Sortie2BDB-24Bombed Primary
XX-XX898.Over Hamm.
Mission 659 · 02 October 1944 · Hamm, Germany
Serial
XX-XX898
Unknown
Fuselage Code
??-J
Squadron
Unknown Squadron
Ted's Traveling Circus
Aboard
10
men
The crew.
§ 10 aboard
Name
Position
Serial
Hometown
On this flight

1LtWalter F. Hughes
Pilot
Station 1
O-764680
Santa Barbara
Completed his tour
Returned
→

2LtPeter Scott
Co-Pilot
Station 2
O-772526
—
Returned
→

2LtLouis H. Windsor
Navigator
Station 3
O-712976
—
Returned
→

2LtRalph Hendershot
Bombardier
Station 4
O-0768958
—
Returned
→

SgtConway Thorstenson
Engineer / Top Turret
Station 5
39464774
—
Returned
→

T/SgtNorbert L. Ecclesfield
“Eck”
Radio Operator
Station 6
3904111
—
Returned
→

SgtMichael J. Kusnir
Waist Gunner
Station 8
35236546
—
Returned
→

SgtBoyd L. Justice
Tail Gunner
Station 9
38440786
—
Returned
→

SgtRobert T. Lee
“The Old Man”
Nose Gunner
18215267
—
Returned
→

SgtCarroll F. Ruby
Gunner
33734687
—
Returned
→
The load.
§ 5,000 lb aboard
AN-M64
500-pounder
10× 500 lb
TypeGeneral Purpose · TNT/Amatol
Weight5,000 lb
The flight.
§ Ship’s Record
The Record
ResultBombed Primary
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Formation
Flew withUnknown Squadron Squadron
Fuel & Equipment
H2X scope photoNo
The target.
§ As Briefed
HammMarshalling Yard
LocationHamm, Germany
Notes.
§ From the Record
Mission five took the crew to the marshalling yard at Hamm. The route followed a now-familiar path: in over the coast at Egmond, past Amsterdam, Apeldoorn, Enschede, and Münster to the target. The return ran through Gütersloh, Bielefeld, and Osnabrück. Flak was heavy at the coast coming and going, at the target, and at three points along the route.
The official report noted no flak holes. The navigator's log told a different story: seven hits, a thirteen-inch tear in the bomb bay, three holes in the tail, two in the wing, and one in an engine. All crew returned safely. No fighters were encountered. The PFF bombing results were recorded as a hit on the target, though not a clean one.