| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1944‑07‑17 | 159 | 478 | Target: Beautor Bridge Type: Transportation Location: Beautor, France |
| Myriad Problems: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided all three group formations of the 41st C Combat Bombardment Wing for today's mission. The bombardier of the lead group could not pick up the primary target on the first bomb run - and his intercom was out so the pilot's orders went unheard, resulting in the lead group's bombs being dropped on Laon, France, Marshalling Yards. Meanwhile, the high group had similar trouble picking up the primary target, and went around for a second run with the same result, but with heavy flak. The high group leader then selected a last resort target, a bridge in Eu, France, and the group dropped their bombs there. The low group released their bombs on the first bomb run, but apparently aimed them at a nearby railroad bridge in 'Vouël' (Tergnier), France. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Completed Mission Comments: Wing lead. Landed away at RAF Manston, Kent, due to battle damage. |
TOO (Visual) Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Laon, France |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17G | 42‑97824 ⇗ | 544th | SU*U | not known |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Commander | Nuttall, Alfred Charles⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Pilot | Lane, Edward William⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | Lord, Kenneth Smith⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | Schmidtke, George Emory⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Bombardier | Cooper, Leo Lee⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Radio Operator | Flory, Clarence Robert⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Bray, Leo (NMI)⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Ball Turret | Wittwer, Derall Boyd⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Tail Gunner | Carlson, Walter Elmer⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Larkin, Vincent Joseph⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |