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384th Bombardment Group KEEP THE SHOW ON THE ROAD
![Captain Kelma K. LeMaster of the 384th Bomb Group examines a flak hole in his B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for publication 19 Aug 1943.' [stamp] and '279565.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'BATTERED BUT VICTORIOUS. This is a Flying Fortress that just returned from a mission. Bullets have torn holes in the fuselage and the wings, but the 'plane carried out its mission and the ground crew at the base waited to repair their aircraft. Keystone Photo Shows: Capt Kelma K Le Master of Portland, Oregon, looking at the damaged Fortress, US Pool/ F Keystone.'](http://americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-380231.jpg?itok=QqjVHjaD)
Captain Kelma K. LeMaster of the 384th Bomb Group examines a flak hole in his B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for publication 19 Aug 1943.' [stamp] and '279565.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'BATTERED BUT VICTORIOUS. This is a Flying Fortress that just returned from a mission. Bullets have torn holes in the fuselage and the wings, but the 'plane carried out its mission and the ground crew at the base waited to repair their aircraft. Keystone Photo Shows: Capt Kelma K Le Master of Portland, Oregon, looking at the damaged Fortress, US Pool/ F Keystone.'
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.'
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 384th Bomb Group drop bombs over Dijon. Printed caption on reverse: '50917 AC- Bombs from Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses dropping on Dijon. US Air Force Photo.' Handwritten on reverse: '28/3/44.' - Coded BK-K is B-17G 42-97081 546BS, 384BG.
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 384th Bomb Group fly through flak.
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 384th Bomb Group fly in formation during a mission to Ingolstadt. Official caption printed on image:'(O-384Bi/342. 22_(5 April, 45)(8647-63/8 14,200)(Ingolstadt)(Conf).' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Sgt Davis.'
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-3441) nicknamed "The Spotted Cow", used as the Flight Assembly ship of the 384th Bomb Group. The image appears to have been doctored in order to make the aircraft spotty; a second ghostly B-17 of the 384th is visible through the tail.
A B-17 Flying Fortress (JD-Z, serial number 44-8007) nicknamed "Screaming Eagle" of the 384th Bomb Group.
A flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 384th Bomb Group in formation. Official caption printed on image: '(O-384A-Hi/346. 24)(9 Apr, 45)(8548-63/8 24,700)( Furstenfeldbruck) (Conf).' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'S/Sgt Perpong- Toggelier.'
The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by bombing aircraft assembly plants, ground strafing aircraft and hitting associated industrial sites. The Group were awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations. The first was awarded to the 1st Bomb Division as a whole for flying without fighter protection to bomb aircraft factories at Oschersleben on 11 January 1944. The second was for bravery under fire when leading the 41st Wing on a mission to bomb an aircraft factory and airfield at Oberpfafenhafen, southern Germany, on 24 April 1944.
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
First Commanding Officer of 384th Bomb Group and instigator of the Scouting Force concept, to enable the bomber stream to change course in good time if target area was obscured.
...
Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer; pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Military | Major General | Commanding Officer | 303rd Bomb Group
Commanding officer 384th Bomb Group from 6-Sep-43 to 23-Nov-43 then was given command of the 94th Combat Bomb wing.
...
Military | Colonel | Commander, B-17 Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Commanding Officer
Assumed command of the 384th Bomb Group on 24 October 1944.
10 combat missions with the 384th Bomb Group.
Wing
Group
Squadron
Browse 18th Weather Squadron photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/60
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22 June 1943
The German rubber industry (Chemische Werke Hüls AG) at Marl (district Hüls-Nord), Germany, is the primary objective of this mission and is assigned to the Bomb Groups with the most expericence. Also the industrial area of Antwerp, Belgium is assigned...
23 June 1943
A combined force of 172 B-17s is despatched from 91BG (13); 92BG (14); 303BG (22); 305BG (21); 306BG (22); 351BG (20); 379BG (20); 381BG (22); and 384BG (18). Also 8 YB-40 gunships from 92BG are interspersed in the formation. The intention was for 140...
25 June 1943
This mission was intended to be the first major attack on the industrial area of Hamburg, Germany but weather and contrails made fromation flying too difficult and dangerous. As a result, the main formation 197 B-17s from: 91BG (18); 92BG (23); 303BG ...
26 June 1943
The targets for today are all Luftwaffe installations: the Villacoublay air depot SW of Paris, France is the primary; the airfield at Poissy, France is attacked as the secondary because of cloud cover; the airfield at Tricqueville, France; and the...
28 June 1943
The primary specific target for this mission are the lock gates at St. Nazaire, France to be attacked by two separate formations and also another force is despatched to bomb the German airfield at Beaumon Le Roger, France. A formation of 120 B-17s of...
29 June 1943
1st Bomb Wing despatches two formations: one has the air depot at Villacoublay, France as their primary; and one has the Luftwaffe airfield at Tricqueville, France as their primary.
...
10 July 1943
German airfields at Caen, Abbeville, and Le Bourget at Paris, France are the primary targets for this mission. 112 B-17s form a combined force from 91BG; 92BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG and 381BG to bomb the German airfield (Carpiquet) at Caen, France. Cloud...
14 July 1943
The German air depot at Villacoublay, France and the German airfields Amiens/Glisy and Le Bourget at Paris, France are the primary targets for this mission. These attacks are made by three separate elements: 116 B-17s are despatched from 92BG (15);...
24 July 1943
Three targets in Norway are the primary targets for this first mission flown by 8th AIr Force to Norway. They are the nitrate works at Heroya and the port areas at Trondheim and Bergen. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (22)...
