| MISSION DATA: | |||
| DATE | 384th BG Mission # | 8th AF Mission # | 384th PRIMARY TARGET |
| 1943‑10‑14 | 32 | 115 | Target: Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany |
| "Second Schweinfurt" aka "Black Thursday": The 384th Bombardment Group (H) put up three squadrons on today's mission. However, six aircraft aborted, reducing the number that bombed the primary target. A further six aircraft were knocked out by enemy action. An all-too-familiar situation faced the returning crews - bad weather over East Anglia. Three Aircraft were lost when the crews, unable to locate a suitable place to land in England, bailed out and abandoned them, while most of the remainder landed at other airfields. | |||
| SORTIE DATA: | ||
| COMBAT CREDIT | STATUS | TARGET ATTACKED (MODE) |
| Yes |
Failed To Return Comments: Knocked down by enemy aircraft; crashed at Bischbrunn, Germany, 21 miles WNW of Würzburg, Germany; MACR 839. |
Primary (Visual) |
| SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA: | |||||
| TYPE | SERIAL NUMBER | SQUADRON | SQ CODE | NAME | GROUND CREW CHIEF |
| B-17F | 42‑30196 ⇗ | 546th | BK*Y | SAD SACK | Flynn, James Francis |
| SORTIE CREW DATA: | |||
| POSITION | CREWMEMBER | UNIT | STATUS |
| Pilot | Keller, Lawrence Larry, Jr⇗ | 546 | KIA |
| Co-pilot | Odell, Marion Dale⇗ | 546 | KIA |
| Navigator | Hart, Jerome Fraser⇗ | 546 | KIA |
| Bombardier | Gross, Kenneth Elbert⇗ | 546 | KIA |
| Radio Operator | Vansandt, Wallie Havis, Jr⇗ | 546 | POW/Wounded |
| Engineer/Top Turret | Jacoby, Virgilio (NMI)⇗ | 546 | KIA |
| Ball Turret | McClean, Harold Keith⇗ | 546 | KIA |
| Tail Gunner | Jellings, Charles Albert⇗ | 546 | POW/Wounded |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Maloney, John Edward⇗ | 546 | POW |
| Waist (Flexible) Gunner | Motiaytis, Peter Charles⇗ | 546 | POW |
| SORTIE-RELATED DOCUMENTS: | |
| TYPE | IDENTIFICATION |
| MACR | Missing Air Crew Report # 839⇗ |