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: | 42-38112 |
| Name: | MRS GEEZIL |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, B-17G-30-DL, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 545th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 545th‑JD*J |
| Start Date: | 10 February 1944. New Replacement AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 19 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 13 April 1944. Failed to return from combat operations. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 3869⇓ (24.961 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-38112 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-38112 Del Denver 18/12/43; Kearney 31/12/43; Presque Is 20/1/44; Nutts Corner, Belfast, N.I. 27/1/44; ass 545BS/384BG [JD-J] Grafton Underwood 10/2/44; MIA Schweinfurt 13/4/44 w/Ed Fioretti, n-Sam Merlo, b-Leon Griffith, wg-Don Vorisek, wg-Phil Chaperon, tg-Joe Ranchunas (6POW); cp-Sid Bush, ettg-Walter Stuhl, ro-Cecil Morton, btg-Chas Eyre (4KIA); e/a, exploded on way down, cr Schlierbach, nr Lindenfels, 16 miles NE of Darmstadt, Ger; MACR 3869. |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63⇗ | 20 February 1944 | Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany | Completed Mission | 41A Group, Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 64⇗ | 21 February 1944 | Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Werl, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 65⇗ | 22 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | 41A Group, High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 66⇗ | 24 February 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 67⇗ | 25 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | 41C Group, Lead Squadron, Lead Group. During assembly, forced out of the 41st Combat Wing while avoiding collision wih another aircraft; joined the 41st Composite Wing and completed the mission. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 68⇗ | 28 February 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France | Completed Mission | Group lead. Gen. Robert F Travis, Commander, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy), Molesworth, England, flew aboard this aircraft as Flight Leader. 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 | Low group, low Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 71⇗ | 4 March 1944 | Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Group deputy. Turned back at 1048 hrs over enemy territory because #1, #2, and #3 engines were smoking very badly after pulling excessive manifold pressure for 30 minutes; aircraft was vibrating very badly. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 72⇗ | 6 March 1944 | Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Low Squadron lead, high group, 40th Composite Combat Bomb Wing. 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 | Returned Early | Turned back when oxygen system had been shot out by flak; dropped bombs and 25 parcels of 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) on TOO near Lingen, Germany, with 'poor' results. 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 | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 78⇗ | 20 March 1944 | Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Mission Recalled | High Squadron deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 79⇗ | 22 March 1944 | Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron lead, low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 81⇗ | 24 March 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 82⇗ | 26 March 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Le Grismont, Rebecques, France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 83⇗ | 27 March 1944 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Tours & Chartres, France | Completed Mission | 94 Group, High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 84⇗ | 28 March 1944 | Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dijon, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 85⇗ | 29 March 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany | Completed Mission | Landed away at Nuthampstead, due to weather. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 31 March 1944 | Ludwigshaven, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 86⇗ | 9 April 1944 | Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Marienburg, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Low Squadron lead, low group. Turned back at 1013 hrs; could not locate formation due to bad weather. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 87⇗ | 10 April 1944 | Target: Evere Airfield (50°54'3"N 4°20'9"E) Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 12 April 1944 | Schweinfurt, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 89⇗ | 13 April 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Failed To Return | Shot down during fighter attacks which lasted from 1354 to 1357 hrs; crashed near Lindenfels, Germany. MACR 3869 Sortie Report ⇗ |