Sortie2BDB-24Bombed Primary
“Maulin Mallard”.Over Koblenz/Mosel.
Mission 647 · 25 September 1944 · Koblenz, Germany
Serial
42-109867
B-24J
Fuselage Code
AG
Squadron
330th
Ted's Traveling Circus
Over Target
12:00
Bombing Altitude
23000
Aboard
9
men
The narrative.
§ This Ship
Vasquez’s 867-A bombed on the lead at 12:00 from 23,000 feet on a heading of 351° magnetic. Takeoff and landing times were left blank. The crew carried twelve 500-pound G.P. bombs and a camera; all bombs went away. Results were 10/10 cloud. They reported no flak and no enemy fighters. Fighter support was good. Lt. Vasquez froze both hands when his heated suit failed. About 13:30 a ship from the lead section lost both bomb-bay doors and turned toward Belgium, apparently under control.
The crew.
§ 9 aboard
Name
Position
Serial
Hometown
On this flight
2LtCarlos Vasquez
froze both hands (suit out)
Pilot
Station 1
—
Edinburg
Completed his tour
Frostbite
→
2LtEarl Gattin
Co-Pilot
Station 2
—
—
Returned
→
2LtJoseph B. Nichols
Navigator
Station 3
—
—
Returned
→
SgtDonald Harper
Engineer / Top Turret
Station 5
—
—
Returned
→
S/SgtBernard H. Nelson
Radio Operator
Station 6
—
—
Returned
→
S/SgtDonald S. Dayton
Waist Gunner
Station 8
17072551
—
Returned
→
SgtCharles B. Taylor
Waist Gunner
Station 8
—
—
Returned
→
SgtKenneth Carpenter
Nose Gunner
—
—
Returned
→
S/SgtEdward H. LaVrenz
Tail Gunner
Station 9
—
—
Returned
→
The load.
§ 6,000 lb aboard
AN-M64
500-pounder
12× 500 lb
TypeGeneral Purpose · TNT/Amatol
Weight6,000 lb
FuzingNose AN-M103 (1/10) · Tail AN-M101A2 (.025)
The flight.
§ Ship’s Record
The Day
Over target12:00
Took off fromHardwick (Sta. 104)
Landed atHardwick (Sta. 104)
Bombing altitude23000
The Record
ResultBombed Primary
Sortie creditFull
Counted toward tourYes
Landing dispositionHome base
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Formation
Flew with330th Squadron
Fuel & Equipment
Strike cameraCarried
H2X scope photoNo
The target.
§ As Briefed
Koblenz/MoselMarshalling Yard
LocationKoblenz, Germany