384th 2025 REUNION
INFORMATION PAGE⇗

Blankenmeyer, William J

Individual Personnel Data
Name Blankenmeyer, William J
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / Captain
Serial Number O-760540
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 Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 12 April 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to Furzedown House, AAF Station 563 (a Flak House) on 24 November 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #230 dated 21 November 1944.
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Blankenmeyer, William JPilotCT
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 Elijah⇗Ball 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 30 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
182⇗ 18 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Vise, Belgium 		Co-pilot 43‑38213⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
183⇗ 24 August 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 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 		Pilot 43‑38213⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
187⇗ 3 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
188⇗ 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
191⇗ 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
196⇗ 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
C Wing, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
199⇗ 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed with wounded aboard.
Sortie Report⇗
201⇗ 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Left formation after target for unknown reasons, but returned to base.
Sortie Report⇗
208⇗ 9 October 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 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⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Deputy division lead. Gee-H ship. Led group on bomb run.
Sortie Report⇗
225⇗ 11 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102501⇗ Weather aircraft.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Pilot 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship; low Squadron lead, 41st Bomb Wing A group. Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
237⇗ 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany 		Pilot 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
243⇗ 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 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 		Pilot 43‑38850⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Pilot 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⇗
259⇗ 22 January 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade, Germany 		Pilot 42‑38208⇗ Weather aircraft.
Sortie Report⇗
261⇗ 28 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Commander 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
266⇗ 14 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Dresden, Germany 		Commander 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⇗
274⇗ 25 February 1945 Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany 		Commander 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF and Gee-H 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 		Commander 44‑8649⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
299⇗ 28 March 1945 Target: Berlin/Spandau Motor Transport Works
Type: Industry
Location: Spandau (Berlin), Germany 		Pilot 43‑38974⇗ Weather aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, N, RO, Eng) not identified
Sortie Report⇗
301⇗ 31 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Commander 44‑8541⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗

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