Mabe, Walter Breeden

Individual Personnel Data
Name Mabe, Walter Breeden   ‡
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant
Serial Number O-740854   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #126 dated 23 October 1943, effective 23 October 1943.
  • Transferred to the Headquarters, 1st Air Force, Mitchell Field, New York, New York, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 1 September 1944, effective 1 September 1944.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 13 April 1944
Results Evaded Capture
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart for wounds Received on 13 April 1944 per General Orders #49, Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe dated 11 August 1944.
Additional Information
  • Graduated from Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School, Roswell Army Flying School, Roswell, New Mexico in March 1943. (designated for B-25 Assignment)
  • Additional E&E information in reports 844, 845.
  • 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.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3868⇓ (11.787 MB)
Escape & Evasion Report # 843⇓ (16.318 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Mabe, Walter BreedenPilotEV
2nd Lt. Bailey, Everett Lee⇗Co-pilotKIA
2nd Lt. McKittrick, Vernon Russell⇗NavigatorCT
SGT. Hopper, Hugh David⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Smith, Roger Carlton⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Johnson, James Hansel, Jr⇗Ball Turret GunnerKIA
PVT. Fleming, Paul Hane⇗Tail GunnerPOW
SGT. Zink, Chester Harvey⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
SGT. Folmar, Warren Alexander⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 18 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
--⇗ 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑5404⇗ Sortie Report⇗
34⇗ 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑3218⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
41⇗ 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑3429⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Group lead. Aborted when #2 supercharger ran away.
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group, high Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
46⇗ 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Maj. Ketelsen Flight Leader
Sortie Report⇗
49⇗ 4 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑37788⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑29809. Took off late, then turned back with engine trouble.
Sortie Report⇗
51⇗ 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29703⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
Sortie Report⇗
52⇗ 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29632⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
54⇗ 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Co-pilot 42‑37727⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑3259⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low group. Turned back at 0945 hrs because throttle linkage was broken on #1 and prop had to be feathered; generators on other engines out also.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29554⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead 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 42‑29809⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High group, 41st B Combat Wing. Aborted at 1014 hrs because #2 and #4 superchargers were uncontrollable.
Sortie Report⇗
59⇗ 5 February 1944 Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Orleans, France 		Co-pilot 42‑37793⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Co-pilot 42‑39784⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
62⇗ 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31235⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑29828. Flying spare; joined formation; aborted before reaching enemy coast because oil temperature on #2 engine was too high, and #2 and #4 engines had detonation (pinging).
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29828⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group Flying Spare. Joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29828⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
65⇗ 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29809⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29828⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1137 hrs because ball turret oxygen system hose broke after catching under electrical conduit elbow; later, flexible filler hose got caught in turret gears and entire system went out.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑29828⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron, Low 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 42‑37792⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
70⇗ 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31166⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ball Turret Gunner suffered frostbite to left hand.
Sortie Report⇗
72⇗ 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑37792⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing. This aircraft had blown the tire on the left main landing gear during takeoff. The crew jettisoned its bomb load in the English Channel and remained in the air near the base until fuel was nearly exhausted, then landed without further damage.
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑37789⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
74⇗ 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑31166⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Dropped 25 parcels of G-34 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) along with demolition bombs.
Sortie Report⇗
87⇗ 10 April 1944 Target: Evere Airfield (50°54'3"N 4°20'9"E)
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium 		Co-pilot 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
88⇗ 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
89⇗ 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Shot down during fighter attacks which lasted from 1354 to 1357 hrs; crashed Rambucourt, France. MACR 3868.
Sortie Report⇗

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