Leighton, Robert Raymond

Individual Personnel Data
Name Leighton, Robert Raymond   ‡
⇗
Rank Corporal / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 39421861   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #255 dated 24 December 1944, effective 24 December 1944.
  • Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report (Paragraph 3, Special Orders #176, 1st Air Division) - to 34th Bomb Group, effective 28 June 1945.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner / Tail Gunner
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 28 June 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 1 February 1926
  • Promoted to Sergeant effective 1 January 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #1 dated 1 January 1945.
  • Reclassified from MOS 611 to MOS 612 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #40 dated 18 February 1945.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant effective 2 March 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #49 dated 2 March 1945.
  • Placed on Indefinite Detached Service at Y-17, Marseilles/Istres, France effective on or about 24 May 1945 per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 24 May 1945.
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Reed, Verlin Dean⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Thebart, Ellsworth E⇗Co-pilotFCMEW
2nd Lt. Weiss, Morris B⇗NavigatorFCMEW
CPL. Vermillion, Eugene Carroll⇗TogglierTR
CPL. Grimes, Paul John⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
CPL. Bobbitt, Charles Rufus⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Leighton, Robert RaymondBall Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Gariepy, Ernest Joseph⇗Tail GunnerCT
CPL. Knagg, John A⇗Flexible GunnerCT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 24 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
252⇗ 7 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
253⇗ 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany 		Engineer/Top Turret 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
255⇗ 15 January 1945 Target: Neuburg Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
259⇗ 22 January 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
261⇗ 28 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6476⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37788.
Sortie Report⇗
263⇗ 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
264⇗ 3 February 1945 Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6892⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
265⇗ 9 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38801⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
268⇗ 19 February 1945 Target: Coking Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑39138⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
269⇗ 20 February 1945 Target: Main Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6892⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
271⇗ 22 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ülzen, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8608⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
274⇗ 25 February 1945 Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑6892⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
275⇗ 26 February 1945 Target: Schlesicher Railroad Station (Bahnhof)
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑39138⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Seething Airfield, AAF Station 146, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
277⇗ 28 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hagen, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8608⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
278⇗ 1 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bruchsal, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑39138⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
283⇗ 8 March 1945 Target: Oil Refinery - 'Benzol Plant'
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Essen, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑39138⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
284⇗ 9 March 1945 Target: Henschel Tank and Locomotive Works
Type: Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
289⇗ 15 March 1945 Target: Army HQ
Type: Military
Location: Zossen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Group deputy and lead Squadron hot camera ship. Turned back before the IP when #3 engine failed; bombed a target of opportunity (TOO), railroad marshalling yards in Vechta, Germany.
Sortie Report⇗
291⇗ 18 March 1945 Target: Schlesischer Railway Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Ball Turret 43‑39138⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
295⇗ 23 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gladbeck, Germany 		Ball Turret 44‑8668⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
301⇗ 31 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Tail Gunner 44‑8541⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
309⇗ 11 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Freiham, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
316⇗ 25 April 1945 Target: Skoda Armament Works
Type: Industry
Location: Pilsen / Plzeň, Czechoslovakia 		Tail Gunner 44‑8923⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron Lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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