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: | 42-5852 |
| Name: | THE NATURAL |
| 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*T |
| Start Date: | 1 April 1943. Original AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 17 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 14 October 1943. Crashed: Crew bailed out on return from combat mission. |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-5852 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-5852 Delivered to Long Beach Army Air Field, California on 22 March 1943. Moved to Sioux City Air Force Base, Iowa on 15 April 1943 [for modification]. Moved to Kearney Army Airfield, Nebraska on 4 May 1943. Moved to Dow Field [Bangor Army Air Field], Maine on 20 May 1943. Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code SO*T, 384th Bombardment Group at Grafton Underwood, Station 106, UK on 24 May 1943. The aircraft received battle damage from enemy aircraft on a mission to Schweinfurt on 14 October 1943. The crew bailed over RAF Oakley and the aircraft crashed at Chetwode, Oxon, UK demolishing two cottages. A Mr. Tew was injured. Pilot Edmund Samuel Goulder, Copilot Ernest Marshall Boyce Jr., Julius S. Schwartz, Togglier Michael Joseph Vodilko, Radio Operator William Francis Sears, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Edward Arthur Thomasson, Ball Turret Gunner Claude Robert Leslie, Waist Gunner Stanley S. Wilson, Waist Gunner Paul Ralph Saunders, Tail Gunner Francis Marvin Seager. The entire crew survived unhurt. The aircraft was salvaged by a Mobile Repair Unit (MRU) on 15 October 1943. Aircraft Name: THE NATURAL |
| 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 | 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 | Completed Mission | Bombed primary target on wing lead. 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 | Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 6⇗ | 4 July 1943 | Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Le Mans, France | Completed Mission | 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 | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 9⇗ | 24 July 1943 | Target: Aluminum & Magnesium Plants Type: Industry Location: Herøya, Norway | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 26 July 1943 | Hamburg, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 15⇗ | 15 August 1943 | Target: Poix-en-Picardie and Amiens-Glisy Airfields Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Poix-de-Picardie & Amiens, France | Completed Mission | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 16⇗ | 16 August 1943 | Target: Le Bourget Airport & Air Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 19 August 1943 | Gilze-Rijn, Holland, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 24 August 1943 | Diversion (Non-Combat) | Returned To Base | LSqLd; Flt Deputy Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 18⇗ | 27 August 1943 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Watten, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 30 August 1943 | Achiet-le-Grand, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Deputy Flt Leader Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 19⇗ | 31 August 1943 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France | Completed Mission | Wing Lead for 41st Combat Bombardment Wing. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 2 September 1943 | Vannes, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 21⇗ | 6 September 1943 | Type: Industry Location: Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | Group deputy. Landed away at Hornchurch, Essex, due to low fuel. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 25⇗ | 23 September 1943 | Target: Submarine Repair Ship Type: Submarine Facility Location: Nantes, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 26 September 1943 | Nantes, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Col. Lacey LdSqLd Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 26⇗ | 27 September 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany | Completed Mission | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 29⇗ | 8 October 1943 | Target: Workshops Type: Submarine Facility Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 13 October 1943 | Emden, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 32⇗ | 14 October 1943 | Target: Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Crashed In Allied Territory | Crew bailed out over England; aircraft crashed near Chetwode, UK on return. Sortie Report ⇗ |