V Bomber Command – Numerical Explorations

My uncle was James “Jim” William Jordan who was born on September 5, 1920 and died January 27, 1970 at the relatively young age of 49 years old. He was born in Randolph County Alabama to Charles Webster Jordan and Ida Jane Kenady Jordan. His dad was at the time of his birth a postal clerk and his mother was trained as a school teacher but was a stay at home mom.

In early 1945 my uncle was stationed at Murtha Strip, Mindoro in the Philippines Islands. My uncle was a 2^nd Lt. regular bombardier in a Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber. My uncle was in 1st Lt Robert R. Ferguson’s Aircrew Number 86 in the 530^th Bombardment Squadron of the 380^th Bombardment Group of the 310^th Bomb Wing of the V Bomber Command of the 5^th Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Using the information which I received from the United States Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) Reel B0369 that contains the Histories of the 380^th Bombardment Group for the year 1945 I found mission boards for twelve missions flown by 1st Lt Ferguson in the months April through June 1945. The mission boards are given below:

Mission Board Plate 0273 Mission Board Plate 0292 Mission Board Plate 0308 Mission Board Plate 0329 Mission Board Plate 0346 Mission Board Plate 0354 Mission Board Plate 0476 Mission Board Plate 0501 Mission Board Plate 0643 Mission Board Plate 0661 Mission Board Plate 0681 Mission Board Plate 0701

The following information is from AFHRA Reel A0636A which contains the 530th Bombardment Squadron Histories for June, July and August 1945.

June 1945 Bombing Mission Map Redacted June 1945 Plate 102 Redacted June 1945 Plate 103 June 1945 Plate 104 Overview of Ditching Plate 0030 Redacted June 1945 Plate 105 June 1945 Plate 106 June 1945 Plate 107 June 1945 Plate 108 June 1945 Plate 099 July 1945 plate 231 July 1945 plate 232