B-24 Liberator
Consolidated B-24D-1-CO #41-23711 "Jerks Natural" of the 328th BS, 93rd BG, 8th AF at RAF Alconbury, England, 1942. This aircraft flew the Aug. 1, 1943, Ploesti mission, diverting to Sicily. A/C was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. 9 KIA 1 POW MACR 3301.
A B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-23711) nicknamed "Jerk's Natural" of the 93rd Bomb Group.
Assigned to 328th BS, 93rd BG, 8th AF, TDY 9th Benghazi, Libya. This aircraft flew the Aug. 1, 1943, Ploesti mission, diverting safely to Sicily. A/C was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. 9 KIA 1 POW MACR 3301.
Group
93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1-March-1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15-May-1942 the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida to continue advanced flight training and also to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; they...
Squadron
Misc
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | 93rd Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Crew member of B-24 #41-23711 'Jerks Natural', flew on Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 43. 'Jerks Natural' was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. KIA. MACR 3301.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Crew member of B-24 #41-23711 'Jerks Natural', flew on Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 43. 'Jerks Natural' was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. KIA. MACR 3301.
Military | Captain | Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
Flew as pilot of B-24 #41-23711 'Jerks Natural' on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti raid, diverted safely to Sicily. Shot down 20th Dec 43 on a mission to Bremen in B-24 #42-40133. Killed in Action (KIA).
DFC/ Oak Leaf Cluster
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Crew member of B-24 #41-23711 'Jerks Natural', flew on Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 43. 'Jerks Natural' was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. KIA. MACR 3301.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 93rd Bomb Group
Bombardier of B-24 #41-23711 'Jerks Natural', flew on Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 43. 'Jerks Natural' was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. KIA. MACR 3301.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Crew member of B-24 #41-23711 'Jerks Natural', flew on Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 43. 'Jerks Natural' was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. KIA. MACR 3301.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 93rd Bomb Group
Crew member of B-24 #41-23711 'Jerks Natural', flew on Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 43. 'Jerks Natural' was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. KIA. MACR 3301.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
Pilot of B-24 #41-23711 'Jerks Natural', flew on Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 43. 'Jerks Natural' was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. KIA. MACR 3301.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 93rd Bomb Group
Navigator of B-24 #41-23711 'Jerks Natural', flew on Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 43. 'Jerks Natural' was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. POW. MACR 3301.
...
1 August 1943
Operation TIDAL WAVE. B24D Liberators attack the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. The bombers flew low to avoid radar detection and dropped time delayed bombs. Out of the 177 B24Ds that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57...
Military site : airfield
Alconbury had been constructed as a satellite airfield for RAF Upwood and Wyton and was used by RAF Squadrons: Nos. 15, 40 and 156. In preparation for the arrival of American heavy bombers, the base was developed in 1942 with the runways extended. When...
Military site : airfield
Planned as an RAF bomber airfield, Hardwick was used first by the 310th Bomb Group, equipped with B-25 Mitchells. In December 1943, the B-24 Liberators of the 93rd Bomb Group moved in, and remained until the end of the war, flying over 330 missions....
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Survived Ploesti | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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Flew the Aug. 1, 1943, Ploesti mission, diverting safely to Sicily. |
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| Failed to Return (FTR) | Yugoslavia | 1 October 1943 |
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A/C was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on October 1st, 1943. 9 KIA 1 POW MACR 3301. |
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| Assigned | Benghazi, Libya | |
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328th BS, 93rd BG, 8th AF, TDY 9th. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 12 February 2018 11:03:05 | Lucy May | Changes to place associations |
| Sources | ||
Took off from Hardwick on 1 Oct 1943 mission: https://www.fold3.com/image/28650502 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 July 2015 09:46:11 | jrugman | Changes to markings and person associations |
| Sources | ||
Page 69, The Mighty Eighth in Color, Roger Freeman |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 April 2015 21:06:38 | Al_Skiff | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 3301 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 April 2015 18:18:03 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number and nicknames |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 3301 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 April 2015 17:51:15 | Al_Skiff | Changes to description, events, unit associations, person associations, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 3301 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 3301 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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