Messer, Joseph Louis, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Messer, Joseph Louis, Jr ⇗
Rank	Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number	O-679564
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #126 dated 23 October 1943, effective 23 October 1943.
Duty	Bombardier
MOS	1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date	13 May 1944
Results	Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 8 November 1920 Graduated from Bombardier School at San Angelo AAF, San Angelo, Texas, Class #43-07, 13 May 1943 Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to Coombe House Hotel, Semley Dorsey (A Flak house) on or about 25 February 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #35 dated 21 February 1944. Appointed First Lieutenant (AUS) effective 19 April 1944 per 546th Bomb squadron Morning Report dated 26 April 1944.
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Markow, Henry Victor⇗	Pilot	POW
2nd Lt. Lundgren, Edward Warren⇗	Co-pilot	POW
2nd Lt. Schweikart, John William⇗	Navigator	POW
2nd Lt. Messer, Joseph Louis, Jr	Bombardier	CT
S/SGT. Atkinson, Owen Glenn⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	POW
S/SGT. Fooder, Elmer Hoben⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	POW
SGT. Stropek, George Vincent⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	POW
SGT. Misiewicz, Joseph Raymond⇗	Tail Gunner	POW
SGT. Madden, Arthur Willliam⇗	Flexible Gunner	POW
S/SGT. Sager, Edwin Millard⇗	Flexible Gunner	POW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
38⇗	29 November 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany	Bombardier	42‑29723⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Foulsham. Sortie Report⇗
39⇗	1 December 1943	Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant Type: Industry Location: Solingen, Germany	Bombardier	42‑29935⇗	Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off Did not take off Sortie Report⇗
40⇗	5 December 1943	Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France	Bombardier	41‑24525⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37848. Sortie Report⇗
41⇗	11 December 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany	Bombardier	42‑31045⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
42⇗	13 December 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany	Bombardier	42‑29935⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead group. One bomb hung; jettisoned in North Sea. Sortie Report⇗
45⇗	22 December 1943	Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Osnabrück, Germany	Bombardier	42‑31211⇗	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	Bombardier	42‑37725⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
54⇗	21 January 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France	Bombardier	42‑38014⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Group. Sortie Report⇗
55⇗	29 January 1944	Target: Aircraft Parts Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Bombardier	42‑38014⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low group. Sortie Report⇗
56⇗	30 January 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany	Bombardier	42‑38014⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead group. Sortie Report⇗
59⇗	5 February 1944	Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Orleans, France	Bombardier	42‑38014⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
60⇗	6 February 1944	Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France	Bombardier	42‑38014⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron deputy, low group. Sortie Report⇗
62⇗	11 February 1944	Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry) Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Bombardier	42‑39991⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
63⇗	20 February 1944	Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany	Bombardier	42‑37789⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Group. Landed away at RAF Bourn, Cambridgeshire, on return due to low fuel. Sortie Report⇗
64⇗	21 February 1944	Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Werl, Germany	Bombardier	42‑29723⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back when #4 engine threw oil excessively and oil pressure dropped very rapidly. Sortie Report⇗
73⇗	8 March 1944	Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Navigator	42‑37776⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
74⇗	9 March 1944	Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany	Navigator	42‑37848⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑97449. Turned back at 1102 hrs because #7 cylinder blew off of #2 engine and had to be feathered. Sortie Report⇗
75⇗	16 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Navigator	42‑97142⇗	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	42‑37776⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
78⇗	20 March 1944	Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Navigator	42‑31375⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
79⇗	22 March 1944	Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany	Navigator	42‑31211⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron, composite high group. Sortie Report⇗
86⇗	9 April 1944	Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Marienburg, Germany	Navigator	42‑97510⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Metfield, Suffolk, on return because of low fuel. Sortie Report⇗
88⇗	11 April 1944	Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Sorau, Germany	Navigator	42‑38014⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron lead, lead group. Sortie Report⇗
89⇗	13 April 1944	Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany	Navigator	42‑97510⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
90⇗	18 April 1944	Target: Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany	Navigator	42‑107083⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Attlebridge Airfield, AAF Station 120, on return due to low fuel. Sortie Report⇗
92⇗	20 April 1944	Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France	Navigator	42‑107074⇗	Combat Mission Credit A Wing, High Group. Sortie Report⇗
93⇗	22 April 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Hamm, Germany	Navigator	42‑107083⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron deputy, high group. Sortie Report⇗
96⇗	27 April 1944	Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France	Navigator	42‑97510⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
98⇗	29 April 1944	Target: Industrial District Type: Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Navigator	42‑97510⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
100⇗	4 May 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany	Navigator	42‑97081⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron deputy, lead group, 41st CBW. Sortie Report⇗
101⇗	7 May 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany	Navigator	42‑97273⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
102⇗	8 May 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany	Navigator	42‑97273⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead. Sortie Report⇗
104⇗	9 May 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Thionville, France	Navigator	42‑102459⇗	Combat Mission Credit 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.