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: | 42-37885 |
| Name: |
MRS. F.D.R. / FROSTIE This aircraft bore the name "MRS. F.D.R." while with the 544th, and "FROSTIE" while with the 545th. |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, B-17G-15-DL, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 544th, 545th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: |
544th‑SU*L (through 1944-03-28) 545th‑JD*D (through 1944-04-24) |
| Start Date: | 22 November 1943. New Replacement AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 20 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 24 April 1944. Failed to return from combat operations. |
| Comments: | Transferred from the 544th to the 545th in early April 1944. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 4287⇓ (7.504 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-37885 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-37885 Del Denver 2/10/43; Gr Island 22/10/43; ass 544BS/384BG [SU-L] Grafton Underwood 22/11/43 as MRS F. D. R.; then 545BS [JD-D]; MIA Erding 24/4/44 w/Virgil Broyhill, cp-Albt Burns, n-Guy Earle, b-Jim Grauer, ettg-Sam Duncan, ro-Frank Pizzi, btg-Guiseppe Piemonte, wg-Arnold Massengale, wg-John Wilkins, tg-Jim Robertson{wia} (10INT); flak damaged three engines before f/l Dubendorf, Switz; MACR 4287. FROSTIE. |
| Research Notes: | Photos show this aircraft after assignment to the 545th with squadron code JD*D, while the formation chart, 'J' Form, and TO&L Form for the 28 April 1944 mission lists it as JD*G. |
| (more...) | |
| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39⇗ | 1 December 1943 | Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant Type: Industry Location: Solingen, Germany | Returned Early | Flying Spare; joined formation; turned back over enemy territory due to a cracked cylinder head on #4 engine.
FLIGHT TIME 6:00 Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 42⇗ | 13 December 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 43⇗ | 16 December 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 44⇗ | 20 December 1943 | Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 45⇗ | 22 December 1943 | Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Osnabrück, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 46⇗ | 24 December 1943 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Croisette, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 47⇗ | 30 December 1943 | Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Composite Squadron; aborted because pilot's oxygen system was out of order; 42x65 M47A1s rtd Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 48⇗ | 31 December 1943 | Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship) Type: Transportation Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by ??????. Excessive RPM drop on magneto check. Scheduled to lead the Group with Capt Frink as Air Commander; Frink transferred to the Price ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 49⇗ | 4 January 1944 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Kiel, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Apparently did not take off due to 'technical failures.' Bomb load was 'Nickles' (propaganda leaflets). Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 51⇗ | 7 January 1944 | Target: Powerhouse Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 54⇗ | 21 January 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France | Completed Mission | 41A Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 24 January 1944 | Frankfurt am Main, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | A Grp Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 55⇗ | 29 January 1944 | Target: Aircraft Parts Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Lead group. Turned back over Lutterworth at 0922 hrs due to drop in pressure in oxygen system from 375 lbs to 225 lbs. 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 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 | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 60⇗ | 6 February 1944 | Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 61⇗ | 8 February 1944 | Target: Piston Ring Factory Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron. Carried 24 parcels of G-25 nickles (propaganda leaflets) plus 6x500GP bombs; all dropped on target. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 62⇗ | 11 February 1944 | Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry) Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 63⇗ | 20 February 1944 | Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | 41A Group. Turned back; waist gunner's heated suit failed. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 65⇗ | 22 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | 41A Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 66⇗ | 24 February 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron, lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 67⇗ | 25 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | 41A Group, Ground Spare aircraft. Replaced 42‑31211. 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 | 8:50 FLIGHT TIME Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 70⇗ | 3 March 1944 | Target: Roller-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back because oil pressure dropped on #3 engine, requiring it to be feathered immediately. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 78⇗ | 20 March 1944 | Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Mission Recalled | FLIGHT TIME 6:30 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 | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑37789. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 81⇗ | 24 March 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 83⇗ | 27 March 1944 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Tours & Chartres, France | Completed Mission | 94 Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 84⇗ | 28 March 1944 | Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dijon, France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 94⇗ | 24 April 1944 | Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Failed To Return | Though not observed leaving formation, this aircraft made a forced landing at Dubendorf, Switzerland. MACR 4287 Sortie Report ⇗ |