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DeCelles, Charles Bender

Individual Personnel Data
Name DeCelles, Charles Bender
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-765575
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #139 dated 16 July 1944, effective 16 July 1944.
Duty Bombardier
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 7 March 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 25 April 1916
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at Kirtland AAF, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Class #44-01, 15 January 1944.
  • Placed on seven (7) days Temporary Duty at Palace Hotel, AAF Station 524 (a Flak House) to carry out the orders of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #182 dated 14 September 1944. Will Proceed date omitted on SSO. 15 September 1944 listed on 545th BS Squadron Morning Report of 14 September 1944.
  • Appointed First Lieutenant (AUS) effective 17 February 1945 per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 6 March 1945.
Related Documents Accident Report # 44-10-23-527⇓ (2.444 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Johnstone, William Andrew⇗PilotCT
Flt. Ofcr. Weaver, Paul Hanson⇗Co-pilotCT
Flt. Ofcr. Simpson, Morris⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. DeCelles, Charles BenderBombardierCT
S/SGT. Markley, Harland Dean⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Williams, J C (IO)⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Curtin, John (NMI)⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
SGT. David, Lloyd Preston⇗Tail GunnerCT
SGT. Nolan, Richard Thomas⇗Flexible GunnerCT
SGT. Trimble, Frederick Cushing⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
164⇗ 24 July 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: La Chapelle en Juger & Hébécrevon, France 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
165⇗ 25 July 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Montreuil-sur-Lozon, Le Châtel,
& La Chapelle en Juger, France 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group.
Sortie Report⇗
166⇗ 28 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
172⇗ 4 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France 		Bombardier 42‑102933⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
175⇗ 8 August 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Bretteville-sur-Laize, France 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ 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 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
177⇗ 11 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements
Type: Military
Location: Brest, France 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
181⇗ 16 August 1944 Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑6135⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
184⇗ 25 August 1944 Target: Airfield & Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
191⇗ 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Dropped two minutes early on primary target; hit marshalling yards instead. Returned with #2 feathered.
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
B Wing, low group. Did not bomb because unable to see wing lead release bombs.
Sortie Report⇗
201⇗ 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97941⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
-- 23 October 1944 None
Non-combat sortie 		Bombardier 42‑102518⇗ Landing gear collapsed after returning from a training mission. There were no crew injuries.
Sortie Report⇗
219⇗ 4 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8409⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38673⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
223⇗ 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France 		Bombardier 44‑8409⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
225⇗ 11 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8409⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship. Landed away at RAF Cranfield, Bedfordshire, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron, 41st Bomb Wing D group
Sortie Report⇗
230⇗ 26 November 1944 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenbeken, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
231⇗ 27 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Offenburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97271⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
234⇗ 2 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38721⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
235⇗ 4 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Soest, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
236⇗ 6 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102518⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
237⇗ 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑102518.
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97309⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑107148.
Sortie Report⇗
241⇗ 19 December 1944 Target: Railway Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Glaadt, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102518⇗ Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off
Low Squadron hot camera ship. Did not take off due to weather which deteriorated after lead aircraft took off.
Sortie Report⇗
243⇗ 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102518⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
246⇗ 30 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102518⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare; joined low Squadron formation.
Sortie Report⇗
247⇗ 31 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102518⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
248⇗ 1 January 1945 Target: Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Derben, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38823⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
249⇗ 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
263⇗ 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8679⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
280⇗ 3 March 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑39019⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
282⇗ 7 March 1945 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bochum, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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