June 22, 1943
384th Bomb Group Mission #1
Target for the day: General Motors Truck Factory in Antwerp, Belgium
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Ruthless | Courtesy of John N. Smith and 384thBombGroup.com⇗
June 22, 1943: The 384th Bomb Group flies their first combat mission.
The target for the day was the General Motors Truck Factory in Antwerp, Belgium.
20 crews flew this mission.
Leading the Group was Ruthless⇗ with Colonel Budd Peaslee (Commander/Pilot) and 1st Lt. Gordon Hankinson (Co-Pilot)⇗.
The mission got off to an early start. Originally scheduled to take off at 5:10 AM, it was delayed by 9 minutes after receiving a call from Colonel Putman of the 1st Bombardment Wing.
Once the Group made it over Belgium, they encountered 60 enemy fighters (Focke Wulf 190s).
In his narrative report⇗ of the mission, Captain William Dolan stated that "Ship Number 076⇗ was attacked by approximately 8 enemy aircraft just before we reached the coast of Belgium," with an observer "having seen 4 parachutes come out." On the return trip over the channel, "plane number 853⇗ was seen to make a gliding approach to the water."
From these two downed aircraft, 10 crewmembers were killed in action: 2nd Lt. Daniel DiThomas (Co-Pilot)⇗, 2nd Lt. Alexander Bredacs Jr. (Navigator)⇗, S/Sgt. Maryville Galloway (Radio Operator)⇗, S/Sgt. Harold Hammond (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner)⇗, Pvt. Robert Linehan Jr. (Ball Turret Gunner)⇗, Pvt. Clarence Stewart (Waist Gunner)⇗, 2nd Lt. Douglas Turner (Bombardier)⇗, S/Sgt. Ernest Trickett (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner)⇗, S/Sgt. Harold Cooke (Tail Gunner)⇗, and S/Sgt. George Waterman (Waist Gunner)⇗.
2nd Lt. Bernarr Nelson (Bombardier)⇗ remains missing in action to this day.
9 were captured and taken as prisoners of war: 2nd Lt. Frederick Disney (Pilot)⇗, Sgt. Joseph Kilb (Tail Gunner)⇗, Pvt. James Knutson (Waist Gunner)⇗, 2nd Lt. Robert Olbinski (Pilot)⇗, 2nd Lt. Harry Swift (Co-Pilot)⇗, 2nd Lt. Richard Grandpre (Navigator)⇗, S/Sgt. Oliver Reed (Radio Operator)⇗, S/Sgt. George Werbanec (Ball Turret Gunner)⇗, and Sgt. William Counihan Jr. (Waist Gunner)⇗.
Despite the intense fighter attacks, the bombing was highly effective. Dolan's report indicated that "85% of the bombs [were] dropped within 500 yards of the target."
Dolan also reported, "Ship number 005⇗ (Henderson) was given permission to land first as there were wounded men aboard."
Wounded were: Sgt. John Dudla (Tail Gunner)⇗, S/Sgt. James McKeon (Ball Turret Gunner)⇗, S/Sgt. John Price (Tail Gunner)⇗, and Sgt. William Counihan who was also taken prisoner of war. S/Sgt. Louis Ratkiewicz (Tail Gunner)⇗ also got frostbite on the mission.
The losses of this first mission were a heavy price paid, and reflected the heavy losses the 384th would face in the missions to come.
Information courtesy of 384thBombGroup.com Mission Summary #1 and Narrative of Mission Report⇗ by Captain William Dolan
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