SORTIE REPORT #774
MISSION DATA:
DATE 384th BG Mission # 8th AF Mission # 384th PRIMARY TARGET
1943‑10‑10 31 114 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany
Coesfeld Mistaken for Münster: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided 21 aircraft for today's mission. Aborting aircraft reduced the number attacking to fifteen. At the start of the bomb run, 'we observed a town burning and, mistaking it for the target, made the bomb run. The town was later identified as Coesfeld [Germany].' On the return, weather interfered with recovery operations, forcing seve to land at other fields, and one crew to bail out, leaving their aircraft to crash near Eye.
SORTIE DATA:
COMBAT CREDIT STATUS TARGET ATTACKED (MODE)
Yes Crashed In Allied Territory
Comments: Crew bailed out near Ipswich; aircraft continued in flight and crash-landed at Eye, Suffolk, killing a cow.
N/A
SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA:
TYPE SERIAL NUMBER SQUADRON SQ CODE NAME GROUND CREW CHIEF
B-17F 42‑5086 ⇗ 546th BK*B WAHOO II Francis, Percy Tom
SORTIE CREW DATA:
POSITION CREWMEMBER UNIT STATUS
Pilot Wilson, William Monroe⇗ 546 Bailed Out Over England
Co-pilot Rabby, Carlos James, Jr⇗ 546 Bailed Out Over England
Navigator Belk, Robert Kirk⇗ 546 Bailed Out Over England
Bombardier Crown, Richard Keith⇗ GpHQ Bailed Out Over England
Radio Operator Compton, James Harold⇗ 546 Bailed Out Over England
Engineer/Top Turret Birnbaum, Lester (NMI)⇗ 546 Bailed Out Over England
Ball Turret Heintzelman, David Leroy⇗ 546 Bailed Out Over England
Tail Gunner Greene, Frank Palmer⇗ 546 Bailed Out Over England
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Stamm, Murray Raymond⇗ 546 Bailed Out Over England
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Miller, Floyd Oliver⇗ 546 Bailed Out Over England
Sortie Report 774 provided by 384thBombGroup.com
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