Haley, Ralph Bernard

Individual Personnel Data
Name Haley, Ralph Bernard   ‡
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant
Serial Number O-751732   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #164 dated 10 December 1943, effective 10 December 1943.
Duty Co-pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 24 April 1944
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 30 July 1916
  • Placed on one day Temporary Duty to Wharton, purpose to ferry aircraft to this station per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #12 dated 18 January 1944.
  • SSO #12 was amended from one day to three days per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #15 dated 22 January 1944.
  • Granted a seven day leave of absence effective on or about 18 March 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #50 dated 16 March 1944.
Related Documents
Missing Air Crew Report # 4349⇓ (17.726 MB)
World War II Experiences⇓ (1.861 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Bennett, Phillip Nathan, Jr⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Haley, Ralph BernardCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Monfort, Robert Hugh⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Gerber, Leonard (NMI)⇗BombardierPOW
S/SGT. House, Harland Francis⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Whitley, William Martin⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Mosbey, James Millard⇗Ball Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Mize, Walter Alvest, Jr⇗Tail GunnerEV
SGT. Santosuosso, John Peter⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
SGT. Boon, Howard Goodall, Jr⇗Flexible GunnerPOW

Crew History

The P Y Bennett Crew joined the 547th BS at Grafton Underwood on 10 December 1943. On assignment, it appears that the Bennett Crew was split between the 545th and 547th squadrons. Those originally assigned to the 545th were transferred to the 547th BS on SO #167 dated 13 December 1943. Even though this brought the crew into the same unit, the men originally assigned to the 545th never flew missions with Bennett.
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 18 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
49⇗ 4 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Co-pilot 41‑24578⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back because of an oxygen system failure.
Sortie Report⇗
53⇗ 14 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Le Meillard, France 		Co-pilot 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑38013⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑39809⇗ 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 		Co-pilot 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group, 41st A Combat Wing. Dropped nickles (propaganda leaflets) as well as incendiaries.
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Co-pilot 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
62⇗ 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑37801⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1011 hrs; #2 engine running rough and pulling 20" to 25".
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29717⇗ 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 		Co-pilot 42‑29927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron, low group
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑3440⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
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 		Co-pilot 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
70⇗ 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑37801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
71⇗ 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
72⇗ 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97449⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing.
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31871⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Dropped ten parcels of 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) in addition to bombs.
Sortie Report⇗
84⇗ 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France 		Co-pilot 42‑38158⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
89⇗ 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy; led mission after high group lead went down.
Sortie Report⇗
93⇗ 22 April 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
94⇗ 24 April 1944 Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97372⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Hit by flak near Munich; #2 engine on fire but plane under control; bombed target; crashed near Füssen, Germany. MACR 4349. Navigator seriously wounded; died on 16 May 1944 in a German hospital.
Sortie Report⇗

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