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Smalley, Win Richard

Individual Personnel Data
Name Smalley, Win Richard   
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 37418175   
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per 545th Bomb Squadron January 1943 Payroll Roster, effective 1 January 1943.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 12 August 1943
Results Missing In Action
Final Resting Place or Memorial: Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, The Netherlands: Tablets of the Missing
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 6 January 1918
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant effective 1 March 1943 per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 1 March 1943.
  • Reclassified from Aerial Gunner Specialist (MOS) 611 to Armorer Gunner Specialist (MOS) 612 effective 13 April 1943 per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 13 April 1943.
  • Ordered to attend Gunnery School at Snettisham, Norfolk, for approximately 10 days beginning on or about 30 May 1943, on SO #21 dated 30 May 1943. Students are required to bring .50 cal. Ammunition, gas mask, steel helmet, mess equipment, blankets, clothing for ten days, and draw 'PX rations' in advance.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 287 (21.188 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Carrington, Richard Thompson, JrPilotPOW
2nd Lt. Roberts, James RichardCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Martin-Vegue, James RaymondNavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Smithwick, Michael HayesBombardierPOW
S/SGT. Perrotti, Salvatore JohnRadio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Schmidlapp, Phillip ElbertEngineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Smalley, Win RichardBall Turret GunnerMIA
SGT. Parkins, Walter CarlTail GunnerMIA
SGT. Scholand, Joseph AntonFlexible GunnerPOW

Crew History

The Carrington Crew was the first one to be assigned to the 545th BS of the 384th BG - becoming its "Model Crew" and "Crew 51" (crew #1 of the 545th) - on 31 December 1942 at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. They flew to Wendover a few days after the ground echelon entrained for the transfer.
Information on the original members of this crew is sketchy, with only Carrington identified by name. The first indication of assignment is in the 31 December 1942 "morning report" (MR) of the 545th BS, which reads "3 2nd Lts, 2 S/Sgts, 3 Sgts" were assigned. Martin-Vegue and Smithwick were the other 2 Lts, and Schmidlapp and Perrotti were the S/Sgts, based on the 6 January 1943 MR. The identity of other members is unclear, and have been tentatively identified based on the 17 May 1943 overseas movement order. Floyd M Wingate joined the 545th as a member of the Myer Crew, but transferred to the Carrington Crew before moving overseas. It is clear that co-pilot Roberts arrived on 15 January 1943 and was later given his own crew; he was replaced by Harvey C Esty (Lecates original co-pilot) prior to transfer overseas. Additional crew changes occurred after arriving in England.
Carrington's crew were shot down on 12 August 1943 mission to Gelsenkirchen, Germany, aboard B-17F 42-3231 "THE INFERNO".

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 10 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
1 22 June 1943 Target: General Motors Truck Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
Ball Turret 42‑3231 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
3 26 June 1943 Target: Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France
Ball Turret 42‑3231 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
4 28 June 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger, France
Ball Turret 42‑3230 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
5 29 June 1943 Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France
Ball Turret 42‑3231 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron Lead, Group Deputy.
Sortie Report
6 4 July 1943 Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Le Mans, France
Ball Turret 42‑3231 Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report
7 10 July 1943 Target: Drucat Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Abbeville, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3231 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
10 25 July 1943 Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard
Type: Industry
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑30139 Combat Mission Credit
Group Lead.
Sortie Report
11 28 July 1943 Target: Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑3231 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
12 29 July 1943 Target: Naval Base
Type: Military
Location: Kiel, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑3216 Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead.
Sortie Report
14 12 August 1943 Target: Synthetic Fuel Hydrogenation Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑3231 Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Damaged by enemy aircraft, crashed [SE of] Liblar, Germany. MACR 287
Sortie Report

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