| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1944‑08‑26 | 185 | 576 | Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
| More Oil Pressure: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided all three groups of the 41st A Combat Bombardment Wing on today's mission. Weather at the target was not ideal, but the lead and low groups were able to drop accurately. The high group was not able to bomb the primary, so continued on to locate targets of opportunity. However, weather and air traffic conflicts prevented them from attacking, so they went on to the coast in search of some enemy shipping that had been reported. Eventually, nothing was spotted and they brought their bombs home. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Failed To Return Comments: Lead group. At 1228 hrs, shortly after leaving target, aircraft observed feathering #4 engine and dropped down very rapidly, falling behind, but under control; crashed near the Oldebroek army training area, Wezep, The Netherlands. MACR 8466 |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17G | 42‑97204 ⇗ | 547th | SO*K | SKYLARK |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Rainey, Harry Wesley, Jr⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Co-pilot | Rowe, J Z (IO)⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Navigator | Francis, Charles Dean, III⇗ | 544 | POW |
| Bombardier | Kendall, Walter Selium, Jr⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Radio Operator | Sturdivant, Donald Barrett⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Evans, Jack Clifton⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Ball Turret | Mosier, Richard Nelson⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Tail Gunner | Gordon, Norman Hirsch⇗ | 547 | KIA |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Thornhill, John Grover⇗ | 547 | POW |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Knowlton, Alfred Bachelor⇗ | 547 | Evaded |
| SORTIE-RELATED DOCUMENTS: | |
| TYPE | IDENTIFICATION |
| MACR | Missing Air Crew Report # 8466⇗ |
| ESCAPE | Unknown Escape & Evasion Report |