Morrison, Donald Sylvester

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Morrison, Donald Sylvester ⇗
Rank	Second Lieutenant / Captain
Serial Number	O-735632
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #112 dated 6 October 1943, effective 6 October 1943. Transferred to the Casual Pool, 12th RCD, AAF Station 590, per 544th Morning Report dated 22 June 1944, effective 19 June 1944.
Duty	Pilot
MOS	1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date	22 June 1944
Results	Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 31 December 1917 Rescued after ditching on 26 November 1943 (MACR 1579). Placed on Temporary Duty for seven days on or about 30 November 1943 to 8th Air Force Officers Rest Home, Stanbridge Earls, Hampshire (a FLAK House) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #156 dated 29 November 1943. Placed on detached service to the 305th BG on SO #72 dated 16 April 1944. Returned from detached service with the 305th Bomb Group flying pathfinder ships on 12 June 1944 (544th Morning Report dated 1944-06-12). Appointed Captain effective 21 May 1944. (squadron history, microfilm A0640-01453). detailed Assistant Group Operations Officer, Primary per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #114 dated 16 June 1944.
Related Documents	Missing Air Crew Report # 1579⇓ (30.215 MB) 'Valor: The Saga of Barrel House Bessie' in Air Force Magazine⇗
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Morrison, Donald Sylvester	Pilot	CT
2nd Lt. DeMille, Robert Eversley⇗	Co-pilot	CT
2nd Lt. Childs, Everett Lynn⇗	Navigator	EV
2nd Lt. Pitelka, Francis Jerome⇗	Bombardier	TR
T/SGT. Striesfeld, Nathan (NMI)⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	TR
T/SGT. Henry, Maurice Victor, "Red"⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	MIA
S/SGT. Engwer, Donald Leroy⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	CT
S/SGT. Schamber, Albert Martin⇗	Tail Gunner	KIA
S/SGT. Bucher, James Frank⇗	Flexible Gunner	MIA
S/SGT. Burger, Joseph Earnest⇗	Flexible Gunner	CT

Crew History

The ten members of the Morrison Crew arrived at two different times: the officers arrived on 6 October 1943, and the enlisted men arrived on 27 October 1943. Evidence linking them together as a single crew was obtained from a photo taken during their stateside training (the photo does not include Schamber). Navigator Childs flew his first mission with another crew on 14 November 1943 and was shot down, thus not flying any missions with the Morrison Crew. The other members flew at least one mission each with Morrison, but it is clear that the crew identity was lost - at least on combat missions. Morrison, DeMille, Engwer, and Burger were transferred to the 305th BG on 20 March 1944, and all returned to the 384th in April 1944. Bucher (MIA), Henry (MIA), and Schamber (KIA) did not survive their tours; Childs was shot down but evaded capture.

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 26 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
33⇗	20 October 1943	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Düren, Germany	Co-pilot	42‑3440⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
--⇗	30 October 1943	Target: Marshaling Yard Type: Transportation Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany	Co-pilot	42‑3429⇗	Maj. Gilmore Sortie Report⇗
34⇗	3 November 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany	Co-pilot	42‑5051⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
36⇗	16 November 1943	Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine Type: Industry Location: Knaben, Norway	Pilot	42‑5051⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
37⇗	26 November 1943	Target: City Center Type: Non-Military Location: Bremen, Germany	Co-pilot	42‑5051⇗	Combat Mission Credit Damaged by flak, ditched in the North Sea near the English coast, with most of the crew rescued; MACR 1579; T/Sgt. Maurice Henry awarded posthumous Distinguished Service Cross, Owens p.195; Maj. William Gilmore awarded Silver Star, Owens p. 198. Sortie Report⇗
42⇗	13 December 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany	Pilot	42‑3429⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low group. Sortie Report⇗
45⇗	22 December 1943	Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Osnabrück, Germany	Pilot	42‑29717⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
47⇗	30 December 1943	Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany	Pilot	41‑24560⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Composite Squadron; turned back at 1016 hrs because of oxygen failure in top turret; system dropped to zero and after it was recharged to 250 lbs it again dropped to 120 lbs in 15 mins; 18 M47A1s rtd Sortie Report⇗
48⇗	31 December 1943	Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship) Type: Transportation Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France	Pilot	42‑37727⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Alconbury; bombs returned. Sortie Report⇗
50⇗	5 January 1944	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Kiel, Germany	Pilot	42‑39784⇗	Combat Mission Credit Bomb load included 'Nickles' (propaganda leaflets) in addition to six 500-pound bombs. Sortie Report⇗
54⇗	21 January 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France	Pilot	42‑3429⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41A Group. Sortie Report⇗
56⇗	30 January 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany	Pilot	41‑24560⇗	Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off Low group high Squadron. Did not take off. Sortie Report⇗
57⇗	3 February 1944	Target: Submarines (under construction) Type: Submarine Facility Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany	Pilot	42‑37885⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead group. Sortie Report⇗
58⇗	4 February 1944	Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Pilot	42‑37885⇗	Combat Mission Credit High group, 41st B Combat Wing. Sortie Report⇗
59⇗	5 February 1944	Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Orleans, France	Pilot	42‑3440⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron deputy. Sortie Report⇗
61⇗	8 February 1944	Target: Piston Ring Factory Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Pilot	42‑31346⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron. Sortie Report⇗
63⇗	20 February 1944	Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany	Pilot	42‑31235⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41A Group. Sortie Report⇗
66⇗	24 February 1944	Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany	Pilot	42‑31364⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Squadron, lead group. 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	Pilot	42‑29828⇗	Combat Mission Credit Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report⇗
70⇗	3 March 1944	Target: Roller-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Pilot	42‑31235⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead. Sortie Report⇗
72⇗	6 March 1944	Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Pilot	42‑31364⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
76⇗	18 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Pilot	42‑31495⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Squadron, high composite group. Sortie Report⇗
91⇗	19 April 1944	Target: Fieseler Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel (Waldau), Germany	Pilot	42‑97574⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing lead. PFF ship and unidentified crew members provided by 305th BG. Sortie Report⇗
94⇗	24 April 1944	Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Pilot	42‑97514⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing deputy. PFF aircraft and unidentified crew members supplied by 305th BG. Sortie Report⇗
100⇗	4 May 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany	Pilot	42‑97574⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41st Combat Wing lead. PFF ship and unidentified crew members were provided by the 305th BG at Chelveston, AAF Station 105. Sortie Report⇗
101⇗	7 May 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany	Pilot	42‑97543⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing lead. PFF ship and unidentified crew members provided by 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105. Sortie Report⇗
106⇗	12 May 1944	Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany	Pilot	42‑97574⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing lead. PFF aircraft and unidentified crew members provided by 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105. Sortie Report⇗
122⇗	2 June 1944	Target: Gun Battery with six 155mm guns, Tactical Support Type: Military Location: Hardelot (5 miles S of Boulogne), France	Pilot	42‑97574⇗	Combat Mission Credit Group Lead. PFF aircraft and unidentified crew members supplied by the 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105. Sortie Report⇗
128⇗	6 June 1944	Target: Two Bridges Type: Transportation Location: Caen, France	Pilot	42‑97574⇗	Combat Mission Credit I Squadron Lead. PFF ship and unidentified crew members provided by the 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105. Col. William L Travis, 41st Bomb Wing, aboard as I Group combat flight leader. Sortie Report⇗

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