Van Popering, Earle Allen

Individual Personnel Data
Name Van Popering, Earle Allen, "Van"   ‡
⇗
Rank First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-740984   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #239 dated 5 December 1944, effective 5 December 1944.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 22 January 1945
Results Killed In Action
Final Resting Place or Memorial: Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, The Netherlands: Plot O Row 13 Grave 14
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 1918
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 11994⇓ (28.408 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
1st Lt. Van Popering, Earle Allen, "Van"PilotKIA
2nd Lt. Doheny, William Edward⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Ferrell, Jack Gordon⇗NavigatorEV
1st Lt. Bass, Ross (NMI)⇗BombardierTR
T/SGT. Pechout, Richard Anthony⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
SGT. Mouratian, George (NMI)⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerKIA
CPL. Mathias, Charles William⇗Ball Turret GunnerPOW
CPL. Denney, Roy Edward⇗Tail GunnerPOW
CPL. Maffei, Albert (NMI)⇗Flexible GunnerEV
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 8 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
241⇗ 19 December 1944 Target: Railway Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Glaadt, Germany 		Co-pilot 43‑37703⇗ Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off
Did not take off due to weather which deteriorated after lead aircraft took off.
Sortie Report⇗
242⇗ 23 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ehrang, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner died of anoxia: aircraft landed in allied territory on the continent, at Valenciennes (A-83, Denain/Prouvy), France, to get medical attention for him, which was unsuccessful.
Sortie Report⇗
249⇗ 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany 		Co-pilot 43‑38927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
250⇗ 3 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: St Vith, Belgium 		Pilot 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Dropped bombs 15 seconds late, reason unknown.
Sortie Report⇗
253⇗ 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38752⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 44‑6514. Landed away at Eye due to low fuel and inoperative radio equipment.
Sortie Report⇗
255⇗ 15 January 1945 Target: Neuburg Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany 		Pilot 44‑8608⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Pilot 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37822.
Sortie Report⇗
257⇗ 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Warboys, Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire).
Sortie Report⇗
259⇗ 22 January 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38850⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Left formation five miles after target and was still tracked by flak; levelled off for a short time, but soon went into a nose dive with all four engines running and one wheel down; crashed near Deventer, The Netherlands. MACR 11994
Sortie Report⇗

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