| Serial Number: | 42-102402 |
| Name: | Not Known |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Boeing Airplane Company, B-17G-50-BO, Natural Metal Finish |
| Squadron: | 547th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 547th‑SO*L |
| Start Date: | 4 April 1944. New Replacement AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 10 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 22 May 1944. Failed to return from combat operations. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 4954⇓ (43.748 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-102402 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-102402 Delivered to Cheyenne, Wyoming for modification on 29 February 1944; Grand Island, Nebraska on 11 March 1944; Bangor, Maine on 2 April 1944. Ferried overseas and assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code SO-L, 384th Bombardment Group, station 106, Grafton Underwood, UK on 4 April 1944. The aircraft failed to return from a mission to Kiel, Germany on 22 May 1944. Pilot-Milton Eugene Castleman, co-pilot-Jack Franklin Hickey, navigator-Eugene Francis Hepp, bombardier-Ronald Charles Merkley, engineer/top turret gunner-Howard Orville Stevens, radio operator-John Bethany Hardman, ball turret gunner-Herbert Arno Cook and waist gunner-John Henry Markiewicz were captured and became Prisoners of War (8 POW) Tail gunner-John Gilmore Fitch was Killed in Action The aircraft was attacked by enemy aircraft and, 7 minutes after bombs away, peeled out of formation with two engines feathered, went into a spin and crashed on a farm near Rethwischfeld, 11 miles South West of Lubeck, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) #4954. |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98⇗ | 29 April 1944 | Target: Industrial District Type: Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 101⇗ | 7 May 1944 | Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 102⇗ | 8 May 1944 | Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back at 0815 hrs because pilot became ill. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 103⇗ | 8 May 1944 | Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Sottevast, France | Spare, Completed Mission | Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 10 May 1944 | Ehrang, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Deputy Flt Leader; High Grp A Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 105⇗ | 11 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany | Completed Mission | 41B Group, Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 106⇗ | 12 May 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | High Squadron lead, low group. Turned back at 1025 hrs because ball turret gunner blacked out at 8000 ft. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 107⇗ | 13 May 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory. Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Poznań, Poland | Completed Mission | Low group deputy, 40th CBW. 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, High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 110⇗ | 20 May 1944 | Target: Orly Airport Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France | Completed Mission | Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 111⇗ | 21 May 1944 | Target: NOBALL (Supergun Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Mimoyecques, France | Completed Mission | Group A Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 112⇗ | 22 May 1944 | Target: Warehouse District in the Dock Area Type: Transportation Location: Kiel, Germany | Failed To Return | Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |