As Briefed Walter Owens A Family History of the 384th Bomb Group Signed 544th

AS BRIEFED A Family History of the 384th Bomb Group
As Briefed ... A Family History of the 384th Bombardment Group
by Walter Owens

A contemporary, anecdotal history of 384th Bombardment Group Operations, thru post-war European duties. 
The author, a newspaper reporter before the war, served as an intelligence officer with the 384th, debriefing crews returning from missions. This duty gave him broad insight into the operational experiences of combat crews, which are described very effectively.

This is the original first printing 1946

The signature and service numbers belong to Captain Harry Ira Sparrow

Position: He served as a B-17 Navigator during WWII.  Unit: He was assigned to the 544th Bomb Squadron, which was part of the 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy).

O-730457: His original wartime USAAF officer service number (which has been lightly crossed out).

13787A: His post-war regular U.S. Air Force (USAF) officer serial number

As a navigator assigned to the 544th Bomb Squadron of the 384th Bombardment Group, Captain (then-Lieutenant) Harry Ira Sparrow guided several specific B-17 Flying Fortresses. In the Eighth Air Force, combat crews frequently rotated between available aircraft based on maintenance schedules, but records highlight a few primary, distinct aircraft he flew on major missions out of Grafton Underwood:

1. B-17F — SERIAL NO. 42-29733

* Nickname: "Louisiana Purchase"

* Squadron Code: SU-D

* Significance: Sparrow navigated this heavy bomber on a major, high-stakes "maximum effort" daylight bombing raid targeting the port facilities of Bremen, Germany, on December 13, 1943.

2. B-17G — SERIAL NO. 42-39888

* Nickname: "Hotnuts"

* Squadron Code: SU-B

* Significance: He flew multiple strategic missions in this aircraft in early 1944, including dangerous tactical strikes on German "NOBALL" targets (V-1 flying bomb rocket launch sites in occupied France) and massive deep-penetration strikes over Frankfurt, Germany. This incredibly resilient B-17 ultimately went on to survive over 105 combat missions.

3. B-17G — SERIAL NO. 42-39784

* Nickname: "Cabin in the Sky"

* Squadron Code: SU-J

* Significance: Sparrow guided this aircraft through heavy resistance on missions over northwestern German targets like Emden and Bremen during November and December of 1943.

4. B-17F — SERIAL NO. 41-24575

* Nickname: "Sunrise Serenader"

* Squadron Code: SU-J

* Significance: This was one of the early, legendary workhorses of the 384th Bomb Group. Sparrow and his crew flew it on several missions in October and November of 1943, including an intense flight to Wilhelmshaven where the group faced harrowing mechanical trials and fuel shortages.