Mess, Richard Carl

Individual Personnel Data
Name Mess, Richard Carl
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 37112330
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #144 dated 22 July 1944, effective 22 July 1944.
Duty Flexible Gunner
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 30 November 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 17 January 1918
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #163 dated 14 August 1944.
  • Granted a seven day convalescent furlough effective 5 October 1944 per 547th bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 5 October 1944.




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Skehan, Joseph LynnePilotTR
2nd Lt. Heubner, Emil JCo-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Hannaford, Gordon CoyleNavigatorCT
Flt. Ofcr. Cameron, William Roy, JrBombardierTR
CPL. Dufur, William SargentRadio Operator / GunnerCT
SGT. Klien, William MartinEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Adameit, Robert CarlBall Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Knight, Amon LamarTail GunnerCT
SGT. Mess, Richard CarlFlexible GunnerCT
CPL. Stanek, Robert BriceFlexible GunnerCT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
169 1 August 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Chartres, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, High Squadron Deputy. Dropped bombs early.
Sortie Report
170 3 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Fleury, Flers, Fiefs, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
I Group.
Sortie Report
172 4 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑37843 Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
173 5 August 1944 Target: Luftwaffe Controlling Station
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Langenhagen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
176 9 August 1944 Target: Erding Airdrome & Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Erding, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report
177 11 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements
Type: Military
Location: Brest, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97204 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
179 13 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Road Network
Type: Transportation
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger (area), France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report
181 16 August 1944 Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, lead group.
Sortie Report
182 18 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Vise, Belgium
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6149 Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report
183 24 August 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, low group.
Sortie Report
185 26 August 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97824 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report
186 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97150 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
188 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑37843 Combat Mission Credit
Landed with wounded aboard.
Sortie Report
191 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report
192 11 September 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf & Merseburg, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8011 Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report
194 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 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
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑37990 Combat Mission Credit
A Squadron.
Sortie Report
198 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
B wing, high group. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
200 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑39888 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
203 2 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38542 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
210 14 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38542 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
213 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑8409 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead group hot camera ship. Aborted due to oxygen regulator trouble
Sortie Report
214 19 October 1944 Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38752 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report
216 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
219 4 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report
220 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
221 6 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
222 8 November 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
223 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
224 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 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
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
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
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Composite Squadron, 41st Bomb Wing D group.
Sortie Report
228 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38752 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron, B group.
Sortie Report
229 25 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Aldermaston, due to weather.
Sortie Report
231 27 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Offenburg, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
233 30 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38630 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report

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