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"
| Mission Date | 24 February 1944 |
| Eighth Air Force Operations | Operations description not yet available. |
| Mission |
384th BG Mission Number 66, Eighth AF Force Mission Number 233
Big Week, Day Five The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided two formations for today's mission. The main formation of group size flew as the lead group of the 41st 'Regular' Combat Bombardment Wing. The second formation, consisting of two squadrons, combined with a squadron from the 303rd BG to form the composite low group of the same combat wing. The weather cooperated, with CAVU conditions over the target area. A smoke screen did not hide the target very well, and, in fact, helped the bombardiers identify and confirm the target location! Bombing was by visual aiming and results were good.
|
| Primary Target |
Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany |
| Target Attacked (Mode) | Primary (Visual) |
| Sortie/Aircraft Summary |
Completed Mission, not including spares - 27 Aborted - 5 |
| Mission Personnel | Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗ |
| Mission Documents | Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗ |
| Other Mission Documents | 1944-02-24, Wing Lead, T. Beckett, J. Merritt⇗ |
| Aircraft | Pilot | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41‑24560⇗ | Knapp, Paul Bernard⇗ | Completed Mission | High Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 41‑24578⇗ | Smith, Harry Bailey⇗ | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Lead Squadron, low group. Turned back because #2 supercharger ran away and engine began losing oil and smoking; could not be feathered. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑3259⇗ | Laboda, Joseph Stanley⇗ | Completed Mission | High Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑3440⇗ | Clayton, John Earl⇗ | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Lead Squadron, lead group. Flying spare; aborted; took off one hour late and could not catch formation. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑3490⇗ | Lecates, Robert Leslie⇗ | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron, lead group. Aircraft and crew supplied by the 482nd BG at Alconbury for PFF bombing. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑29632⇗ | Hines, James Wesley⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron deputy, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑29717⇗ | Larsen, Jack Kirby⇗ | Completed Mission | High Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑29809⇗ | Briley, Scott Andrew⇗ | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | High Squadron deputy, lead group. Turned back at 0950 hrs because of a sheared fuel transfer selector valve shaft. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑29828⇗ | Heffley, Farris Ormond⇗ | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back at 1137 hrs because ball turret oxygen system hose broke after catching under electrical conduit elbow; later, flexible filler hose got caught in turret gears and entire system went out. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑29927⇗ | Bennett, Phillip Nathan⇗ | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron, low group SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑30026⇗ | Rich, John (NMI)⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, low group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31058⇗ | Decker, Charles Edgar⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, low group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31166⇗ | Yelvington, Melton Albert⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31235⇗ | Merritt, James Melvin⇗ | Completed Mission | Wing lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31346⇗ | Goller, Theodore (NMI)⇗ | Completed Mission | Wing deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31364⇗ | Morrison, Donald Sylvester⇗ | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31375⇗ | Courtemanche, Ralph Eudor⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron deputy, low group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31433⇗ | Stearns, Clarence Grover⇗ | Completed Mission | Low group lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31484⇗ | Jones, William Arch⇗ | Completed Mission | High Squadron lead, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31495⇗ | Booska, Maurice Arthur⇗ | Completed Mission | Wing deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31871⇗ | Smith, Roger Clement⇗ | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron, low group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑31926⇗ | Pryor, Raymond Thomas⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37785⇗ | Allison, Earl Thomas⇗ | Completed Mission | High Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37792⇗ | Reed, Merlin Howard⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, low group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37848⇗ | MacPhail, Philip Ray⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead, low group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37885⇗ | West, George Berry⇗ | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑37974⇗ | Poole, George Irvin⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑38014⇗ | Miller, James Gilmore⇗ | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Low Squadron, low group. Turned back at 1125 hrs when #4 engine began throwing out dense black smoke. It was ruled that the abort was not justified: the pilot was relieved (returned to co-pilot duty). SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑38112⇗ | Cosentino, George (NMI)⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑39888⇗ | Foster, James Everett⇗ | Completed Mission | High Squadron, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑39991⇗ | Corcoran, John Joseph⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, low group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |
| 42‑97477⇗ | Bedsole, Joseph Linyer⇗ | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead, lead group. SORTIE REPORT ⇗ |