Spradlin, Clifford Wright

Individual Personnel Data
Name Spradlin, Clifford Wright   ‡
⇗
Rank Private / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 34266598   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Special Orders 15 HQ 384th Bomb Gp (H), AAF Wendover Field, Utah, dated 23 January 1943, effective 23 January 1943.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 23 April 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 17 January 1914
  • Ditched in Atlantic on flight From Gander, Newfoundland, to England on 10 June 1943. Rescued by a Canadian minesweeper and returned to Presque Isle, Maine. Completed the deployment to England on an ATC C-54, and joined Group later. Was removed from combat flight status and assigned ground duties. Restored to combat flight status in September 1944.
  • Appointed Private First Class effective 14 March 1943 per the 544th Bomb Squadron March 1943 Payroll Roster.
  • Appointed from Private First Class to Sergeant effective 1 April 1943 per 5444th Bomb Squadron Morning report dated 1 April 1943.
  • Appointed Staff Sergeant effective 1 May 1943 per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 1 May 1943.
  • Promoted from Private to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #60 dated 1 August 1943.
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #88 dated 3 September 1943.
  • Appointed Private First Class effective 13 October 1943 per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 13 October 1943.
  • Reclassified from MOS 612 to MOS 747 per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 9 November 1943.
  • Reclassified from MOS 747 to MOS 590 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #172, EXTRACT, dated 28 August 1944.
  • Reclassified from MOS 590 to MOS 612 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #192 dated 29 September 1944.
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special orders #194 dated 1 October 1944.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #227 dated 11 November 1944.
Related Documents Accident Report # 44-11-30-510⇓ (2.269 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
544th BOMB SQUADRON MODEL CREW
The first combat crew assigned to the squadron.
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Hall, Kelmer Jim⇗PilotPOW
Flt. Ofcr. Summers, Bradley Briscoe⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Crary, James David⇗NavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. Schindler, Herbert (NMI)⇗BombardierPOW
SGT. Harland, Kenneth Watkins, Jr⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerKIA
PVT. Spradlin, Clifford WrightBall Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Veber, Max Burton⇗Tail GunnerPOW
S/SGT. O'Donnell, Charles Patrick, Jr⇗Flexible GunnerTR
S/SGT. Wimberly, Grady Wright⇗Flexible GunnerTR
SGT. Harden, Donald Lester⇗Flexible GunnerTR

Crew History

The Kelmer Hall Crew was the first one to be assigned to the 544th BS of the 384th BG - becoming its "Model Crew" and "Crew 41" (crew #1 of the 544th) - on 31 December 1942 at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, with Summers and Spradlin joining in January 1943. They flew to Wendover a few days after the ground echelon entrained for the transfer.

Original crewmembers O'Donnell and Wimberly were replaced by Holgate J Dean and Edward R Keathley prior to transfer overseas.

The crew was assigned B-17F 42-30041 in the U.S.A. This aircraft was beset by mechanical difficulties from the outset, causing many three-engine landings, among other problems. After departing Gander Lake, Newfoundland on June 9, 1943 bound for England, the crew was forced to ditch that aircraft in the Atlantic. All 10 men were rescued the next day and returned to their departure point Gander Lake, Newfoundland. From there they were flown back to Presque Isle, Maine, where they were fitted out with new uniforms and other necessary equipment. Again they took to the air - as passengers aboard a C-54 transport aircraft this time - and rejoined the Group in England on 6 July 1943.

Additional crew changes occured after arriving in England, with Lawrence J Reandeau and George D McCulley replacing Spradlin and Harden. Note that other crew changes occurred on their first two missions due to illness of "regular" crew members.

They were shot down on 25 July 1943 mission to Hamburg, Germany, aboard B-17F 42-29670 "THUNDERMUG": 2 KIA, 8 POW.

Information courtesy of Jared Summers, et al.
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 44 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
-- 10 June 1943 None
Non-combat sortie 		Flexible (Waist) Gunner 42‑30041⇗ On ferry flight to the ETO, departed Gander late on 9 June 1943. Engine failures led to ditching in the ocean off the coast of Labrador.
Sortie Report⇗
205⇗ 5 October 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97320⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back, reason unknown.
Sortie Report⇗
212⇗ 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
213⇗ 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
214⇗ 19 October 1944 Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
215⇗ 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Fourth Squadron deputy. Gee-H equipment failed during assembly.
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97309⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 43‑37971. High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
222⇗ 8 November 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41D Squadron, Squadron Deputy. Gee-H ship. 544th loading list has 'Lt. Toelhman (303rd B. Gp)' listed as GH Navigator.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Gee-H ship; aircraft flew with the 381st BG at Ridgewell, as deputy group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy, A group; Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
233⇗ 30 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38542⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed with wheels up due to confusion in the cockpit during final approach.
Sortie Report⇗
234⇗ 2 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
236⇗ 6 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Gee-H ship (but no Gee-H navigator on this mission).
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
240⇗ 18 December 1944 Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. Because an inverter went out in the PFF equipment on the first run, they were forced to make a second PFF run which was completed without difficulty.
Sortie Report⇗
244⇗ 27 December 1944 Target: Bridge (Tactical)
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenahr, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8401⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron lead. Aborted over base due to instrument failure; bombs jettisoned.
Sortie Report⇗
246⇗ 30 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
249⇗ 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. Led formation on two bomb runs.
Sortie Report⇗
252⇗ 7 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 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 		Ball Turret 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 		Ball Turret 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 		Ball Turret 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 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
264⇗ 3 February 1945 Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6892⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
265⇗ 9 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
272⇗ 23 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Plauen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97824⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to a broken oil lne.
Sortie Report⇗
273⇗ 24 February 1945 Target: Submarine Construction Shipyard
Type: Shipyards
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
274⇗ 25 February 1945 Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
275⇗ 26 February 1945 Target: Schlesicher Railroad Station (Bahnhof)
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
277⇗ 28 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hagen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
279⇗ 2 March 1945 Target: Low Temperature Carbonization Plant and Refinery of Deutsche Petroleum A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Rositz, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Dunsfold, Surrey, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
281⇗ 4 March 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot
Type: Military
Location: Ulm, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
283⇗ 8 March 1945 Target: Oil Refinery - 'Benzol Plant'
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Essen, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6590⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
284⇗ 9 March 1945 Target: Henschel Tank and Locomotive Works
Type: Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑39164⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
285⇗ 10 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Schwerte, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6590⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
286⇗ 11 March 1945 Target: Vacuum Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑39164⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
289⇗ 15 March 1945 Target: Army HQ
Type: Military
Location: Zossen, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6590⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
290⇗ 17 March 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen (Leipzig), Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑39164⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
291⇗ 18 March 1945 Target: Schlesischer Railway Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6590⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
294⇗ 22 March 1945 Target: German Hutted Camps (Barracks) at 51°36'N,7°06'E
Type: Military
Location: Westerholt, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
295⇗ 23 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gladbeck, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
296⇗ 24 March 1945 Target: Vechta Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Vechta, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
298⇗ 26 March 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
300⇗ 30 March 1945 Target: Deutsche Schiff- u. Maschinenbau A.G. (DESCHIMAG)
Submarine and Warship Yard
Machine Shop
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
301⇗ 31 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
302⇗ 3 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6514⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗

Every effort has been expended to ensure all information on this page is complete and accurate.
Please inform webmaster of any discrepancies or omissions by using the button below.