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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
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 13 May 1944
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • 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.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Markow, Henry VictorPilotPOW
2nd Lt. Lundgren, Edward WarrenCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Schweikart, John WilliamNavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. Messer, Joseph Louis, JrBombardierCT
S/SGT. Atkinson, Owen GlennRadio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Fooder, Elmer HobenEngineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Stropek, George VincentBall Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Misiewicz, Joseph RaymondTail GunnerPOW
SGT. Madden, Arthur WillliamFlexible GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Sager, Edwin MillardFlexible GunnerPOW

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

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