SORTIE REPORT #807
MISSION DATA:
DATE 384th BG Mission # 8th AF Mission # 384th PRIMARY TARGET
1943‑10‑14 32 115 Target: Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
"Second Schweinfurt" aka "Black Thursday": The 384th Bombardment Group (H) put up three squadrons on today's mission. However, six aircraft aborted, reducing the number that bombed the primary target. A further six aircraft were knocked out by enemy action. An all-too-familiar situation faced the returning crews - bad weather over East Anglia. Three Aircraft were lost when the crews, unable to locate a suitable place to land in England, bailed out and abandoned them, while most of the remainder landed at other airfields.
SORTIE DATA:
COMBAT CREDIT STATUS TARGET ATTACKED (MODE)
Yes Completed Mission
Comments: Group lead. Only plane to return to Grafton Underwood.
Primary (Visual)
SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA:
TYPE SERIAL NUMBER SQUADRON SQ CODE NAME GROUND CREW CHIEF
B-17F 42‑30026 ⇗ 546th BK*J BATTLEWAGON Flynn, Roland (NMI)
SORTIE CREW DATA:
POSITION CREWMEMBER UNIT STATUS
Commander Harris, George Warren, Jr⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Pilot Algar, Philip Morris⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Navigator Celentano, Frank A⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Bombardier McClanahan, James Clifton⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Radio Operator Gerow, Francis (NMI)⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Engineer/Top Turret Laviolette, Roland Bernard⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Ball Turret McKay, Kenneth Mitchel, Jr⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Tail Gunner Wolf, Richard Vance⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Majewski, Casmer Robert⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Schimenek, John Francis⇗ 546 Completed, Uninjured
Sortie Report 807 provided by 384thBombGroup.com
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Report generated: 10 October 2026, 10:28 PM (PDT)
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