8th Air Force
Command
41-23811
B-24 Liberator
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Anthony Eden doing a radio broadcast from the airbase at Snetterton Heath (Station 138),Norfolk,England on June 25,1943. Just to the rear of Mr. Eden is standing Lt.Gen. Jacob Devers. The plane being used for the background is "Fascinatin' Witch" from the 66th BS , 44th BG, 8th AF. She was a B-24D Liberator 41-23811 and was a veteran of the August 1,1943 low-level mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Her crew is standing behind Mr. Eden, they are (L-R): Capt. Robert W. Miller, F/O Arthur W. Callahan, Lt. Lee E. Zaruba, Lt. Robert R. LaPlace, T/Sgt. William J. Murphy, T/Sgt. Martin J. McDonnell, S/Sgt. Daniel W. Rowland, S/Sgt. Robert G. Newmes, S/Sgt. Hugh J. Malone, S/Sgt. Clarence J. Ducote
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Nose art of B-24D Liberator 41-23811 "Fascinatin' Witch" from the 66th BS , 44th BG, 8th AF a veteran of the August 1,1943 low-level mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.
B-24D Liberator 41-23811 "Fascinatin' Witch" from the 66th BS, 44th BG, 8th AF a veteran of the August 1, 1943 low-level mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.
Crew List:
Capt. Robert W. Miller,
F/O Arthur W. Callahan,
Lt. Lee E. Zaruba,
Lt. Robert R. LaPlace,
T/Sgt. William J. Murphy,
T/Sgt. Martin J. McDonnell
S/Sgt. Daniel W. Rowland,
S/Sgt. Robert G. Newmes,
S/Sgt. Hugh J. Malone
S/Sgt. Clarence J. Ducote
A/C was shot by a Bf109G-6 from JG 27/I near Weiner, Neustadt on Oct 1, 1943, killing three of the crew, the other seven became POW's.
Crew list:
Pilot 2nd Lt. Richard Bridges POW escaped,
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Delmar Phelps POW,
Navigator 2nd Lt. Max Stiefel POW,
Bombardier 2nd Lt. William Schuler POW,
Engineer T.Sgt Robert DeSalvio POW,
Radio Man T.Sgt Donald Bridges POW, - (MACR 15860)
Waist Gunner S.Sgt Jacob Rosenstein KIA,
Belly Gunner S.Sgt Charles Sasek POW,
Tail Gunner S.Sgt George Mercer KIA,
Waist Gunner S.Sgt Kenneth Garrett KIA.
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... -
66th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Donald Bridges
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
1 October 1943 shot down by fighters and flak in B-24D 41-23811 'Fascinatin' Witch'while on detachment to the 9th AF. Crew bailed out over Austria with 3 Killed in Action (KIA) and 7 Prisoner of War (POW)s. Imprisoned at Stalag 17B. -
Arthur Callahan
Military | Flight Officer | Co-Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
1 Oct 43 shot down by fighters in B-24D 42-72877 while on detachment to the 9th AF. Crew bailed out over Austria with 4 Killed in Action (KIA) and 6 Prisoner of War (POW)s. Prisoner of War (POW). -
Robert DeSalvio
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Flight engineer on B-24D Liberator 41-23811"Fascinatin' Witch" which was shot by a Bf109G-6 from JG 27/I near Weiner, Neustadt on Oct 1, 1943 and became POW. -
Clarence Ducote
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
March 18, 1942 - Ducote entered service and volunteered to be an aerial gunner. He served 14 months overseas. He flew 25 air missions over Holland, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Africa. He destroyed one enemy air plane and assisted in downing 13... -
Kenneth Garrett
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
1 October 1943 shot down by fighters and flak in B-24D 41-23811 'Fascinatin' Witch'while on detachment to the 9th AF. Crew bailed out over Austria with 3 Killed in Action (KIA) and 7 Prisoner of War (POW)s. According to Lundy p. 124 Garrett was a... -
Robert Laplace
Military | Lieutenant | Bombardier | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
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Martin McDonnell
Military | Technical Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
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George Mercer
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Killed in Action (KIA). 1 October 1943 shot down by fighters and flak in B-24D 41-23811 'Fascinatin' Witch'while on detachment to the 9th AF. Crew bailed out over Austria with 3 Killed in Action (KIA) and 7 Prisoner of War (POW)s. Mercer was... -
Robert Miller
Military | Captain | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Pilot of B-24D-5-CO Liberator 41-23811 "Fascinatin' Witch" and veteran of the August 1,43 low-level mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. -
William Murphy
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
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 B24Ds that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Tidalwave survivor | Malta | 1 August 1943 |
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B-24D Liberator 41-23811"Fascinatin' Witch" from the 66th BS, 44th BG, 8th AF a veteran of the August 1,1943 low-level mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Diverted to Malta. |
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| Crashed | Wiener Neustadt, Austria | 1 October 1943 |
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A/C was shot by a Bf109G-6 from JG 27/I near Weiner, Neustadt on Oct 1, 1943, killing three of the crew, the other seven became POW's. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 July 2015 13:08:31 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to description and person associations |
| Sources | ||
MACR 15860 - http://www.fold3.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 March 2015 21:31:18 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations, mission associations and media associations |
| Sources | ||
USAAF Photo |
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