25 July 1943
This mission was composed of three elements. The primary targets were the diesel engine works at Hamburg, Germany; the shipyards at Kiel, Germany and the aircraft industries at Warnemude, Germany, but weather frustrated the effort. The first element...
| Station | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Based | Grafton Underwood | 25 May 1943 – 16 June 1945 |
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 544th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 special Orders #68 dated 29 March 1945 as crew pilot. Eight combat missions.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #29 dated 5 February 1945, Charles Bernard Shuff Crew. 22 combat missions.
Military | First Lieutenant | Co-pilot/Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 545th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #140 dated 17 July 1944, Loren L. Green Crew. 35 combat missions. 7 Air Medals
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #213 dated 28 October 1944 as crew pilot. 33 combat missions.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Military Occupation Specialty 747 - Airplane and Engine Mechanic | 384th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down in B-17 42-29867 on Mission #115, 14 October 1943. Missing Air Crew Report #838. POW
Military | Sergeant | MOS 552, Control Tower Operator | 384th Bomb Group
Reassigned from the 546th Bombardment Squadron to the 33rd Station Complement Squadron on Station 106 Special Orders #106 dated 28 September 1943.
Military | Private | MOS 555 - Sheet Metal Worker | 384th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flexible Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 544th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #42 dated 4 July 1943, Alfred L. Sprague Crew. 25 combat missions.
1st 544th Bomb Squadron crew to finish tour.
Military | Sergeant | Military Occupation Specialty 060-Cook | 384th Bomb Group
Transferred from the 384th Bombardment Group, 545th Bombardment Squadron to the 546th Bombardment Squadron on AAF Station 195 (Istres, France) Special Order# 68 dated 16 October 1945.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned to the 368BS/306BG [BO-G] Westover 25/8/42; Thurleigh 17/9/42; transferred SBA trainer 11/4/43; transferred to the 546th BS, squadron code BK-B, 384th BG, Station 106, Grafton Underwood 23/8/43; transferred to the 545th BS, squadron code JD-B;...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 422BS/305BG [JJ-O] Presque Is 22/9/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/9/42; transferred 547BS/384BG [SO-Y] Grafton Underwood 14/10/43; Missing in Action Ludwigshafen 7/1/44 with Walter Ernest Garner, Co-pilot: Philip Bern, Bombardier: James Daigle,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 422BS/305BG [JJ-T] Syracuse 14/9/42; Grafton Underwood 25/10/42; transferred 546BS/384BG Grafton Underwood [BK-J] 22/9/43; on engine check mission 9/10/43, overshot runway and into a ditch, undercarriage collapsing & blocking nearby road, with...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 423BS/306BG [RD-T] Denver 12/8/42; Thurleigh 18/11/42; transferred 545BS/384BG [JD-O] Grafton Underwood 22/8/43; Missing in Action Leverkusen 1/12/43 with Bruce Sundlun (evaded capture), Bombardier: George Hayes, Ball turret gunner: Harry...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 368BS/306BG [BO-D] New Castle 4/10/42; Thurleigh 26/10/42; transferred 369BS [WW- ]; transferred 544BS/384BG [SU-A] Grafton Underwood 5/9/43; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 15/3/44; Returned to the USA Homestead 14/5/44; Reconstruction Finance...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 365BS/305BG [XK-S] Presque Is 19/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/10/42; transferred 544BS/384BG [SU-J] Grafton Underwood 19/9/43; detailed Bremen 13/11/43 but recalled with Ralph Connell, Co-pilot: Albt Doman, Navigator: Larry Angthius, Bombardier...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 341BS/97BG Polebrook 3/42; with C.J. Paine force landed Presque Is, ME 27/6/42; Bovingdon 8/42, used as ferry navigation a/c; transferred 546BS/384BG [BK-L] Grafton Underwood 4/6/43 as t/t & hack 8/43; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 27/7/44;...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Cheyenne 29/2/44; Gr Island 11/3/44; Bangor 2/4/44; Assigned 547BS/384BG [SO-L] Grafton Underwood 4/4/44; Missing in Action Kiel 22/5/44 with Milton Castleman, Co-pilot: Jack Hickey, Navigator: Gene Hepp, Bombardier: Ron Merkley, Flight engineer/top...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 3/3/44; Kearney 15/3/44; Dow Fd 4/4/44.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 4/3/44; Gr Island 21/3/44; Presque Is 6/4/44; Langford Lodge 7/4/44; Assigned 545BS/384BG [JD-M] Grafton Underwood 15/4/44; Missing in Action Oberpfaffenhofen 24/4/44 with Everett Bailey, Co-pilot: Jim Burry, Bombardier: Jesse...
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 10 April 2015 19:22:55 | EMBLEMHUNTER | Changes to mission associations and media associations |
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my photo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 February 2015 04:29:41 | bombercommand | Changes to commanding officers associations and mission associations |
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384thbombgroup.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 December 2014 02:35:37 | bombercommand | Changes to unit part of associations and mission associations |
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384thbombgroup.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 December 2014 02:16:32 | bombercommand | Changes to unit part of associations and mission associations |
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384thbombgroup.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 December 2014 02:11:51 | bombercommand | Changes to unit part of associations and mission associations |
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384thbombgroup.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 December 2014 23:38:00 | bombercommand | Changes to aircraft types and mission associations |
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384thbombgroup.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 December 2014 23:35:12 | bombercommand | Changes to type, motto and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
384thbombgroup.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:42:45 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980) |
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