SORTIE REPORT #5260
MISSION DATA:
DATE 384th BG Mission # 8th AF Mission # 384th PRIMARY TARGET
1944‑07‑29 167 503 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Merseburg Slammed Again: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) put up four group formations for today's mission. Three formed the entire 41st B Combat Bombardment Wing, and the remaining one made up the bulk of the high composite group in the 41st D wing. The weather in Merseburg was clear enough for visual aiming, so the primary target was heavily damaged.
SORTIE DATA:
COMBAT CREDIT STATUS TARGET ATTACKED (MODE)
Yes Returned Early
Comments: Forced to leave formation due to failure of #1 engine; dropped bombs on target of opportunity (TOO) near Minden, Germany.
TOO (Visual)
Type: Undetermined
Location: Minden, Germany
SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA:
TYPE SERIAL NUMBER SQUADRON SQ CODE NAME
B-17G 42‑102617 ⇗ 544th SU*T DEVIL'S BRAT
SORTIE CREW DATA:
POSITION CREWMEMBER UNIT STATUS
Pilot Patella, Joseph David⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Co-pilot Sica, Robert Joseph⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Navigator Ferguson, Donald Louis⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Togglier Marshall, Charles (NMI)⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Radio Operator Hudson, Harold Edgar⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Engineer/Top Turret Stensby, Erling John⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Ball Turret French, Lorin Leroy⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Tail Gunner Fisher, James Joseph⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Dvorak, Frank Joseph, Jr⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Sortie Report 5260 provided by 384thBombGroup.com
SortieEngine.php Rev. 3.3.2, 22 June 2022
Report generated: 13 October 2026, 8:07 AM (PDT)
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