Preller, Robert Henry

Individual Personnel Data
Name Preller, Robert Henry, "Bob, Rob"   ‡
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-758621   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #91 dated 16 May 1944, effective 16 May 1944.
  • Transferred to the 70th Replacement Control Depot, AAF Station Stone, per 546th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 17 September 1944, effective 14 September 1944.
Duty Co-pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 17 September 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 4 February 1918
  • Preller flew a B-17G to England in May 1944 with the Gibson crew. En route, they landed at Gander, Newfoundland and visited the PX while awaiting clearance to proceed. There he found chocolate NECCO wafers. Knowing this was his father's favorite candy (and with wartime scarcity in the USA) he bought a carton of them and asked the clerk to mail it back home for him. He never found out if his dad received it.
  • Bob Preller's brother Gordon served with the 95th Bomb Group in Horham. Their assignments in England overlapped for over a month, but, try as they might, they never managed to get together. They both survived the war, and went on to full careers with the USAF.
  • Returned to the USA in October 1944, aboard the Queen Mary.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Gibson, James Allen⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Preller, Robert Henry, "Bob, Rob"Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. O'Neill, John Patrick⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Flowers, James Richard⇗BombardierTR
S/SGT. Gramc, Edward (NMI)⇗Radio Operator / GunnerTR
S/SGT. Bowers, Henry Melvin⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Holderbaum, Kenneth (NMI), Jr⇗Ball Turret GunnerTR
SGT. Kennemer, Frank Winifred⇗Tail GunnerCT
SGT. Gilmore, James Karry, Jr⇗Flexible GunnerCT
PVT. Lafferty, Cornelius Michael⇗Flexible GunnerTR

Crew History

The Gibson Crew was formed at Drew Field (now Tampa International Airport) in Tampa, Florida in March 1944. After crew training, they picked up a new B-17G at Hunter Field, Georgia on 29 April and flew it to England via Dow Army Airfield, Bangor, Maine, RCAF Station Gander, Newfoundland, and Iceland in early May. The crew then moved to the 8th Air Force Replacement Depot at Stone, Staffordshire, for theater orientation while awaiting their combat assignment. They joined the 546th BS on 16 May 1944 as a replacement crew. The squadron crew number is currently unknown.
About half the crew flew nearly all its missions together: Lafferty flew no missions with Gibson, Gramc was transferred to the 305th BG with the Fitzgerald Crew, Holderbaum was removed from flying status, and the others were reassigned as needed by the Army. All survived the war without loss.
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 33 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
116⇗ 27 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑107121⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group.
Sortie Report⇗
117⇗ 28 May 1944 Target: Junkers Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Dessau, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31222⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
119⇗ 29 May 1944 Target: Focke-Wulf Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Krzesiny District, Poznań, Poland 		Co-pilot 42‑97142⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
122⇗ 2 June 1944 Target: Gun Battery with six 155mm guns, Tactical Support
Type: Military
Location: Hardelot (5 miles S of Boulogne), France 		Co-pilot 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
125⇗ 4 June 1944 Target: Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: Hardelot (Boulogne area), France 		Co-pilot 42‑97273⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
126⇗ 5 June 1944 Target: Field Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: La Fosse, France 		Co-pilot 42‑97273⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Group, Low Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
128⇗ 6 June 1944 Target: Two Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Caen, France 		Co-pilot 42‑102601⇗ Combat Mission Credit
J Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
130⇗ 7 June 1944 Target: Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: Condé-sur-Noireau, France 		Co-pilot 42‑107057⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group Flying Spare. Joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
131⇗ 8 June 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D)
Type: Transportation
Location: Orleans, France 		Co-pilot 42‑97510⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41D Group. Bombed Primary Target.
Sortie Report⇗
134⇗ 13 June 1944 Target: Dreux Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dreux, France 		Co-pilot 42‑102501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
135⇗ 14 June 1944 Target: Coulommiers Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Coulommiers, France 		Co-pilot 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Wing, Lead Group.
Sortie Report⇗
137⇗ 16 June 1944 Target: Athies Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Laon, France 		Co-pilot 42‑97251⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Group. Turned back over England because they could not find the formation.
Sortie Report⇗
141⇗ 20 June 1944 Target: Oil Refineries
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Harburg (Hamburg area), Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
142⇗ 21 June 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Industrial Area
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 43‑37713⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Composite High Group.
Sortie Report⇗
145⇗ 24 June 1944 Target: German Vacuum Oil Company
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Oslebshausen (Bremen area), Germany 		Co-pilot 43‑37713⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
146⇗ 25 June 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge & Embankment
Type: Transportation
Location: Sens, France 		Co-pilot 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
147⇗ 27 June 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Storage Depot)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Saint-Martin-L'Hortier, France 		Co-pilot 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41st B section.
Sortie Report⇗
153⇗ 7 July 1944 Target: Me-109 Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97948⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy, high group, 41st A wing.
Sortie Report⇗
154⇗ 8 July 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Renescure, France 		Co-pilot 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group.
Sortie Report⇗
155⇗ 11 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97948⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
156⇗ 12 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97948⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
157⇗ 13 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑102601⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
160⇗ 18 July 1944 Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Peenemünde & Zinnowitz, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑102501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
161⇗ 19 July 1944 Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
164⇗ 24 July 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: La Chapelle en Juger & Hébécrevon, France 		Co-pilot 42‑97948⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
168⇗ 31 July 1944 Target: Aero Engine Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑107057⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
169⇗ 1 August 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Chartres, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑102933⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
182⇗ 18 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Vise, Belgium 		Co-pilot 42‑102500⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section deputy, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
184⇗ 25 August 1944 Target: Airfield & Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑107083⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
185⇗ 26 August 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑107083⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
188⇗ 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97510⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Manston due to battle damage: flak shot out hydraulic system.
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97510⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Dropped eight bombs on target; four after target (equipment malfunction).
Sortie Report⇗
191⇗ 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
194⇗ 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗

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