Deftos, Minot Fred

Individual Personnel Data
Name Deftos, Minot Fred   
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 11114343   
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #136 dated 5 November 1943, effective 5 November 1943.
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #8, effective 12 January 1944.
Duty Radio Operator / Gunner
MOS757 - Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner, AAF
Last Duty Date 19 March 1944
Results Killed In Action
Final Resting Place or Memorial: Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Saint Louis, Missouri
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 16 December 1923
  • First name amended to M I N O T on SO #140 dated 11 November 1943.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #154 dated 26 November 1943.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3242 (39.461 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Amundson, Leslie OthoPilotPOW
2nd Lt. Marcollo, William TheodoreCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Faragasso, Frank (NMI)NavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. Coughlin, Robert VincentBombardierPOW
SGT. Deftos, Minot FredRadio Operator / GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Howard, Murray MaxRadio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Lord, Lawrence FrederickEngineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Brown, Cecil WilliamTail GunnerPOW
PVT. Chairet, Frank (NMI)Flexible GunnerPOW
SGT. Zesch, Charles EmilFlexible GunnerPOW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 11 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
55 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑5404 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead group. Turned back at 0825 hrs because exhaust stack broke on #3 engine, which then had to be feathered.
Sortie Report
56 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
Low group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
57 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑31484 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
Radio Operator 42‑29554 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High group, 41st B Combat Wing. Turned back at 1029 hrs because #4 supercharger ran away, there was no boost on #3 supercharger, and #3 engine detonated and was smoking.
Sortie Report
59 5 February 1944 Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Orleans, France
Radio Operator 42‑31484 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
60 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Radio Operator 42‑31484 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, lead group.
Sortie Report
63 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑31484 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
Radio Operator 42‑31926 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
65 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑31926 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group, Low Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report
68 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Radio Operator 42‑31926 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report
69 2 March 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑31926 Combat Mission Credit
Low group, low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report
72 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑31926 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing.
Sortie Report
73 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑31926 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
74 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑31926 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
75 16 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Radio Operator 42‑31926 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1019 hrs because #2 engine vibrated and overheated and was throwing white and black smoke.
Sortie Report
77 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France
Radio Operator 42‑31926 Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Aircraft hit by flak immediately after bombs away; later observed spiraling down with flames pouring from all parts of aircraft; four chutes emerged, with one on fire; crashed near Wavrans-sur-Ternoise, a very small village, near a larger town called St Pol-sur-Ternoise, France. MACR 3242
Sortie Report

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