Work, Robert Elijah

Individual Personnel Data
Name Work, Robert Elijah   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 17088478   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #155 dated 2 August 1944, effective 2 August 1944.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 12 March 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 26 February 1916
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #194 dated 1 October 1944.
Related Documents Accident Report # 44-12-04-535⇓ (5.028 MB)



Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Blankenmeyer, William J⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Fisher, Robert Jeremy⇗Co-pilotCT
Flt. Ofcr. Obermeyer, Robert Henry⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Kowalski, Theodore (NMI)⇗BombardierWIA
S/SGT. Fictum, Blair Eugene⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. DeMesquita, Seymour Aron⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Work, Robert ElijahBall Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Hoyman, Robert H⇗Tail GunnerTBD
SGT. Flaherty, Francis Gayle⇗Flexible GunnerTR
SGT. McDonald, Donald Thomas⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 36 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
182⇗ 18 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Vise, Belgium 		Ball Turret 43‑38213⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
183⇗ 24 August 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
184⇗ 25 August 1944 Target: Airfield & Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38213⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
187⇗ 3 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
188⇗ 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned with #4 feathered.
Sortie Report⇗
189⇗ 8 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6141⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to #1 supercharger failure.
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
191⇗ 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron. Returned with #4 feathered.
Sortie Report⇗
194⇗ 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
196⇗ 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron. Landed away at Woodbridge, reason unknown.
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
C Wing, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
199⇗ 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed with wounded aboard.
Sortie Report⇗
201⇗ 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Left formation after target for unknown reasons, but returned to base.
Sortie Report⇗
202⇗ 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
203⇗ 2 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
208⇗ 9 October 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Third Squadron deputy. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
211⇗ 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
215⇗ 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Fourth Squadron lead. PFF ship. Deputy's Gee-H failed during assembly, so the Squadron lead conducted a PFF attack on the secondary target.
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
223⇗ 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France 		Ball Turret 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Deputy division lead. Gee-H ship. Led group on bomb run.
Sortie Report⇗
231⇗ 27 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Offenburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
235⇗ 4 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Soest, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38750⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Crash-landed in an open field 1-1/2 miles north of Deenethorpe during assembly; all crew remained in plane and all were ok.
Sortie Report⇗
237⇗ 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
243⇗ 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38262⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group Deputy. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
250⇗ 3 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: St Vith, Belgium 		Ball Turret 43‑38850⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Division lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. PFF started acting up during assembly, so the air commander ordered the low Squadron lead (PFF-equipped) to move up and fly as his deputy. At the IP, the Gee-H equipment was unusable, so lead was turned over to the deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
261⇗ 28 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
264⇗ 3 February 1945 Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8608⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
266⇗ 14 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Dresden, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8665⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
High Squadron lead; PFF ship. Returned early after entering enemy airspace, because right waist and bombardier's oxygen regulators 'blew up'. Attacked a target of opportunity, a factory, in Nordhorn, Germany.
Sortie Report⇗
267⇗ 15 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38801⇗ Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Did not take off because bad weather halted flight operations.
Sortie Report⇗
273⇗ 24 February 1945 Target: Submarine Construction Shipyard
Type: Shipyards
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8580⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead; PFF ship.
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 44‑8649⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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