Welsbacher, Robert Henry

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Welsbacher, Robert Henry, "Bob" ⇗
Rank	Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number	O-692102
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #37 dated 24 February 1944, effective 24 February 1944. Transferred to the 12th RCD (Special Orders #178, Headquarters, 1st Bomb Division), per 547th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 3 July 1944, effective 3 July 1944.
Duty	Navigator
MOS	1034 - Navigator
Last Duty Date	3 July 1944
Results	Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 7 January 1923 Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 11 May 1944 to 8th AF Officers Rest Home, Standridge Earl, Hampshire (a Flak house) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #87 dated 10 May 1944. Promoted to First Lieutenant effective 9 June 1944 per 547th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 18 June 1944. Completed Combat Tour of Duty and left Grafton Underwood on 3 July 1944 to return to the USA (squadron history, microfilm A0641-00230).
Photos of this Veteran signing the Wing Panel	Welsbacher Signing⇗
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Kelly, John Thomas⇗	Pilot	CT
2nd Lt. Roth, Verle Leroy⇗	Co-pilot	CT
2nd Lt. Welsbacher, Robert Henry, "Bob"	Navigator	CT
2nd Lt. Dotherow, Ed (NMI)⇗	Bombardier	CT
S/SGT. Trypuc, John Vincent, Jr⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	CT
S/SGT. Cruise, James Henry⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	CT
PVT. Chouinard, Garnet (NMI)⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	CT
SGT. Wray, Forrest Donald⇗	Flexible Gunner	CT
SGT. Madera, Alfred (NMI)⇗	Flexible Gunner	TBD

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
75⇗	16 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Navigator	42‑97449⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
76⇗	18 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Navigator	42‑97449⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
78⇗	20 March 1944	Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Navigator	42‑37788⇗	Combat Mission Credit Became separated from group prior to RECALL. Continued on to primary target area and released bombs in coordination with another wing. Bombing location given as 50°08',8°40', which was within the city of Frankfurt am Main. Sortie Report⇗
82⇗	26 March 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France	Navigator	42‑38208⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
83⇗	27 March 1944	Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Tours & Chartres, France	Navigator	42‑38013⇗	Combat Mission Credit 94 Group. Sortie Report⇗
84⇗	28 March 1944	Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dijon, France	Navigator	42‑38013⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
85⇗	29 March 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany	Navigator	42‑97231⇗	Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed Sortie Report⇗
86⇗	9 April 1944	Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Marienburg, Germany	Navigator	42‑97201⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back at 0915; could not locate formation due to bad weather. Sortie Report⇗
87⇗	10 April 1944	Target: Evere Airfield (50°54'3"N 4°20'9"E) Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium	Navigator	42‑97201⇗	Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed Sortie Report⇗
88⇗	11 April 1944	Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Sorau, Germany	Navigator	42‑97201⇗	Combat Mission Credit Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report⇗
90⇗	18 April 1944	Target: Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany	Navigator	42‑97237⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
91⇗	19 April 1944	Target: Fieseler Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel (Waldau), Germany	Navigator	42‑97263⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
92⇗	20 April 1944	Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France	Navigator	42‑97204⇗	Combat Mission Credit A Wing, High Group. Sortie Report⇗
93⇗	22 April 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Hamm, Germany	Navigator	42‑97372⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
95⇗	25 April 1944	Target: Metz-Frescaty Airdrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Metz, France	Navigator	42‑38013⇗	Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed Sortie Report⇗
97⇗	27 April 1944	Target: Toul/Croix de Metz Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France	Navigator	42‑97201⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
98⇗	29 April 1944	Target: Industrial District Type: Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Navigator	42‑97367⇗	Combat Mission Credit Group deputy. Assumed lead after group lead aborted. Sortie Report⇗
99⇗	1 May 1944	Target: Launch Site in Foret Nationale de Tournehem Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Foret Nationale de Tournehem, France	Navigator	42‑97237⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
101⇗	7 May 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany	Navigator	42‑97367⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low group deputy. Bomb release mechanism malfunctioned; bombs jettisoned 16 minutes after target. Sortie Report⇗
103⇗	8 May 1944	Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France	Navigator	42‑97367⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron lead. Sortie Report⇗
111⇗	21 May 1944	Target: NOBALL (Supergun Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Mimoyecques, France	Navigator	42‑102402⇗	Combat Mission Credit Group A Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
113⇗	23 May 1944	Target: Nancy/Essey Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France	Navigator	42‑38208⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Group Lead. Sortie Report⇗
114⇗	24 May 1944	Target: Unidentified Military Installations Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany	Navigator	42‑97263⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Group High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
115⇗	25 May 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Sarreguemines and Blainville-sur-l'Eau, France	Navigator	42‑102449⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Group Lead. Sortie Report⇗
116⇗	27 May 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany	Navigator	42‑102449⇗	Weather aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, N, RO, Eng) not identified. Sortie Report⇗
117⇗	28 May 1944	Target: Junkers Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Dessau, Germany	Navigator	42‑97263⇗	Combat Mission Credit Group Deputy. Assumed lead after equipment failures on the lead aircraft. Sortie Report⇗
120⇗	30 May 1944	Target: Aircraft Hangars and Repair Sheds Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt, Germany	Navigator	42‑97263⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Lead Group, original Wing Deputy. Turned back at 0948 hrs because #2 and #3 engines failed. Sortie Report⇗
124⇗	3 June 1944	Target: Coastal Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: Le Touquet, France	Navigator	42‑97072⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Squadron, Group Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
128⇗	6 June 1944	Target: Two Bridges Type: Transportation Location: Caen, France	Navigator	42‑38208⇗	Combat Mission Credit K Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
131⇗	8 June 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D) Type: Transportation Location: Orleans, France	Navigator	44‑6080⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41C Wing, Lead Group, Wing Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
--	11 June 1944	None Non-combat sortie	Navigator	42‑102449⇗	Combat Mission Credit 1st Lt. Kelly and his crew flew as Group Lead of the 306th BG in the 40th Combat Bombardment Wing 'B' on this date. Sortie Report⇗
133⇗	12 June 1944	Target: Railroad Bridge 48°29'N,2°0'W Type: Transportation Location: La Vicomté-sur-Rance, France	Navigator	42‑102449⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Group, Wing Lead. Col. William L Travis aboard as Combat Wing Air Commander. Sortie Report⇗
134⇗	13 June 1944	Target: Dreux Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dreux, France	Navigator	42‑102449⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Group Lead. Landed away at Polebrook, AAF Station 110, on return, due to bad weather. Sortie Report⇗
137⇗	16 June 1944	Target: Athies Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Laon, France	Navigator	42‑102449⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Group Lead. Sortie Report⇗
139⇗	19 June 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Fleury & Crépy, France	Navigator	42‑3441⇗	Weather aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, N, RO, Eng) not identified Sortie Report⇗
140⇗	19 June 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Fleury & Crépy, France	Navigator	42‑97824⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41A Group Lead. Sortie Report⇗
142⇗	21 June 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Industrial Area Type: Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Navigator	42‑102449⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Group, Wing Deputy. Sortie Report⇗

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