| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1943‑08‑31 | 19 | 88 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France |
| Target Hidden, Bombs Held: The 384th Bombardment Group had eighteen (18) aircraft airborne as scheduled; take-off time being 1544 o'clock, a delay in take-off resulted as the leader's airplane blew a tail wheel tire in taxiing to take-off position. This group climbed through the overcast and arrived at the rendezvous point on time where it was joined by the other groups. Due to complete cloud coverage [at the primary target], a turn was made to pick out a target of opportunity, unable to do so, this group returned to the home base with their bombs. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Completed Mission Comments: Wing Deputy. Original lead aircraft; became deputy. The tailwheel blew while taxiing for takeoff. This forced Col. Peaslee and Capt. Martin-Vegue to move to deputy lead aircraft 42‑5852. Lt Harvey had been in the tail gun position, and moved back to his CP position, while Lt Estes resumed pilot duty. In addition, Sgt McDuffie filled the TG position, and and Sgt Fisher took over the FG position vacated by McDuffie. This aircraft was repaired, took off only a few minutes late, and completed the mission. |
No Target Attacked |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17F | 42‑3441 ⇗ | 547th | SO*E | PATCHES II / SPOTTED COW |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Estes, Thomas Jefferson⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Co-pilot | Harvey, Walter Lewis⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | DuBois, John Jay⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Bombardier | Davis, David Harold⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Radio Operator | Wagner, Fred S⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Cochran, David Leon⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Ball Turret | Ursta, George (NMI)⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Tail Gunner | McDuffie, Burton Curtis⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Self, James Melvin, Jr⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Fisher, James Joseph⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |