Gay, Joseph Bates, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name Gay, Joseph Bates, Jr
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant
Serial Number O-746874
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #234 dated 28 November 1944, effective 28 November 1944.
  • Transferred to the Casual Pool, 70th Reinforcement Depot Station 569, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 14 April 1945, effective 14 April 1945.
  • Transferred to the Casual Pool, 70th Reinforcement Depot, AAF Station 594, per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 20 May 1945 , effective 20 May 1945.
Duty Bombardier
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 20 May 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 17 September 1917
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at Deming AAF, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Class #43-08, 29 May 1943
  • Ordered to Palace Hotel, Southport, AAF Station 524 (a Flak House) on 19 March 1945 for seven days temporary duty to carry out instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #59 dated 17 March 1945.
  • Returned to the ZOI as part of a B-17 crew.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Van Pelt, Charles A⇗PilotCT
Flt. Ofcr. Hammerstein, Lester Eugene⇗Co-pilotTBD
2nd Lt. Murphy, Edward J⇗NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Gay, Joseph Bates, JrBombardierCT
CPL. Guentzel, Otto William⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
CPL. Secrest, Marvin Victor⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Slack, Raymond Carl⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Den Herder, Edward (NMI)⇗Tail GunnerCT
CPL. Groom, William Emmett, Jr⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 34 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
237⇗ 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany 		Bombardier 42‑98000⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
238⇗ 11 December 1944 Target: Road & Rail Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
240⇗ 18 December 1944 Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
243⇗ 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group.
Sortie Report⇗
244⇗ 27 December 1944 Target: Bridge (Tactical)
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenahr, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Bombardier 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
247⇗ 31 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑37822⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back; took off late, unable to find formation.
Sortie Report⇗
251⇗ 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away on the Continent in allied territory; aircraft returned to operations in three weeks.
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑32106⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
257⇗ 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Newmarket, Suffolk.
Sortie Report⇗
265⇗ 9 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Navigator 43‑39138⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
267⇗ 15 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38801⇗ Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Did not take off because bad weather halted flight operations.
Sortie Report⇗
271⇗ 22 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ülzen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 43‑38801.
Sortie Report⇗
272⇗ 23 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Plauen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8608⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
274⇗ 25 February 1945 Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑107148⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 43‑38974. High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
275⇗ 26 February 1945 Target: Schlesicher Railroad Station (Bahnhof)
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38016⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
278⇗ 1 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bruchsal, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
279⇗ 2 March 1945 Target: Low Temperature Carbonization Plant and Refinery of Deutsche Petroleum A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Rositz, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8608⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
281⇗ 4 March 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot
Type: Military
Location: Ulm, Germany 		Navigator 44‑6923⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Little Staughton Airfield, AAF Station 127, on return due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
283⇗ 8 March 1945 Target: Oil Refinery - 'Benzol Plant'
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Essen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
284⇗ 9 March 1945 Target: Henschel Tank and Locomotive Works
Type: Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
285⇗ 10 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Schwerte, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
286⇗ 11 March 1945 Target: Vacuum Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑39203⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
287⇗ 12 March 1945 Target: Railway Center
Type: Transportation
Location: Betzdorf, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
289⇗ 15 March 1945 Target: Army HQ
Type: Military
Location: Zossen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
300⇗ 30 March 1945 Target: Deutsche Schiff- u. Maschinenbau A.G. (DESCHIMAG)
Submarine and Warship Yard
Machine Shop
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑6476⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
301⇗ 31 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8608⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
302⇗ 3 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Navigator 44‑6892⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
304⇗ 5 April 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot
Type: Military
Location: Ingolstadt, Germany 		Navigator 42‑107125⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron flying spare; could not locate formation, turned back at Control Point 2.
Sortie Report⇗
305⇗ 6 April 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (Visual Primary)
Type: Transportation
Location: Leipzig, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Aircraft suffered major damage from fighter attacks.
Sortie Report⇗
306⇗ 7 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Plant
Type: Military
Location: Hitzacker, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
308⇗ 10 April 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot Workshop Area
Type: Military
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
309⇗ 11 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Freiham, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38994⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
313⇗ 17 April 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Dresden, Germany 		Navigator 44‑6476⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
314⇗ 19 April 1945 Target: Railroad Station & Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Elsterwerda, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
316⇗ 25 April 1945 Target: Skoda Armament Works
Type: Industry
Location: Pilsen / Plzeň, Czechoslovakia 		Navigator 43‑39444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗

Every effort has been expended to ensure all information on this page is complete and accurate.
Please inform webmaster of any discrepancies or omissions by using the button below.