384th 2025 REUNION
INFORMATION PAGE⇗

Curtis, William Stanley

Individual Personnel Data
Name Curtis, William Stanley
⇗
Rank Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 18130481
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #78 dated 22 August 1943, effective 22 August 1943.
  • Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report - transferred to Casual Pool, 12th Replacement Control Depot, AAF Station 591, effective 3 March 1944.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 3 March 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 16 May 1923
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Sundlun, Bruce George⇗PilotEV
2nd Lt. Zitnik, Charles Allen⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Jylkka, Reino Oswal⇗NavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. McGovern, Vincent James⇗BombardierCT
S/SGT. Snyder, Charles Leslie⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
T/SGT. Ramsey, William Marion⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Curtis, William StanleyBall Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Lekas, Frank (NMI)⇗Tail GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Cappelletti, Mike Joseph⇗Flexible GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Hayes, George Clayborne⇗Flexible GunnerKIA
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 25 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
21⇗ 6 September 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Deanland, East Sussex, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
22⇗ 7 September 1943 Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium 		Ball Turret 42‑29554⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
23⇗ 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
24⇗ 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
25⇗ 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
26⇗ 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back prior to assembly due to a runaway supercharger on #2 engine
Sortie Report⇗
27⇗ 2 October 1943 Target: Port Facilities
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Dropped 7,200 Code #4s 'nickles' over target.
Sortie Report⇗
30⇗ 9 October 1943 Target: Aircraft Factories
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
31⇗ 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
33⇗ 20 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Düren, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
--⇗ 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Maj. Ketelsen HSqLd
Sortie Report⇗
34⇗ 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
35⇗ 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Ball Turret 41‑24557⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
43⇗ 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑29733⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Crash-landed (overshot) at RAF Coltishall due to battle damage. "The A/C is a total wreck but none of the crew were injured."
Sortie Report⇗
45⇗ 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37792⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1325 hrs due to #2 supercharger going up to 60 inches at 23000ft; forced to feather #2 prop; returned bombs.
Sortie Report⇗
46⇗ 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France 		Ball Turret 42‑29828⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
47⇗ 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑3259⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Gatwick with #4 engine out; bombed target; sent to 2 Strategic Air Depot at Little Staughton for repair.
Sortie Report⇗
49⇗ 4 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37788⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑29809. Took off late, then turned back with engine trouble.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37792⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑40005⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑39991⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, high group, 41st B Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
59⇗ 5 February 1944 Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Orleans, France 		Ball Turret 42‑29554⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Ball Turret 42‑29688⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
61⇗ 8 February 1944 Target: Piston Ring Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Lead Squadron. Turned back at 1026 hrs while over enemy territory because of detonation (pinging) in #1, #2, and #3 engines, causing aircraft to fall behind group. Crew granted credit for the mission.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37792⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37792⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
65⇗ 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37792⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑31926⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron, Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Ball Turret 42‑31166⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗

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