Groh, Harold Chester

Individual Personnel Data
Name Groh, Harold Chester
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-735176
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #88 dated 3 September 1943, effective 3 September 1943.
  • Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report - Casual Pool, 12th Reinforcement Control Depot, AAF Station 591, effective 14 March 1944.
Duty Navigator
MOS1034 - Navigator
Last Duty Date 14 March 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on 13 December 1943 per General Orders #38, Headquarters 1st Bomb Division dated 20 December 1943.
Additional Information
  • Appointed First Lieutenant (AUS) effective 9 January 1944 per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 14 January 1944.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 6 January 1944 to Stanbridge Earls, Hampshire (a Flak house) per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 6 January 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Bedsole, Joseph Linyer, Jr⇗PilotKIA
2nd Lt. Cosentino, George (NMI)⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Groh, Harold ChesterNavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Wismann, William Charles⇗BombardierCT
T/SGT. Madden, Joseph Francis⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
PVT. Maruszak, Karol Leonard⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Hotis, Leo Constantine⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. McMichael, Marion Louis⇗Tail GunnerCT
S/SGT. Woodall, Arthur James, Jr, "Woody"⇗Flexible GunnerCT
PVT. Mazewski, Michael Henry, Jr⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 25 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
25⇗ 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France 		Navigator 42‑29717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Wing, Buckinghamshire.
Sortie Report⇗
26⇗ 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Molesworth, AAF Station 107, for reasons unknown, and returned immediately to home base.
Sortie Report⇗
28⇗ 4 October 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
29⇗ 8 October 1943 Target: Workshops
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
30⇗ 9 October 1943 Target: Aircraft Factories
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
31⇗ 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Podington due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
32⇗ 14 October 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Molesworth.
Sortie Report⇗
33⇗ 20 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Düren, Germany 		Navigator 42‑29768⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
--⇗ 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑37758⇗ Sortie Report⇗
34⇗ 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑3259⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
35⇗ 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑3259⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back, #3 engine failure.
Sortie Report⇗
36⇗ 16 November 1943 Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway 		Navigator 42‑3259⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
37⇗ 26 November 1943 Target: City Center
Type: Non-Military
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Turned back with a supercharger failure, apparently after entering into enemy airspace and thereby earning combat credit.
Sortie Report⇗
38⇗ 29 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑30026⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flight leader; plane lost two superchargers and slowed entire formation; the other two groups went ahead and left the 384th BG. This aircraft did not bomb due to bomb bay doors frozen shut. Landed away at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk.
Sortie Report⇗
40⇗ 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France 		Navigator 42‑3441⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead.
Sortie Report⇗
41⇗ 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Navigator 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy; assumed lead when group lead aborted.
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑3259⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group, low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
54⇗ 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Navigator 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Navigator 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group high Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Navigator 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
62⇗ 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Navigator 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
65⇗ 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97477⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group, Low Squadron Lead. 'Turned back because he could not catch our group and too close to Enemy Territory to keep trying.'
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron Lead, Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Navigator 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy. A British Army observer and war correspondent, Maj. Anthony Cotterell, flew with this crew.
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Navigator 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead.
Sortie Report⇗

Every effort has been expended to ensure all information on this page is complete and accurate.
Please inform webmaster of any discrepancies or omissions by using the button below.