Rice, Robert Eugene

Individual Personnel Data
Name Rice, Robert Eugene
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-757282
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 special Orders #157 dated 5 August 1944, effective 5 August 1944.
  • Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 13 February 1945 - 327th Station Complement Squadron, Station B-53, effective 12 February 1945.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 12 February 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 2 October 1917
  • Ordered on Temporary duty for seven days to Palace Hotel, Southport, AAF Station 524 (a Flak House) on 4 December 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #237 dated 2 December 1944.
  • Ordered on appproximately two days Temorary Duty to London on 23 December 1944, purpose Public Relations Office (PRO) Radio Activities per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #252 dated 21 December 1944.
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Rice, Robert EugenePilotCT
2nd Lt. Janczy, Thomas Joseph⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Merlis, Albert L⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Feider, Leo John⇗BombardierCT
S/SGT. Wynn, Francis Xavier, "Windy"⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
SGT. Woloszyk, Leonard John, "Wally"⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerTBD
SGT. Deaton, Marshall Taylor⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Oberle, Theodore (NMI)⇗Tail GunnerTBD
SGT. Wittig, Harold Raymond⇗Flexible GunnerTR
SGT. Ziminski, Henry Thaddeus⇗Flexible GunnerTR
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
186⇗ 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France 		Co-pilot 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
189⇗ 8 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Lost formation because he was following element lead (who was aborting); returned bombs to base.
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97282⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Lead group. Returned with one engine out.
Sortie Report⇗
191⇗ 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
193⇗ 12 September 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Brüx, Czechoslovakia 		Pilot 43‑37703⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to low oil pressure in #2 engine at altitude. This failure was confirmed by Engineering Officer.
Sortie Report⇗
194⇗ 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37713⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 42‑37982. Hot camera ship. Landed away at RAF Manston, Kent, with battle damage.
Sortie Report⇗
195⇗ 17 September 1944 Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical
Type: Military
Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
B Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
196⇗ 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Pilot 42‑98000⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
C Wing, lead Squadron. Aborted due to personnel illness.
Sortie Report⇗
199⇗ 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
201⇗ 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37703⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to personnel illness.
Sortie Report⇗
202⇗ 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany 		Pilot 42‑37822⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Lead group
Sortie Report⇗
203⇗ 2 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38615⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
204⇗ 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Pilot 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
205⇗ 5 October 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back, reason unknown.
Sortie Report⇗
208⇗ 9 October 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Pilot 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Pilot 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Third Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
214⇗ 19 October 1944 Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Pilot 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
216⇗ 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
218⇗ 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany 		Pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
223⇗ 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France 		Pilot 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41D Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flew entire mission, but due to mechanical failure could not release bombs; bomb load returned to base.
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
229⇗ 25 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Gee-H ship; landed away at Aldermaston, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
233⇗ 30 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
234⇗ 2 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
240⇗ 18 December 1944 Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38616⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
244⇗ 27 December 1944 Target: Bridge (Tactical)
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenahr, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Gee-H Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑97824. Low Squadron deputy. Assumed Squadron lead after leader aborted. Led Gee-H bomb run with visual assist on primary target.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
248⇗ 1 January 1945 Target: Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Derben, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
249⇗ 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
252⇗ 7 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38616⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Pilot 44‑8221⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy. PFF & Gee-H ship. Assumed group lead immediately upon departure of the group lead. PFF & Gee-H in this aircraft were inoperative, so Rice ordered low Squadron lead to take over (high Squadron lead was not reachable via radio) and returned to #2 position. Left formation after first attempted bomb run because oxygen system was shot away.
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Assumed Squadron lead when low Squadron leader was ordered to fly in lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
257⇗ 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy; Gee-H ship. Landed away at RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire.
Sortie Report⇗
259⇗ 22 January 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade, Germany 		Pilot 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead PFF ground spare; replaced 8221, which was taken by group lead when 8211 was scrubbed. Group deputy. Landed away at Woodbridge; flak damage caused prop to fall off during landing.
Sortie Report⇗
263⇗ 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Pilot 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗

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