Mission # 253

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date 8 January 1945
Eighth Air Force Operations Operations description not yet available.
Mission
384th BG Mission Number 253, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 787
Railroad Attacked
The 384th Bombardment Group (H) flew as the 41st Combat Wing C Group on today's mission. The railroad line in Kyllburg passes through two tunnels and crosses the Kyll River, making it a significant target for the purpose of interdicting the flow of supplies and reinforcements to the front lines. Bombs were dropped in group formation with Gee-H aiming: results were unobserved.
Primary Target Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany
Target Attacked (Mode) Primary (Gee-H)
Sortie/Aircraft Summary Completed Mission, not including spares - 38
Flying Spare, Completed Mission - 3
Landed In Allied Territory - 1
Scrubbed - 3
Aborted - 1
Failed To Return - 1
Mission Personnel Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗
Mission Documents Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗

47 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⇗Hewes, Charles Pershing⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37788⇗Belsinger, Harry Flair⇗Completed MissionLead Squadron hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37822⇗Hoppen, Jack Stewart⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑38013⇗Whitesides, John Boyce⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97150⇗Ruckman, George Francis⇗Completed MissionLead Squadron hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97251⇗Ramsay, Walter E⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97271⇗Baughman, John R⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97320⇗Kramer, William Leo⇗Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffReplaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑38752.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97510⇗[N/A]Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffReplaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 43‑39060.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97521⇗Peterson, Calvin James⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97824⇗[Non-384th Pilot]Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Gee-H ship. Loaned to the 306th BG with Gee-H navigator; remaining unidentified crew provided by 306th BG.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑97986⇗Herring, Harold F⇗Completed MissionHigh Squadron lead. PFF ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑98000⇗DeFrancesco, John Joseph⇗Failed To ReturnMIA. 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 ⇗
42‑98027⇗Keller, Marion Wayne⇗Completed MissionGroup deputy. PFF & Gee-H ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102501⇗Gregg, William G⇗Spare, Completed MissionLow Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102518⇗Fletcher, Graydon James⇗Completed MissionHigh Squadron hot camera ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102620⇗Fleshman, Warren Gray⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑102661⇗McKone, Joseph Francis⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑107125⇗[Non-384th Pilot]Completed MissionGee-H ship. Loaned to the 381st BG with Gee-H navigator; remaining unidentified crew provided by 381st BG. Bombed 381st assigned primary target.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑107148⇗MacKellar, Donald Allen⇗Landed In Allied TerritoryDid not join the 384th formation as briefed; probably joined another group and attacked their primary target (Speyer, Germany). Landed at Laon, France (airfield A-70) due to flak damage. Crew and aircraft resumed combat operations 9 days later.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑37703⇗Wyatt, William Glenn⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑37843⇗Miley, Harold L⇗Spare, Completed MissionFlying spare; joined formation.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38016⇗[Non-384th Pilot]Completed MissionPFF & Gee-H ship. Loaned to the 92nd BG with Gee-H navigator; remaining unidentified crew provided by 92nd BG. Bombed 92nd assigned primary target.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38501⇗Chmura, Edward (NMI)⇗Completed MissionLow Squadron lead.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38548⇗Gilmer, Charles E⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38630⇗Molder, Charles Richard⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38673⇗Starr, William George⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38678⇗Storey, Wallace Arnold⇗Completed MissionHigh Squadron deputy.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38747⇗McLean, William S⇗Completed MissionLow Squadron deputy.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38752⇗Van Popering, Earle Allen⇗Completed MissionGround Spare Aircraft, replaced 44‑6514. Landed away at Eye due to low fuel and inoperative radio equipment.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38757⇗Bennett, Ralph J⇗Spare, Completed MissionLead Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38800⇗Smisek, William Joseph⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38823⇗Kinkead, Robert Miller⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38850⇗Milligan, George Robert⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38927⇗Warner, Henry L⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑38994⇗Johnson, Donald Ernest⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
43‑39060⇗Tatulis, Charles Paul⇗Completed MissionGround Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑97510.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6105⇗Tebo, Clerance L⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6135⇗Richardson, George P⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6476⇗Cook, Raymond D⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6514⇗[N/A]Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffReplaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 43‑38752.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑6592⇗Phillips, Herbert Dyer⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8007⇗Walker, Jay Frank⇗Completed MissionGroup lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8008⇗[Non-384th Pilot]Completed MissionPFF & Gee-H ship. Loaned to the 398th BG with Gee-H navigator; remaining unidentified crew provided by 398th BG. Bombed 398th assigned secondary target.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8216⇗[Non-384th Pilot]Completed MissionGee-H ship. Loaned to the 306th BG with Gee-H navigator; remaining unidentified crew provided by 306th BG. Bombed 306th assigned secondary target.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8221⇗[Non-384th Pilot]Completed MissionPFF & Gee-H ship. Loaned to the 92nd BG with Gee-H navigator; remaining unidentified crew provided by 92nd BG. Bombed 92nd assigned primary target.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
44‑8430⇗Worthen, Kirk Winthrop⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