Thacker, Robert Eli

Individual Personnel Data
Name Thacker, Robert Eli, "Bob"
⇗
Rank Major / Colonel
Serial Number O-395296
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 384th Bombardment Group Headquarters Detachment, per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #83 dated 3 May 1944, effective 3 May 1944.
  • Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #91, effective 16 May 1944.
  • Assigned to the 384th Bombardment Group Headquarters Detachment, per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #193, effective 30 September 1944.
Duty Operations Officer / Commander
Last Duty Date 15 April 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 21 February 1918
  • Detailed Assistant Group Operations Officer as his primary duty on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #83 dated 3 May 1944.
  • Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel effective 8 July 1944; Headquarters Eighth Air Force Office of the Commanding General, Special Orders #182 dated 8 July 1944. 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 10 July 1944.
  • Designated Commanding Officer of the 547th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #171 dated 25 August 1944.
  • Designated as Deputy Group Commander effective 30 September 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #193 dated 30 September 1944.
  • Ordered on seven days Temporary Duty to Stanbridge Earls, AAF Station 503 on 29 November 1944 (a Flak house) to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #232 dated 24 November 1944.
  • Appointed as President of the Station 106 Safety Council effective 17 December 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #248 dated 17 December 1944.
  • Appointed as a voting member of a Flying Evaluation Board effective 20 February 1945, purpose to conduct investigations of aircraft accidents per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #59 dated 17 March 1945.
Related Documents 'Robert E. Thacker' on Wikipedia⇗
2014 Oral History Interview⇗
Photos of this Veteran signing the Wing PanelThacker Signing⇗
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 28 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
105⇗ 11 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑102402⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group, Group Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
107⇗ 13 May 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory.
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Poznań, Poland 		Commander 42‑102402⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group deputy, 40th CBW.
Sortie Report⇗
108⇗ 15 May 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Mimoyecques, France 		Commander 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
109⇗ 19 May 1944 Target: Unidentified Industrial Area
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Co-pilot 42‑97263⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
111⇗ 21 May 1944 Target: NOBALL (Supergun Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Mimoyecques, France 		Commander 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group A Lead. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
113⇗ 23 May 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Commander 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
115⇗ 25 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Sarreguemines and Blainville-sur-l'Eau, France 		Commander 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
117⇗ 28 May 1944 Target: Junkers Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Dessau, Germany 		Commander 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group Lead. Aircraft experienced 'rack and AFCE problems' on initial bomb run, and was unable to drop bombs on the primary target. The air commander turned over the lead to his deputy for the (abortive) attack on the secondary target, and the actual attack on the TOO.
Sortie Report⇗
126⇗ 5 June 1944 Target: Field Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: La Fosse, France 		Commander 42‑97574⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, Wing Lead. PFF ship and unidentified crew members provided by the 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105.
Sortie Report⇗
132⇗ 10 June 1944 Target: Chateau Bougon Airfield (41A) & Vannes Airfield (41B)
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nantes & Vannes, France 		Commander 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group, Group Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
134⇗ 13 June 1944 Target: Dreux Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dreux, France 		Commander 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Group Lead. Landed away at Polebrook, AAF Station 110, on return, due to bad weather.
Sortie Report⇗
135⇗ 14 June 1944 Target: Coulommiers Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Coulommiers, France 		Commander 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41D Group, Group Lead. Lead Ground Spare aircraft; replaced 42‑97960.
Sortie Report⇗
138⇗ 18 June 1944 Target: Ölwerke Julius Humbles
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Commander 42‑97960⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
155⇗ 11 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Commander 42‑97699⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead. PFF ship and unidentified crew members provided by the 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105.
Sortie Report⇗
162⇗ 20 July 1944 Target: Aircraft Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Dessau, Germany 		Commander 42‑97574⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing Lead. PFF ship and unidentified crew members provided by the 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105.
Sortie Report⇗
166⇗ 28 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Commander 42‑97574⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead. PFF ship provided by the 305th BG, Chelveston, AAF Station 105.
Sortie Report⇗
169⇗ 1 August 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Chartres, France 		Commander 42‑97941⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
175⇗ 8 August 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Bretteville-sur-Laize, France 		Commander 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead.
Sortie Report⇗
181⇗ 16 August 1944 Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany 		Commander 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
197⇗ 21 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mainz, Germany 		Commander 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
207⇗ 7 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Leipzig, Germany 		Commander 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
214⇗ 19 October 1944 Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Commander 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF ship. Turned over lead to deputy at IP to attack using Gee-H.
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Commander 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship; group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Commander 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
A group lead; PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
246⇗ 30 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany 		Commander 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF and Gee-H ship. Made the decision not to attack the primary target and led the Group to the PFF secondary. When the lead and high Squadrons were unable to complete the attack on the first run, led them on a second run that was successful.
Sortie Report⇗
265⇗ 9 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Commander 44‑8649⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
301⇗ 31 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Commander 44‑8649⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
311⇗ 15 April 1945 Target: Flak guns at Pointe de Suzac
Type: Military
Location: Royan, France 		Commander 44‑8221⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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