Kelley, Darwin Thomas

Individual Personnel Data
Name Kelley, Darwin Thomas
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-718333
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 24 July 1944, effective 24 July 1944.
  • Transferred to the Casual Pool, 70th Replacement Depot, Station 594, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 6 February 1945, effective 6 February 1945.
Duty Navigator
MOS1034 - Navigator
Last Duty Date 6 February 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 28 July 1919
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty (TD) to Furzedown House, AAF Station 563 (a Flak house) on 3 November 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station #215 dated 1 November 1944.
  • Completed tour of combat duty and transferred out of Group during February 1945, per squadron history (microfilm A0640-01647).
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Wismer, Richard Glen, "BUD"⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Fletcher, Graydon James⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Kelley, Darwin ThomasNavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Abrusci, Lorenzo V (IO)⇗BombardierCT
CPL. Bussey, Harold Lewis⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
SGT. Schoebel, John Edward⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Lewis, David Bradford⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Cogan, Joseph Dean⇗Tail GunnerCT
CPL. Leibel, William Joseph⇗Flexible GunnerCT
CPL. Bush, Walter William⇗Flexible GunnerTR
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
171⇗ 4 August 1944 Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Peenemünde, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
173⇗ 5 August 1944 Target: Luftwaffe Controlling Station
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Langenhagen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
174⇗ 7 August 1944 Target: Aircraft Fuel Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dugny (Paris), France 		Navigator 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
176⇗ 9 August 1944 Target: Erding Airdrome & Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Erding, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37717⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
179⇗ 13 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Road Network
Type: Transportation
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger (area), France 		Navigator 42‑97309⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
181⇗ 16 August 1944 Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102518⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
186⇗ 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France 		Navigator 42‑97521⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
187⇗ 3 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Hot camera ship, lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
188⇗ 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
189⇗ 8 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37971⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑31484⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to #1 supercharger out, oxygen leak and #1 oil line broken.
Sortie Report⇗
191⇗ 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102430⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to supercharger failures (and insufficient spares on board to remedy).
Sortie Report⇗
192⇗ 11 September 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf & Merseburg, Germany 		Navigator 42‑38014⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
199⇗ 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97941⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 43‑37917.
Sortie Report⇗
201⇗ 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany 		Navigator 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Aircraft suffered mechanical failure; bombs dropped at indicated location in enemy territory with unknown effect. Returned to base.
Sortie Report⇗
202⇗ 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
203⇗ 2 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
204⇗ 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
205⇗ 5 October 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Second Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
210⇗ 14 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
211⇗ 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
213⇗ 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy. PFF ship. Took over on bomb run after lead Gee-H equipment failed; completed attack on primary target.
Sortie Report⇗
215⇗ 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy. Gee-H ship. Gee-H equipment failed prior to IP.
Sortie Report⇗
216⇗ 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
217⇗ 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship. Led Squadron in PFF attack on secondary target.
Sortie Report⇗
218⇗ 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany 		Navigator 43‑37917⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97271⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
229⇗ 25 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Navigator 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Aldermaston, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
236⇗ 6 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37971⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37971⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Originally high Squadron deputy; aborted.
Sortie Report⇗
242⇗ 23 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ehrang, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Horham due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
243⇗ 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
13F Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38673⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
252⇗ 7 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Navigator 43‑39053⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
263⇗ 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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