| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1944‑07‑20 | 162 | 484 | Target: Aircraft Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Dessau, Germany |
| Airfield Attacked: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided all three groups of the 41st C Combat Bombardment Wing on today's mission. Weather in the target area was partly cloudy, and, although the lead aircraft was equipped for radar bombing (PFF), the air commander determined that the primary target would not be attacked. Instead, he led the wing to attack a fighter airfield by visual means. Bombing results were mixed; some low group B-17s dropped their loads early when their group lead jettisoned his load due to flak damage to his #1 engine. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Completed Mission Comments: Low Group Lead. On the bomb run, hit by flak in #4 engine; had to jettison bomb load to stay in formation. Unfortunately, some of his group dropped their bombs when he did, and those bombs fell short of the target. Returned alone and landed at RAF Manston, Kent. |
Secondary (Visual) Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nordhausen, Germany |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17G | 42‑98000 ⇗ | 544th | SU*J | FIGHTIN' HEBE |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Commander | Lane, Edward William⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Pilot | Fairfield, William Adelbert, Jr⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | McNair, Alexander John⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Bombardier | Walton, Daniel Alton⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Radio Operator | Morlan, Emil Clayton⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Bray, Leo (NMI)⇗ | 544 | Wounded |
| Ball Turret | Wittwer, Derall Boyd⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Tail Gunner | Rafeld, Richard Eugene⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Larkin, Vincent Joseph⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |