SORTIE REPORT #3479
MISSION DATA:
DATE 384th BG Mission # 8th AF Mission # 384th PRIMARY TARGET
1944‑05‑28 118 376 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
The "Grapefruit" Mission: For the second mission of the day - identified as 'Grapefruit Mission' in Group records - the 384th Bombardment Group (H) formed the High Group of the 41st Combat Bombardment Wing, the sole wing comprising Air Task Force 5. This was an experimental attack using first-generation glide bombs. The primary target is identified as 'Railroad Marshaling Yards' or 'Industrial Center of City' in various Group documents. A great deal of practice and experimentation was involved in preparing crews and equipment for this mission. Results were inconclusive; however, it should be noted that the 384th did not repeat an attack of this type again.
SORTIE DATA:
COMBAT CREDIT STATUS TARGET ATTACKED (MODE)
Yes Spare, Completed Mission
Comments: Flying Spare Aircraft. Joined formation.
Primary (Visual)
SORTIE AIRCRAFT DATA:
TYPE SERIAL NUMBER SQUADRON SQ CODE NAME
B-17G 42‑37982 ⇗ 544th SU*K TREMBLING GREMLIN
SORTIE CREW DATA:
POSITION CREWMEMBER UNIT STATUS
Pilot James, Robert Huey⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Co-pilot Rochette, Harold Irving⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Navigator Bronstein, David (NMI)⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Togglier Sarver, Harold Thomas⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Radio Operator Brown, Joe Erwin⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Engineer/Top Turret Shay, James William, Jr⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Ball Turret Smith, Herman Eugene⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Tail Gunner Crofford, Milton (NMI)⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Waist (Flexible) Gunner Cassidy, Michael Joseph⇗ 544 Completed, Uninjured
Sortie Report 3479 provided by 384thBombGroup.com
SortieEngine.php Rev. 3.3.2, 22 June 2022
Report generated: 11 October 2026, 10:19 PM (PDT)
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