Mission # 121

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date	31 May 1944
Eighth Air Force Operations	Show Operations > Mission 382: 1,029 bombers and 682 fighters attack marshalling yards and aircraft industry targets in Germany and rail targets in France and Belgium; the fighters claim 4-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; 1 bomber and 3 fighters are lost: >> Air Task Force 1. Of 246 B-17s, 36 hit Luxeuil marshalling yard, France; 30 hit Florennes/Juzaine Airfield and 4 hit Namur marshalling yard, Belgium; 23 hit Gilze-Rijen Airfield and 12 hit Roosendaal marshalling yard, The Netherlands; and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 45 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 4 WIA. >> Air Task Force 2. 287 B-17s are dispatched to hit marshalling yards in Germany; 88 hit Osnabruck, 54 hit Schwerte, 52 hit Geseke and 50 hit Hamm; 1 B-17 is lost and 58 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 10 MIA. >> Air Task Force 3. 491 B-24s are dispatched to hit rail targets in France and Belgium but are recalled due to clouds; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 7 damaged. >> Air Task Force 4. 4 of 5 B-24s hit rail bridges at Beaumont-sur-Oise and bridges at Melun without loss; Azon radio-controlled bombs are unsuccessfully used against the bridges. >> Escort is provided by 193 P-38s, 180 P-47s and 309 P-51s; P-38s claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground with 1 P-38 being damaged; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA) and 3 are damaged; P-51s claim 3-0-1 aircraft on the ground with 2 P-51s lost (pilots are MIA). >> 674 Ninth Air Force fighters provide support; no claims or losses. > Fighter-bomber missions against German airfields with 500 lb (227 kg) and 100 lb (45 kg) GP bombs: >> Fighter-Bomber Task Force 1. 78 of 81 P-47s hit Gutersloh Airfield; they claim 5-1-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is damaged. >> Fighter-Bomber Task Force 2. 35 P-38s attack Rheine/Hopsten Airfield using DROOPSNOOT methods; they claim 5-0-0 aircraft on the ground. > 22 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions over France without loss. Source: Jack McKillop, Rutgers University, used with permission. Hide Operations
Mission	384th BG Mission Number 121, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 382 Weather Diverts Bombers Next Mission Previous Mission The 384th Bombardment Group (H) flew as the high group of the 41st Combat Bombardment Wing, which was the last of six CBWs of Air Task Force 1 on today's mission. Bad weather in the form of dense clouds prevented the bombers from reaching the primary target area, forcing them to seek targets of opportunity (TOO). Equipment problems (stuck bomb bay doors on the Lead aircraft) resulted in the 384th having to seek its own TOO. While the remainder of the Wing circled nearby, the 384th made two bomb runs, finally releasing its bombs on the railroad target.
Primary Target	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Colmar, France
Target Attacked (Mode)	TOO (Visual) Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Roosendaal, The Netherlands
Sortie/Aircraft Summary	Completed Mission, not including spares - 11 Flying Spare, Completed Mission - 1 Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed - 1 Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused - 1 Scrubbed - 2 Aborted - 1
Mission Personnel	Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗
Mission Documents	Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗

17 AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED TO THIS MISSION
Table is sorted by Pilot, and may be sorted by any column: click the column head.
Aircraft	Pilot	Results	Mission/Sortie Information
42‑32106⇗	Cranstoun, Richard Leroy⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37822⇗	[N/A]	Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off	Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑102620. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑39888⇗	Strong, Bert Franklin⇗	Spare, Completed Mission	Flying Spare. Joined formation. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97178⇗	Peterson, Walter Thomas⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97188⇗	Kelley, Robert Encil⇗	Completed Mission	High Squadron Lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97282⇗	Johnson, William T⇗	Completed Mission	Group Deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97320⇗	Eakins, Robert Nathanial⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off.	Turned back at 0951 hrs because #1 and #3 engine oil temperatures read 90-100 degrees and #3 oil pressure was 45 lbs at altitude. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102430⇗	Burkhard, James Albert⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102442⇗	Liebert, Jack Louis⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102500⇗	Bagby, Donald Woods⇗	Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102518⇗	Pompe, Bernard Joseph⇗	Completed Mission	Low Squadron Lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102566⇗	Van Every, Russell Meredith⇗	Completed Mission	Low Squadron Deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102617⇗	Melzar, Raymond Augustus⇗	Completed Mission	High Squadron Deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102620⇗	Halasz, John Julius⇗	Completed Mission	Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37822. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102661⇗	[N/A]	Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off	Replaced by Lead Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑107221. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑107221⇗	Sammons, Gerald Busby⇗	Completed Mission	Group Lead. Lead Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑102661. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6080⇗	[N/A]	Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused