Ford, Charles William, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name Ford, Charles William, Jr   ‡
⇗
Rank Staff Sergeant / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 34605462   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #148 dated 26 July 1944, effective 26 July 1944.
Duty Flexible Gunner / Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 8 March 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 13 December 1922
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #175 dated 1 September 1944.
  • Bailed out over Allied Territory after a mission on 19 September 1944. Seven of the crew returned to duty. The ball turret gunner was injured by flak and transferred to the Detachment of Patients, 4178 U.S. Army Hospital Plant. The tail gunner was injured by flak and hospitalized from 19 September 1944 until 10 November 1944.
  • Ordered to Palace Hotel, Southport, AAF Station 524 (a Flak house) on 5 February 1945 for seven days temporary duty to carry out instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #26 dated 2 February 1945.
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant effective 3 February 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #27 dated 3 February 1945.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Carnes, Joe Ross, Jr⇗PilotTR
2nd Lt. Wyatt, William Glenn⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Benjamin, Alfred David⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Bomar, William M, Jr⇗BombardierTR
S/SGT. Schick, Frank Joseph, Jr⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Panici, Raymond Arnold⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. King, James Bernard, Jr⇗Ball Turret GunnerWIA
SGT. Andersen, Gerald Lee⇗Tail GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Ford, Charles William, JrFlexible GunnerCT
SGT. Little, Joseph Richard Kyle⇗Flexible GunnerTR
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
174⇗ 7 August 1944 Target: Aircraft Fuel Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dugny (Paris), France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
175⇗ 8 August 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Bretteville-sur-Laize, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
176⇗ 9 August 1944 Target: Erding Airdrome & Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Erding, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
177⇗ 11 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements
Type: Military
Location: Brest, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
181⇗ 16 August 1944 Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑107083⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
High group.
Sortie Report⇗
182⇗ 18 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Vise, Belgium 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section deputy, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
183⇗ 24 August 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38213⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
184⇗ 25 August 1944 Target: Airfield & Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97204⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
187⇗ 3 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
188⇗ 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned with #1 feathered.
Sortie Report⇗
189⇗ 8 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37982⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38213⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
191⇗ 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
194⇗ 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
195⇗ 17 September 1944 Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical
Type: Military
Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
F Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
196⇗ 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37982⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron flying spare; joined formation; aircraft struck by flak just before the IP; after dropping bombs on target, left formation, apparently under control; crew bailed out over Binche, Bel.; all crew returned to duty except ball turret gunner and tail gunner who were seriously injured.
Sortie Report⇗
208⇗ 9 October 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Third Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
210⇗ 14 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
223⇗ 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Division lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, Group Lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
232⇗ 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
240⇗ 18 December 1944 Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship. Ordered to fly as division deputy while en route, due to failure of PFF equipment on lead aircraft. Led formation from IP (because lead Gee-H equipment also failed) in attack on secondary target using his PFF.
Sortie Report⇗
258⇗ 21 January 1945 Target: Marshalling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Aschaffenburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑6590⇗ Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off
Sortie Report⇗
263⇗ 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
270⇗ 21 February 1945 Target: Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
277⇗ 28 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hagen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
278⇗ 1 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bruchsal, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
279⇗ 2 March 1945 Target: Low Temperature Carbonization Plant and Refinery of Deutsche Petroleum A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Rositz, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
281⇗ 4 March 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot
Type: Military
Location: Ulm, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Gatwick, Kent, on return with #1 engine out; did not return to base.
Sortie Report⇗
283⇗ 8 March 1945 Target: Oil Refinery - 'Benzol Plant'
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Essen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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