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 2025, 11:19 AM (PDT)
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