| Serial Number: | 42-98000 |
| Name: |
FIGHTIN' HEBE This aircraft was named after Nathan 'Mike' Mazer, 544th Ordnance Officer. It was intended as a recognition of his fighting spirit, and he was quite proud of it. |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Vega Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Corporation, B-17G-40-VE, Natural Metal Finish |
| Squadron: | 544th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 544th‑SU*J |
| Start Date: | 15 July 1944. New Replacement AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 54 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 8 January 1945. Failed to return from combat operations. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 11579⇓ (6.117 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-98000 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-98000 Del Dallas 27/4/44; Hunter 7/6/44; Dow Fd 27/6/44; Ass 544BS/384BG [SU-J] Grafton Underwood 15/7/44; MIA Kyllburg, Ger 8/1/45 w/John DeFrancesco, Bob Simmons, Lynwood dann, Homer Lott, John Williams, Ira Bias, Chas Doleshal, Gordon Reed (8POW); Harmon Hastings (KIA); flak, cr Rochefort, Fr; MACR 11579. FIGHTIN' HEBE. |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 161⇗ | 19 July 1944 | Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Lead group. Turned back due to low oxygen pressure. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 162⇗ | 20 July 1944 | Target: Aircraft Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Dessau, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Group Lead. On the bomb run, hit by flak in #4 engine; had to jettison bomb load to stay in formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 174⇗ | 7 August 1944 | Target: Aircraft Fuel Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dugny (Paris), France | Completed Mission | Lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 177⇗ | 11 August 1944 | Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements Type: Military Location: Brest, France | Completed Mission | High section lead, high group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 179⇗ | 13 August 1944 | Target: Tactical: Road Network Type: Transportation Location: Beaumont-le-Roger (area), France | Completed Mission | High group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 180⇗ | 14 August 1944 | Target: Echterdingen Airdrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 181⇗ | 16 August 1944 | Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Delitzsch, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron deputy, high group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 182⇗ | 18 August 1944 | Target: Tactical: Bridge Type: Transportation Location: Vise, Belgium | Completed Mission | Lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 183⇗ | 24 August 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 186⇗ | 30 August 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Crepieul, France | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑102566. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 1 September 1944 | Ludwigshaven, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 187⇗ | 3 September 1944 | Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 188⇗ | 5 September 1944 | Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Hot camera ship, low Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 189⇗ | 8 September 1944 | Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 190⇗ | 9 September 1944 | Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 194⇗ | 13 September 1944 | Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 198⇗ | 25 September 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | C Wing, lead Squadron. Aborted due to personnel illness. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 199⇗ | 26 September 1944 | Target: Steelworks Type: Industry Location: Osnabrück, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 200⇗ | 27 September 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points) Type: Transportation Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Completed Mission | High group hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 202⇗ | 30 September 1944 | Target: Handorf Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Münster, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 203⇗ | 2 October 1944 | Target: Ford Motor Works Type: Industry Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Completed Mission | Dropped bombs early, reason unknown. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 204⇗ | 3 October 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Wesseling, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 205⇗ | 5 October 1944 | Type: Industry Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 207⇗ | 7 October 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Leipzig, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Lead Squadron flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 208⇗ | 9 October 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 209⇗ | 11 October 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Wesseling, Germany | Completed Mission | Third Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 210⇗ | 14 October 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Saarbrücken, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 211⇗ | 15 October 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 212⇗ | 17 October 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 214⇗ | 19 October 1944 | Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory Type: Industry Location: Mannheim, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 215⇗ | 25 October 1944 | Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Fourth Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 216⇗ | 30 October 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 219⇗ | 4 November 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 220⇗ | 5 November 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 221⇗ | 6 November 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 222⇗ | 8 November 1944 | Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point) Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 223⇗ | 9 November 1944 | Target: Ground Installations Type: Military Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 224⇗ | 10 November 1944 | Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | 41D Squadron. Replaced by Ground Spare aircraft 44‑8409. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 225⇗ | 11 November 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 226⇗ | 16 November 1944 | Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions Type: Military Location: Eschweiler, Germany | Completed Mission | Hot camera ship. Landed away at Stratford, due to weather. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 227⇗ | 20 November 1944 | Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 228⇗ | 23 November 1944 | Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G. Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 229⇗ | 25 November 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Lützkendorf, Germany | Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed | Low Squadron Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 230⇗ | 26 November 1944 | Target: Railroad Viaduct Type: Transportation Location: Altenbeken, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 232⇗ | 29 November 1944 | Target: Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Misburg, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 233⇗ | 30 November 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Zeitz, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 234⇗ | 2 December 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 235⇗ | 4 December 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Soest, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 236⇗ | 6 December 1944 | Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 237⇗ | 9 December 1944 | Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 238⇗ | 11 December 1944 | Target: Road & Rail Bridge Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 239⇗ | 12 December 1944 | Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron hot camera ship Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 240⇗ | 18 December 1944 | Target: Road Junction Type: Transportation Location: Gemünd, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 241⇗ | 19 December 1944 | Target: Railway Junction Type: Transportation Location: Glaadt, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Did not take off due to weather which deteriorated after lead aircraft took off. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 242⇗ | 23 December 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Ehrang, Germany | Completed Mission | Landed away at Eye due to weather. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 243⇗ | 24 December 1944 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Kirch Göns, Germany | Completed Mission | Took off from Eye Airfield, AAF Station 134 (was unable to return to GU after prior day's mission due to weather), and flew the mission with the 490th BG, attacking their assigned primary target. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 244⇗ | 27 December 1944 | Target: Bridge (Tactical) Type: Transportation Location: Altenahr, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 245⇗ | 28 December 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Brühl, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 246⇗ | 30 December 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Limburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 247⇗ | 31 December 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Neuss, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 249⇗ | 2 January 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Gerolstein, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 252⇗ | 7 January 1945 | Target: Enemy Strong Point Type: Military Location: Blankenheim, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 253⇗ | 8 January 1945 | Target: Railroad Type: Transportation Location: Kyllburg, Germany | Failed To Return | MIA. Prior to the IP at 1022 hrs, this aircraft was observed slowing up and dropping behind formation. It was then lost to view in contrails. Flak damaged one or more engines. Crashed near BAASEM, Germany. MACR 11579 Sortie Report ⇗ |