| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1944‑11‑20 | 227 | 718 | Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
| Marshalling Yards Bombed: A combination of equipment failures prevented the planned Gee-H attack on the primary target. Therefore, all squadrons of the 384th attacked the secondary PFF target. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Returned Early Comments: Gee-H ship; lead Squadron deputy, 41st Bomb Wing C group. The mission commander's narrative states: 'A/C 8016 (Pilot Gilbert) returned early due to engine failure. Bombs were jettisoned.' According to Marion Chase, Engineer: 'Five minutes before target, had a runaway prop and finally feathered it due to vibration. At 29,000 ft. we could not climb and lost our formation. Came back alone.' |
No Target Attacked |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | ||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME |
| B-17G | 43‑38016 ⇗ | 544th | SU*R | LORRAINE |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Gilbert, Stanley Milton⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Co-pilot | Culhane, Emmett Patrick⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | Mass, Russell C⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Navigator | Merlis, Albert L⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Bombardier | Ward, Donald Leroy⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Radio Operator | Hickman, Noah Clarence⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Chase, Marion Butler, Jr⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Ball Turret | Foster, Erwin Vernon⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Tail Gunner | Carella, Jack Vito⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | McKnight, Lyle Orin⇗ | 544 | Completed, Uninjured |