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Mabe, Walter Breeden

Individual Personnel Data
Name Mabe, Walter Breeden   
Rank Second Lieutenant
Serial Number O-740854   
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #126 dated 23 October 1943, effective 23 October 1943.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 13 April 1944
Results Evaded Capture
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart for wounds Received on 13 April 1944 per General Orders #49, Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe dated 11 August 1944.
Additional Information
  • Graduated from Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School, Roswell Army Flying School, Roswell, New Mexico in March 1943. (designated for B-25 Assignment)
  • Additional E&E information in reports 844, 845.
  • Placed on Temporary Duty for five days to Bournemough, Hampshire (a Flak House) on or about 30 March 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #60 dated 29 March 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3868 (11.787 MB)
Escape & Evasion Report # 843 (Filesize N/A)




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Mabe, Walter BreedenPilotEV
2nd Lt. Bailey, Everett LeeCo-pilotKIA
2nd Lt. McKittrick, Vernon RussellNavigatorCT
SGT. Hopper, Hugh DavidRadio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Smith, Roger CarltonEngineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Johnson, James Hansel, JrBall Turret GunnerKIA
PVT. Fleming, Paul HaneTail GunnerPOW
SGT. Zink, Chester HarveyFlexible GunnerPOW
SGT. Folmar, Warren AlexanderFlexible GunnerPOW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 18 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
-- 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑5404 Sortie Report
34 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑3218 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
41 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑3429 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Group lead. Aborted when #2 supercharger ran away.
Sortie Report
42 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑5444 Combat Mission Credit
Low group, high Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
46 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France
Tail Gunner 42‑5444 Combat Mission Credit
Maj. Ketelsen Flight Leader
Sortie Report
49 4 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑37788 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑29809. Took off late, then turned back with engine trouble.
Sortie Report
51 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29703 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
Sortie Report
52 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29632 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
54 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Co-pilot 42‑37727 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report
56 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑3259 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low group. Turned back at 0945 hrs because throttle linkage was broken on #1 and prop had to be feathered; generators on other engines out also.
Sortie Report
57 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29554 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
Co-pilot 42‑29809 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High group, 41st B Combat Wing. Aborted at 1014 hrs because #2 and #4 superchargers were uncontrollable.
Sortie Report
59 5 February 1944 Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Orleans, France
Co-pilot 42‑37793 Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report
60 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Co-pilot 42‑39784 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
62 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑31235 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑29828. Flying spare; joined formation; aborted before reaching enemy coast because oil temperature on #2 engine was too high, and #2 and #4 engines had detonation (pinging).
Sortie Report
63 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29828 Combat Mission Credit
41B Group Flying Spare. Joined formation.
Sortie Report
64 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29828 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
65 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29809 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report
66 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29828 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1137 hrs because ball turret oxygen system hose broke after catching under electrical conduit elbow; later, flexible filler hose got caught in turret gears and entire system went out.
Sortie Report
67 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑29828 Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron, Low Group.
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
Co-pilot 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
70 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑31166 Combat Mission Credit
Ball Turret Gunner suffered frostbite to left hand.
Sortie Report
72 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑37792 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing. This aircraft had blown the tire on the left main landing gear during takeoff. The crew jettisoned its bomb load in the English Channel and remained in the air near the base until fuel was nearly exhausted, then landed without further damage.
Sortie Report
73 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑37789 Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
74 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑31166 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
86 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑37816 Combat Mission Credit
Dropped 25 parcels of G-34 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) along with demolition bombs.
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
Co-pilot 42‑37816 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
88 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑37816 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
89 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑37816 Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Shot down during fighter attacks which lasted from 1354 to 1357 hrs; crashed Rambucourt, France. MACR 3868.
Sortie Report

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