Post by jasta6 on Mar 29, 2024 4:37:01 GMT -8
B-24D "Stupid Dragon" Serial #: B-24D-145-CO 42-41210 Code: 06
Pilot: 1Lt. Moeses I. HorstSquadron: 78th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group, 15th US Air Force, Giulia Airfield
Squadron Position: High
Formation Position: #17
Mission Date: 29th March 1944
Mission Number: 18 (Aircraft Mission #16)
Target: Sofia, Bulgaria - Marshalling Yards
| POSITION/RANK/NAME | # Missions | TOTAL Confirmed | TODAY'S CLAIMS | Confirmed Claims | Crew Status | Notes: |
| Pilot 1Lt. Moeses I. Horst | 16 | - | - | - | RTD | 3x AM |
| Co-Pilot 2Lt. Slavisa J. Mackoff | 16 | - | - | - | RTD | 3x AM & 1xPH |
| Bombardier 2nd Lt. Richard D. Gustin | 12 | 0.92 | - | - | RTD | 2x AM & 1xPH |
| Navigator 2nd Lt. Gary Z. Scarbro | 16 | 0.17 | - | - | RTD | 3x AM |
| Engineer (TT) T/Sgt. Ernestor L. Pasiak | 14 | 4.92 | - | - | RTD | 2x AM & 1xPH |
| Radio Operator S/Sgt. Reny O. Scaccia | 16 | - | - | - | RTD | 3x AM |
| Ball Gunner Sgt. Evan F. Wiman | 16 | 2.25 | 1.5 | 0.5 | RTD | 3x AM & 1xPH |
| Port Waist Gunner Sgt. Rami N. Mihollen | 3 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0.5 | RTD | 1x AM & 1xPH |
| Starboard Waist Gnr. Sgt. Harald Wencke | 2 | - | - | - | SW-RTD | 1x AM & 1xPH (Abdomen wound, Intestine, 8-Week Recovery-RTD May 5th) |
| Tail Gunner Sgt. Wilbern I. Perez | 16 | 1.75 | - | - | RTD | 3x AM & 1xDFC |
| Crew Chief: S/Sgt. Alfred (Al) Falso [Ave. Joe] | 18 | Hard Stand: | #26 |
* Mission Note: Completed Sixteenth mission.
Bomb Load: 10x 500lbs AN-M64 General Purpose Bombs
Bomb Run: Off target, 0% in target zone.
Crew Chief Report: S/Sgt. Alfred (Al) Falso [Ave. Joe]
Hard Stand: #26
Pre Mission Repair status: (2D6=11; No Mechanical Failure rolls during this mission.)
Post Mission Repairs & Crew Chief Experience roll: (2D6=5; Good Work on Aircraft repairs, 0.5 Experience Point)
B-17 Damage: 146pts. Bomb Controls, nose landing gear, one hit causing a serious wound and one hole of superficial nature.
Mechanical Issues:
None
Random Events:
None
Repair Time:
Eight days to repair, RTA April 7th 1944.
Replacement Bomber:
Spare Bomber; “Freya’s Betrayal” (B-24D-20-CF 42-64017) (66)
Landing:
Rough without noes gear deployed, crew survived.
E/A Encountered: 11
EA Claimed:
| Claims: | Aircraft: | Confirmation: |
| PW | Bf 109G | Denied - No Credit Awarded |
| BT/PW | Bf 109G | Full Credit Approved |
| BT/PW | Bf 109G | Denied - No Credit Awarded |
| BT/PW | Bf 110C | Denied - No Credit Awarded |
| Type | Encountered | Destroyed | Probable | Damaged | Intercepted |
| Bf 109G | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Bf 110C | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| FW 190D | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Me 210A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Totals: | 16 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 9 |
Luftwaffe Fighters: One Experte' and two Ace pilots encountered.
Casualties this Mission:
Sgt. Harald Wencke. Serious Wound. Abdomen, Inflamed intestine. Eight days recovery
Recuperating:
POSITION/RANK/NAME | # Missions | TOTAL CLAIMS | TODAY'S CLAIMS | Confirmed Claims | Crew Status | Notes: |
| Left Waist Gun - Sgt. Rami N. Mihollen | 8 | 3.85 | 0.5 | 2.25 | Medical | Returns 29th March '44 |
| Right Waist Gun - Sgt. Christopher P. Plant | 5 | - | 0 | 0 | Medical | Returns 5th April '44 |
| Left Waist Gun - Sgt. D.C. Freeland | 7 | 1.33 | 0 | 0 | Medical | Returns 17th April '44 |
| Right Waist Gun - Sgt. Harald Wencke | 2 | - | - | - | Medical | Returns 5th May '44 |
Award/ Promotions Requests:
Sgt. Harald Wencke - Purple Heart
Replacements:
Starboard Waist Gun: Sgt. Kaleb S. Crofford
After Action Report (game system - TfT and various optional rules):
"Active mission with a Dramatic Landing...”
