Name | Van Popering, Earle Allen, "Van" ‡ |
Rank | First Lieutenant |
Serial Number | O-740984 ‡ |
Unit Assignments | Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #239 dated 5 December 1944, effective 5 December 1944. |
Duty | Pilot |
MOS | 1091 - Pilot, B-17 |
Last Duty Date | 22 January 1945 |
Results |
Killed In Action Final Resting Place or Memorial: Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, The Netherlands: Plot O Row 13 Grave 14 |
Additional Information |
|
Related Documents | Missing Air Crew Report # 11994⇓ (28.408 MB) |
Photo Album: | Crew Photo Album⇗ |
CREWMEMBER | POSITION | RESULTS |
---|---|---|
1st Lt. Van Popering, Earle Allen, "Van" | Pilot | KIA |
2nd Lt. Doheny, William Edward⇗ | Co-pilot | POW |
2nd Lt. Ferrell, Jack Gordon⇗ | Navigator | EV |
1st Lt. Bass, Ross (NMI)⇗ | Bombardier | TR |
T/SGT. Pechout, Richard Anthony⇗ | Radio Operator / Gunner | POW |
SGT. Mouratian, George (NMI)⇗ | Engineer / Top Turret Gunner | KIA |
CPL. Mathias, Charles William⇗ | Ball Turret Gunner | POW |
CPL. Denney, Roy Edward⇗ | Tail Gunner | POW |
CPL. Maffei, Albert (NMI)⇗ | Flexible Gunner | EV |
Number | Date | Target | Position | Aircraft | Mission/Sortie Information |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
241⇗ | 19 December 1944 |
Target: Railway Junction Type: Transportation Location: Glaadt, Germany |
Co-pilot | 43‑37703⇗ |
Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off Did not take off due to weather which deteriorated after lead aircraft took off. Sortie Report⇗ |
242⇗ | 23 December 1944 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Ehrang, Germany |
Co-pilot | 42‑102459⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Engineer/Top Turret Gunner died of anoxia: aircraft landed in allied territory on the continent, at Valenciennes (A-83, Denain/Prouvy), France, to get medical attention for him, which was unsuccessful. Sortie Report⇗ |
249⇗ | 2 January 1945 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Gerolstein, Germany |
Co-pilot | 43‑38927⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
250⇗ | 3 January 1945 |
Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub Type: Military Location: St Vith, Belgium |
Pilot | 43‑37703⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Dropped bombs 15 seconds late, reason unknown. Sortie Report⇗ |
253⇗ | 8 January 1945 |
Target: Railroad Type: Transportation Location: Kyllburg, Germany |
Pilot | 43‑38752⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 44‑6514. Landed away at Eye due to low fuel and inoperative radio equipment. Sortie Report⇗ |
255⇗ | 15 January 1945 |
Target: Neuburg Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany |
Pilot | 44‑8608⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
256⇗ | 17 January 1945 |
Target: Railroad Viaduct Type: Transportation Location: Bielefeld, Germany |
Pilot | 42‑37788⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37822. Sortie Report⇗ |
257⇗ | 20 January 1945 |
Target: Rail and Road Bridges Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany |
Pilot | 43‑38927⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Landed away at RAF Warboys, Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire). Sortie Report⇗ |
259⇗ | 22 January 1945 |
Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Sterkrade, Germany |
Pilot | 43‑38850⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Failed To Return Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Left formation five miles after target and was still tracked by flak; levelled off for a short time, but soon went into a nose dive with all four engines running and one wheel down; crashed near Deventer, The Netherlands. MACR 11994 Sortie Report⇗ |