Birnbaum, Lester (NMI)

Individual Personnel Data
Name Birnbaum, Lester (NMI)   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 12143891   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #93 dated 11 September 1943, effective 11 September 1943.
  • Transferred to the 12th Replacement Control Depot, AAF Station Chorley, per 546th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 18 April 1944, effective 18 April 1944.
Duty Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 18 April 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 17 January 1922
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #132 dated 31 October 1943.
  • Ordered to 'Moulsford Manor near Cholsey, Berkshire' (a 'flak house') for seven days on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #161 dated 7 December 1943.
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #57 dated 25 March 1944.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #40 dated 14 April 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Ritt, Louis Eskel⇗PilotPOW
2nd Lt. Rabby, Carlos James, Jr⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Belk, Robert Kirk⇗NavigatorTR
2nd Lt. Crown, Richard Keith, "Snake"⇗BombardierCT
S/SGT. Compton, James Harold⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
SGT. Birnbaum, Lester (NMI)Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Heintzelman, David Leroy⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Greene, Frank Palmer⇗Tail GunnerCT
S/SGT. Stamm, Murray Raymond⇗Flexible GunnerCT
S/SGT. Myers, Guy Albert⇗Flexible GunnerKIA
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 27 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
28⇗ 4 October 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑5086⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Bradwell Bay due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
30⇗ 9 October 1943 Target: Aircraft Factories
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑5086⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
31⇗ 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑5086⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Crew bailed out near Ipswich; aircraft continued in flight and crash-landed at Eye, Suffolk, killing a cow.
Sortie Report⇗
--⇗ 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31058⇗ Sortie Report⇗
34⇗ 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29651⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
35⇗ 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29651⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
38⇗ 29 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
39⇗ 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31058⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron lead; turned back due to excessive icing (3/4' on wings), frozen guns, and lagging turbo.
Sortie Report⇗
40⇗ 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
44⇗ 20 December 1943 Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37781⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
45⇗ 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37776⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
46⇗ 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37781⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Composite group.
Sortie Report⇗
48⇗ 31 December 1943 Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship)
Type: Transportation
Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37758⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37848⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37776⇗ 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 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
High group, 41st A Combat Wing. Turned back at 1113 hrs because #2 supercharger went wild at 26,000 ft at 1015 hrs and #2 prop fluctuated, so that #3 engine began to deteriorate and vibrate badly.
Sortie Report⇗
59⇗ 5 February 1944 Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Orleans, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
62⇗ 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31495⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑30026⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑30026⇗ 41A Group. Ran off the perimeter track and delayed aircraft waiting to take off: was pulled out, but developed an oxygen leak in the waist and did not take off.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑39991⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron 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 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group, high Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
72⇗ 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38014⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron lead, high group, 40th Composite Combat Bomb Wing. 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 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
77⇗ 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
78⇗ 20 March 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
81⇗ 24 March 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31740⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
82⇗ 26 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97081⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
83⇗ 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97081⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41 Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
85⇗ 29 March 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Woolfox Lodge, Rutland, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31222⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron lead, low group. Turned back at 1000 hrs; could not locate formation due to bad weather.
Sortie Report⇗
89⇗ 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗

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