Dale Orville Smith - Commanding Office

Colonel Dale Orville Smith Commanding Officer Nov. 1943 - Oct. 1944 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) Serial Nr O-19465 Missions credited - 25 Flew 24 missions as Commander, and one mission as Tail Gunner. Colonel Dale Orville Smith was the third commanding officer of the 384th Bomb Group, and assumed command of the group on November 23, 1943. Smith flew 24 combat missions with the 384th as a commander, one combat mission as a tail gun...

The 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on December 1, 1942, at Gowen Field, Idaho. It trained in Wendover, Utah, and Sioux City, Iowa, before deploying to Grafton Underwood Airfield, England in May 1943. Combat operations in the European Theatre of Operations began on 22nd June 1943, with the final mission coming on 25th April, 1945. The group became part of the 41st Combat Bombardment Wing of the 1st Air Division and was assigned the Triangle-P tail code.

The 384th Bombardment Group Museum project is entirely self-funded and relies on donations and funds raised through our own activities. As a purely voluntary organisation, we supply the time and effort – we always need help with finance and materials.

Can you help us by donating to help the project grow? Your support helps preserve the legacy of the brave American airmen who served at RAF Grafton Underwood during World War II.