Kinney, William Brownie

Individual Personnel Data
Name Kinney, William Brownie
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / Captain
Serial Number O-734471
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #32 dated 1 February 1943, effective 1 February 1943.
Duty Bombardier
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 28 May 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 16 May 1919
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at Victorville AAF, Victorville, California, Class #42-17, 12 December 1942.
  • From Duty to Temporary duty, 8th Air Force Officers Rest Home (a flak house) effective 26 July 1943 per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 27 July 1943.
  • Placed on Temporary Duty for seven days to Coombe House Hotel, Semley, Dorsey (a FLAK House) on or about 28 September 1943 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #105 dated 27 September 1943.
  • VOCO of 5 November 1943 placing 1LT Kinney on Temporary Duty for approximately two days on or about 5 November 1943 to 8th Bomber Command, purpose Official Business is hereby confirmed and made of record per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #151 dated 23 November 1943.
  • Placed on Temporary Duty for five days to Bournemough, Hampshire (a Flak House) on or about 30 March 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #60 dated 29 March 1944.
  • Appointed Captain AUS effective 12 March 1944 per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 22 March 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Original 384th Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Armstrong, Lloyd Rowland⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Van der Haeghen, Joseph Albert⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Wilson, Eugene Theodore⇗NavigatorMIA
2nd Lt. Kinney, William BrownieBombardierCT
S/SGT. Carroll, George Henry⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Estes, Lloyd Stack⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerWIA
S/SGT. Thurman, Fillman Clifton⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Grimes, Robert Albert⇗Tail GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Mason, Jack Leslie (#2)⇗Flexible GunnerCT
S/SGT. Renfro, Alvin Everette⇗Flexible GunnerCT

Crew History

The Armstrong Crew joined the 545th BS at Wendover on 1 February 1943. Identified as "Crew #5" on the assignment order, they became the first "Crew #53" in the squadron. They trained at Wendover, Sioux City, and Kearney, and then flew to England together.

They flew numerous missions together, with Wilson and Grimes not flying the first few missions, for unknown reasons. In September, Van der Haeghen was rated First Pilot and given his own crew; Mason and Grimes went with him, and were replaced by S/Sgt Michael Polito and S/Sgt Ralph Voorhees. Most of the members of this crew completed their combat tour, with only Wilson not surviving the war.
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 26 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
1⇗ 22 June 1943 Target: General Motors Truck Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Antwerp, Belgium 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
3⇗ 26 June 1943 Target: Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
4⇗ 28 June 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
5⇗ 29 June 1943 Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
6⇗ 4 July 1943 Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Le Mans, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
7⇗ 10 July 1943 Target: Drucat Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Abbeville, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
10⇗ 25 July 1943 Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard
Type: Industry
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
14⇗ 12 August 1943 Target: Synthetic Fuel Hydrogenation Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 0810 hrs because of supercharger failure on #3 & #4 engines.
Sortie Report⇗
15⇗ 15 August 1943 Target: Poix-en-Picardie and Amiens-Glisy Airfields
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Poix-de-Picardie & Amiens, France 		Bombardier 42‑3074⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑3218. Turned back for unknown reasons.
Sortie Report⇗
16⇗ 16 August 1943 Target: Le Bourget Airport & Air Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
17⇗ 17 August 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑3216⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
18⇗ 27 August 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Watten, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
19⇗ 31 August 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back with #2, #3, and #4 engines very rough.
Sortie Report⇗
21⇗ 6 September 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. Landed at Grafton Underwood.
Sortie Report⇗
23⇗ 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
24⇗ 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
25⇗ 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron Lead. Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑29768.
Sortie Report⇗
26⇗ 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
29⇗ 8 October 1943 Target: Workshops
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron lead. Turned back, unable to keep up with formation due to lack of power.
Sortie Report⇗
31⇗ 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑3218⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
32⇗ 14 October 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑30033⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back. Landed away at Metfield.
Sortie Report⇗
35⇗ 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑30033⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Turned back because of oxygen failure and #3 engine not operating properly; bombed a target of opportunity with unobserved results.
Sortie Report⇗
37⇗ 26 November 1943 Target: City Center
Type: Non-Military
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
38⇗ 29 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑5838⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑30026⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, Wing Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead, 41st B Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97477⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41st Combat Bombardment Wing Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead. Gen. Robert F Travis, Commander, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing (H), Molesworth, England, was aboard this aircraft as Flight Leader.
Sortie Report⇗
85⇗ 29 March 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Nuthampstead due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
88⇗ 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41st Combat Wing A lead.
Sortie Report⇗
99⇗ 1 May 1944 Target: Launch Site in Foret Nationale de Tournehem
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Foret Nationale de Tournehem, France 		Bombardier 42‑97142 ⇗ Weather ship.
Sortie Report⇗
118⇗ 28 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗

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