Woodard, Everett Durwood

Individual Personnel Data
Name Woodard, Everett Durwood   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 38200025   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 17 November 1943, effective 17 November 1943.
Duty Flexible Gunner / Tail Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 15 July 1944
Results Completed Combat Tour
DecorationsAwarded the Silver Star for 'gallantry in action' during a mission over Germany on 30 January 1944.
Awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on 30 January 1944 per General Orders #48, Headquarters, 1st Bomb Division dated dated 16 February 1944.
Citation For
Higher Decoration
SILVER STAR. EVERETT D. WOODARD, 38200025, Staff Sergeant, Army Air Forces, United States Army. For gallantry in action, while serving as right waist gunner of a B-17 airplane on a bombing mission over Germany, 30 January 1944. Sergeant Woodard was severely wounded and the left waist gunner wounded to such an extent that he was unable to remain at his gun, when a cannon shell exploded in the waist of the plane. With complete disregard for his wounds, Sergeant Woodard manned both of the waist guns, firing first one and then the other and succeeded in destroying one enemy aircraft, probably destroying another and in warding off numerous vicious attacks. During a lull in the fighting, he administered first-aid to his wounded comrade. The gallantry, exceptional skill and devotion to duty displayed by Sergeant Woodard served as an inspiration to the entire crew. His actions on this occasion reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States. Entered military service from Texas.

Citation Source: 'As Briefed...'
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 14 December 1921
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #14 Dated 21 January 1944.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty to American Red Cross Club, Southport (a Flak house) on or about 10 February 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #28 EXTRACT dated 10 February 1944.
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #99 dated 28 May 1944.
  • Attached to the 1140th Military Police Company for ration, quarters and administration per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #123 dated 27 June 1944.
  • Relieved from attachment for RQ&A to the 1140th Military Police Company per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #142 dated 20 July 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Hines, James Wesley⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Burch, Hugh Ralph⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Copeland, Carter Glenn⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Morris, Richard William⇗BombardierTBD
S/SGT. Dahms, Rex John⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Wilson, Jerome Frank⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerWIA
SGT. Douglas, James Clifton⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Cahill, William Lawrence, Jr⇗Tail GunnerCT
SGT. Jarvis, Francis Harrison⇗Flexible GunnerCT
SGT. Woodard, Everett DurwoodFlexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 31 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29554⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
43⇗ 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑29554. Also see comments for aircraft 42‑29688 for this mission.
Sortie Report⇗
45⇗ 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
46⇗ 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3259⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
47⇗ 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑5404⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
49⇗ 4 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37727⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Flying Spare. Joined formation, then turned back becuse aircraft needed 'excessive power settings ... to stay in formation.'
Sortie Report⇗
50⇗ 5 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29632⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
52⇗ 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3051⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation. Landed away at Coltishall, Norfolk, on return due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
54⇗ 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 41‑24560⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group. Jettisoned bombs when an engine was shot away by an enemy aircraft and had to leave formation.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37801⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group. Turned back; tail gunner fell ill.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
69⇗ 2 March 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29688⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31484.
Sortie Report⇗
74⇗ 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97124⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
77⇗ 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑38112⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
79⇗ 22 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37789⇗ Combat Mission Credit
NOTE: The Loading List incorrectly identified the co-pilot as Sidney Bush.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31166⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
81⇗ 24 March 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97124⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
83⇗ 27 March 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Tours & Chartres, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑97124⇗ Combat Mission Credit
94 Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
84⇗ 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑97124⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
85⇗ 29 March 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97124⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97124⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1003 hrs; could not locate formation due to bad weather. Bombs jettisoned in Channel due to malfunction of bomb bay doors.
Sortie Report⇗
87⇗ 10 April 1944 Target: Evere Airfield (50°54'3"N 4°20'9"E)
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium 		Tail Gunner 42‑97124⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
88⇗ 11 April 1944 Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑97124⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
92⇗ 20 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France 		Togglier 42‑102446⇗ Combat Mission Credit
B Wing, High Group.
Sortie Report⇗
97⇗ 27 April 1944 Target: Toul/Croix de Metz Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Tail Gunner 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing lead.
Sortie Report⇗
101⇗ 7 May 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
118⇗ 28 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102442⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
119⇗ 29 May 1944 Target: Focke-Wulf Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Krzesiny District, Poznań, Poland 		Togglier 42‑97521⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
123⇗ 2 June 1944 Target: Four Medium Howitzer Batteries, Tactical Support
Type: Military
Location: Neufchatel (5 miles SE of Hardelot), France 		Togglier 42‑97271⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
127⇗ 6 June 1944 Target: Rocket Gun Installation
Type: Military
Location: 'Meuvaines' (actually, 1.3 miles SE of Crépon), France 		Togglier 42‑102442⇗ Combat Mission Credit
H Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
131⇗ 8 June 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D)
Type: Transportation
Location: Orleans, France 		Togglier 42‑97941⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Wing, Low Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
141⇗ 20 June 1944 Target: Oil Refineries
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Harburg (Hamburg area), Germany 		Togglier 42‑97273⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑97178.
Sortie Report⇗

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