Purdy, Alan Bradford

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Purdy, Alan Bradford ‡ ⇗
Rank	Technical Sergeant
Serial Number	12158273 ‡
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #136 dated 5 November 1943, effective 5 November 1943.
Duty	Radio Operator / Gunner
MOS	757 - Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner, AAF
Last Duty Date	24 June 1944
Results	Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 23 June 1924 Sole survivor of a flying accident that occurred while maneuvering after takeoff for a mission that was subsequently recalled. The aircraft caught fire, went into a spin, broke in half, and exploded. Placed on seven days Temporary Duty (TD) to Moulsford Manor near Cholsey, Berkshire (a FLAK House) on 20 November 1943 per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 20 November 1943. Orders amended to read 9 days TD per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning report dated 14 December 1943. Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to Moulsford Manor near Cholsey, Berkshire (a FLAK House) on or about 12 April 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #68 dated 10 April 1944.
Related Documents	Accident Report # 43-11-13-500⇓ (1.356 MB)
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Connell, Ralph Jackson, Jr⇗	Pilot	KIA
2nd Lt. Sharff, Sampson (NMI), "Bud"⇗	Co-pilot	CT
2nd Lt. Angthius, Lawrence Harold⇗	Navigator	KIA
2nd Lt. Gober, Claude Isom⇗	Bombardier	KIA
T/SGT. Purdy, Alan Bradford	Radio Operator / Gunner	CT
T/SGT. Wick, Harvey Arthur⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	KIA
S/SGT. Calder, Ellsworth Franklin⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	KIA
S/SGT. Barr, Kenneth Duane⇗	Tail Gunner	KIA
S/SGT. Bryant, Robert Clinton⇗	Flexible Gunner	KIA
S/SGT. McCulley, William Homer, Jr⇗	Flexible Gunner	KIA

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
--⇗	13 November 1943	Target: City Center Type: Non-Military Location: Bremen, Germany	Radio Operator	41‑24575⇗	Crashed as the result of a flying accident that occurred while maneuvering after takeoff for a mission that was subsequently recalled. The aircraft caught fire, went into a spin, broke in half, and exploded. Sortie Report⇗
55⇗	29 January 1944	Target: Aircraft Parts Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑39784⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Lead group. Turned back at 1007 hrs because #3 engine was throwing oil and caught fire. Sortie Report⇗
56⇗	30 January 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑3440⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low group deputy. Sortie Report⇗
57⇗	3 February 1944	Target: Submarines (under construction) Type: Submarine Facility Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany	Radio Operator	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	Radio Operator	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	Radio Operator	42‑3440⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron deputy. Sortie Report⇗
60⇗	6 February 1944	Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France	Radio Operator	42‑31235⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing lead. Sortie Report⇗
61⇗	8 February 1944	Target: Piston Ring Factory Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑31346⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron. Sortie Report⇗
63⇗	20 February 1944	Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑31235⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41A Group. Sortie Report⇗
66⇗	24 February 1944	Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑31235⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing lead. 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	Radio Operator	42‑31364⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low group lead. Sortie Report⇗
72⇗	6 March 1944	Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑31495⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron deputy, high composite group, 41st Composite Combat Wing. Sortie Report⇗
74⇗	9 March 1944	Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑31364⇗	Combat Mission Credit Group lead. Sortie Report⇗
75⇗	16 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑31235⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
76⇗	18 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑37982⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Squadron, high composite group. Sortie Report⇗
77⇗	19 March 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Wizernes, France	Radio Operator	42‑37982⇗	Combat Mission Credit Forced out of formation after first bomb run due to loss of #4 engine; did not bomb. Sortie Report⇗
78⇗	20 March 1944	Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑31435⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
79⇗	22 March 1944	Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑37785⇗	Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed Sortie Report⇗
82⇗	26 March 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France	Radio Operator	42‑31364⇗	Combat Mission Credit Group lead. Sortie Report⇗
84⇗	28 March 1944	Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dijon, France	Radio Operator	42‑97136⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
85⇗	29 March 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑31346⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
86⇗	9 April 1944	Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Marienburg, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑37982⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Halesworth, Suffolk, on return due to low fuel. Sortie Report⇗
88⇗	11 April 1944	Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Sorau, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑32106⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37982. Sortie Report⇗
93⇗	22 April 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Hamm, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑31435⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
94⇗	24 April 1944	Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑37785⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37789. Sortie Report⇗
95⇗	25 April 1944	Target: Metz-Frescaty Airdrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Metz, France	Radio Operator	42‑37758⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
96⇗	27 April 1944	Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France	Radio Operator	42‑37982⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
97⇗	27 April 1944	Target: Toul/Croix de Metz Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France	Radio Operator	42‑97510⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
99⇗	1 May 1944	Target: Launch Site in Foret Nationale de Tournehem Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Foret Nationale de Tournehem, France	Radio Operator	42‑97188⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
106⇗	12 May 1944	Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑38208⇗	Combat Mission Credit Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back at 1201 hrs because #1 engine went out and was running rough and losing oil. This occurred at a point about 100 miles inside Belgium, approaching the German border; since they were well within enemy territory, combat credit was awarded the crew for this mission. Sortie Report⇗
107⇗	13 May 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory. Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Poznań, Poland	Radio Operator	42‑97263⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead, low group, 40th CBW. Sortie Report⇗
114⇗	24 May 1944	Target: Unidentified Military Installations Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany	Radio Operator	42‑97573⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Lead Group. Turned back due to failure of the oxygen system. Sortie Report⇗
134⇗	13 June 1944	Target: Dreux Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dreux, France	Radio Operator	42‑97824⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Group, Wing Lead. Sortie Report⇗
135⇗	14 June 1944	Target: Coulommiers Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Coulommiers, France	Radio Operator	42‑102661⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Wing, Low Group, Group Lead. Sortie Report⇗

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