SORTIE REPORT #815
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: Landed away at Little Staughton.
Primary (Visual)
SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA:
TYPE SERIAL NUMBER SQUADRON SQ CODE NAME
B-17F 41‑24525 ⇗ 547th SO*Y WHAT'S COOKIN' DOC?
SORTIE CREW DATA:
POSITION CREWMEMBER UNIT STATUS
Pilot Carter, T L (IO)⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Co-pilot Witt, Francis John, Jr⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Navigator Garrison, Keith M⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Bombardier Smith, Harvey Daniel⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Radio Operator Benson, Thomas Joseph⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Engineer/Top Turret Treat, Royal DeWitt⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Ball Turret Connelly, Gordon Raker⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Tail Gunner Pastorella, John Paul⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Barto, Louis Joseph⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Hubbard, Warren Emmett⇗ 547 Completed, Uninjured
Sortie Report 815 provided by 384thBombGroup.com
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Report generated: 11 October 2026, 9:20 AM (PDT)
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