McKnight, Lyle Orin

Individual Personnel Data
Name McKnight, Lyle Orin   ‡
⇗
Rank Corporal / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 39392805   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #174 dated 31 August 1944, effective 31 August 1944.
Duty Flexible Gunner
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 11 April 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 6 June 1921
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #180 dated 9 September 1944.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #227 dated 11 November 1944.
  • Ordered on seven days Temporary Duty to Erbington Manor, AAF Station 498 (a Flak house) on 18 December 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #248 dated 17 December 1944.
  • Reclassified from MOS 611 to MOS 612 effective 26 February 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #46 dated 26 February 1945.
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Canion, Bill Elmer⇗PilotPOW
2nd Lt. Gray, Fred Price⇗Co-pilotKIA
2nd Lt. Koch, William Conrad⇗NavigatorMIA
2nd Lt. Eicher, Alvin Anthony⇗BombardierPOW
CPL. Friedman, Jack Kenyon⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
CPL. McAnear, Carlton Sidney⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
CPL. Kulis, Peter William⇗Ball Turret GunnerPOW
CPL. Filkorn, John George⇗Tail GunnerKIA
CPL. Martin, Leonard Nelson⇗Flexible GunnerKIA
CPL. McKnight, Lyle OrinFlexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
192⇗ 11 September 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf & Merseburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, Hot Camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
196⇗ 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship, lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
197⇗ 21 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mainz, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6080⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97320⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
C Wing, lead group. Aborted over base during assembly due to personnel illness.
Sortie Report⇗
199⇗ 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38615⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37822.
Sortie Report⇗
202⇗ 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
203⇗ 2 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Dropped bombs early, reason unknown.
Sortie Report⇗
204⇗ 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38615⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
205⇗ 5 October 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
206⇗ 6 October 1944 Target: M/T Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Stettin / Szczecin, Poland 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38615⇗ Combat Mission Credit
D group.
Sortie Report⇗
208⇗ 9 October 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
211⇗ 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
213⇗ 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. PFF ship. Took over on bomb run after lead Gee-h equipment failed, but too late to bomb primary. Led Squadron to attack secondary by PFF.
Sortie Report⇗
214⇗ 19 October 1944 Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron, Group Deputy. Gee-H ship. Took over at IP and led Squadron on bomb run.
Sortie Report⇗
216⇗ 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
218⇗ 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. Gee-H ship. Gee-H equipment failed before IP. Attempted to follow low Squadron, but they turned off the bomb run. Then tried to catch lead Squadron, but were unable. Then led Squadron to a visual attack on the briefed last resort target.
Sortie Report⇗
219⇗ 4 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Gee-H ship; lead Squadron deputy. Took lead for bomb run and bombing with Gee-H.
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41D Squadron, Squadron Lead. PFF ship. Marion Chase, Engineer: 'Feathered #3 after flak hit oil cooler and we lost our oil.'
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Gee-H ship; lead Squadron deputy, 41st Bomb Wing C group. The mission commander's narrative states: 'A/C 8016 (Pilot Gilbert) returned early due to engine failure. Bombs were jettisoned.' According to Marion Chase, Engineer: 'Five minutes before target, had a runaway prop and finally feathered it due to vibration. At 29,000 ft. we could not climb and lost our formation. Came back alone.'
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, A group.
Sortie Report⇗
229⇗ 25 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead; landed away at Aldermaston.
Sortie Report⇗
232⇗ 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8216⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Gilbert Crew took off in 43‑38016 but lost #2 engine; landed and moved to this aircraft.
Sortie Report⇗
234⇗ 2 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. Gee-H ship. Unable to determine if any aircraft were below his Squadron on the first bomb run, he elected to make a second run, which was successful. This meant the Squadron had to return to base without the protection of the bomber stream.
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy, B Group. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
248⇗ 1 January 1945 Target: Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Derben, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship. Waist Gunner hit by flak but was saved by flak suit. After unsuccessful runs on the primary and secondary PFF targets, this Squadron broke formation and returned to bomb the secondary PFF target by visual means.
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38850⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron flying spare. Joined formation (low Squadron).
Sortie Report⇗
255⇗ 15 January 1945 Target: Neuburg Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
257⇗ 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF ship. Landed away at RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire.
Sortie Report⇗
264⇗ 3 February 1945 Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107148⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
265⇗ 9 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8580⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
268⇗ 19 February 1945 Target: Coking Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
269⇗ 20 February 1945 Target: Main Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
273⇗ 24 February 1945 Target: Submarine Construction Shipyard
Type: Shipyards
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
274⇗ 25 February 1945 Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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