384th BG Mission

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date	2 June 1944
Eighth Air Force Operations	Show Operations The role of the heavy bombers from 2-5 June in preparation for the invasion of Normandy on 6 June includes continuation of attacks against transportation and airfield targets in Northern France and the institution of a series of blows against coastal defenses, mainly located in the Pas de Calais coastal area, to deceive the enemy as to the sector to be invaded (Operation COVER). > Mission 384: >> In the morning, 521 of 633 B-17s and 284 of 293 B-24s hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 11 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA and 1 MIA. Mission 385: >> In the afternoon, 242 B-17s are dispatched to railroad targets in the Paris area; 163 hit the primaries, 49 hit Conches Airfield, 12 hit Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield and 1 hits Caen/Carpiquet Airfield; 77 B-24s are dispatched to Bretigny Airfield in France; 13 hit the primary target, 47 hit Creil Airfield and 14 hit Villeneuve Airfield; 2 B-17s and 5 B-24s are lost, 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 90 B-17s and 37 B-24s damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 4 WIA and 68 MIA. > 3 of 7 P-38s hit the Ostend Bridge, Belgium without loss. > 3 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the Atlantic. > During the evening, 5 B-17s drop leaflets on targets in Belgium and France; and 18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER operations. Source: Jack McKillop, Rutgers University, used with permission. Hide Operations
Mission	384th BG Mission Number 123, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 384 Pre-Invasion Tactical Targets Next Mission Previous Mission The 384th Bombardment Group (H) also flew as Group #4 of the 41st Combat Bombardment Wing on today's mission. The Groups of the Wing followed at 3 minute intervals, rather than the normal stacked Wing formation. The assigned target was attacked through solid cloud layers using PFF, with unobserved results. [Note: see Mission 122 for pool of spare aircraft.]
Primary Target	Target: Four Medium Howitzer Batteries, Tactical Support Type: Military Location: Neufchatel (5 miles SE of Hardelot), France
Target Attacked (Mode)	Primary (PFF)
Sortie/Aircraft Summary	Completed Mission, not including spares - 20
Mission Personnel	Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗
Mission Documents	Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗

20 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⇗	Melzar, Raymond Augustus⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37974⇗	Rimbold, Arthur Arimese⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37982⇗	Johnson, William T⇗	Completed Mission	Low Squadron Lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑39888⇗	Gottfried, Raymond Nathan⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97178⇗	Peterson, Walter Thomas⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97188⇗	Eakins, Robert Nathanial⇗	Completed Mission	High Squadron Deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97271⇗	Adams, William Lowell⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97282⇗	James, Robert Huey⇗	Completed Mission	Low Squadron Deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97309⇗	Kirkpatrick, William Hugh⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97320⇗	Kelley, Robert Encil⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97699⇗	Pryor, Raymond Thomas⇗	Completed Mission	Group Lead. PFF ship and unidentified crew members provided by the 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102430⇗	Liebert, Jack Louis⇗	Completed Mission	Could not attack target due to defective bomb rack. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102442⇗	Burkhard, James Albert⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102459⇗	Halasz, John Julius⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102518⇗	Dean, Ralph Merrick⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102566⇗	Bagby, Donald Woods⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102661⇗	Lane, Edward William⇗	Completed Mission	High Squadron Lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑107125⇗	Pompe, Bernard Joseph⇗	Completed Mission	Group Deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑107148⇗	Maggart, Richard Lee⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗

Mission # 123

MISSION SUMMARY