Vlaun, Richard Joseph

Individual Personnel Data
Name Vlaun, Richard Joseph
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-706763
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #139, effective 16 July 1944.
  • Transferred to the Casual Pool, 70th Replacement Depot, AAF Station Chorley, per 546th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 5 December 1944, effective 30 November 1944.
  • Transferred to the AAF/ET Rhein Depot (Prov) (Main) AAF Station 594 Stone, England, per 546th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 15 October 1945, effective 15 October 1945.
Duty Bombardier
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 30 November 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 24 January 1918
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at San Angelo AAF, San Angelo, Texas, Class #44-01, 15 January 1944.
  • Granted a seven (7) day sick leave of absence effective 2 September 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #175 dated 1 September 1944.
  • Appointed First Lieutenant, AUS, effective 15 November 1944 per 546th Bomb Squadron Morning report dated 21 November 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Tracy, Edward Hanks⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Hancock, Harry Carleton⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Sheppard, Ralph Bartlett⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Vlaun, Richard JosephBombardierCT
S/SGT. Hopkins, Robert Lee, "Hoppie"⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Veal, Connally Hammond⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Powell, Fredrick Howard⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Balacek, Richard William⇗Tail GunnerCT
SGT. Anderson, Emmitt Eugene⇗Flexible GunnerCT
SGT. Surowiec, Joseph (NMI)⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
165⇗ 25 July 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Montreuil-sur-Lozon, Le Châtel,
& La Chapelle en Juger, France 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
166⇗ 28 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
167⇗ 29 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
168⇗ 31 July 1944 Target: Aero Engine Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
169⇗ 1 August 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Chartres, France 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
173⇗ 5 August 1944 Target: Luftwaffe Controlling Station
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Langenhagen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
174⇗ 7 August 1944 Target: Aircraft Fuel Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dugny (Paris), France 		Bombardier 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
175⇗ 8 August 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Bretteville-sur-Laize, France 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
176⇗ 9 August 1944 Target: Erding Airdrome & Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Erding, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
177⇗ 11 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements
Type: Military
Location: Brest, France 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
178⇗ 12 August 1944 Target: "Landing Ground"
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: La Perthe, France 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
179⇗ 13 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Road Network
Type: Transportation
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger (area), France 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group. Returned from mission with #1 feathered.
Sortie Report⇗
182⇗ 18 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Vise, Belgium 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
183⇗ 24 August 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
185⇗ 26 August 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
186⇗ 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
193⇗ 12 September 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Brüx, Czechoslovakia 		Bombardier 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying Spare; filled in and flew mission, but landed at Woodbridge due to low fuel and difficulty with #1 engine
Sortie Report⇗
195⇗ 17 September 1944 Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical
Type: Military
Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands 		Bombardier 42‑102501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
E Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
B wing, lead group. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
201⇗ 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
203⇗ 2 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97251⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
204⇗ 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Released bombs late on target of opportunity.
Sortie Report⇗
206⇗ 6 October 1944 Target: M/T Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Stettin / Szczecin, Poland 		Bombardier 44‑6476⇗ Combat Mission Credit
A group.
Sortie Report⇗
216⇗ 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑8430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38548⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
221⇗ 6 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38616⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
222⇗ 8 November 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38616⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
223⇗ 9 November 1944 Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France 		Bombardier 44‑8430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38747⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑107121⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship. Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 44‑6476⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
229⇗ 25 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37713⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑107121. Landed away at Aldermaston, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
231⇗ 27 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Offenburg, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑38501⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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