Derer, Joseph, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Derer, Joseph, Jr ‡ ⇗
Rank	Second Lieutenant
Serial Number	O-731364 ‡
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #70 dated 11 March 1943, effective 11 March 1943.
Duty	Bombardier
MOS	1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date	25 June 1943
Results	Prisoner Of War POW Camp: Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 7 December 1920 Graduated from Bombardier School at Victorville AAF, Victorville, California, Class #42-14. 10 October 1942.
Related Documents	Missing Air Crew Report # 16378⇓ (0.477 MB) Accident Report # 43-06-12-502⇓ (29.679 MB)
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Original 384^th Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Witt, Francis John, Jr⇗	Pilot	EV
Flt. Ofcr. Carter, T L (IO)⇗	Co-pilot	CT
2nd Lt. Harris, Arthur Claude⇗	Navigator	POW
2nd Lt. Derer, Joseph, Jr	Bombardier	POW
S/SGT. Sears, William Francis⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	POW
S/SGT. Thomasson, Edward Arthmur⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	POW
S/SGT. Leslie, Claude Robert⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	EV
S/SGT. Douglas, Rufus James⇗	Tail Gunner	TR
S/SGT. Seager, Francis Marvin⇗	Flexible Gunner	POW
S/SGT. Vodilko, Michael Joseph⇗	Flexible Gunner	POW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 1 Combat Mission.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
--	12 June 1943	None Non-combat sortie	Bombardier	42‑30131⇗	Involved in a collision with aircraft 42‑30036 on short final while landing at Grafton Underwood after a training mission. Pilot of 42‑30036 (2Lt Ellwood Kowalski) executed a pull-up maneuver upon observing red light from control tower and struck aircraft 42‑30131 which was just above. All five crew aboard Kowalski's aircraft were killed: crew aboard Lt Witt's aircraft survived uninjured. Aircraft 42‑30036 was not following established traffic pattern prior to collision. Sortie Report⇗
2⇗	25 June 1943	Target: Industrial Area & Submarine Pens Type: Military Location: Hamburg, Germany	Bombardier	42‑30143⇗	Combat Mission Credit Failed To Return Damaged by flak, crashed near Oldenburg, Germany. MACR 16378. 1Lt. George Riches posthumously awarded Silver Star (Owens p. 200) Sortie Report⇗

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