Fless, Gustave (NMI)

Individual Personnel Data
Name Fless, Gustave (NMI)   ‡
⇗
Rank Staff Sergeant / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 32431836   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #96 dated 14 September 1943, effective 14 September 1943.
  • Transferred to the Casual Pool,12th replacement Control Depot, AAF Station Chorley, per 546th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 15 April 1944, effective 15 April 1944.
Duty Flexible Gunner / Radio Operator / Gunner
MOS757 - Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner, AAF
Last Duty Date 15 April 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 14 July 1920
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #36 dated 23 February 1944.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to Wolhampton House, Lymington, Hampshire (a Flak house) on or about 25 February 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #35 dated 21 February 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Johnson, Erwin Crawford⇗PilotWIA
2nd Lt. Gadd, Elliott Leroy⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Bailey, William Eugene⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Littleton, George James⇗BombardierPOW
S/SGT. Baker, Earl Shelton, "Jeff"⇗Nose GunnerCT
T/SGT. Ranallo, Sam David⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
T/SGT. Hunt, Leo Albert⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Couture, Clement Adrian⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Parsons, Lawrence Lincoln⇗Tail GunnerCT
S/SGT. Fless, Gustave (NMI)Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 28 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
28⇗ 4 October 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29712⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
31⇗ 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑30026⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
32⇗ 14 October 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29784⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Crew bailed out over England; their battle-damaged aircraft crash-landed near Baydon, Wiltshire. Erwin C. Johnson and Elliott L. Gadd were injured as a result of bailing out. Johnson did not fly again. Gadd remained off flight status until 5 December 1943.
Sortie Report⇗
34⇗ 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑29651⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
35⇗ 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑29651⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
38⇗ 29 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37776⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back; engines #1 and #3 running rough, as well as radio, interphone, and heated suits problems.
Sortie Report⇗
40⇗ 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
41⇗ 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Unable to locate the 384th formation, joined the 306th BG (40th Combat Wing).
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
46⇗ 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France 		Radio Operator 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Composite group.
Sortie Report⇗
48⇗ 31 December 1943 Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship)
Type: Transportation
Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France 		Radio Operator 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Molesworth; bombs jettisoned.
Sortie Report⇗
51⇗ 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑5444⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1025 hrs due to runaway supercharger on #3 engine.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group lead, 41st A Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
59⇗ 5 February 1944 Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Orleans, France 		Radio Operator 42‑31058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Radio Operator 42‑31058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
62⇗ 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑37848⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑37789⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group. Landed away at RAF Bourn, Cambridgeshire, on return due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
74⇗ 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑37848⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑97449. Turned back at 1102 hrs because #7 cylinder blew off of #2 engine and had to be feathered.
Sortie Report⇗
75⇗ 16 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑97142⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
77⇗ 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France 		Radio Operator 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
78⇗ 20 March 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑31211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron, composite high group.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑97081⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
82⇗ 26 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France 		Radio Operator 42‑97510⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1335 hrs over Molesworth because of smoke in bomb bay from unknown source. Landed away at Molesworth.
Sortie Report⇗
83⇗ 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France 		Radio Operator 42‑97510⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41 Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
85⇗ 29 March 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑97510⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Cottesmore, Rutland, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑97510⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Metfield, Suffolk, on return because of low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
88⇗ 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany 		Radio Operator 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗

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