-- Pg 2 --
Mission Debriefing
1st Lt Horst, 78th BS Pilot
MISSION #16 (Groups 18)
Date: March 29th, 1944
Target: Sofia, Bulgaria - Marshalling Yards
Plane: B-24D-210 "Stupid Dragon"
Position: Low Cell (#17)
Altitude: 20,000 feet
10x 500lbs AN-M64 Fragmentation Bombs
10x 500lbs AN-M64 Fragmentation Bombs
Mission Report C04M18 -210
Zones 1-8 O/B: Takeoff went good. We say no enemy activity till the target zone.
Target Zones 9 O/B: We were jumped by three FW 190's. Our escort drove off one and our boys damaged both the other two. Flak was Moderate and intense. We took two hits which seriously injured Sgt. Kaleb S. Crofford and took out our Bomb controls. This damaged made it impossible to accurately place our eggs. Consequently we completely missed the target. We hit north of the marshaling in a business district area.
Target Zones 9 I/B: Coming off the target there was no flak, but the Luftwaffe made up for it. Three waves of mostly Bf 109s targeted our plane. Twelve enemy aircraft made passes without placing one hit. We contribute this to our boys destroying three Bf 109s and damaging two others.
Zones 1-8 I/B: Once clear of the target we encountered a Rotta of Butchers hit us. One was driven off by our P-38s, but the other FW 190 was Expertly maneuvered through to hit us on his second run at our bomber. Coming in from the 10:30 Level he hit us just below the navigator with a tremendous thud! We later found out this was our nose gear that was rendered useless. As we passed into Albania two lone fighter made half hearted passes. Which ended poorly for a Bf 110 as our boys shot it out of the air. Both crew in the 110 managed to bail out. Shortly after this a JU 88 flew well above our group and dropped bombs on us. One of the two bombs dropped passed well past the "Stupid Dragon" and exploded harmlessly below the group. This was the last encounter with the enemy.
Our landing was hair raising as we put our ship down on the side of the runway to stay out of the way of blocking others landing. This added to the damage the "Stupid Dragon" sustained. Our crew chief, Alfred (Al) Falso, informed us that it will take a week or more to repair.
Target Zones 9 O/B: We were jumped by three FW 190's. Our escort drove off one and our boys damaged both the other two. Flak was Moderate and intense. We took two hits which seriously injured Sgt. Kaleb S. Crofford and took out our Bomb controls. This damaged made it impossible to accurately place our eggs. Consequently we completely missed the target. We hit north of the marshaling in a business district area.
Target Zones 9 I/B: Coming off the target there was no flak, but the Luftwaffe made up for it. Three waves of mostly Bf 109s targeted our plane. Twelve enemy aircraft made passes without placing one hit. We contribute this to our boys destroying three Bf 109s and damaging two others.
Zones 1-8 I/B: Once clear of the target we encountered a Rotta of Butchers hit us. One was driven off by our P-38s, but the other FW 190 was Expertly maneuvered through to hit us on his second run at our bomber. Coming in from the 10:30 Level he hit us just below the navigator with a tremendous thud! We later found out this was our nose gear that was rendered useless. As we passed into Albania two lone fighter made half hearted passes. Which ended poorly for a Bf 110 as our boys shot it out of the air. Both crew in the 110 managed to bail out. Shortly after this a JU 88 flew well above our group and dropped bombs on us. One of the two bombs dropped passed well past the "Stupid Dragon" and exploded harmlessly below the group. This was the last encounter with the enemy.
Our landing was hair raising as we put our ship down on the side of the runway to stay out of the way of blocking others landing. This added to the damage the "Stupid Dragon" sustained. Our crew chief, Alfred (Al) Falso, informed us that it will take a week or more to repair.
<<<Sorry, but due to work load and life events I will not be writing detailed After Action Reports for the duration of this campaign>>>
Pilot of, "Stupid Dragon" (B-24D-145-CO 42-41210)
78th BS, 509th BG(H), 15th USAAF.
Giulia , Italy- Station 164 (Circle)