Gerlach, Menceslaus Anthony

Individual Personnel Data
Name Gerlach, Menceslaus Anthony   ‡
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-722778   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #190 dated 26 September 1944, effective 26 September 1944.
Duty Bombardier / Navigator
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 30 November 1944
Results Killed In Action
Final Resting Place or Memorial: Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 3 August 1916
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at Childress AAF, Childress, Texas, Class #44-06, 29 April 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 11128⇓ (48.071 MB)
Accident Report # 44-10-12-521⇓ (3.499 MB)



Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Holmes, George W⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Mohr, James Henry⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Mason, Mark⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Gerlach, Menceslaus AnthonyBombardierKIA
CPL. Burke, John Joseph⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
CPL. Preble, James Jarvis⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Hensley, Clyde Wilburn⇗Ball Turret GunnerTBD
CPL. Harshman, William Everett⇗Tail GunnerCT
CPL. Applegate, William Charles⇗Flexible GunnerCT
CPL. Hultberg, Stanley Robert⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 18 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Second Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
-- 12 October 1944 None
Non-combat sortie 		Bombardier 43‑37717⇗ A hard landing caused starboard main landing gear to collapse, resulting in damage to that side of the aircraft. There were no crew injuries.
Sortie Report⇗
210⇗ 14 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38678⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑102518.
Sortie Report⇗
211⇗ 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
212⇗ 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
213⇗ 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
214⇗ 19 October 1944 Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
215⇗ 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97309⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38823⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
218⇗ 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38823⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
219⇗ 4 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
221⇗ 6 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
223⇗ 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship. Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
232⇗ 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97271⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
233⇗ 30 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8409⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Received a direct flak burst and exploded in vicinity of primary target after bombs away.
Sortie Report⇗

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