Saunders, James Bernard

Individual Personnel Data
Name Saunders, James Bernard
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-769183
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #134 dated 11 July 1944, effective 11 July 1944.
  • Transferred to the Casual Pool, 70th Replacement Depot, Station 594, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 6 February 1945, effective 6 February 1945.
Duty Bombardier
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 6 February 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at Carlsbad AAF, Carlsbad, New Mexico, Class #44-03, 26 February 1944.
  • Appointed First Lieutenant (AUS) effective 14 September 1944 per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 19 September 1944.
  • Ordered on seven days Temporary Duty to Stanbridge Earls, AAF Station 503 (a Flak house) on 29 November 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #234 dated 28 November 1944.
  • Completed tour of combat duty and transferred out of Group during February 1945, per squadron history (microfilm A0640-01647).
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Martin, Donald Francis⇗PilotCT
Flt. Ofcr. Weisenberg, Leonard NMI⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Harrison, Arthur Seymour⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Saunders, James BernardBombardierCT
S/SGT. Flatt, James Edward⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Bianca, Buddy Armand⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
CPL. Claxon, Ernest Haydon⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Coburn, Ellsworth Gorden⇗Tail GunnerCT
SGT. Emberlin, Jessie Lee⇗Flexible GunnerTR
SGT. Winiarski, Eugene Alphonse⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
164⇗ 24 July 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: La Chapelle en Juger & Hébécrevon, France 		Bombardier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
165⇗ 25 July 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Montreuil-sur-Lozon, Le Châtel,
& La Chapelle en Juger, France 		Bombardier 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group.
Sortie Report⇗
166⇗ 28 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
173⇗ 5 August 1944 Target: Luftwaffe Controlling Station
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Langenhagen, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
174⇗ 7 August 1944 Target: Aircraft Fuel Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dugny (Paris), France 		Bombardier 42‑102430⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High group. Turned back over the English Channel after the Engineer was seriously injured after being 'caught between the upper local turret and the wall.'
Sortie Report⇗
175⇗ 8 August 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Bretteville-sur-Laize, France 		Bombardier 44‑6294⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low section deputy, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
178⇗ 12 August 1944 Target: "Landing Ground"
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: La Perthe, France 		Bombardier 42‑97510⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group. On return, arrived an hour-and-a-half late, possibly due to landing elsewhere to refuel.
Sortie Report⇗
180⇗ 14 August 1944 Target: Echterdingen Airdrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑6294⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
184⇗ 25 August 1944 Target: Airfield & Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Anklam, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
185⇗ 26 August 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
186⇗ 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France 		Bombardier 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship. Low Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
187⇗ 3 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship. Wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
195⇗ 17 September 1944 Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical
Type: Military
Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands 		Bombardier 44‑6109⇗ Combat Mission Credit
C Squadron Deputy. Hot Camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
196⇗ 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑6294⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship; high Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
B Wing, low group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Second Squadron lead. PFF ship. While on the bomb run to attack the primary target using Gee-H, with the deputy in the lead, the equipment failed. The Squadron then proceeded to the secondary target and attacked using PFF.
Sortie Report⇗
213⇗ 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. Relinquished lead to deputy on bomb run after Gee-H equipment failed.
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship. Led Squadron in PFF attack on secondary target.
Sortie Report⇗
221⇗ 6 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, Group Deputy. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship; high Squadron lead, 41st Bomb Wing A group. Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
229⇗ 25 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF ship; landed at Grafton Underwood.
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, B Group. PFF & Gee-H ship. Released bombs on group leader.
Sortie Report⇗
244⇗ 27 December 1944 Target: Bridge (Tactical)
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenahr, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Division lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. The Gee-H failed prior to the IP so a visual bomb run was attempted. The navigator and bombardier located the target too late to make a good run, so a second visual run was made and bombs were released on the primary target.
Sortie Report⇗
249⇗ 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
250⇗ 3 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: St Vith, Belgium 		Bombardier 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship. Low Squadron released bombs when the group lead released.
Sortie Report⇗
252⇗ 7 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
253⇗ 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship. Left his position and assumed lead at IP and led group on a PFF bomb run on secondary target (primary was obscured with clouds). The (secondary) target was picked up visually half-way down the bomb run but prior to release it was found that the bomb racks were frozen. He circled around and completed a second run with successful bomb release.
Sortie Report⇗
260⇗ 23 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38647⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Assigned as low Squadron lead, took over group lead when Maj Strickland aborted. Landed away at North Pickenham Airfield, AAF Station 143.
Sortie Report⇗

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