Benson, Olin Ray

Individual Personnel Data
Name Benson, Olin Ray   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 6214885   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #116 dated 19 June 1944, effective 19 June 1944.
Duty Flexible Gunner / Togglier
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 5 October 1944
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11.
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 22 August 1903
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #158 dated 6 August 1944.
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #190 dated 26 September 1944.
  • Granted a seven day convalescent furlough effective 27 August 1944 per 544th Bomb squadron Morning Report dated 27 August 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 9754⇓ (41.261 MB)



Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Combs, William Felix⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. MacKenzie, Hugh Douglas⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Seals, Patton Briscoe⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. La Chine, Lloyd Earl⇗BombardierCT
S/SGT. Gordon, Clifford McDaniel⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Owen, Lorenzo Holland⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Puskas, John (NMI), Jr⇗Ball Turret GunnerTBD
SGT. Fadda, John Stanley⇗Tail GunnerCT
SGT. Benson, Olin RayFlexible GunnerPOW
CPL. Flower, Merlin Lee⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
153⇗ 7 July 1944 Target: Me-109 Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group, 41st B wing. Lost group in heavy clouds; tacked on to the low group of the 41st B wing and bombed with them.
Sortie Report⇗
154⇗ 8 July 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Renescure, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group. Did not attack target due to mechanical failure and brought bombs back to base
Sortie Report⇗
155⇗ 11 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
156⇗ 12 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
157⇗ 13 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
158⇗ 16 July 1944 Target: Aero Engine Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron Hot Camera Ship.
Sortie Report⇗
159⇗ 17 July 1944 Target: Beautor Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Beautor, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
160⇗ 18 July 1944 Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Peenemünde & Zinnowitz, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97521⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, Low Squadron Lead. Ground Spare aircraft, replaced 42‑107224.
Sortie Report⇗
161⇗ 19 July 1944 Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
162⇗ 20 July 1944 Target: Aircraft Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Dessau, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
163⇗ 21 July 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Schwäbisch Hall, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102959⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
166⇗ 28 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section deputy, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
167⇗ 29 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, low group 41st B wing.
Sortie Report⇗
174⇗ 7 August 1944 Target: Aircraft Fuel Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dugny (Paris), France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑37822⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Wing deputy and hot camera ship. Turned back due to uncontrollable prop on #2 engine, which had to be feathered.
Sortie Report⇗
177⇗ 11 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements
Type: Military
Location: Brest, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
179⇗ 13 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Road Network
Type: Transportation
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger (area), France 		Togglier 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
180⇗ 14 August 1944 Target: Echterdingen Airdrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Togglier 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
181⇗ 16 August 1944 Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany 		Togglier 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
182⇗ 18 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Vise, Belgium 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
188⇗ 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38213⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
189⇗ 8 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38213⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
194⇗ 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ 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 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
E Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
196⇗ 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
197⇗ 21 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mainz, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Togglier 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
C Wing, lead group. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
199⇗ 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back; 'too much oil, overflowed when heated.'
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
201⇗ 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Left formation after target for unknown reasons, but returned to base.
Sortie Report⇗
202⇗ 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
205⇗ 5 October 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Togglier 43‑38579⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Low Squadron. Shot down by FLAK.
Sortie Report⇗

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