Vincent C Drozdek

Military

Killed in Action (KIA) 6 June 1944



-- 8TH A.F. - 3RD BOMB. DIVISION - 1ST MISSION - 8TH AF, 3RD BD, 93RD CBW, 34TH BG (MISSION #10)



-- Takeoff at 0234 hours, flew in position 1 - 3 in 2nd Squadron (squadrons assembled and circled over northern Ireland waiting for last RAF aircraft to return over channel before commencing bomb run)



-- The mission was to soften and disrupt the German coastal defenses and cut off resupply routes just prior to the Allied invasion. 10/10 cloud cover totally obscured assigned bridges and highway choke points and forced the Group’s planes to return to base with full bomb loads. Although the assigned targets were relatively close, the flight duration was exceptionally long to avoid the Normandy invasion area.



-- Navigators in secondary squadrons (not lead squadron) for this D-Day bomb mission determined as surplus, and Misery Agent navigator 1LT Robert H. Gross sent back to unit and did not fly the mission (secondary squadron aircraft to simply follow the lead squadron aircraft across the channel, down along the French coast, visually identify target and return to base; oral history provided by Bob Gross.)



-- Weather conditions and "fog of war" resulted in FTR (failed to return) / crash

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 34th Bomb Group
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 7th Bomb Squadron, 34th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 7th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39038488
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 7th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 7th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 7th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-703628
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 7th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37542521
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Misery Agent / Tommy Thumper
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 486th Bomb Group

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Died

6 June 1944 Crashed near Corfe Castle in the Olds Woode when B-24H Misery Agent ran out of gas due to being heavy with 12 500 lbs bombs still on board returning to Mendlesham after not being able to drop bombs on target (Caen, France) for D-Day invasion due to 10/10 undercast conditions.

Revisions

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Contributorjmoore43
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Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

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ContributorVinceH
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Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / H. Province