2024 MEMBERSHIP
 JOIN OR RENEW NOW
 MEMBER APPLICATION FORM

Merlo, Samuel Joseph

Individual Personnel Data
Name Merlo, Samuel Joseph   
Rank Second Lieutenant
Serial Number O-744081   
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 17 November 1943, effective 17 November 1943.
Duty Navigator
MOS1034 - Navigator
Last Duty Date 13 April 1944
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Stalag 7A Moosburg Bavaria 48-12 (Work Camps 3324-46 Krumbachstrasse 48011, Work Camp 3368 Munich 48-11)
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on 30 January 1944 per General Orders #48, Headquarters 1st Bomb Division dated 16 February 1944.
Additional Information
  • Placed on one day Temporary Duty to Wharton, purpose to ferry aircraft to this station per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #12 dated 18 January 1944.
  • SSO #12 was amended from one day to three days per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #15 dated 22 January 1944.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 3 February 1944 to Air Force Officers Rest Home Stanbridge Earls, Hampshire (a Flak house) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #22 dated 1 February 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3869 (24.961 MB)
Missing Air Crew Report # 14416 (13.023 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Fioretti, Edward AnthonyPilotPOW
2nd Lt. Briley, Scott AndrewCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Merlo, Samuel JosephNavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. Griffith, Leonard RaymondBombardierPOW
S/SGT. Sylvia, Joseph HerbertRadio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Stuhl, Walter EdwardEngineer / Top Turret GunnerKIA
SGT. House, Horace Doster, JrBall Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Day, Huley NewtonTail GunnerPOW
SGT. Wolfe, Clark Benjamin, JrFlexible GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Wallo, Andrew (NMI)Flexible GunnerPOW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 24 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
42 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Navigator 42‑29828 Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report
43 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Navigator 42‑29828 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1207 hrs over the North Sea (54°45'N,4°20'E) when #4 engine fuel pressure went out.
Sortie Report
44 20 December 1943 Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Navigator 42‑29828 Combat Mission Credit
Flying Spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
47 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Navigator 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
50 5 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany
Navigator 42‑31246 Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
51 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Navigator 42‑29809 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous. Bomb load included 'nickles' - propaganda leaflets.
Sortie Report
52 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany
Navigator 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
55 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Navigator 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
56 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Navigator 42‑31415 Combat Mission Credit
Low group. Turned back at the IP and jettisoned bombs at some point because ship was on fire due to enemy aircraft. All of the enlisted men except top turret gunner bailed out at the IP, due to a misunderstanding between the radio operator and bombardier after ship caught fire; crash-landed at base. 1st Lt. Edward Fioretti, pilot, and 2nd Lt. Scott Briley, co-pilot, both awarded Silver Stars, Owens p. 199. Aircraft salvaged.
Sortie Report
63 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany
Navigator 42‑31375 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report
64 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany
Navigator 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
66 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Navigator 42‑29809 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron deputy, lead group. Turned back at 0950 hrs because of a sheared fuel transfer selector valve shaft.
Sortie Report
67 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany
Navigator 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron Deputy, Low Group.
Sortie Report
68 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Navigator 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Lead 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
Navigator 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
This aircraft dropped 'Nickles' (propaganda leaflets) in addition to regular bombs.
Sortie Report
71 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany
Navigator 42‑31926 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
72 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Navigator 42‑37789 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing.
Sortie Report
73 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Navigator 42‑31048 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
74 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany
Navigator 42‑31871 Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report
75 16 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Navigator 42‑38112 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
76 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Navigator 42‑38112 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
77 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France
Navigator 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
79 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany
Navigator 42‑31166 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
80 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany
Navigator 42‑31484 Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead. Gen. Robert F Travis, Commander, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing (H), Molesworth, England, was aboard this aircraft as Flight Leader.
Sortie Report
81 24 March 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Navigator 42‑38112 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
83 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France
Navigator 42‑38112 Combat Mission Credit
94 Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
86 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany
Navigator 42‑38112 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron lead, low group. Turned back at 1013 hrs; could not locate formation due to bad weather.
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
Navigator 42‑38112 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
88 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany
Navigator 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy.
Sortie Report
89 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Navigator 42‑38112 Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Shot down during fighter attacks which lasted from 1354 to 1357 hrs; crashed near Lindenfels, Germany. MACR 3869
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.