SORTIE REPORT #816
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)
No Aborted Mission After Taking Off.
Comments: Turned back. Landed away at Ridgewell.
N/A
SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA:
TYPE SERIAL NUMBER SQUADRON SQ CODE NAME
B-17F 41‑24560 ⇗ 544th SU*A LITTLE AUDREY
SORTIE CREW DATA:
POSITION CREWMEMBER UNIT STATUS
Pilot Hurley, Joseph Anthony⇗ 544 Aborted
Co-pilot Mills, William J (IO), Jr⇗ 544 Aborted
Navigator Drogue, Arthur Joseph, Jr⇗ 544 Aborted
Bombardier Henningsen, Peter Victor⇗ 544 Aborted
Radio Operator Schwandt, Lawrence Clarence⇗ 544 Aborted
Engineer/Top Turret Fair, Jack Russell⇗ 544 Aborted
Ball Turret Bothwell, William (NMI)⇗ 544 Aborted
Tail Gunner Pardee, Raymond Floyd⇗ 544 Aborted
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Fitzpatrick, Frank Joseph⇗ 544 Aborted
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Chmielecki, Stanley Anthony⇗ 544 Aborted
Sortie Report 816 provided by 384thBombGroup.com
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