42-30037 | American Air Museum

42-30037

Delivered Cheyenne 2/4/43; Casper 4/4/43; Sioux City 13/4/43; Kearney 4/5/43; Dow Fd 24/5/43; Assigned 546BS/384BG [BK-F] Grafton Underwood 29/5/43; Missing in Action Villacoublay 26/6/43 with Lykes Henderson, Co-pilot: Paul Shinsky, Navigator: Claudius Belk, Bombardier: Andy Conway, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ivan Schultz, Radio Operator: Howie Baker, Ball turret gunner: Ralph Hemmick, Waist gunner: Harry McKnight, Waist gunner: George Smith, Tail gunner: Joe Lally (10 Prisoner of War); flak hits then enemy aircraft, crash landed Gouchaupre, nine miles E of Dieppe, Fr. No MACR.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.

384th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

A B-17 Flying Fortress (BK-H, serial number 42-37781) nicknamed "Silver Dollar" of the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group goes down after losing its tail. Image via Havelaar. Printed caption on reverse: 'Silver Dollar, a Flying Fortress operating from Grafton Underwood, has its complete tail severed during one of the first 8th Air Force raids on Berlin.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Berlin missile, BK-H, Fort goes down.'

546th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Howard T Baker

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 16042061
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner

Claudius Earl Belk

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-795180
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator

Andrew Carr Conway

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-734430
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Ralph E Hemmick

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 16093121
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Lykes Shelton Henderson

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-389990
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Aerial photograph of Grafton Underwood airfield looking north east, Geddington village is on the left, 22 April 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC309. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

Grafton Underwood

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Grafton Undermud

Missions

VIII Bomber Command 68

Date: 26 June 1943

Events

Event

Location

Date

Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

26 June 1943

Revisions

Date18 May 2023 01:43:57

Contributoracbernstein1

Changes

Sources

https://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/One384thAircraft.php?Aircraf…

Date14 Dec 2020 22:11:42

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:26

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database