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: | 42-97449 |
| Name: | SWEETHEART |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Vega Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Corporation, B-17G-15-VE, Natural Metal Finish |
| Squadron: | 547th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 547th‑SO*B |
| Start Date: | 21 January 1944. New Replacement AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 39 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 19 July 1944. Failed to return from combat operations. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 7261⇓ (18.533 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-97449 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-97449 Del Denver 18/11/43; Kearney 1/12/43; Presque Is 15/12/43; Ass 547BS/384BG [SO-B] Grafton Underwood 21/1/44; MIA Augsburg 19/7/44 w/Jim Bodker, George Brandon, Albt Steindam, Carlyle Telford, Cyrus Gullekson, Max Hostetler, Henry Chandler, Joda Evans, Warren Robinson (9POW); e/a, cr Mils Inntal, Ger; MACR 7261. CHALLENGER aka SWEETHEART. |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56⇗ | 30 January 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead 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 ⇗ |
| 60⇗ | 6 February 1944 | Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France | Completed Mission | Landed away at Deenethorpe on return. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 62⇗ | 11 February 1944 | Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry) Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 63⇗ | 20 February 1944 | Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany | Completed Mission | 41B Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 64⇗ | 21 February 1944 | Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Werl, Germany | Completed Mission | Assumed position of high Squadron deputy, lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 65⇗ | 22 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | 41B Group. Turned back over Kettering as #3 engine had to be feathered when hit by the horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft in the formation which had collided with a 303rd BG aircraft in mid-air. 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 | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back because of oxygen system damage; filler line on ball turret was torn off. 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 | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 74⇗ | 9 March 1944 | Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑37484. 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 ⇗ |
| -- | 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 | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 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 ⇗ |
| 89⇗ | 13 April 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 92⇗ | 20 April 1944 | Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France | Completed Mission | A Wing, High Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 94⇗ | 24 April 1944 | Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 97⇗ | 27 April 1944 | Target: Toul/Croix de Metz Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 99⇗ | 1 May 1944 | Target: Launch Site in Foret Nationale de Tournehem Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Foret Nationale de Tournehem, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 100⇗ | 4 May 1944 | Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron, composite high group, 94th CBW. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 101⇗ | 7 May 1944 | Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 103⇗ | 8 May 1944 | Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 10 May 1944 | Ehrang, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | High Grp A Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 105⇗ | 11 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany | Completed Mission | 41B Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 107⇗ | 13 May 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory. Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Poznań, Poland | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 108⇗ | 15 May 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Mimoyecques, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 109⇗ | 19 May 1944 | Target: Unidentified Industrial Area Type: Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Group, Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 111⇗ | 21 May 1944 | Target: NOBALL (Supergun Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Mimoyecques, France | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Group A High Squadron Lead. Turned back at 1246 hrs because of an internal failure in #1 engine. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 114⇗ | 24 May 1944 | Target: Unidentified Military Installations Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare aircraft 42‑107057. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 115⇗ | 25 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Sarreguemines and Blainville-sur-l'Eau, France | Completed Mission | 41B Group, High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 116⇗ | 27 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 119⇗ | 29 May 1944 | Target: Focke-Wulf Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Krzesiny District, Poznań, Poland | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 120⇗ | 30 May 1944 | Target: Aircraft Hangars and Repair Sheds Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back at 0926 hrs because radio operator became ill. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 122⇗ | 2 June 1944 | Target: Gun Battery with six 155mm guns, Tactical Support Type: Military Location: Hardelot (5 miles S of Boulogne), France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 125⇗ | 4 June 1944 | Target: Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: Hardelot (Boulogne area), France | Completed Mission | Low Group, Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 126⇗ | 5 June 1944 | Target: Field Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: La Fosse, France | Completed Mission | Lead Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 131⇗ | 8 June 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D) Type: Transportation Location: Orleans, France | Completed Mission | 41C Wing. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 134⇗ | 13 June 1944 | Target: Dreux Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dreux, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 135⇗ | 14 June 1944 | Target: Coulommiers Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Coulommiers, France | Completed Mission | 41D Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 137⇗ | 16 June 1944 | Target: Athies Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Laon, France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 142⇗ | 21 June 1944 | Target: Friedrichstrasse Industrial Area Type: Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Composite High Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 145⇗ | 24 June 1944 | Target: German Vacuum Oil Company Type: Oil Industry Location: Oslebshausen (Bremen area), Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron deputy, high group, 41sr B wing. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 146⇗ | 25 June 1944 | Target: Railroad Bridge & Embankment Type: Transportation Location: Sens, France | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑107064. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 153⇗ | 7 July 1944 | Target: Me-109 Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig, Germany | Completed Mission | High group, 41st A wing. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 154⇗ | 8 July 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Renescure, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron deputy, lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 155⇗ | 11 July 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Munich / München, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Low group flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 157⇗ | 13 July 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Munich / München, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑102500. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 159⇗ | 17 July 1944 | Target: Beautor Bridge Type: Transportation Location: Beautor, France | Completed Mission | Low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 160⇗ | 18 July 1944 | Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Peenemünde & Zinnowitz, Germany | Completed Mission | 41A Group, High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 161⇗ | 19 July 1944 | Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany | Failed To Return | Lead group. Hit by enemy aircraft after bombs away; seen falling back from formation and go into a spin, then pulled up, then went spinning down a second time; belly landed 2 km east of Mils, Austria. MACR 7261 Sortie Report ⇗ |