Whitley, William Martin

Individual Personnel Data
Name Whitley, William Martin   ‡
⇗
Rank Staff Sergeant / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 34315773   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #164 dated 10 December 1943, effective 10 December 1943.
Duty Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 16 July 1944
Results Prisoner Of War
POW Camp: Not identified in National Archives POW database.
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 10 July 1907
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #14 dated 21 January 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 7553⇓ (5.863 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Bennett, Phillip Nathan, Jr⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Haley, Ralph Bernard⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Monfort, Robert Hugh⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Gerber, Leonard (NMI)⇗BombardierPOW
S/SGT. House, Harland Francis⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Whitley, William MartinEngineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Mosbey, James Millard⇗Ball Turret GunnerPOW
SGT. Mize, Walter Alvest, Jr⇗Tail GunnerEV
SGT. Santosuosso, John Peter⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
SGT. Boon, Howard Goodall, Jr⇗Flexible GunnerPOW

Crew History

The P Y Bennett Crew joined the 547th BS at Grafton Underwood on 10 December 1943. On assignment, it appears that the Bennett Crew was split between the 545th and 547th squadrons. Those originally assigned to the 545th were transferred to the 547th BS on SO #167 dated 13 December 1943. Even though this brought the crew into the same unit, the men originally assigned to the 545th never flew missions with Bennett.
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38013⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group, 41st A Combat Wing. Dropped nickles (propaganda leaflets) as well as incendiaries.
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
62⇗ 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37801⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1011 hrs; #2 engine running rough and pulling 20" to 25".
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
64⇗ 21 February 1944 Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Werl, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29927⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron, low group
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3440⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
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 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
70⇗ 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
71⇗ 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
72⇗ 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97449⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing.
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31871⇗ Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Dropped ten parcels of 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) in addition to bombs.
Sortie Report⇗
84⇗ 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38158⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
86⇗ 9 April 1944 Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Joined the #4 position of the low Squadron, high group, 41st Composite Combat Wing A and bombed with them.
Sortie Report⇗
89⇗ 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy; led mission after high group lead went down.
Sortie Report⇗
92⇗ 20 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
A Wing, High Group Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
95⇗ 25 April 1944 Target: Metz-Frescaty Airdrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Metz, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. Col. William L Travis, 41st Bomb Wing, aboard as combat flight leader.
Sortie Report⇗
98⇗ 29 April 1944 Target: Industrial District
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38208⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Group lead. Co-pilot and navigator became violently ill.
Sortie Report⇗
101⇗ 7 May 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
105⇗ 11 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group, Group Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
107⇗ 13 May 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory.
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Poznań, Poland 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead, 40th CBW. Col. William L Travis, 41st Bomb Wing, aboard as combat flight leader and pilot.
Sortie Report⇗
111⇗ 21 May 1944 Target: NOBALL (Supergun Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Mimoyecques, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group A Lead. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
115⇗ 25 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Sarreguemines and Blainville-sur-l'Eau, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
116⇗ 27 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97263⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
117⇗ 28 May 1944 Target: Junkers Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Dessau, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 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⇗
150⇗ 4 July 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dreux (Conches-en-Ouche), France 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97150⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
154⇗ 8 July 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Renescure, France 		Engineer/Top Turret 44‑6149⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
156⇗ 12 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97204⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
157⇗ 13 July 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97204⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
158⇗ 16 July 1944 Target: Aero Engine Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 42‑107064⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Lead Squadron. Knocked down by FLAK.
Sortie Report⇗

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