2024 MEMBERSHIP
 JOIN OR RENEW NOW
 MEMBER APPLICATION FORM

Menchaca, Jose Ricardo

Individual Personnel Data
Name Menchaca, Jose Ricardo
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 38055915
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #72 dated 16 April 1944, effective 16 April 1944.
Duty Flexible Gunner / Tail Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 25 September 1944
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 26 December 1922
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station Special Orders #81 dated 1 May 1944.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to American Red Cross Club, Spetchley Park, Worchester (a Flak House) on 19 June 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #115 dated 18 June 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Hale, Charles EugenePilotCT
2nd Lt. Grant, Walter EdwardCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Swisher, Glenn EverettNavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Morris, Arthur JosephBombardierTBD
S/SGT. Richardson, William EarlRadio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Burlingame, James WyattEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Greene, Henry Tyler, JrBall Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Asher, John CalvinTail GunnerCT
SGT. Baird, James JosephFlexible GunnerTR
SGT. Menchaca, Jose RicardoFlexible GunnerCT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 32 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
94 24 April 1944 Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102449 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy, lead group.
Sortie Report
95 25 April 1944 Target: Metz-Frescaty Airdrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Metz, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102449 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
97 27 April 1944 Target: Toul/Croix de Metz Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97367 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
98 29 April 1944 Target: Industrial District
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97201 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Flying spare; turned back at 0932; could not find formation.
Sortie Report
99 1 May 1944 Target: Launch Site in Foret Nationale de Tournehem
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Foret Nationale de Tournehem, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97449 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
101 7 May 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑3441.
Sortie Report
103 8 May 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102402 Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
105 11 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97263 Combat Mission Credit
41B Group, Ground Spare aircraft; replaced 42‑97072.
Sortie Report
106 12 May 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑97367 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1131 hrs with #4 prop running away.
Sortie Report
107 13 May 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory.
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Poznań, Poland
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97237 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
109 19 May 1944 Target: Unidentified Industrial Area
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report
111 21 May 1944 Target: NOBALL (Supergun Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Mimoyecques, France
Tail Gunner 42‑97201 Combat Mission Credit
Group A.
Sortie Report
113 23 May 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Tail Gunner 42‑97072 Combat Mission Credit
41B Group
Sortie Report
114 24 May 1944 Target: Unidentified Military Installations
Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑107057 Combat Mission Credit
Low Group. Ground Spare aircraft. Replaced 42‑97447.
Sortie Report
128 6 June 1944 Target: Two Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Caen, France
Tail Gunner 42‑97237 Combat Mission Credit
K Squadron.
Sortie Report
130 7 June 1944 Target: Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: Condé-sur-Noireau, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6080 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
131 8 June 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D)
Type: Transportation
Location: Orleans, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97237 Combat Mission Credit
41C Wing, Lead Group, Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
132 10 June 1944 Target: Chateau Bougon Airfield (41A) & Vannes Airfield (41B)
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nantes & Vannes, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97263 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
148 28 June 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Juvincourt (Juvincourt-et-Damary), France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6128 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, high group, 41st A wing. Only 547th BS plane to land at Grafton Underwood after the mission.
Sortie Report
149 30 June 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Montdidier, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107064 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, high group.
Sortie Report
151 6 July 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Coubronne, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97204 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, high group.
Sortie Report
153 7 July 1944 Target: Me-109 Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38208 Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy, 41st A wing. Deputy Grp Leader
Sortie Report
154 8 July 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Renescure, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6080 Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy.
Sortie Report
155 11 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97150 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report
156 12 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38208 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low group deputy. Turned back due to failure of generators in engines 1, 3, & 4.
Sortie Report
159 17 July 1944 Target: Beautor Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Beautor, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97150 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, low group.
Sortie Report
160 18 July 1944 Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Peenemünde & Zinnowitz, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97150 Combat Mission Credit
41B Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
161 19 July 1944 Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97204 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
167 29 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑97150 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
183 24 August 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Tail Gunner 43‑37990 Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, lead group.
Sortie Report
185 26 August 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Tail Gunner 44‑8011 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report
194 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑97948 Combat Mission Credit
Low group deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
195 17 September 1944 Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical
Type: Military
Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands
Tail Gunner 42‑32106 Combat Mission Credit
F Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
197 21 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mainz, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑97960 Combat Mission Credit
High (composite) group deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
198 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Tail Gunner 43‑37843 Combat Mission Credit
C wing, low group. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report

Every effort has been expended to ensure all information on this page is complete and accurate.
Please inform webmaster of any discrepancies or omissions by using the button below.