Grafton Underwood, England (Station 106) 1943-1945
Combat History of the 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in WWII
384th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
"Keep The Show On The Road"
| Name | Pechout, Richard Anthony ‡ |
| Rank | Technical Sergeant |
| Serial Number | 11102154 ‡ |
| Unit Assignments | Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #239 dated 5 December 1944, effective 5 December 1944. |
| Duty | Radio Operator / Gunner |
| MOS | 757 - Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner, AAF |
| Last Duty Date | 22 January 1945 |
| Results |
Prisoner Of War POW Camp: Not identified in National Archives POW database. |
| Additional Information |
|
| Related Documents | Missing Air Crew Report # 11994⇓ (28.408 MB) Accident Report # 45-01-01-524⇓ (3.738 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Crew Photo Album⇗ |
| CREWMEMBER | POSITION | RESULTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Lt. Van Popering, Earle Allen, "Van"⇗ | Pilot | KIA |
| 2nd Lt. Doheny, William Edward⇗ | Co-pilot | POW |
| 2nd Lt. Ferrell, Jack Gordon⇗ | Navigator | EV |
| 1st Lt. Bass, Ross (NMI)⇗ | Bombardier | TR |
| T/SGT. Pechout, Richard Anthony | Radio Operator / Gunner | POW |
| SGT. Mouratian, George (NMI)⇗ | Engineer / Top Turret Gunner | KIA |
| CPL. Mathias, Charles William⇗ | Ball Turret Gunner | POW |
| CPL. Denney, Roy Edward⇗ | Tail Gunner | POW |
| CPL. Maffei, Albert (NMI)⇗ | Flexible Gunner | EV |
| Number | Date | Target | Position | Aircraft | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 241⇗ | 19 December 1944 |
Target: Railway Junction Type: Transportation Location: Glaadt, Germany |
Radio Operator | 43‑37703⇗ |
Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off Did not take off due to weather which deteriorated after lead aircraft took off. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 242⇗ | 23 December 1944 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Ehrang, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑102459⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Engineer/Top Turret Gunner died of anoxia: aircraft landed in allied territory on the continent, at Valenciennes (A-83, Denain/Prouvy), France, to get medical attention for him, which was unsuccessful. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 244⇗ | 27 December 1944 |
Target: Bridge (Tactical) Type: Transportation Location: Altenahr, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑98000⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 246⇗ | 30 December 1944 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Limburg, Germany |
Radio Operator | 44‑6592⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 248⇗ | 1 January 1945 |
Target: Oil Storage Depot Type: Oil Industry Location: Derben, Germany |
Radio Operator | 43‑38801⇗ |
Aborted Mission After Taking Off Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑98000. Low Squadron. Struck some trees in avoiding a collision with another aircraft following takeoff in poor visibility. The wings and fuselage were damaged, but this aircraft continued in flight. They jettisoned bombs in the Channel, and returned to base. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 249⇗ | 2 January 1945 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Gerolstein, Germany |
Radio Operator | 43‑38927⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 250⇗ | 3 January 1945 |
Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub Type: Military Location: St Vith, Belgium |
Radio Operator | 43‑37703⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Dropped bombs 15 seconds late, reason unknown. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 253⇗ | 8 January 1945 |
Target: Railroad Type: Transportation Location: Kyllburg, Germany |
Radio Operator | 43‑38752⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 44‑6514. Landed away at Eye due to low fuel and inoperative radio equipment. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 255⇗ | 15 January 1945 |
Target: Neuburg Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany |
Radio Operator | 44‑8608⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 256⇗ | 17 January 1945 |
Target: Railroad Viaduct Type: Transportation Location: Bielefeld, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑37788⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37822. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 257⇗ | 20 January 1945 |
Target: Rail and Road Bridges Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany |
Radio Operator | 43‑38927⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Landed away at RAF Warboys, Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire). Sortie Report⇗ |
| 259⇗ | 22 January 1945 |
Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Sterkrade, Germany |
Radio Operator | 43‑38850⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Failed To Return Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Left formation five miles after target and was still tracked by flak; levelled off for a short time, but soon went into a nose dive with all four engines running and one wheel down; crashed near Deventer, The Netherlands. MACR 11994 Sortie Report⇗ |