Mission # 48

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date 31 December 1943
VIII Bomber Command Operations Operations description not yet available.
Mission
384th BG Mission Number 48, VIII BC Mission Number 171
Target Not Found
Next Mission
Previous Mission
The 384th Bombardment Group (H) flew as the low group of the 41st Combat Bomb Wing on today's mission. The primary target was a ship reported to be at or near the mouth of the River Garonne. However, the target was not seen due to 10/10 cloud cover, while the secondary target was hidden by 8/10 clouds, so the formation returned without attacking. Bombs were mostly jettisoned in the English Channel. Due to weather and fuel shortage, most aircraft landed at other bases.
Primary Target Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship)
Type: Transportation
Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France
Target Attacked (Mode) No Target Attacked
Sortie/Aircraft Summary Completed Mission, not including spares - 17
Crashed - 2
Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed - 3
Scrubbed - 1
Mission Personnel Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗
Mission Documents Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗

23 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
41‑24525⇗Smith, Roger Clement⇗Completed MissionLanded away at Kimbolton; bombs jettisoned.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
41‑24560⇗Lotz, William Henry⇗Completed MissionGround Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37885. Landed at RAF Harwell, Berkshire, with bombs.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
41‑24578⇗Outen, Charles Levi⇗Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑3087⇗Kaczaraba, William (NMI)⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5404⇗Allison, Earl Thomas⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5444⇗Price, William Merriman⇗Completed MissionGroup lead, because lead ship had to be replaced; Capt Frink transferred to this ship. Landed away at Kimbolton; bombs returned.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29632⇗Carpenter, Walter Richard⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29651⇗Herbert, Joseph Robert⇗Completed MissionLanded away at RAF Thorney Island, West Sussex.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29688⇗Daskey, Kendall (NMI)⇗Completed MissionLanded away at Kimbolton, with bomb load.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29703⇗Robinson, Robert Lawrence⇗Completed MissionLanded away at Kimbolton.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29723⇗Taylor, Sidney Paul⇗Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29809⇗Hurley, Joseph Anthony⇗Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31045⇗Jeter, Sydney Ryland⇗Completed MissionLanded away at Chelveston; bombs jettisoned.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31073⇗Stier, George Withers⇗Crashed In Allied TerritoryCrash-landed near Whittlesey, UK (east of Peterborough) on return; crew bailed out safely, although minor injuries typical of a parachute descent were undoubtedly sustained; pilot and copilot rode ship down and were uninjured. Bombs had been jettisoned.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑31211⇗MacPhail, Philip Ray⇗Completed MissionLanded away at Kimbolton; bombs jettisoned.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37725⇗Rich, John (NMI)⇗Crashed In Allied TerritoryDitched. Eight crewmen bailed out in vicinity of Offham, Sussex
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37727⇗Morrison, Donald Sylvester⇗Completed MissionLanded away at Alconbury; bombs returned.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37758⇗Wilson, William Monroe⇗Completed Mission SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37776⇗Wolf, Richard Vance⇗Completed MissionLanded away at Molesworth; bombs jettisoned.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37848⇗Ulrey, Edgar Ellsworth⇗Completed MissionLow Squadron lead. Landed away at Molesworth.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37885⇗[N/A]Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffReplaced by ??????. Excessive RPM drop on magneto check. Scheduled to lead the Group with Capt Frink as Air Commander; Frink transferred to the Price ship.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑37924⇗Stearns, Clarence Grover⇗Completed MissionLanded away at Molesworth; bombs jettisoned.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑39888⇗Sprague, Alfred Lee⇗Completed MissionHigh Squadron lead. Landed away at 'Little Stanton' (assumed Little Staughton); bombs returned.
SORTIE REPORT ⇗