Rachunas, Joseph George

Individual Personnel Data
Name Rachunas, Joseph George   ‡
⇗
Rank Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 6847286   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 6th Service Squadron, per 6th Service Squadron, 304th Service Group Initial Overseas Roster, effective 15 January 1943.
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #91 dated 7 September 1943, effective 7 September 1943.
Duty Engineer / Top Turret Gunner / Tail Gunner
Last Duty Date 13 April 1944
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15.
Additional Information
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 5 April 1944 to Moulsford Manor near Cholsey, Berkshire (a FLAK House) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #64 dated 3 April 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3869⇓ (24.961 MB)
Joseph G. Rachunas photos⇓ (filesize unknown)



Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 24 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
--⇗ 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29632⇗ Sortie Report⇗
34⇗ 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29632⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
36⇗ 16 November 1943 Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29632⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
37⇗ 26 November 1943 Target: City Center
Type: Non-Military
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
41⇗ 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29632⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
47⇗ 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Togglier 42‑3259⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Gatwick with #4 engine out; bombed target; sent to 2 Strategic Air Depot at Little Staughton for repair.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy, high group, 41st B Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Togglier 42‑29809⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1031 hrs due to defective bomb racks; bombs were released when bombardier released bomb bay tanks over North Sea.
Sortie Report⇗
62⇗ 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37885⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29809⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron deputy, lead group. Turned back at 0950 hrs because of a sheared fuel transfer selector valve shaft.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron Deputy, Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
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 		Tail Gunner 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
This aircraft dropped 'Nickles' (propaganda leaflets) in addition to regular bombs.
Sortie Report⇗
71⇗ 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31926⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
72⇗ 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37789⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing.
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31048⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
74⇗ 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31871⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
75⇗ 16 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
77⇗ 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31166⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37785⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
81⇗ 24 March 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
83⇗ 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
94 Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
84⇗ 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
85⇗ 29 March 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Nuthampstead, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
89⇗ 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Shot down during fighter attacks which lasted from 1354 to 1357 hrs; crashed near Lindenfels, Germany. MACR 3869
Sortie Report⇗

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