SORTIE REPORT #778
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 Completed Mission
Comments: Landed away at Metfield due to weather.
Other (Visual)
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Coesfeld, Germany
SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA:
TYPE SERIAL NUMBER SQUADRON SQ CODE NAME
B-17F 42‑29554 ⇗ 545th JD*Y BILLIE
SORTIE CREW DATA:
POSITION CREWMEMBER UNIT STATUS
Pilot MacPhail, Philip Ray⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Co-pilot Schock, George William⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Navigator Hedin, Carl Anton⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Bombardier Garrett, James Patrick⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Radio Operator Hawkins, Charles Joseph⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Engineer/Top Turret Benker, Patrick Dennis⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Ball Turret Paula, Placido John, Jr⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Tail Gunner Mitchell, Charles Floyd⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Hamm, Morton Washington⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Shannon, Lucian Glenroie⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Sortie Report 778 provided by 384thBombGroup.com
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Report generated: 10 October 2026, 9:28 PM (PDT)
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