Merlin Howard Reed

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Object Number - UPL 55747 - Merlin Howard Reed

Bombs from the 'High Group' knocked the tail section off B-17G #42-37781 'Silver Dollar' and crashed near Osdorf on a mission to Berlin on 9 Mar 1944. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 3005, 19 combat missions.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Danish civillians inspect the wreckage of a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-107082) of the 379th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'St Heddinge 13th May 1944 at 18:30 Hrs. 8th AAF, 1st Air Division, 41st Combat Wing, 379th Bombardment Group, Squadron?.'

1st Air Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation
The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.

384th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Robert J Casey

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31160822
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Peter Gudyka

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-669278
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Emmet F Hardy

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39830126
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Military Occupation Specialty 612 - Tail Gunner

John L Heiss

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-671434
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 384th Bomb Group falls towards the ground after having its tails shot away during a mission.

Joseph Jacobson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39176552
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

A 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (XK-R, serial number 41-24578) taxiis to take off from Chelveston airbase. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '124578, XK:R.' Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresses stati

41-24578

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Problem Child | Old Reliable
  • Unit: 547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 305th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron

42-29636

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Vanishing Virgin | X-Virgin
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 364th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron

42-30033

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Little America
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron

42-37781

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Silver Dollar
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Cameron, Clinton, Missouri, USA 3 March 1917

Died

Feldmarke Osdorf, Marienfelde, Berlin, Germany 9 March 1944

Buried

Netherlands American Cemetery Tablets of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands

Other

Memorial

Netherlands American Cemetery, Tablets of the Missing Tablets of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands

Enlisted

Revisions

Date18 Feb 2022 08:46:57
ContributorCoyFamilyHistory
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

American Battle Monuments Commission; Arlington, VA; Cemetery Records

Date18 Feb 2022 08:43:07
ContributorCoyFamilyHistory
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Report # 3005
https://384thbombgroup.com/_content/MACRs/MACR3005.pdf

Cemetery Records Records of the American Battle Monuments Commission, Arlington, VA.

Headstone Inscription and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949. Series A1 43, NAI ID: 7408555. Records of the American Battle Monuments Commission, 1918–ca. 1995. Record Group 117. The National Archives at Washington, D.C.

Date18 Feb 2022 08:23:41
ContributorCoyFamilyHistory
ChangesChanges to aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

https://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonalWarRecord-R1_0.php?x…

Date18 Feb 2022 05:58:31
ContributorCoyFamilyHistory
ChangesChanges to middlename and events
Sources

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for District of Columbia, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 189.

Date14 Feb 2015 17:41:21
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to biography, events and media associations
Sources

384thbombgroup.com

Date16 Dec 2014 02:41:06
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to mission associations
Sources

www.384thbombgroup.com

Date16 Dec 2014 02:36:48
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to person associations, unit associations and aircraft associations
Sources

www.384thbombgroup.com

Date16 Dec 2014 02:14:56
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to person associations
Sources

MACR 3005

Date16 Dec 2014 02:03:26
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to service number
Sources

MACR 3005

Date27 Sep 2014 18:20:06
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3005, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=…

Merlin Howard Reed: Gallery (5 items)

A B-17 Flying Fortress (BK-H, serial number 42-37781) nicknamed "Silver Dollar" of the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group goes down after losing its tail. Image via Havelaar. Printed caption on reverse: 'Silver Dollar, a Flying Fortress operating from Grafton Underwood, has its complete tail severed during one of the first 8th Air Force raids on Berlin.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Berlin missile, BK-H, Fort goes down.'

Object number: FRE 1282 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (BK-H, serial number 42...

A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 384th Bomb Group falls towards the ground after having its tails shot away during a mission.

Object number: FRE 9709 - A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 384th Bomb Group...

Object number: UPL 29926 - Crew of the Silver Dollar

Object number: UPL 55747 - Merlin Howard Reed

Object number: UPL 7455 - Nose art on 42-37781. Following a routine practice...