Bailey, William Eugene

Individual Personnel Data
Name Bailey, William Eugene
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-682131
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #96 dated 14 September 1943, effective 14 September 1943.
Duty Navigator
MOS1034 - Navigator
Last Duty Date 2 May 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to Air Force Officers Rest Home, Stanbridge Earls, Hampshire (a Flak house) on or about 8 December 1943 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #161 dated 7 December 1943.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 12 February 1944 to Air Force Officers Rest Home, Stanbridge Earls, Hampshire (a Flak house) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #27 dated 9 February 1944.
  • Granted a seven day sick leave on or about 20 March 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #51 dated 17 March 1944.
Related Documents Accident Report # 44-02-22-511 (22.753 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Johnson, Erwin CrawfordPilotWIA
2nd Lt. Gadd, Elliott LeroyCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Bailey, William EugeneNavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Littleton, George JamesBombardierPOW
S/SGT. Baker, Earl Shelton, "Jeff"Nose GunnerCT
T/SGT. Ranallo, Sam DavidRadio Operator / GunnerCT
T/SGT. Hunt, Leo AlbertEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Couture, Clement AdrianBall Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Parsons, Lawrence LincolnTail 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
Navigator 42‑29712 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
31 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany
Navigator 42‑30026 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
32 14 October 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Navigator 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
Navigator 42‑29935 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
35 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Navigator 42‑29935 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
38 29 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Navigator 42‑31058 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
39 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany
Navigator 42‑31058 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron lead; turned back due to excessive icing (3/4' on wings), frozen guns, and lagging turbo.
Sortie Report
40 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France
Navigator 42‑31058 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
43 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Navigator 42‑37776 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
44 20 December 1943 Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Navigator 42‑37848 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead; dropped bombs 'a short time after the target, ... regarded as ... jettisoned.'
Sortie Report
46 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France
Navigator 42‑31045 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
Navigator 42‑31045 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Chelveston; bombs jettisoned.
Sortie Report
50 5 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany
Navigator 42‑3087 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
51 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Navigator 42‑5444 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1025 hrs due to runaway supercharger on #3 engine.
Sortie Report
54 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Navigator 42‑37776 Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report
56 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Navigator 42‑29636 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report
57 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Navigator 42‑29636 Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report
58 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Navigator 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
Navigator 42‑31058 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
60 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Navigator 42‑31211 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
64 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany
Navigator 42‑31516 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron deputy, lead group. Aborted because #3 prop began throwing oil excessively, was feathered for examination, and could not be unfeathered.
Sortie Report
65 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany
Navigator 42‑31516 41B Group. Collided with 42‑38041 from 303rd BG, Molesworth, while forming up at 0956; crashed near Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire; only survivors were bombardier and navigator who parachuted to safety.
Sortie Report
77 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France
Navigator 42‑97510 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
82 26 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France
Navigator 42‑37776 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
84 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France
Navigator 42‑97510 Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy.
Sortie Report
85 29 March 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Navigator 42‑97139 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. 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
Navigator 42‑31222 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron lead, low group. Turned back at 1000 hrs; could not locate formation due to bad weather.
Sortie Report
88 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany
Navigator 42‑31222 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report
89 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Navigator 42‑31211 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report
90 18 April 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany
Navigator 42‑31222 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
92 20 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France
Navigator 42‑97510 Combat Mission Credit
A Wing, High Group, High Squadron Lead. Aborted shortly before target. Supporting documents show that the crew was granted credit for this sortie.
Sortie Report
93 22 April 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany
Navigator 42‑31211 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, high group.
Sortie Report
96 27 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France
Navigator 42‑97273 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report

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