Gardner, Vernon Dale

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Gardner, Vernon Dale ‡ ⇗
Rank	Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number	17165578 ‡
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #38 dated 26 February 1944, effective 26 February 1944.
Duty	Tail Gunner / Flexible Gunner
MOS	611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date	28 July 1944
Results	Completed Combat Tour
Decorations	Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for completion of 30 combat missions. Awarded the Air Medal for completion of five combat missions. Awarded three oak leaf clusters to the Air Medal for completion of 10, 16 and 22 missions.
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 30 August 1924 Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 special Orders #61 dated 30 March 1944. Also filled in as Tail Gunner. Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 20 May 1944 to American Red Cross Club, Southport, Lancashire (a Flak house) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #93 dated 19 May 1944. Attached to the 1140th Military Police Company for rations, quarters and administration per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #122 dated 26 June 1944. Relieved from attachment to the 1140th Military Police Company for rations, quarters and administration per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #148 dated 26 July 1944. Transferred out of the 546th on 28 July 1944 per squadron history (microfilm A0641-00100).
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Smith, Charles Grover⇗	Pilot	CT
Flt. Ofcr. Haning, John Milton⇗	Co-pilot	CT
2nd Lt. Williams, Garven Foster⇗	Bombardier	CT
SGT. Burton, Stanley Charles⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	CT
SGT. Rowe, Kenmore Edward⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	CT
SGT. Avilez, George (NMI), Jr⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	CT
SGT. Gardner, Vernon Dale	Tail Gunner	CT
SGT. Niday, Raymond (NMI)⇗	Flexible Gunner	CT
SGT. Wise, Robert Francis⇗	Flexible Gunner	CT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 29 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
77⇗	19 March 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Wizernes, France	Tail Gunner	42‑97510⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
78⇗	20 March 1944	Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97477⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31211. Sortie Report⇗
79⇗	22 March 1944	Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97142⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron, composite high group. Sortie Report⇗
80⇗	23 March 1944	Target: Airdrome and Airpark Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Gütersloh, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97510⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
81⇗	24 March 1944	Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97142⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
82⇗	26 March 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France	Tail Gunner	42‑37776⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
84⇗	28 March 1944	Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dijon, France	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed Sortie Report⇗
85⇗	29 March 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97142⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Harrington, due to weather. Sortie Report⇗
90⇗	18 April 1944	Target: Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
91⇗	19 April 1944	Target: Fieseler Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel (Waldau), Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report⇗
92⇗	20 April 1944	Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit A Wing, High Group, High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
94⇗	24 April 1944	Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Boxted, AAF Station 150, due to battle damage. Sortie Report⇗
96⇗	27 April 1944	Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
100⇗	4 May 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
101⇗	7 May 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
102⇗	8 May 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
105⇗	11 May 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Group, High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
107⇗	13 May 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory. Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Poznań, Poland	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron lead, high composite group, 41st CBW. 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	Ball Turret	42‑102500⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
125⇗	4 June 1944	Target: Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: Hardelot (Boulogne area), France	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
126⇗	5 June 1944	Target: Field Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: La Fosse, France	Ball Turret	42‑102500⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Group. Sortie Report⇗
128⇗	6 June 1944	Target: Two Bridges Type: Transportation Location: Caen, France	Tail Gunner	42‑38014⇗	Combat Mission Credit J Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
131⇗	8 June 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D) Type: Transportation Location: Orleans, France	Ball Turret	42‑102500⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41D Group, High Squadron Lead. Bombed Primary Target. Sortie Report⇗
133⇗	12 June 1944	Target: Railroad Bridge 48°29'N,2°0'W Type: Transportation Location: La Vicomté-sur-Rance, France	Ball Turret	42‑97273⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Group, Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
134⇗	13 June 1944	Target: Dreux Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dreux, France	Ball Turret	42‑107121⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Group, High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
136⇗	15 June 1944	Target: Railroad Viaduct Type: Transportation Location: La Possonnièrre, France	Ball Turret	42‑102500⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Group, Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
137⇗	16 June 1944	Target: Athies Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Laon, France	Ball Turret	42‑102500⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Group, High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
139⇗	19 June 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Fleury & Crépy, France	Ball Turret	42‑102500⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41A Group, Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report⇗
141⇗	20 June 1944	Target: Oil Refineries Type: Oil Industry Location: Harburg (Hamburg area), Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97142⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Group, #3 position. Led group after designated Group Lead (Stallings/June) aborted, and Deputy Lead (Thoma) was killed on the bomb run. Sortie Report⇗
142⇗	21 June 1944	Target: Friedrichstrasse Industrial Area Type: Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑97251⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Group, High Squadron Deputy. Assumed Lead when designated Squadron Leader aborted. Sortie Report⇗

Every effort has been expended to ensure all information on this page is complete and accurate.
Please inform webmaster of any discrepancies or omissions by using the button below.