Holderbaum, Kenneth (NMI), Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Holderbaum, Kenneth (NMI), Jr ‡ ⇗
Rank	Staff Sergeant / Private First Class
Serial Number	16160090 ‡
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #91 dated 16 May 1944, effective 16 May 1944.
Duty	Ball Turret Gunner
MOS	612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date	TBD
Results	Transferred
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 11 November 1923 From duty to sick in quarters per 546th Squadron Morning Report 18 June 1944. Appointed Staff Sergeant per 546th Squadron Morning report 19 June 1944. From absent sick Line of Duty (LD) 303rd Station Hospital Thrapston to duty per 546th Squadron Morning Report 21 June 1944, amended on the 23 June 1944 Morning Report to read sick quarters (LD) to duty. From Duty to Detached Service (DS) American Red Cross Club (ARC), Southport, Lancashire (a Flak House) per 546th Squadron Morning Report 21 June 1944. From DS ARC, Southport, Lancashire to duty per 546th Squadron Morning Report 29 June 1944. Removed from flight status around the end of June 1944. Reclassified from MOS 612 (Airplane Armorer/Gunner) to MOS 590 (Duty Soldier III) on 28 August 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #172 , EXTRACT, dated 28 August 1944. Promoted to Private First Class (MOS 590) on AAF Station 2 Special Orders #18 dated 4 August 1945.
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Gibson, James Allen⇗	Pilot	CT
2nd Lt. Preller, Robert Henry, "Bob"⇗	Co-pilot	CT
2nd Lt. O'Neill, John Patrick⇗	Navigator	CT
2nd Lt. Flowers, James Richard⇗	Bombardier	TR
S/SGT. Gramc, Edward (NMI)⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	TR
S/SGT. Bowers, Henry Melvin⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	CT
S/SGT. Holderbaum, Kenneth (NMI), Jr	Ball Turret Gunner	TR
SGT. Kennemer, Frank Winifred⇗	Tail Gunner	CT
SGT. Gilmore, James Karry, Jr⇗	Flexible Gunner	CT
PVT. Lafferty, Cornelius Michael⇗	Flexible Gunner	TR

Crew History

The Gibson Crew was formed at Drew Field (now Tampa International Airport) in Tampa, Florida in March 1944. After crew training, they picked up a new B-17G at Hunter Field, Georgia on 29 April and flew it to England via Dow Army Airfield, Bangor, Maine, RCAF Station Gander, Newfoundland, and Iceland in early May. The crew then moved to the 8th Air Force Replacement Depot at Stone, Staffordshire, for theater orientation while awaiting their combat assignment. They joined the 546th BS on 16 May 1944 as a replacement crew. The squadron crew number is currently unknown.
About half the crew flew nearly all its missions together: Lafferty flew no missions with Gibson, Gramc was transferred to the 305th BG with the Fitzgerald Crew, Holderbaum was removed from flying status, and the others were reassigned as needed by the Army. All survived the war without loss.

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 11 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
116⇗	27 May 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑107121⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Group. Sortie Report⇗
117⇗	28 May 1944	Target: Junkers Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Dessau, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑31222⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
119⇗	29 May 1944	Target: Focke-Wulf Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Krzesiny District, Poznań, Poland	Ball Turret	42‑97142⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
122⇗	2 June 1944	Target: Gun Battery with six 155mm guns, Tactical Support Type: Military Location: Hardelot (5 miles S of Boulogne), France	Ball Turret	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
125⇗	4 June 1944	Target: Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: Hardelot (Boulogne area), France	Ball Turret	42‑97273⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
126⇗	5 June 1944	Target: Field Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: La Fosse, France	Ball Turret	42‑97273⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
128⇗	6 June 1944	Target: Two Bridges Type: Transportation Location: Caen, France	Ball Turret	42‑102601⇗	Combat Mission Credit J Squadron. Sortie Report⇗
130⇗	7 June 1944	Target: Transportation Hub Type: Military Location: Condé-sur-Noireau, France	Ball Turret	42‑107057⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Group Flying Spare. Joined formation. Sortie Report⇗
131⇗	8 June 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D) Type: Transportation Location: Orleans, France	Ball Turret	42‑97510⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41D Group. Bombed Primary Target. Sortie Report⇗
134⇗	13 June 1944	Target: Dreux Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dreux, France	Ball Turret	42‑102501⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
135⇗	14 June 1944	Target: Coulommiers Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Coulommiers, France	Ball Turret	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Wing, Lead Group. Sortie Report⇗
137⇗	16 June 1944	Target: Athies Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Laon, France	Ball Turret	42‑97251⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Low Group. Turned back over England because they could not find the formation. Sortie Report⇗

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