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B-24 Liberator
B-24 42-40402 The Sandman 345th BS 98th BG.
A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-40402) nicknamed "The Sandman" of the 98th Bomb Group banks low over a factory during the Ploesti raid 1 August 1943.
B-24 Liberator 42-40402 'The Sandman'.
B-24 Liberator #42-40402 'The Sandman' 98th Bomb Group 344th Bombing Squadron piloted by Lt. Robert Sternfels flying just on the bomb run on White IV over Ploesti Aug 1, 1943
B-24 Liberator 42-40402 'The Sandman'.
B-24D - 'The Sandman' piloted by Lt. Robert Sternfels of the 98th Bomb Group, 344th Squadron - Flying through the fires and explosions of White IV behind Col. John Kane and John Young in 'Hail Columbia' - at Ploesti, Rumania, August 1, 1943
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)
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, named 'Hadley's Harem' was Lt. Gilbert Hadley's personal airplane and the one he flew on the mission to destroy Hitler's oil refineries at Ploesti Romania in 1943.
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Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942.
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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...
Military | Major | Command Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
Lt. Robert Sternfels was a B-24D command bomber pilot in WWII in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bombing Group, the Pyramiders, and the 345th Bombing Squadron, who flew the famous B-24D bomber, 'The Sandman' on the mission Operation Tidal Wave to bomb the...
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Shot Down | Augsburg, Germany | 19 December 1943 |
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Lost on a mission to Augsburg, Germany on December 19th 1943. Pilot John W Viers, Co-Pilot William Smyser & Navigator Stanley Napierala. MACR 1641. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 25 September 2018 17:06:56 | Kickapoo | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Black Sunday - Michael Hill |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 September 2018 17:05:33 | Kickapoo | Changes to manufacturer and markings |
| Sources | ||
Black Sunday - Michael Hill |
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| 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 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 November 2016 05:07:19 | 466thHistorian | Changes to nicknames, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
| 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... |
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| 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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