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42-40402

B-24 Liberator

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Crew of "The Sandman" on the Ploesti raid:
1st Lt. Robert W. Sternfels - Pilot, 2nd Lt. Barney Jackson - CoPilot
2nd Lt. Anthony W. Flesch - Navigator, 2nd Lt. David A. Polaschek - Bombadier
T/Sgt. William W. Stout - Flight Engineer/Gunner, T/Sgt. Frank Just - Radio Operator/Gunner
Sgt. Raymond E. Stewart - Gunner, Sgt. Harry Rifkin - Waist Gunner
Sgt. Merle B. Bowen - Waist Gunner, S/Sgt. John T. Weston - Ball Turret Tail Gunner (WIA - 2nd degree burns on lower right leg)

Service

Units

  • 98th Bomb Group

    98th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942. ...

  • 345th Bomb Squadron

    345th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron
    Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron and trained by Third Air Force. Deployed to Egypt in June 1942 over South Atlantic Transport Route transiting from Morrison Field, Florida though the Caribbean to Brazil; performed trans-Atlantic...

  • 9th Air Force

    9th Air Force

    Misc

People

  • John Kane

    Military | Colonel | B-24 Command Pilot - 98th Bomb Group Commander | 98th Bomb Group
    John Riley Kane (January 5, 1907 – May 29, 1996) was a colonel in the United States Army Air Corps and later the United States Air Force. He received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor, in World War II, for his...

  • Harold Korger

    Military | Colonel | Bombardier | 98th Bomb Group
    Lt. Harold Korger was a bombardier in the 344th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bomb Group, 9th AF on Capt. John Young's crew in a B-24 named 'Kickapoo'. He graduated from Bombardier School at Midland Field in 1942 and was commissioned a 2nd Lt. In February...

  • Robert Sternfels

    Military | Major | B-24 Command Bomber Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
    Lt. Robert Sternfels was a B-24D command bomber pilot in WWII who flew the famous B-24D bomber, 'The Sandman' on the mission Operation Tidal Wave to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, August 1, 1943. After enlisting as an Air Force pilot in...

  • Norman Whalen

    Military | Major | Navigator / Nose Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
    Norman Whalen joined the Army Air Corps in 1941. After graduating from Navigator School in Monroe, Louisiana, he received his commission as a Second Lieutenant and was assigned to the 9th Air force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron...

  • John Young

    Military | Major | B-24 Bomber Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
    Lieutenant John S. Young from Dallas Texas was a WWII B-24D Liberator bomber pilot with the 9th Air Force, the "Force For Freedom", the 98th Bomb Group the, "Pyramiders", and the 344th Bombing Squadron, based at Cairo, Egypt, Tobruk, and Benghazi,...

Missions

  • 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 B24Ds that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57...

Places

Events

Event Location Date
Shot Down Augsburg, Germany 19 December 1943

Lost on a mission to Augsburg, Germany on December 19th 1943. Pilot John W Viers, Co-Pilot William Smyser & Navigator Stanley Napierala. MACR 1641.
Nicknames
The Sandman
Production block number
B-24D-55-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated-Vultee
Markings and paint scheme/livery

"The Sandman" on both sides of the nose ~ 1943 Blue Star with Red Surround ~ fuselage painted desert sand tan color, oxidized to a light pink color

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
25 September 2018 17:06:56 Kickapoo Changes to person associations
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
25 September 2018 17:05:33 Kickapoo Changes to manufacturer and markings
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
12 March 2018 12:58:27 Kickapoo Changes to person associations and place associations
Sources

Burning Hitler's Black gold by Robert Sternfels
Date Contributor Update
21 November 2016 05:07:19 466thHistorian Changes to nicknames, events, unit associations and place associations
Sources

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_bombers/b24_9.html
Date Contributor Update
17 April 2016 09:24:49 mgs Changes to events
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/28702353?ann=694c3280-38df-11e2-0d37-594e0e6...
Date Contributor Update
11 March 2015 19:13:55 Al_Skiff Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, events, unit associations and mission associations
Sources

http://www.b24bestweb.com / Wikipedia commons

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