Grafton Underwood, England (Station 106) 1943-1945
Combat History of the 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in WWII
384th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
"Keep The Show On The Road"
| Serial Number: | 42-30033 |
| Name: | LITTLE AMERICA |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Boeing Airplane Company, B-17F-85-BO, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 546th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 546th‑BK*G |
| Ground Crew Chief: | Foster, Ewing H |
| Start Date: | 1 April 1943. Original AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 22 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 1 December 1943. Failed to return from combat operations. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 1335⇓ (5.166 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-30033 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-30033 Delivered to Cheyenne, Wyoming for modification on 2 April 1943; Sioux City, Iowa on 13 April 1943; Kearney, Nebraska on 4 May 1943; Bangor, Maine on 20 May 1943. Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code SO-G, 384th Bombardment Group, station 106, Grafton Underwood, UK on 24 May 1943, then to the 546th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code BK-G. Failed to return from a mission to Leverkusen, Germany on 1 December 1943 with pilot Maj Maurice Stanley Dillingham, co-pilot-Edmund Samuel Goulder, navigator-Arthur Claude Harris, bombardier-William Boomhower, engineer/top turret gunner-Edward Arthur Thomasson, radio operator-William Francis Sears, waist gunner-Paul Ralph Saunders, waist gunner-Michael Joseph Vodilko, tail gunner-Lt Ernest Marshall Boyce Jr (9 Prisoner of War); ball turret gunner-Claude Robert Leslie evaded capture. The ship experienced mechanical problems and crashed at Prum, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) #1335. Aircraft name: LITTLE AMERICA. |
| Bits & Pieces: |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1⇗ | 22 June 1943 | Target: General Motors Truck Factory Type: Industry Location: Antwerp, Belgium | Completed Mission | Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 23 June 1943 | Bernay-Saint-Martin, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 2⇗ | 25 June 1943 | Target: Industrial Area & Submarine Pens Type: Military Location: Hamburg, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Low Squadron deputy. Returned to base due to weather conditions; pilot was unable to maintain contact with the formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 3⇗ | 26 June 1943 | Target: Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France | Completed Mission | Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 4⇗ | 28 June 1943 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Beaumont-le-Roger, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 5⇗ | 29 June 1943 | Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 6⇗ | 4 July 1943 | Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Le Mans, France | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back when ball turret gunner's oxygen valve froze up. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 9 July 1943 | Abbeville, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 7⇗ | 10 July 1943 | Target: Drucat Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Abbeville, France | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Lead Group. Turned back because #1 engine was 'throwing an excessive amount of oil.' Oil was found to contain contaminants (pieces of babbitt metal and bits of safety wire). Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 9⇗ | 24 July 1943 | Target: Aluminum & Magnesium Plants Type: Industry Location: Herøya, Norway | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 10⇗ | 25 July 1943 | Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard Type: Industry Location: Hamburg, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| -- | 26 July 1943 | Hamburg, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 11⇗ | 28 July 1943 | Target: Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 18⇗ | 27 August 1943 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Watten, France | Completed Mission | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 30 August 1943 | Achiet-le-Grand, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | LSqLd Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 19⇗ | 31 August 1943 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron Lead. Turned back; #1 supercharger disintegrated causing loss in manifold pressure. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 2 September 1943 | Vannes, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Capt. Ketelsen Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 20⇗ | 3 September 1943 | Target: Air Park and Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France | Completed Mission | Flight leader Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 21⇗ | 6 September 1943 | Type: Industry Location: Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead. Landed away at West Malling, Kent, due to low fuel. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 22⇗ | 7 September 1943 | Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 23⇗ | 9 September 1943 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Lille-Vendeville, France | Completed Mission | Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 24⇗ | 16 September 1943 | Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River) Type: Transportation Location: Nantes, France | Completed Mission | High Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 21 September 1943 | Riems, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Kelly Deputy Flt Ldr; Keller (CP) Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 25⇗ | 23 September 1943 | Target: Submarine Repair Ship Type: Submarine Facility Location: Nantes, France | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑3441. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 26 September 1943 | Nantes, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Keller (CP) Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 27⇗ | 2 October 1943 | Target: Port Facilities Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany | Completed Mission | Wing Lead. Gen. Robert F Travis, Commander, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing (H), Molesworth, AAF Station 107, was aboard this aircraft as Air Task Force 2 Commander. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 28⇗ | 4 October 1943 | Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 29⇗ | 8 October 1943 | Target: Workshops Type: Submarine Facility Location: Bremen, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 30⇗ | 9 October 1943 | Target: Aircraft Factories Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Anklam, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 31⇗ | 10 October 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Münster, Germany | Completed Mission | Group deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 13 October 1943 | Emden, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Deputy Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 32⇗ | 14 October 1943 | Target: Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back. Landed away at Metfield. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 33⇗ | 20 October 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Düren, Germany | Completed Mission | Group deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| --⇗ | 30 October 1943 | Gelsenkirchen, Germany, RECALLED | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 34⇗ | 3 November 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Group deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 35⇗ | 5 November 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Returned Early | Turned back because of oxygen failure and #3 engine not operating properly; bombed a target of opportunity with unobserved results. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 36⇗ | 16 November 1943 | Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine Type: Industry Location: Knaben, Norway | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 39⇗ | 1 December 1943 | Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant Type: Industry Location: Solingen, Germany | Failed To Return | Group lead; mechanical problems; turned back at 11:30am. Sortie Report ⇗ |