Karcher, Norbert Raymond

Individual Personnel Data
Name Karcher, Norbert Raymond, "Red"   ‡
⇗
Rank Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 13168238   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #141 dated 12 November 1943, effective 12 November 1943.
Duty Tail Gunner
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 20 July 1944
Results Killed In Action
Final Resting Place or Memorial: Saint Marys Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 15 August 1923
  • Placed on Temporary Duty to Walhampton House, Lymington, Hampshire (a FLAK House) for seven days on or about 3 March 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #39 dated 27 February 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 7278⇓ (36.954 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Booska, Maurice Arthur⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Alloway, Ralph Hugh⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Hock, Robert Edward⇗NavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. Ackerson, Donald Richard⇗BombardierPOW
S/SGT. Hill, Edward Theodore⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Farrow, Thomas Chapell⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Carvell, John Patrick⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Karcher, Norbert Raymond, "Red"Tail GunnerKIA
SGT. Olstad, Kermit Iver⇗Flexible GunnerKIA
SGT. Pond, Jesse Elmore⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 28 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
38⇗ 29 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29554⇗ Did not take off; engines had insufficient oil pressure, and no Spare Aircraft were available.
Sortie Report⇗
39⇗ 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
40⇗ 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑29723⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
41⇗ 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Tail Gunner 41‑24525⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare. Unable to locate the 384th formation, joined the 381st BG (1st Combat Wing).
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑3087⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
43⇗ 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 41‑24525⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Wyton.
Sortie Report⇗
49⇗ 4 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑3051⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37776.
Sortie Report⇗
51⇗ 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
54⇗ 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, high group, 41st A Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
61⇗ 8 February 1944 Target: Piston Ring Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group, Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
65⇗ 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group, Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31495⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, Low Squadron Lead.
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 		Tail Gunner 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
75⇗ 16 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31871⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy, high group, 40th B Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
78⇗ 20 March 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. Col William A Travis (41st Bomb Wing) was aboard this aircraft as copilot.
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
82⇗ 26 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, lead group.
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 		Tail Gunner 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
90⇗ 18 April 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38158⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
161⇗ 19 July 1944 Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑6149⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
162⇗ 20 July 1944 Target: Aircraft Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Dessau, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
High Group. At 1115 hrs aircraft dropped back and released bombs, apparently unable to keep up with formation; it was under attack by four ME109s and two FW190s; four chutes seen; the aircraft went down in a glide, apparently under control; crashed near Zetteritz, Germany. MACR 727.
Sortie Report⇗

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