384th Bomb Group

Group
The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group. media-395075.jpg FRE 5132 The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5132 - 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.

Commanding Officers

Budd J Peaslee

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 1st Scouting Force Scouting Force (Experimental) (SFX)
  • Service Numbers: O-17061
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Dale Orville Smith

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group Headquarters (384th Bomb Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-19465
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer

Julius Kahn Lacey

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Combat Bomb Wing 303rd Bomb Group Headquarters (384th Bomb Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-18006
  • Highest Rank: Major General
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
Ten men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of a military airplane. Five men standing to the rear and five men sitting in front on top of flying gear.

Theodore R Milton

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group Headquarters (384th Bomb Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-23307
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commander, Pilot

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Grafton Underwood 25 May 1943 - 16 June 1945

Encompassing

People

Ten men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of a military airplane. Five men standing to the rear and five men kneeling in front.

Abraham B Abramowitz

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12145126
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flexible Gunner
Nine men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of a military airplane. Five men standing to the rear and four men kneeling in front.

Albert Bell

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-887078 and/or T-124701
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Radar Navigator / Bombardier

Boxyer

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant

Adrian J Brahler

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant

Albert Brewer

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

41-24507

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yankee Raider
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron

41-24525

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: What's Cookin' Doc
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron

41-24529

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron

41-24557

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Damn Yankee
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron

41-24560

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Little Audrey
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 368th Bomb Squadron 544th Bomb Squadron

Mission

896

  • Date: 19 March 1945
  • Official Description:

672

  • Date: 11 October 1944

590

  • Date: 30 August 1944

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  • Object Number: UPL 32769
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Document 15746

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Document 15747

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  • Object Number: Document 15747
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Document 15764

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  • Object Number: Document 15764
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Document 15934

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UPL 65696

  • Media Type: Document
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Revisions

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384thbombgroup.com

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384thbombgroup.com

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384thbombgroup.com

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384thbombgroup.com

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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)

384th Bomb Group: Gallery (599 items)

Object number: UPL 32769 - The incredible story of the escape from Nazi...

Object number: UPL 63337 - 12 February 2020 interview of 95-year-old WWII...

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.'

Object number: FRE 1282 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (BK-H, serial number 42...

Personnel of the 384th Bomb Group watch a B-17 Flying Fortress take off for a mission. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for Publication 24 Mar 1944.' [stamp], '313399.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 34334. Fortresses take off for Berlin. S&G.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '238112 JD-J.'

Object number: FRE 1283 - Personnel of the 384th Bomb Group watch a B-17...

Personnel of the 384th Bomb Group don their flight gear before a mission to Berlin in their B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for publication 24 Mar 1944.' [stamp] and '313403.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Berlin, 22/3/44, 231740.'

Object number: FRE 1284 - Personnel of the 384th Bomb Group don their flight...

Technical Sergeant John M. Graham, a top turret gunner of the 384th Bomb Group in position inside a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Sport and General.' [stamp], 'CONFIDENTIAL.' [stamp], 'Not to be published 29 Mar 1944.' [stamp], '313397.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: '34332. Tech Serg John M. Graham Top Turret Gunner & Engineer with 33 missions from Wynne, Arkansas. S&G'

Object number: FRE 1285 - Technical Sergeant John M. Graham, a top turret...

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.

Object number: FRE 1286 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-3441)...

German soldiers and civillians inspect a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97372) nicknamed "Booby Trap" that has crashed near Füssen. First handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17G 384BG. Hinter Kaeine, Füssen. 24.4.44.' Second handwritten caption: 'Heur Radinger.' Third handwritten caption: 24/4/44 Nr Füssen by fighters.'

Object number: FRE 1287 - German soldiers and civillians inspect a B-17...

A tail gunner of the 384th Bomb Group in position inside a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'CONFIDENTIAL.' [stamp], 'Not to be published 29 Mar 1944.' [stamp] and '313402.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed.

Object number: FRE 1288 - A tail gunner of the 384th Bomb Group in position...

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.'

Object number: FRE 1290 - B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 384th Bomb Group fly...

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.'

Object number: FRE 1291 - A flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 384th...