8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator bomber, SN #41-23778 named 'Lady Luck' and renamed from 'Jenny' - Survived Operation Tidal Wave over Ploesti Romania, August 1, 1943.
'Lady Luck' was in the 8th Air Force, the 44th Bomb Group, and the 66th Bombing Squadron in Britain in 1942. It was temporarily attached to 9th AF for the 1st Aug 1943 Ploesti oil refinery raid and returned to Libya. Flown by the Lt. Rocco Curelli crew, 'Lady Luck' was shot down over Foggia, Italy, by enemy fighters near Ruoti, Italy. Aug 16, 1943. - ITA - MACR 3150
AC Failed to Return - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields while on TDY to the 9th Air Force. Shot down by enemy fighters near Ruoti, Italy. Pilot Rocco A. Curelli. - 9 KIA, 1 POW. Aug. 16, 1943. MACR 2141/3150.
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
Squadron
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator;Top Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778. 29 x combat missions. ETD.
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Staff Sargent John Raymond Barcus was a waist gunner on the B-24D SN #41-23778 - 'Lady Luck' Assigned to the 66th Bomb Squadron, the 44th Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force. He flew on the Ploesti raid as part of Lt. Felber's crew, on temporary...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator; Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778.
Completed 28 missions.
Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Pilot 2nd/Lt. Rocco A. Curelli, KIA
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Attack on Foggia airfields under TDY to the 9th AAF. KIA in 41-23778 'Lady Luck' Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 2141/3150
Awards: AM,PH.
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778 'Lady Luck'. 25 x combat missions. Moved up to Group Operations. ETD.
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Attack on Foggia airfields under TDY to the 9th AAF. KIA in 41-23778 'Lady Luck' Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 2141/3150
Awards: PH.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778. 10 x combat missions.
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medals.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Attack on Foggia airfields under TDY to the 9th AAF. POW in 41-23778 'Lady Luck' Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 2141/3150
Awards: PH.
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778. 31 x combat missions. ETD
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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 B-24s that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57 B...
Event | Location | Date |
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Manufactured | willow run, Ypsilanti, ME | 1943 |
Built at Consolidated. |
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Assigned | Benghzi, Libya | 1 August 1943 |
Temporary attachment to 9th AF for Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned to Libya. |
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Failed to Return (FTR) | 85056 Ruoti PZ, Italy | 16 August 1943 |
Failed to Return - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields whilst on TDY to the 9th AF. Pilot Rocco A Curelli. 9 KIA, 1 POW, A/C shot down by enemy fighters near Ruoti, Italy, Aug. 16, 1943. MACR 2141/3150. |
Date | Contributor | Update |
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22 February 2021 01:53:47 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
Sources | ||
B-24 - Best Web - 'Lady luck' - SN # 41-23778 |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
22 February 2021 01:10:12 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames and description |
Sources | ||
B-24 - Best Web - 'Lady luck' - SN # 41-23778 |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
22 February 2021 01:04:03 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
Sources | ||
B-24 - Best Web - 'Lady luck' - SN # 41-23778 |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
22 December 2020 09:42:49 | Al_Skiff | Changes to description and events |
Sources | ||
http://www.amervets.com/replacement/tidal.htm |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
09 December 2020 12:16:30 | Kickapoo | Changes to markings |
Sources | ||
44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
09 December 2020 12:12:52 | Kickapoo | Changes to markings |
Sources | ||
44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
09 December 2020 12:04:03 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
Sources | ||
44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
12 February 2020 15:06:43 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to description |
Sources | ||
Date | Contributor | Update |
22 March 2015 17:03:41 | Al_Skiff | Changes to description and events |
Sources | ||
Date | Contributor | Update |
22 March 2015 16:58:47 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations |
Sources | ||
AAM Database / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / http://www.b24bestweb.com |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 September 2014 18:40:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
Sources | ||
MACR 3150 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |