Orville⇗ | 547 | POW/Wounded |
| Ball Turret | Cook, Herbert Arno⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Tail Gunner | Fitch, John Gilmore⇗ | 547 | KIA |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Markiewicz, John Henry⇗ | 547 | POW |
| SORTIE-RELATED DOCUMENTS: | |
| TYPE | IDENTIFICATION |
| MACR | Missing Air Crew Report # 4954⇗ |