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Nelson, Earl James

Individual Personnel Data
Name Nelson, Earl James, "Sweet Nelson"   ‡
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Rank Private / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 16043344   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the
  • Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #71 dated 15 August 1943, effective 15 August 1943.
  • Transferred to the Casual Pool, 8th Air Force Replacement Depot, AAF Station 594, per 547th bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 8 September 1944, effective 8 September 1944.
Duty Flexible Gunner / Tail Gunner
Last Duty Date 8 September 1944
Results Transferred
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart medal for wounds received on 14 January 1944 per General Orders #21, Headquarters, 1st Bomb Division dated 22 January 1944.
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 27 October 1923
  • Promoted to Sergeant on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #71 dated 15 August 1943.
  • Rescued after ditching with entire crew on 16 September 1943.
  • Placed on five days Temporary Duty (R&R) The American Red Cross Club, Southport on or about 20 October 1943 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #99 dated 19 September 1943.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #104 dated 25 September 1943.
  • Departed aircraft over England (with entire crew) on 14 October 1943. Taken off flying status, reason unknown.
  • WIA 1944-01-14. Returned to duty after 14 days recovery; received Purple Heart.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to Walhampton House, Lymington, Hampshire (a Flak house) on or about 7 March 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #41 dated 1 March 1944.
  • Ordered to proceed from this Station on or about 3 May 1944 to 97th General Hospital, APO 597 for treatment for an indefinite period and thence on discharge and discretion of the Commanding Officer at 97th General Hospital, EM will proceed to AAF Station 511, APO 635, for a period not to exceed thirty days. Upon completion of Temporary Duty EM will return o this station per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #82 dated 2 May 1944.
  • Attached to the 1140th Military Police Company for rations, quarters and administration per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #104 dated 4 June 1944.
  • Left 384th BG on 23 June 1944, per Nelson (via personal communication thru his neighbor).
  • Relieved from attachment to the 1140th Military Police Company for Rations, quarters and administration effective this date per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #175 EXTRACT dated 1 September 1944.



Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 19 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
18⇗ 27 August 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Watten, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑30043⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
19⇗ 31 August 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑30043⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
20⇗ 3 September 1943 Target: Air Park and Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑30043⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
21⇗ 6 September 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑30043⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF West Malling, Kent, due to low fuel. Returned to Station 106 at 1530 hours. Flak hole in left elevator.
Sortie Report⇗
23⇗ 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29699⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
24⇗ 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29699⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ditched in the English Channel Near Hope Cove, Knightsbridge, Devon (about 15 miles SE of Plymouth), after being damaged by enemy aircraft; crew rescued by a fishing boat; Leigh was injured and hospitalized in Hope Cove until 2 October; no MACR; all returned to duty.
Sortie Report⇗
26⇗ 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
27⇗ 2 October 1943 Target: Port Facilities
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29987⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Dropped 52,000 Code #5s 'nickles' over target.
Sortie Report⇗
29⇗ 8 October 1943 Target: Workshops
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29987⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back, the right waist gunner "could not stand altitude."
Sortie Report⇗
30⇗ 9 October 1943 Target: Aircraft Factories
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29987⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
32⇗ 14 October 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3037⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Crew bailed out near Deenethorpe on return; the aircraft crash-landed near Corby, UK.
Sortie Report⇗
35⇗ 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29987⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
40⇗ 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation for duration of mission.
Sortie Report⇗
41⇗ 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑3441⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑3441⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group, high Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
45⇗ 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead
Sortie Report⇗
47⇗ 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑3087⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
48⇗ 31 December 1943 Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship)
Type: Transportation
Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France 		Tail Gunner 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead, because lead ship had to be replaced; Capt Frink transferred to this ship. Landed away at Kimbolton; bombs returned.
Sortie Report⇗
53⇗ 14 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Meillard, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
65⇗ 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37801⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41B Group, High Squadron Lead; landed away at RAF Eastchurch, Essex, due to severe snow storm.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31871⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Aborted 10 miles NW of Splasher 1 due to an oxygen leak.
Sortie Report⇗
93⇗ 22 April 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97237⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗

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