SORTIE REPORT #811
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 Crashed In Allied Territory
Comments: Crew bailed out near Deenethorpe on return; the aircraft crash-landed near Corby, UK.
N/A
SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA:
TYPE SERIAL NUMBER SQUADRON SQ CODE NAME
B-17F 42‑3037 ⇗ 544th SU*Z WINDY CITY AVENGER
SORTIE CREW DATA:
POSITION CREWMEMBER UNIT STATUS
Pilot Price, William Merriman, III⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Co-pilot Coleman, Lee Browning⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Navigator Harvey, Harry Blakely, Jr⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Bombardier Arquette, Leroy Arthur⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Radio Operator Smith, Robert Eugene⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Engineer/Top Turret Beaty, Earl Richard⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Ball Turret Griffin, Daniel (NMI)⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Tail Gunner Grant, Ralph Gilbert⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Nelson, Earl James⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Dailey, Donald William⇗ 547 Bailed Out Over England
Sortie Report 811 provided by 384thBombGroup.com
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