Houston, Samuel Vance

Individual Personnel Data
Name Houston, Samuel Vance   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 18122067   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 17 November 1943, effective 17 November 1943.
  • Transferred to the Casual Pool, 8th Air Force Replacement Depot, AAF Station 594, per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report, effective 19 August 1944.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS757 - Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner, AAF
Last Duty Date 19 August 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 19 September 1918
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #29 dated 12 February 1944.
  • From Duty to Convalescent Furlough for seven days per 544th Squadron Morning Report 29 April 1944.
  • From seven days Convalescent Furlough to Duty per 544th Squadron Morning Report 1944.
  • From Duty to Absent Sick (Line of Duty LD) 303rd Station Hospital, Thrapston per 544th Squadron Morning Report 4 May 1944.
  • From absent sick (LD) 303rd Station Hospital Thrapston to absent sick (NLD [Not Line of Duty] AR 35-1440 Effective 28 May 1944) 49th Station Hospital, Diddington per 544th Squadron Morning report 30 May 1944.
  • Assigned & Joined from Casual Pool, 12th RCD, AAF Station 591, effective 1 July 1944 (Joined 1800, 5th) per 544th Squadron Morning Report 8 July 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Goller, Theodore (NMI), Jr⇗PilotPOW
2nd Lt. Geary, James Eugene⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Brown, James Jefferson⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Cittadini, Joseph Lloyd George⇗NavigatorPOW
S/SGT. Bier, Irvin Louis⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Reed, Clarence Eugene⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Houston, Samuel VanceBall Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Walton, Horace Murphy⇗Tail GunnerPOW
SGT. Howell, Roy Foster⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
SGT. Way, Arthur Harold⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 31 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑3440⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑3440⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24560⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group, 41st B Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Ball Turret 42‑3440⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
61⇗ 8 February 1944 Target: Piston Ring Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31495⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Flying Spare.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31495⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
65⇗ 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37885⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31346⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31495⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Ball Turret 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
69⇗ 2 March 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31235⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
70⇗ 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31495⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back with supercharger trouble.
Sortie Report⇗
71⇗ 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37982⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
74⇗ 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑30026⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑3440.
Sortie Report⇗
75⇗ 16 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31364⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Jettisoned bombs at 1130 hrs when aircraft was hit by bombs from Ledbetter aircraft 42‑37801 (MIA); bombs knocked out #2 engine and forced the jettisoning of bombs.
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37789⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
77⇗ 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France 		Ball Turret 42‑37789⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31495⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31495⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
81⇗ 24 March 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37982⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
82⇗ 26 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France 		Ball Turret 42‑3429⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
83⇗ 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France 		Ball Turret 42‑37785⇗ Combat Mission Credit
94 Group.
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31235⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Joined 41st Composite Combat Wing A and bombed their primary target.
Sortie Report⇗
87⇗ 10 April 1944 Target: Evere Airfield (50°54'3"N 4°20'9"E)
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium 		Ball Turret 42‑31235⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
88⇗ 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31235⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
93⇗ 22 April 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31235⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
94⇗ 24 April 1944 Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37785⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37789.
Sortie Report⇗
95⇗ 25 April 1944 Target: Metz-Frescaty Airdrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Metz, France 		Ball Turret 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Pershore, Worcestershire, on return due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
97⇗ 27 April 1944 Target: Toul/Croix de Metz Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Ball Turret 42‑107083⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
159⇗ 17 July 1944 Target: Beautor Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Beautor, France 		Ball Turret 42‑37974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
160⇗ 18 July 1944 Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Peenemünde & Zinnowitz, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
161⇗ 19 July 1944 Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑102959⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
162⇗ 20 July 1944 Target: Aircraft Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Dessau, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑102959⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group, Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
179⇗ 13 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Road Network
Type: Transportation
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger (area), France 		Ball Turret 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
180⇗ 14 August 1944 Target: Echterdingen Airdrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗

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