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: | 42-5838 |
| Name: | MAD MONEY II |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Vega Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Corporation, B-17F-25-VE, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 547th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 547th‑SO*P |
| Start Date: | 29 May 1943. Original AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 23 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 4 January 1944. Failed to return from combat operations. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 1483⇓ (38.711 MB) B 17F 42-5838 crash landed on Asnæs on 4/1 1944⇗ |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-5838 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-5838 Delivered to Long Beach army Air Field, California on 13 March 1943. Moved to Denver [Lowrey Field], Colorado on 20 March1943. Moved to Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa on 13 April 1943 then to Kearney Army Air Field, Nebraska on 2 May 1943. Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code SO*P, 384th Bombardment Group at Grafton Underwood, Station 106, UK on 29 May 1943. Missing In Action on a mission to Keil, Germany on 4 January 1944 with Pilot William Kaczaraba, Copilot Myron Clinton Morgan, Navigator Marvin Lewis Horsky, Bombardier Theodore Matthew Wirth, Engineer/ Top Turret Gunner John Samuel Honeycutt, Radio Operator Wilbur Allen Peifer, Ball Turret Gunner Solomon Craden, Flexible Gunner Peter Franklin Parker, Flexible Gunner Harry Alexander Gilrane, Tail Gunner George Gibson Polley Jr. ? 10 Prisoner of War. The aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft and crash landed at Asnaes, three miles southwest of Kalunborg, Sjaelland, Denmark. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 1483. MAD MONEY II |
| Bits & Pieces: |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑5849. 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 | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 8⇗ | 14 July 1943 | Target: Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France | Completed Mission | Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5848. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 24 August 1943 | Diversion (Non-Combat) | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 18⇗ | 27 August 1943 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Watten, France | Completed Mission | High Squadron deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 30 August 1943 | Achiet-le-Grand, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 19⇗ | 31 August 1943 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 2 September 1943 | Vannes, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 20⇗ | 3 September 1943 | Target: Air Park and Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 21⇗ | 6 September 1943 | Type: Industry Location: Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | Landed away at Hornchurch, Essex, due to low fuel. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 23⇗ | 9 September 1943 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Lille-Vendeville, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 24⇗ | 16 September 1943 | Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River) Type: Transportation Location: Nantes, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 21 September 1943 | Riems, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 25⇗ | 23 September 1943 | Target: Submarine Repair Ship Type: Submarine Facility Location: Nantes, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 28⇗ | 4 October 1943 | Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 33⇗ | 20 October 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Düren, Germany | Completed Mission | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 34⇗ | 3 November 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Squadron of composite group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 35⇗ | 5 November 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron lead; deputy flight lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 11 November 1943 | Wesel, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| --⇗ | 13 November 1943 | Bremen, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | LdSqLd Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 36⇗ | 16 November 1943 | Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine Type: Industry Location: Knaben, Norway | Completed Mission | Division lead. Salvoed bombs near target (faulty bomb release mechanism). Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 37⇗ | 26 November 1943 | Target: City Center Type: Non-Military Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 38⇗ | 29 November 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 30 November 1943 | Solingen, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Failed to contact wing Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 39⇗ | 1 December 1943 | Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant Type: Industry Location: Solingen, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑39784. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 40⇗ | 5 December 1943 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France | Returned To Base | Flying spare; joined formation for duration of mission. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 41⇗ | 11 December 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany | Returned To Base | Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37848. Because of the delay in changing ships, unable to locate formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 42⇗ | 13 December 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 44⇗ | 20 December 1943 | Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Capt. Frink lead Squadron leader. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 45⇗ | 22 December 1943 | Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Osnabrück, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 49⇗ | 4 January 1944 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Kiel, Germany | Failed To Return | Low Squadron lead. MIA. Damaged by enemy aircraft, crashed near Kalundborg, Denmark; MACR 1483. For details, see A Dying Breed by Neal B. Dillon. Sortie Report ⇗ |