At Grafton Underwood, Delbert was a defiant spirit; he was famously court-martialed for "committing a public nuisance" against the airmen’s shoes, yet he was found not guilty even as he barked through the trial, and committed the offense again after the verdict was read. 

Delbert’s other pastimes included herding cows, drinking chemically-treated footbaths, getting quilled by hedgehogs, and sitting in the middle of the road and not moving, even when two-ton trucks were barreling towards him. This caused him to get hit by a truck one day. While the Group’s doctors were able to save him, his legs were never straight again. Although he was often a nuisance, Delbert was deeply cared for by the men. This was clear when a mess officer threatened Delbert, and 2nd Lt. Donald MacKenzie⇗ (Co-Pilot) immediately pulled his .45 and threatened the officer in return. Colonel Budd Peaslee even intervened this day on Delbert’s behalf. 

The war soon took its toll on the dogs, just as it did the men. When Delbert’s original crew were shot down over Schweinfurt on August 17, 1943, his behavior shifted, and he became more erratic. Though he was taken in by 2nd Lt. Thomas Jefferson Estes⇗ (Pilot), Delbert continued to return to his old barracks, waiting for his friends who would never return. He was adopted by a woman from the Red Cross about a week later, and never seen again. Delbert was later succeeded by Delbert McNasty II, of the 547th Bomb Squadron. 

Similarly, the loss of Dempsey, the personal dog of 2nd Lt. Nathan Mazer (Ordnance Officer)⇗, highlighted the fragile nature of these bonds. Following an emergency landing that forced the entire crew to spend the night away from Grafton Underwood, Mazer returned the next day to find that his beloved Dempsey had been stolen. The losses of the dogs weighed just as much on the men as the losses of their fellow crewmates.

On May 5, 1944, a dog had puppies in the safety of the officers club. A few months later, on October 24, 1944, Lt. Col. Theodore Ross Milton⇗, the Group's 7th Commanding Officer, took over command from Col. Dale Smith⇗. Lt. Col. Milton also had a beloved dog, whose name and origin remains unknown at this time. 

Even as the war shifted and the Group moved to Istres, France, the presence of dogs remained constant. English Boxer, Mike, made the move with the Group from England to France. In the book, Memories of the 384th Bombardment Group by Ken Decker, S/Sgt. Henry Ray Heckman⇗ (Power Turret and Gunsight Mechanic) described Mike as "truly [his] fondest memory." Mike was purchased by M/Sgt. John Robert Hoggatt⇗ (Crew Chief) for £20. A KP even stole a case of corned beef on Mike's behalf after being paid a whole £1 by John. After the war, Mike was shipped home to live with John, and actually arrived home before John did. 

The relocation to Istres was a chaotic transition, but the men also befriended local dogs in their new surroundings. Just as they had in England, these new companions provided a much-needed sense of stability amidst the chaos of the move. Whether in the mud at Grafton Underwood, or on the airfields of France, the "canine crew" continued to offer familiarity and comfort to the men.