Eklund, Howard Joseph

Individual Personnel Data
Name Eklund, Howard Joseph   ‡
⇗
Rank Staff Sergeant / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 18069642   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #136 dated 5 November 1943, effective 5 November 1943.
Duty Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 11 April 1944
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 24 March 1922
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #41 dated 1 March 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3820⇓ (21.642 MB)
Photos of this Veteran signing the Wing PanelEklund Signing⇗
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Rich, John (NMI), Jr⇗PilotPOW
2nd Lt. Wehry, George Ellsworth⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Indest, Joseph Albert⇗NavigatorKIA
2nd Lt. Marvin, William Vern⇗BombardierKIA
SGT. Montagne, Henry Julien Louis⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Eklund, Howard JosephEngineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Henken, Norman (NMI)⇗Ball Turret GunnerPOW
PVT. Goddard, Kenneth Douglas⇗Tail GunnerWIA
PVT. Louden, Jack Elmer⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
PVT. Mejia, Richard Carlton⇗Flexible GunnerTR
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 24 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
39⇗ 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 41‑24525⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31274. Landed away at Woodbridge.
Sortie Report⇗
40⇗ 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
41⇗ 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑5404⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29723⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
45⇗ 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31045⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
48⇗ 31 December 1943 Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship)
Type: Transportation
Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37725⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ditched. Eight crewmen bailed out in vicinity of Offham, Sussex
Sortie Report⇗
52⇗ 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29723⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation of the 305th BG.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31045⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Low group
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑39991⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31222⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group, 41st A Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, lead group. Landed away at Horham on return with wounded tail gunner.
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑30026⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31871⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
69⇗ 2 March 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
70⇗ 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31740⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
72⇗ 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31740⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing.
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97139⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy, lead group, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
77⇗ 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation, but did not drop bombs because there was an aircraft below him.
Sortie Report⇗
78⇗ 20 March 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31740⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31740⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron, high composite group.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31740⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
82⇗ 26 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31740⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
83⇗ 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31740⇗ Combat Mission Credit
94 Group, Flying Spare. Joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
84⇗ 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31740⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
88⇗ 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31375⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Suffered a direct hit by flak that blew off plexiglass nose of aircraft at 1111 hrs; aircraft started descending under control; 7 chutes observed; aircraft seen to land in a river, but actually crashed in a forested area just north of Bokensdorf, Germany. MACR 3820
Sortie Report⇗

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