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: | 42-97477 |
| Name: | PORKY'S PIG |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Vega Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Corporation, B-17G-15-VE, Natural Metal Finish |
| Squadron: | 545th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 545th‑JD*A |
| Start Date: | 20 January 1944. Transferred: Received from the 457th BG.. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 30 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 24 April 1944. Failed to return from combat operations. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 4348⇓ (9.171 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-97477 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-97477 Del Cheyenne 28/11/43; Kearney 17/12/43; Presque 2/1/44; Ass 457BG Glatton 4/1/44; tran 545BS/384BG [JD-A] Grafton Underwood 20/1/44; MIA Erding 24/4/44 w/Capt Floyd Edwards, cp-Capt Bob Langlois{Gp Ldr}, n-Vern Crist, b-Bill Alles, ettg-Roger Smith, ro-Hugh Hopper, btg-Armando Ordaz, wg-Chester Zink, wg-Warren Folmer, tg-Paul Fleming (10POW); e/a, cr Maulbronn, 19 miles E of Karlsruhe, Ger; MACR 4348. PORKY'S PIG. |
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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 | Low group high Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 57⇗ | 3 February 1944 | Target: Submarines (under construction) Type: Submarine Facility Location: Wilhelmshaven, 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 Squadron deputy, high group, 41st B 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 | Wing deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 60⇗ | 6 February 1944 | Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead, lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 61⇗ | 8 February 1944 | Target: Piston Ring Factory Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 63⇗ | 20 February 1944 | Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany | Completed Mission | 41A Group, High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 64⇗ | 21 February 1944 | Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Werl, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group deputy, 41st B Combat Wing. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 65⇗ | 22 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | 41A Group, Low Squadron Lead. 'Turned back because he could not catch our group and too close to Enemy Territory to keep trying.' Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 66⇗ | 24 February 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead, lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 67⇗ | 25 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | 41C Group, High Squadron Lead, Low Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 68⇗ | 28 February 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France | Completed Mission | Group deputy. A British Army observer and war correspondent, Maj. Anthony Cotterell, flew with this crew. 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 | Flying spare; joined formation for entire mission. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 71⇗ | 4 March 1944 | Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Group lead. 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 | Low Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 74⇗ | 9 March 1944 | Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 75⇗ | 16 March 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31222. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 76⇗ | 18 March 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Completed Mission | 41st Combat Bombardment Wing Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 77⇗ | 19 March 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Wizernes, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 78⇗ | 20 March 1944 | Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Mission Recalled | Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31211. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 79⇗ | 22 March 1944 | Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 80⇗ | 23 March 1944 | Target: Airdrome and Airpark Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Gütersloh, Germany | Completed Mission | Wing deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 81⇗ | 24 March 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 83⇗ | 27 March 1944 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Tours & Chartres, France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 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 | Group deputy. 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 | Completed Mission | Landed away at Attlebridge, Norfolk, on return because of low fuel. 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 | High Squadron deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 88⇗ | 11 April 1944 | Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Sorau, Germany | Completed Mission | Wing deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 92⇗ | 20 April 1944 | Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France | Completed Mission | B Wing, High Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 94⇗ | 24 April 1944 | Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Failed To Return | High composite group lead. Left formation immediately after target and instructed deputy Laboda to take over lead; set course for Switzerland; 4 chutes; e/a, cr Maulbronn (25 miles NW of Stuttgart), Germany. MACR 4348 Sortie Report ⇗ |