DeFrancesco, John Joseph

Individual Personnel Data
Name DeFrancesco, John Joseph   ‡
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-825120   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #190 dated 26 September 1944, effective 26 September 1944.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 8 January 1945
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Stalag 13D Nuremburg (Oflag 73) Bavaria 49-11
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 29 January 1924
  • Appointed First Lieutenant (AUS) effective 13 November 1944 per 544th Squadron Morning report 19 November 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 11579⇓ (6.117 MB)
Photos of this Veteran signing the Wing PanelDeFrancesco Signing⇗
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. DeFrancesco, John JosephPilotPOW
2nd Lt. Simmons, Robert Edwin⇗Co-pilotPOW
Flt. Ofcr. Calnitz, Jerome⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Brown, William C⇗BombardierCT
T/SGT. Bias, Ira J, Jr⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
T/SGT. Howell, Evan Lawrence⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Doleshal, Charles Joseph⇗Ball Turret GunnerPOW
T/SGT. Hastings, Harmon Charles⇗Tail GunnerMIA
S/SGT. Walker, Ferris John⇗Tail GunnerTR
S/SGT. Williams, John Allen⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
208⇗ 9 October 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Co-pilot 44‑6512⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Co-pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Third Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
210⇗ 14 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken, Germany 		Pilot 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
211⇗ 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
212⇗ 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
213⇗ 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
215⇗ 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Fourth Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
219⇗ 4 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Pilot 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
221⇗ 6 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37822.
Sortie Report⇗
222⇗ 8 November 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
223⇗ 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France 		Pilot 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6512⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41D Squadron. Hot Camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
229⇗ 25 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed at Grafton Underwood.
Sortie Report⇗
231⇗ 27 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Offenburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
232⇗ 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
233⇗ 30 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Low Squadron
Sortie Report⇗
234⇗ 2 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany 		Pilot 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
235⇗ 4 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Soest, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
237⇗ 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany 		Pilot 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Pilot 42‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
240⇗ 18 December 1944 Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany 		Pilot 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
241⇗ 19 December 1944 Target: Railway Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Glaadt, Germany 		Pilot 42‑107148⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑97320. Landed away at RAF Fairwood Common near Swansea, Wales.
Sortie Report⇗
243⇗ 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
246⇗ 30 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
247⇗ 31 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
249⇗ 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
250⇗ 3 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: St Vith, Belgium 		Pilot 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
251⇗ 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38850⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
252⇗ 7 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany 		Pilot 42‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
253⇗ 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
MIA. Prior to the IP at 1022 hrs, this aircraft was observed slowing up and dropping behind formation. It was then lost to view in contrails. Flak damaged one or more engines. Crashed near BAASEM, Germany. MACR 11579
Sortie Report⇗

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