Danko, Charles Gabriel

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Danko, Charles Gabriel ‡ ⇗
Rank	Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number	31167984 ‡
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 17 November 1943, effective 17 November 1943.
Duty	Ball Turret Gunner
MOS	612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date	18 March 1944
Results	Interned, Neutral Country
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 1917 Interned in Switzerland. Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #3 dated 4 January 1944.
Related Documents	Missing Air Crew Report # 3484⇓ (2.122 MB)
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Smith, Roger Clement⇗	Pilot	INT
2nd Lt. Reid, Harvey William⇗	Co-pilot	POW
Flt. Ofcr. Mittendorf, Ehrhard (NMI), Jr⇗	Navigator	POW
2nd Lt. Marquardt, George Marvin⇗	Bombardier	CT
S/SGT. Kendall, Earl Frank⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	INT
S/SGT. Kaminski, Bruno (NMI)⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	INT
SGT. Danko, Charles Gabriel	Ball Turret Gunner	INT
S/SGT. Green, Jesse Britten⇗	Tail Gunner	INT
SGT. Boney, Chester Joseph⇗	Flexible Gunner	INT
S/SGT. Hamilton, Gerald Thorwald⇗	Flexible Gunner	INT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 10 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
44⇗	20 December 1943	Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany	Ball Turret	41‑24525⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Attlebridge due to low fuel. Sortie Report⇗
47⇗	30 December 1943	Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37776⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back at 1042 hrs because nose and windshields were completely blocked out by frost and throwing oil; 12x500GP rtd Sortie Report⇗
48⇗	31 December 1943	Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship) Type: Transportation Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France	Ball Turret	41‑24525⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Kimbolton; bombs jettisoned. Sortie Report⇗
51⇗	7 January 1944	Target: Powerhouse Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑39784⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Flying spare. Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous. Sortie Report⇗
52⇗	11 January 1944	Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑29651⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
54⇗	21 January 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France	Ball Turret	42‑29688⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off 41B Group. Turned back over base as prop governor on #4 engine broke and had to be feathered. Sortie Report⇗
55⇗	29 January 1944	Target: Aircraft Parts Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑39809⇗	Combat Mission Credit Returned Early Low group. Turned back at 1019 hrs due to pilot's illness. Bombs jettisoned in Channel. Sortie Report⇗
66⇗	24 February 1944	Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑31871⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Squadron, low 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	Ball Turret	42‑37785⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
70⇗	3 March 1944	Target: Roller-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑31871⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
71⇗	4 March 1944	Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37801⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back at 0955 hrs; oxygen failure; dropped from 350 lbs to 250 lbs in 30 minutes without use. Sortie Report⇗
72⇗	6 March 1944	Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37788⇗	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	Ball Turret	42‑37788⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
75⇗	16 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37788⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
76⇗	18 March 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37793⇗	Combat Mission Credit Failed To Return At 1440 hrs he turned from formation; at 1455 he called Group Leader that two engines were out and he was heading for Switzerland, escorted by P-38s through a mountain pass to the south; damage caused by flak; crash-landed at Altstetten, Switzerland. MACR 3484 From 303rd BG: '#1 engine would not feather, vibrated badly and ran away over target. Supercharger on #2 inoperative 30 minutes before initial point, was rough and lost oil. Supercharger on #3 did not function properly. Aircraft landed at Dubendorf [sic] wheels up. Destruction completed of secret equipment. Target was bombed.' Sortie Report⇗

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