Name | Austin, Ralph Earl |
Rank | Sergeant / Staff Sergeant |
Serial Number | 37512616 |
Unit Assignments | Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #140 dated 17 July 1944, effective 17 July 1944. |
Duty | Flexible Gunner |
MOS | 612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner |
Last Duty Date | 27 January 1945 |
Results | Completed Combat Tour |
Additional Information |
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Related Documents | A Personal Account⇓ (0.058 MB) |
Photo Album: | Crew Photo Album⇗ |
CREWMEMBER | POSITION | RESULTS |
---|---|---|
2nd Lt. Henderson, William Vincent⇗ | Pilot | CT |
2nd Lt. Oosterhof, Franklin Gerald⇗ | Co-pilot | CT |
2nd Lt. Segars, Arthur Woodrow⇗ | Navigator | POW |
2nd Lt. Smith, George Kitchen⇗ | Bombardier | CT |
S/SGT. Owens, Buddy Louis⇗ | Radio Operator / Gunner | CT |
S/SGT. Rodgers, William Mack⇗ | Engineer / Top Turret Gunner | CT |
SGT. Tobman, Milton (NMI)⇗ | Ball Turret Gunner | CT |
SGT. Woodruff, Walker Ace⇗ | Tail Gunner | POW |
SGT. Austin, Ralph Earl | Flexible Gunner | CT |
PVT. O'Malley, Herbert Mathew⇗ | Flexible Gunner | TR |
Number | Date | Target | Position | Aircraft | Mission/Sortie Information |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
167⇗ | 29 July 1944 |
Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑97510⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
168⇗ | 31 July 1944 |
Target: Aero Engine Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Munich / München, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑102620⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High Group, High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report⇗ |
169⇗ | 1 August 1944 |
Target: Railroad Bridge Type: Transportation Location: Chartres, France |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑102620⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low Group Hot Camera Ship. Sortie Report⇗ |
172⇗ | 4 August 1944 |
Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Crepieul, France |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑37982⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit This aircraft carried delayed-action bombs which were jettisoned in the Channel. Sortie Report⇗ |
177⇗ | 11 August 1944 |
Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements Type: Military Location: Brest, France |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑102620⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
178⇗ | 12 August 1944 |
Target: "Landing Ground" Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: La Perthe, France |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑102620⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low group. Sortie Report⇗ |
179⇗ | 13 August 1944 |
Target: Tactical: Road Network Type: Transportation Location: Beaumont-le-Roger (area), France |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑102620⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High group. Sortie Report⇗ |
180⇗ | 14 August 1944 |
Target: Echterdingen Airdrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Stuttgart, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑102620⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Lead group. Sortie Report⇗ |
181⇗ | 16 August 1944 |
Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Delitzsch, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑102620⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High section lead, low group. Sortie Report⇗ |
183⇗ | 24 August 1944 |
Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑97142⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
185⇗ | 26 August 1944 |
Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑97282⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low group. Sortie Report⇗ |
188⇗ | 5 September 1944 |
Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑102620⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
190⇗ | 9 September 1944 |
Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑97251⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
191⇗ | 10 September 1944 |
Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant Type: Industry Location: Sindelfingen, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑107121⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Hot camera ship. Sortie Report⇗ |
194⇗ | 13 September 1944 |
Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑97592⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Wing deputy; PFF ship. Sortie Report⇗ |
195⇗ | 17 September 1944 |
Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical Type: Military Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑38014⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit E Squadron lead. Sortie Report⇗ |
198⇗ | 25 September 1944 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑107125⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit C Wing, low group deputy. Hot camera ship. Sortie Report⇗ |
201⇗ | 28 September 1944 |
Target: Steelworks Type: Industry Location: Magdeburg, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 43‑38616⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑97986. Note that the 'mickey' navigator Schwab (indicated on formation chart) was not included on the crew list for this aircraft, indicating the original aircraft planned for this crew was PFF-equipped, while this one was not. Led wing back to base after target after taking over for flak-damaged wing lead. Sortie Report⇗ |
202⇗ | 30 September 1944 |
Target: Handorf Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Münster, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 44‑6476⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High group lead. Sortie Report⇗ |
205⇗ | 5 October 1944 |
Type: Industry Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑97986⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Deputy lead. This aircraft led the group on two PFF runs, was hit by flak over target area and lost two engines; could not keep up with group and was going to land in Belgium; plane was under control, but was reported to explode at about 2,000' altitude. However, while it was out of commission for about two months, it was back flying combat missions in December. Sortie Report⇗ |
209⇗ | 11 October 1944 |
Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Wesseling, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 44‑8211⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Fourth Squadron lead. PFF ship. Sortie Report⇗ |
214⇗ | 19 October 1944 |
Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory Type: Industry Location: Mannheim, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑98034⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead. PFF ship. Due to failure of Gee-H equipment on deputy, led attack on PFF secondary target. Sortie Report⇗ |
215⇗ | 25 October 1944 |
Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 43‑38501⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Sortie Report⇗ |
216⇗ | 30 October 1944 |
Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 44‑8211⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. Sortie Report⇗ |
220⇗ | 5 November 1944 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 43‑38616⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Hot camera ship; low Squadron lead. Sortie Report⇗ |
227⇗ | 20 November 1944 |
Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 44‑8401⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit PFF ship; high Squadron lead, 41st C group. Sortie Report⇗ |
230⇗ | 26 November 1944 |
Target: Railroad Viaduct Type: Transportation Location: Altenbeken, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 44‑8211⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High Squadron lead; PFF & Gee-H ship. Sortie Report⇗ |
233⇗ | 30 November 1944 |
Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Zeitz, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 44‑8211⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High Squadron lead. Sortie Report⇗ |
235⇗ | 4 December 1944 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Soest, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 44‑8221⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. Landed away at Boxted due to low fuel. Sortie Report⇗ |
237⇗ | 9 December 1944 |
Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 44‑8216⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship (no Gee-H Navigator on today's crew). Capt Ulrey intended to release on group lead, but his bombardier 'picked up the target visually, and made a visual run.' Sortie Report⇗ |
243⇗ | 24 December 1944 |
Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Kirch Göns, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 43‑38616⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit 41C Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Landed away at Ridgewell Airfield, AAF Station 167, due to weather. Sortie Report⇗ |
244⇗ | 27 December 1944 |
Target: Bridge (Tactical) Type: Transportation Location: Altenahr, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 43‑38616⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Lead Squadron: division deputy. Sortie Report⇗ |
248⇗ | 1 January 1945 |
Target: Oil Storage Depot Type: Oil Industry Location: Derben, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑107125⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Lead Squadron deputy. Sortie Report⇗ |
253⇗ | 8 January 1945 |
Target: Railroad Type: Transportation Location: Kyllburg, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 43‑38501⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead. Sortie Report⇗ |
257⇗ | 20 January 1945 |
Target: Rail and Road Bridges Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany |
Waist (Flexible) Gunner | 42‑97986⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead; PFF ship. Landed away at RAF Stradishall, Suffolk. Sortie Report⇗ |