![Colonel Leon W. Johnson of the 44th Bomb Group points to the Ploesti mission marking on the nose of his B-24 Liberator to Generals Devers (centre) and Eaker (right). Passed for publication 23 Nov 1943. On reverse: Sport & General [Stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: '30953. Col. Johnson shows Gen Devers and Gen Eaker the decorations on a Liberator which went to Ploesti. The bomb lying on its side represents Ploesti, where they flew so low that the bombs were placed not dropped on the target. S.&G.'](http://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-407951.jpg?itok=3eJ2gstd)
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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41-23813
B-24 Liberator
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B-24 Liberator #4123813 'Victory Ship' 68th BS 44th BG 8th AF, survivor of 1st Aug 43 Ploesti raid.
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A medical truck and ground personnel of the 44th Bomb Group on standby as a B-24 Liberator (V, serial number 41-23813) nicknamed "Victory Ship" returns from a mission. Image via Colonel William R Cameron.
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![Colonel Leon W. Johnson of the 44th Bomb Group points to the Ploesti mission marking on the nose of his B-24 Liberator to Generals Devers (centre) and Eaker (right). Passed for publication 23 Nov 1943. On reverse: Sport & General [Stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: '30953. Col. Johnson shows Gen Devers and Gen Eaker the decorations on a Liberator which went to Ploesti. The bomb lying on its side represents Ploesti, where they flew so low that the bombs were placed not dropped on the target. S.&G.'](http://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/freeman/media-407951.jpg?itok=p5In5z0q)
Colonel Leon W. Johnson of the 44th Bomb Group points to the Ploesti mission marking on the nose of his B-24 Liberator to Generals Devers (centre) and Eaker (right). Passed for publication 23 Nov 1943. On reverse: Sport & General [Stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: '30953. Col. Johnson shows Gen Devers and Gen Eaker the decorations on a Liberator which went to Ploesti. The bomb lying on its side represents Ploesti, where they flew so low that the bombs were placed not dropped on the target. S.&G.'
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943.
Was lost on January 21,1944 mission to bomb V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais, France area. Repeatedly attacked by fighters until 3 of the engines were knocked out, the co-pilot was killed and the pilot was wounded. With the co-pilot slumped over the controls and only one engine running the wounded pilot couldn't maintain altitude and ordered the crew to bail out. The pilot, co-pilot, ball turret gunner and left waist gunner all were in the plane when it crashed. The ball turret gunner refused to jump and blocked the hatch, while the waist gunner opened his chute inside the plane and was forced to attempt to make it to the bomb bay due to the camera hatch being blocked. Two crewmen either suffered chute failure or jumped too low for them to open properly and were killed. Four were captured and one evaded to make it back to England 4 months later. It was the crews first mission.
Service
Units
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44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
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... -
68th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Edward Bowden
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined Sqd 3/31/43. ... -
Lawrence Chandler
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down by fighters on mission to Escalles-sur-Buchy on 21 Jan 1944 in B-24D #41-23813 'Victory Ship'. Evaded (EVD). -
Eugene Cieply
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down by fighters on mission to Escalles-sur-Buchy on 21 Jan 1944 in B-24D #41-23813 'Victory Ship'. Killed in Action (KIA). -
John Diehl
Military | Captain | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined Sqd 3/20/42. ... -
Isaac Flesher
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined Sqd 3/31/42. ... -
George Green
Military | Sergeant | Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined Sqd 8/3/42. ... -
William Jones
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down by fighters on mission to Escalles-sur-Buchy on 21 Jan 1944 in B-24D #41-23813 'Victory Ship'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Edward Kaslaskas
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down by fighters on mission to Escalles-sur-Buchy on 21 Jan 1944 in B-24D #41-23813 'Victory Ship'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Howard Klekar
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined Sqd 8/3/42. ... -
Weldon Maneval
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squad 8 December 1943. Shot down by fighters on mission to Escalles-sur-Buchy on 21 Jan 1944 in B-24D #41-23813 'Victory Ship'. Killed in Action (KIA).
Missions
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Operation Tidal Wave
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...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Ploesti Survivor | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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Flew on 1st Aug 43, Ploesti oil refinery raid, returning safely to base. |
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| Failed to Return (FTR) | France | 21 January 1944 |
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Was lost on January 21,1944 mission to bomb V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais, France area. Repeatedly attacked by fighters until 3 of the engines were knocked out, the co-pilot was killed and the pilot was wounded. With the co-pilot slumped over the controls and only one engine running the wounded pilot couldn't maintain altitude and ordered the crew to bail out. The pilot, co-pilot, ball turret gunner and left waist gunner all were in the plane when it crashed. The ball turret gunner refused to jump and blocked the hatch, while the waist gunner opened his chute inside the plane and was forced to attempt to make it to the bomb bay due to the camera hatch being blocked. Two crewmen either suffered chute failure or jumped too low for them to open properly and were killed. Four were captured and one evaded to make it back to England 4 months later. It was the crews first mission. MACR 2358 |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 12 February 2020 14:43:04 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 March 2015 20:57:30 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, mission associations and media associations |
| Sources | ||
Roger Freeman Photo. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 2358 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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