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: | 42-31375 |
| Name: | Not Known |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Boeing Airplane Company, B-17G-15-BO, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 546th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 546th‑BK*S |
| Ground Crew Chief: | Priesnitz, Frank Joseph, Jr |
| Start Date: | 21 January 1944. New Replacement AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 23 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 11 April 1944. Failed to return from combat operations: MIA 4/11/44 mission to Sorau, Germany. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 3820⇓ (21.642 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-31375 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-31375 Del Cheyenne 27/10/43; Ass 546BS/384BG [BK-S] Grafton Underwood 21/1/44; MIA Stettin 11/4/44 w/John Rich, cp-George Wehry, ettg-Howard Eklund, ro-Henry Montagne, btg-Norman Henken, wg-Prescilliano Herrera, wg-Julius Zee, tg-Nelson Bishop (8POW); n-John Indest, b-Bill Marvin (2KIA); flak blew off nose section killing N & B, cr Bokensdorf, 20 miles NW of Helmstedt Afd, nr Brunswick; MACR 3820. |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55⇗ | 29 January 1944 | Target: Aircraft Parts Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 57⇗ | 3 February 1944 | Target: Submarines (under construction) Type: Submarine Facility Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 58⇗ | 4 February 1944 | Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | High group, 41st A Combat Wing. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 59⇗ | 5 February 1944 | Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Orleans, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 60⇗ | 6 February 1944 | Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead, low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 61⇗ | 8 February 1944 | Target: Piston Ring Factory Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed | Flying Spare. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 62⇗ | 11 February 1944 | Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry) Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back at 1000 hrs because flight engineer became unconscious from anoxia and 'bends', requiring immediate medical attention. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 63⇗ | 20 February 1944 | Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany | Completed Mission | 41A Group, High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 64⇗ | 21 February 1944 | Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Werl, Germany | Completed Mission | Released 25 parcels of G-27 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) and six 500-pound general-purpose bombs on the target. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 65⇗ | 22 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany | Completed Mission | 41B Group. Landed away at RAF Gosfield, Essex, on return. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 66⇗ | 24 February 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron deputy, low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 67⇗ | 25 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | 41A Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 69⇗ | 2 March 1944 | Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 70⇗ | 3 March 1944 | Target: Roller-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 71⇗ | 4 March 1944 | Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 72⇗ | 6 March 1944 | Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 73⇗ | 8 March 1944 | Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | After initial (unspecified) engine trouble, took off late, caught up with formation, and flew mission. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 74⇗ | 9 March 1944 | Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 75⇗ | 16 March 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 76⇗ | 18 March 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 77⇗ | 19 March 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Wizernes, France | Spare, Completed Mission | Flying spare; joined formation, but did not drop bombs because there was an aircraft below him. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 78⇗ | 20 March 1944 | Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 79⇗ | 22 March 1944 | Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | High Squadron, composite high group. Turned back at 1142 hrs because of excessive vibrations and loss of power in #2 engine. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 81⇗ | 24 March 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 84⇗ | 28 March 1944 | Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dijon, France | Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 85⇗ | 29 March 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron deputy. Landed away at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, due to weather. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 86⇗ | 9 April 1944 | Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Marienburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Landed away at Horsham St. Faith, Norfolk, on return due to low fuel. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 88⇗ | 11 April 1944 | Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Sorau, Germany | Failed To Return | Suffered a direct hit by flak that blew off plexiglass nose of aircraft at 1111 hrs; aircraft started descending under control; 7 chutes observed; aircraft seen to land in a river, but actually crashed in a forested area just north of Bokensdorf, Germany. MACR 3820 Sortie Report ⇗ |