Parks, Howard David

Individual Personnel Data
Name Parks, Howard David   ‡
⇗
Rank Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 39311920   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #70 dated 11 March 1943, effective 11 March 1943.
Duty Tail Gunner / Flexible Gunner
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 14 October 1943
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 30 December 1922
  • Flew to England with the Ulrey (Bishop) crew, per Kearney Special Orders #96 dated 17 May 1943.
  • Ordered to attend Gunnery School at Snettisham, Norfolk, for approximately 10 days beginning on or about 30 May 1943, on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #21 dated 30 May 1943. Students are required to bring .50 cal. Ammunition, gas mask, steel helmet, mess equipment, blankets, clothing for ten days, and draw 'PX rations' in advance.
  • Appointed Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #37 dated 27 June 1943.
  • Promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #112 dated 6 October 1943.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 840⇓ (17.474 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Original 384th Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
Flt. Ofcr. Bishop, Charles W, "CHICK"⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Ulrey, Edgar Ellsworth⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Grimaldi, Anthony Joseph⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Yee, Wilbert Y K⇗BombardierPOW
S/SGT. Morton, Cecil Gordon⇗Radio Operator / GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Edman, Bruno Edwin⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Kalas, Joseph Markus⇗Ball Turret GunnerEV
S/SGT. Parks, Howard DavidTail GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Kelly, Leonard Joseph⇗Flexible GunnerEV
S/SGT. Yeater, James Thomas⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 11 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
8⇗ 14 July 1943 Target: Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑3222⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
10⇗ 25 July 1943 Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard
Type: Industry
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑30030⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron Deputy. Turned back at 1435 hrs at Splasher 5 because prop on #2 engine ran away.
Sortie Report⇗
11⇗ 28 July 1943 Target: Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑29700⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back with #2 engine supercharger trouble.
Sortie Report⇗
12⇗ 29 July 1943 Target: Naval Base
Type: Military
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑30030⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
13⇗ 30 July 1943 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑30196⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back 62 miles into Belgium because hydraulic fluid was coming down into the ball turret, which was inoperative, the left waist gun and left top turret gun were out of order, and the tachometer on one engine was oscillating wildly.
Sortie Report⇗
14⇗ 12 August 1943 Target: Synthetic Fuel Hydrogenation Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑30039⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
18⇗ 27 August 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Watten, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29914⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
19⇗ 31 August 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 41‑24507⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back with #1 engine very rough and #3 engine oil pressure dropped 40 lbs.
Sortie Report⇗
20⇗ 3 September 1943 Target: Air Park and Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
21⇗ 6 September 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed at Grafton Underwood.
Sortie Report⇗
22⇗ 7 September 1943 Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
23⇗ 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
31⇗ 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑30005⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑30196.
Sortie Report⇗
32⇗ 14 October 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29800⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Knocked down by enemy aircraft; crashed near Simmershofen, Germany; MACR 840.
Sortie Report⇗

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