Mannka, Charles Pershing

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Mannka, Charles Pershing ‡ ⇗
Rank	Second Lieutenant
Serial Number	O-738710 ‡
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #42 dated 4 July 1943, effective 4 July 1943.
Duty	Bombardier
MOS	1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date	14 October 1943
Results	Killed In Action Final Resting Place or Memorial: Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium: Plot C Row 6 Grave 19
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 13 September 1918 Graduated from Bombardier School at Victorville AAF, Victorville, California, Class #43-03, 13 February 1943. Ordered on Temporary duty to the American red Cross Club, Southport (a Flak House) for seven days per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #66 dated 8 August 1943. Died in POW camp. From Story of 1Lt.Luther C Cox, Stalag Luft III,93rd Bomb Group: 'Today the eight of June 1944, Lt.Mannka died, just one week after he had been taken from the camp ill. The Goons sent back the report that he had died of pneumonia. But some of us know the real answer. Perhaps he did die of pneumonia, but why? Because he had been thrown into a cold damp cell in solitary confinement where he had remained without any clothes for days until he died. It was murder, thats what it was. This isn't the first time a sick man left the confines of our camp never to return. The same report always comes back, DIED OF PNEUMONIA, when it should read: MURDERED... Several days later, our buddy, Lt. Mannka, was buried at Liegnity, Germany, Standort Cemetery, part 5, Grave 880.'
Related Documents	Missing Air Crew Report # 840⇓ (17.474 MB)
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Harry, William Russell⇗	Pilot	POW
2nd Lt. Rice, Ivan Luther⇗	Co-pilot	KIA
2nd Lt. Black, David Hall⇗	Navigator	POW
2nd Lt. Mannka, Charles Pershing	Bombardier	KIA
T/SGT. Simpson, Edward Francis⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	POW
T/SGT. Reed, Curry Allen⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	TR
S/SGT. McKenna, John Conat⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	POW
S/SGT. Parent, Leroy (NMI)⇗	Tail Gunner	POW
CPL. Iverson, Bennie Franklin⇗	Flexible Gunner	CT
S/SGT. Wheeler, Tom Brooks⇗	Flexible Gunner	POW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 12 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
10⇗	25 July 1943	Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard Type: Industry Location: Hamburg, Germany	Bombardier	42‑30145⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back 15 miles from English coast because ball turret was inoperative and the RPM on engine #1 dropped to zero. Sortie Report⇗
11⇗	28 July 1943	Target: Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany	Bombardier	42‑30145⇗	Combat Mission Credit Returned Early Turned back before target with major battle damage. Sortie Report⇗
12⇗	29 July 1943	Target: Naval Base Type: Military Location: Kiel, Germany	Bombardier	42‑5051⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back almost immediately because of leak in oxygen system. Sortie Report⇗
13⇗	30 July 1943	Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany	Bombardier	42‑5848⇗	Combat Mission Credit Crash-landed at Boxted, AAF Station 150, on return, with extensive battle damage due to enemy aircraft and flak, with five wounded crewmen aboard. 2nd Lt. William Russell Harry awarded Silver Star (see 'As Briefed' p. 197). Sortie Report⇗
18⇗	27 August 1943	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Watten, France	Bombardier	42‑30026⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
20⇗	3 September 1943	Target: Air Park and Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France	Bombardier	42‑29935⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Sortie Report⇗
22⇗	7 September 1943	Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium	Bombardier	42‑29935⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
23⇗	9 September 1943	Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Lille-Vendeville, France	Bombardier	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
24⇗	16 September 1943	Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River) Type: Transportation Location: Nantes, France	Bombardier	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
26⇗	27 September 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany	Bombardier	41‑24560⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 42‑30005. Sortie Report⇗
27⇗	2 October 1943	Target: Port Facilities Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany	Bombardier	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
28⇗	4 October 1943	Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Bombardier	42‑30033⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
30⇗	9 October 1943	Target: Aircraft Factories Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Anklam, Germany	Bombardier	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
31⇗	10 October 1943	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Münster, Germany	Bombardier	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑30196. Sortie Report⇗
32⇗	14 October 1943	Target: Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany	Bombardier	42‑29800⇗	Combat Mission Credit Failed To Return Knocked down by enemy aircraft; crashed near Simmershofen, Germany; MACR 840. Sortie Report⇗

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