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Preble, James Jarvis

Individual Personnel Data
Name Preble, James Jarvis   ‡
⇗
Rank Corporal / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 11082362   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #190 dated 26 September 1944, effective 26 September 1944.
Duty Engineer / Top Turret Gunner / Togglier
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 11 April 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #196 dated 4 October 1944.
  • Reclassified from MOS 611 to MOS 748 effective 6 January 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #5 dated 6 January 1945.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant effective 17 January 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #15 dated 17 January 1945.
  • Ordered to Ebrington Manor, AAF Station 498 (a Flak house) for seven days Temporary Duty on 25 January 1945 to carry out instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #20 dated 23 January 1945.
  • On the 26 February 1945 mission to Berlin, the crew was reported missing on MACR 12760. Their aircraft had a run-away prop and lost oxygen at 32,000 ft, possibly due to flak. They made a wheels-up forced landing in Rawa Ruska, Poland. The crew were met by Russians (allies at that time) and taken to Lvov, Poland for two weeks until 'rescued' by a U.S. Salvage crew in a stripped-down B-17, who flew them to Poltve [Poltava?], Russia. ATC returned them to Grafton Underwood via Tehran, Iran, Athens, Greece, Cairo, Eqypt, Tunisia, Naples, Italy and Brighton, England.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 12760⇓ (2.688 MB)
Accident Report # 44-10-12-521⇓ (3.499 MB)



Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Holmes, George W⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Mohr, James Henry⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Mason, Mark⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Gerlach, Menceslaus Anthony⇗BombardierKIA
CPL. Burke, John Joseph⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
CPL. Preble, James JarvisEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Hensley, Clyde Wilburn⇗Ball Turret GunnerTBD
CPL. Harshman, William Everett⇗Tail GunnerCT
CPL. Applegate, William Charles⇗Flexible GunnerCT
CPL. Hultberg, Stanley Robert⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
-- 12 October 1944 None
Non-combat sortie 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑37717⇗ A hard landing caused starboard main landing gear to collapse, resulting in damage to that side of the aircraft. There were no crew injuries.
Sortie Report⇗
210⇗ 14 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38678⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑102518.
Sortie Report⇗
211⇗ 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38678⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
212⇗ 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
213⇗ 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High 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 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Togglier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38678⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
232⇗ 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Togglier 42‑97271⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
235⇗ 4 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Soest, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38721⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron. Landed away at Boxted due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
236⇗ 6 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38721⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
237⇗ 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany 		Togglier 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38721⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
240⇗ 18 December 1944 Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38721⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
242⇗ 23 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ehrang, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38721⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Horham due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
243⇗ 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38721⇗ Combat Mission Credit
13F Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
244⇗ 27 December 1944 Target: Bridge (Tactical)
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenahr, Germany 		Togglier 42‑97271⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38721⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
246⇗ 30 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38721⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
247⇗ 31 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Togglier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
248⇗ 1 January 1945 Target: Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Derben, Germany 		Togglier 42‑97309⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron. Left formation over friendly territory and landed on Continent, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
251⇗ 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany 		Togglier 43‑37917⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to internal failure of #3 engine.
Sortie Report⇗
257⇗ 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38678⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire.
Sortie Report⇗
259⇗ 22 January 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38673⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
265⇗ 9 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Togglier 44‑8408⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
266⇗ 14 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Dresden, Germany 		Togglier 44‑8408⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
267⇗ 15 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany 		Togglier 44‑8408⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Bassingbourn Airfield, AAF Station 121.
Sortie Report⇗
273⇗ 24 February 1945 Target: Submarine Construction Shipyard
Type: Shipyards
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Togglier 44‑6923⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
274⇗ 25 February 1945 Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany 		Togglier 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
275⇗ 26 February 1945 Target: Schlesicher Railroad Station (Bahnhof)
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38823⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Damaged by flak near the I.P.; at 1158 one engine was feathered; at 1230 hrs #2 and #4 engines were out, and aircraft was under control, headed toward Russia. MACR 12760
Sortie Report⇗
302⇗ 3 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Togglier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
303⇗ 4 April 1945 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Fassberg, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102518⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
305⇗ 6 April 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (Visual Primary)
Type: Transportation
Location: Leipzig, Germany 		Togglier 42‑97309⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
306⇗ 7 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Plant
Type: Military
Location: Hitzacker, Germany 		Togglier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
307⇗ 9 April 1945 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany 		Togglier 42‑97309⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
308⇗ 10 April 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot Workshop Area
Type: Military
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Togglier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
309⇗ 11 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Freiham, Germany 		Togglier 42‑97309⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗

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