Harting, Lester Elias

Individual Personnel Data
Name Harting, Lester Elias   ‡
⇗
Rank Corporal / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 33507271   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #247 dated 16 December 1944, effective 16 December 1944.
  • Transferred to the Casual Pool, 70th Reinforcement Depot, AAF Station 594, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 20 May 1945, effective 20 May 1945.
Duty Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 20 May 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 31 August 1918
  • Promoted to Sergeant effective 1 January 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #1 dated 1 January 1945.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant effective 26 February 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #46 dated 26 February 1945.
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant effective 14 March 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #57 dated 14 March 1945.
  • Departed Grafton Underwood to AAF Station 594 on 20 May 1945. Returned to the ZOI via B-17.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Peterson, Calvin James, "Pete"⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Voiland, Eugene Edward⇗Co-pilotCT
Flt. Ofcr. Rouse, Roscoe (NMI)⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Means, Bert George⇗BombardierTR
CPL. Magilson, Raymond Howard, Jr⇗Radio Operator / GunnerTBD
CPL. Harting, Lester EliasEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Biedrzycki, Theodore (NMI)⇗Ball Turret GunnerFCMEW
CPL. Kitzmiller, Richard Gorgas⇗Tail GunnerFCMEW
CPL. Eastell, Harry Theodore⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 29 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
250⇗ 3 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: St Vith, Belgium 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
251⇗ 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97271⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
252⇗ 7 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
253⇗ 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97521⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation. Landed away at Chelveston on return due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑6109⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
257⇗ 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97510⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Cheddington Airfield, AAF Station 113.
Sortie Report⇗
260⇗ 23 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑102518⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to mechanical failure. Landed away at Bassingbourn Airfield, AAF Station 121.
Sortie Report⇗
263⇗ 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
264⇗ 3 February 1945 Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38823⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
268⇗ 19 February 1945 Target: Coking Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
269⇗ 20 February 1945 Target: Main Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8408⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
270⇗ 21 February 1945 Target: Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38823⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
271⇗ 22 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ülzen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
273⇗ 24 February 1945 Target: Submarine Construction Shipyard
Type: Shipyards
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
275⇗ 26 February 1945 Target: Schlesicher Railroad Station (Bahnhof)
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑39019⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
276⇗ 27 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Wahren (Leipzig area), Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
278⇗ 1 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bruchsal, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy and hot camera ship; PFF and Gee-H ship. May have taken over lead on return due to flak damage to the lead ship.
Sortie Report⇗
279⇗ 2 March 1945 Target: Low Temperature Carbonization Plant and Refinery of Deutsche Petroleum A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Rositz, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
280⇗ 3 March 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑39138⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
283⇗ 8 March 1945 Target: Oil Refinery - 'Benzol Plant'
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Essen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8541⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
284⇗ 9 March 1945 Target: Henschel Tank and Locomotive Works
Type: Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy and lead Squadron hot camera ship; PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
292⇗ 19 March 1945 Target: Braunkohle-Benzin Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8789⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron Lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
295⇗ 23 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gladbeck, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
298⇗ 26 March 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8665⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
305⇗ 6 April 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (Visual Primary)
Type: Transportation
Location: Leipzig, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
309⇗ 11 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Freiham, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
310⇗ 14 April 1945 Target: Gun Battery
Type: Military
Location: Royan (Bordeaux), France 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Capt. Laboda, High Squadron Lead
Sortie Report⇗
314⇗ 19 April 1945 Target: Railroad Station & Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Elsterwerda, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8541⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
316⇗ 25 April 1945 Target: Skoda Armament Works
Type: Industry
Location: Pilsen / Plzeň, Czechoslovakia 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8789⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group Lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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