Cahill, William Lawrence, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name Cahill, William Lawrence, Jr   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 12155788   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 17 November 1943, effective 17 November 1943.
Duty Tail Gunner / Flexible Gunner
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 1 July 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 14 November 1922
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #14 Dated 21 January 1944.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to American Red Cross Club, Southport (a Flak house) on or about 10 February 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #28 EXTRACT dated 10 February 1944.
  • Attached to the 1140th Military Police Company for ration, quarters and administration per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #123 dated 27 June 1944.
  • Relieved from attachment for RQ&A to the 1140th Military Police Company per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #142 dated 20 July 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Hines, James Wesley⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Burch, Hugh Ralph⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Copeland, Carter Glenn⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Morris, Richard William⇗BombardierTBD
S/SGT. Dahms, Rex John⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Wilson, Jerome Frank⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerWIA
SGT. Douglas, James Clifton⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Cahill, William Lawrence, JrTail GunnerCT
SGT. Jarvis, Francis Harrison⇗Flexible GunnerCT
SGT. Woodard, Everett Durwood⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 31 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29554⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
43⇗ 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑29554. Also see comments for aircraft 42‑29688 for this mission.
Sortie Report⇗
45⇗ 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
47⇗ 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑5404⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
49⇗ 4 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37727⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Flying Spare. Joined formation, then turned back becuse aircraft needed 'excessive power settings ... to stay in formation.'
Sortie Report⇗
50⇗ 5 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29632⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
52⇗ 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑3051⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation. Landed away at Coltishall, Norfolk, on return due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
54⇗ 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Tail Gunner 41‑24560⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group. Jettisoned bombs when an engine was shot away by an enemy aircraft and had to leave formation.
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑3441⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
61⇗ 8 February 1944 Target: Piston Ring Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37801⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group. Turned back; tail gunner fell ill.
Sortie Report⇗
69⇗ 2 March 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29688⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31484.
Sortie Report⇗
70⇗ 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31048⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back because of low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Turned back when oxygen system had been shot out by flak; dropped bombs and 25 parcels of 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) on TOO near Lingen, Germany, with 'poor' results.
Sortie Report⇗
74⇗ 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97124⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
77⇗ 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37789⇗ Combat Mission Credit
NOTE: The Loading List incorrectly identified the co-pilot as Sidney Bush.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑31166⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
84⇗ 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37758⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 0850 hrs at Splasher 4 because they were unable to locate the formation in 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 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97178⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
92⇗ 20 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102442⇗ Combat Mission Credit
B Wing, High Group Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
93⇗ 22 April 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102442⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
94⇗ 24 April 1944 Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97178⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
97⇗ 27 April 1944 Target: Toul/Croix de Metz Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead.
Sortie Report⇗
98⇗ 29 April 1944 Target: Industrial District
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102442⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron deputy. Turned back at 0913 hrs when tail gunner became very ill.
Sortie Report⇗
120⇗ 30 May 1944 Target: Aircraft Hangars and Repair Sheds
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑102442⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑97521.
Sortie Report⇗
131⇗ 8 June 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D)
Type: Transportation
Location: Orleans, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑102518⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Wing, Low Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
133⇗ 12 June 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge 48°29'N,2°0'W
Type: Transportation
Location: La Vicomté-sur-Rance, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑97941⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
134⇗ 13 June 1944 Target: Dreux Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dreux, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑37758⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Tempsford, Bedfordshire, on return, due to bad weather.
Sortie Report⇗
135⇗ 14 June 1944 Target: Coulommiers Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Coulommiers, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Wing, High Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
136⇗ 15 June 1944 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: La Possonnièrre, France 		Togglier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
137⇗ 16 June 1944 Target: Athies Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Laon, France 		Togglier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
138⇗ 18 June 1944 Target: Ölwerke Julius Humbles
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Togglier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group Flying Spare. Joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
141⇗ 20 June 1944 Target: Oil Refineries
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Harburg (Hamburg area), Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group.
Sortie Report⇗

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