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Van Etten, Lawrence Edward

Individual Personnel Data
Name Van Etten, Lawrence Edward
⇗
Rank First Lieutenant / Captain
Serial Number O-1011193
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #152, effective 30 July 1944.
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #22, effective 27 January 1945.
Duty Navigator
MOS1034 - Navigator
Last Duty Date 22 February 1945
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 2 February 1916
  • Ordered on seven days Temporary duty to Furzedown House, AAF Station 563 (a Flak house) on 1 December 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #236 dated 1 December 1944.
  • Designated Assistant Group Bom-Nav-Radar Officer (primary) effective 27 January 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #22 dated 27 January 1945.
  • Completed tour of combat duty and transferred out of Group during February 1945, per squadron history (microfilm A0640-01647).
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
177⇗ 11 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements
Type: Military
Location: Brest, France 		Navigator 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
184⇗ 25 August 1944 Target: Airfield & Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
187⇗ 3 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship. High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
188⇗ 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		RADAR Countermeasures 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship. Wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
191⇗ 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8047⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship; wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
B Wing, deputy wing lead. PFF ship. Led wing on bomb run due to failure of equipment on lead aircraft - the PFF on this ship went out momentarily on first bomb run, forcing a second one.
Sortie Report⇗
202⇗ 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
204⇗ 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
206⇗ 6 October 1944 Target: M/T Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Stettin / Szczecin, Poland 		Navigator 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
D group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Fourth Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
212⇗ 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
213⇗ 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy. PFF ship. Took over on bomb run after lead Gee-H equipment failed; completed attack on primary target.
Sortie Report⇗
215⇗ 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF ship. Resumed lead on bomb run after deputy's Gee-H equipment failed. Led Squadron to attack secondary target using PFF.
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF ship. Relinquished lead to deputy for the Gee-H bomb run on the primary: resumed lead for return to base.
Sortie Report⇗
221⇗ 6 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Navigator 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8216⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, Low Squadron Lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship; high Squadron lead, 41st C group.
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, A group; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
231⇗ 27 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Offenburg, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8216⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, B Group. PFF and Gee-H ship. Bombed independently using Gee-H.
Sortie Report⇗
242⇗ 23 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ehrang, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. Landed away at Horham due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
243⇗ 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
13F Squadron Lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. Led group formation attack with all Squadrons dropping on leader, using Gee-H aiming.
Sortie Report⇗
247⇗ 31 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
251⇗ 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Weather aircraft. Co-pilot identified only as 'Hicks' - Kenneth Delmont Hicks is most likely as the aircraft, pilot, and 'Hicks', are all from the 545th BS. remainder of crew (RO, Eng) not identified
Sortie Report⇗
253⇗ 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
257⇗ 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead; PFF & Gee-H ship. Landed away at RAF Warboys, Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire).
Sortie Report⇗
260⇗ 23 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Radar Navigator 44‑8211⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Group lead. Turned back over field due to mechanical failure.
Sortie Report⇗
261⇗ 28 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Radar Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
262⇗ 29 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Siegen, Germany 		Radar Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead; PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
263⇗ 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Radar Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
267⇗ 15 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8665⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. Landed away at Bassingbourn Airfield, AAF Station 121.
Sortie Report⇗

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