Lester, David Leon

Individual Personnel Data
Name Lester, David Leon   ‡
⇗
Rank Corporal / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 34841435   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #153 dated 31 July 1944, effective 31 July 1944.
Duty Tail Gunner
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 29 January 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 20 November 1918
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #163 dated 14 August 1944.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #185 dated 19 September 1944.
  • Ordered on seven days Temporary Duty to Palace Hotel, Southport, AAF Station 524 (a Flak house) on 1 December 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #234 dated 28 November 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Mumper, Benjamin Royce⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Tumlinson, Wilburn Wier⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Steele, Robert Coultas⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Lyons, Jack Joseph⇗BombardierWIA
PVT. Leslie, William Joseph⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
SGT. Stornant, Victor Joseph⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Heatley, Johnny Ray⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Lester, David LeonTail GunnerCT
SGT. Coder, Dale Mills⇗Flexible GunnerCT
CPL. Kantor, John Steven⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
181⇗ 16 August 1944 Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97150⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
185⇗ 26 August 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
186⇗ 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France 		Tail Gunner 43‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
189⇗ 8 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑6135⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
194⇗ 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑6135⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
195⇗ 17 September 1944 Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical
Type: Military
Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
A Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
196⇗ 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑37990⇗ Combat Mission Credit
C wing, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑6135⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
208⇗ 9 October 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑37843⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑6135⇗ Combat Mission Credit
First Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
211⇗ 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97960⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
214⇗ 19 October 1944 Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑6135⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron. Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑107148.
Sortie Report⇗
216⇗ 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97150⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑38800⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
218⇗ 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑38800⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
219⇗ 4 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑38800⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑102500⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 43‑38800.
Sortie Report⇗
222⇗ 8 November 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97150⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
223⇗ 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France 		Tail Gunner 44‑6514⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑37843⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron. Landed away on continent due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑38800⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship; lead Squadron, 41st Bomb Wing D group. Landed away at Tilstock, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Bassingbourn, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
230⇗ 26 November 1944 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenbeken, Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑38542⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
231⇗ 27 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Offenburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97263⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
232⇗ 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38013⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
233⇗ 30 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑6105⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97263⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron, D Group.
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97263⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
240⇗ 18 December 1944 Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑38752⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
241⇗ 19 December 1944 Target: Railway Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Glaadt, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Landed away at RAF Fairwood Common near Swansea, Wales.
Sortie Report⇗
250⇗ 3 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: St Vith, Belgium 		Tail Gunner 44‑6514⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
251⇗ 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
259⇗ 22 January 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade, Germany 		Tail Gunner 43‑38752⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
262⇗ 29 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Siegen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead; PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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