41-11825 - Hail Columbia - Little Chief Big Dog - Grumpy

media-39169.jpeg UPL 39169 Lt. Harold Korger was the navigator on the B-24D, Liberator, heavy bomber, 41-11825, Hail Columbia, on Operation Tidal Wave, the mission to destroy the German held oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, in 1943. Hail Columbia, was named and piloted by Col. John Riley "Killer" Kane and Lt. John S. Young from Dallas Texas, on the mission. Note the four extra .50 caliber fixed nose guns, visible in this photo, which were added to the the lower front plexiglass nose of the five lead aircraft on the Ploesti mission to strafe and suppress the German flak guns ahead of the bombers, as they made their low level bombing runs into the Ploesti oil refinery area. Hail Columbia, and all of it's crew members, including Lt. Korger, survived the Ploesti mission with over 150 counted flak holes in their airplane, yet, with no life threatening injuries to anyone on board. Knowing they could not return to their base at Benghazi, Libya, with their aircraft so heavily damaged by the German anti aircraft flak hits over the Astra Romano Refinery complex, Group Leader and Command Pilot Col. John Kane, and his navigator, Lt. Norman Whalen, decided to try to fly south to the island of Cyprus, and crash landed in the dark, on the British air base at Nicosia, August 1, 1943. Hail Columbia, was wrecked and written off, crash landing at the British air base, August, 1,1943. The next day, as the men inspected their wrecked airplane that had carried them into the burning hell of a bombing mission, and brought them safely home, there were tears in the eyes of their, normally, stoic Commander, John "Killer" Kane. Aug, 2,1943. That's how the men often felt about their airplanes that enabled them to accomplish their missions, then brought them home and saved their lives.

Removed associations not depicted in the image. Associated content should be added to the AIRCRAFT and/or PERSON records.

Object Number - UPL 39169 - Lt. Harold Korger was the navigator on the B-24D, Liberator, heavy bomber, 41-11825, Hail Columbia, on Operation Tidal Wave, the mission to destroy...

The B-24D, Hail Columbia, 41-11825, was assigned to the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron. It was first assigned to the 344th Squadron's CO, Col. John R. Kane's, personal aircraft until Kane became the 98th Bomb Group's CO and turned it over to Herman "Big Dog" Lewis. Lewis changed the name to Little Chief Big Dog on the RH side of the forward nose section, but retained, Hail Columbia, in block letters on the left side. Following Lewis's death in another B-24, Little Chief Big Dog/Hail Columbia, was transferred back to the 98th Bomb Group's 343rd Bomb Squadron, where the right side art work was changed to a picture of, and the name, Grumpy, in compliance with the "Snow White Squadron" directive. Wilfred Brann was the crew chief and nose art artist for, Grumpy, in the 343rd Squadron. The name, Little Chief Big Dog, was removed prior to the Rome mission of July 19, 1943.



Just prior to the low level Ploesti mission, the 98th Bomb Group's CO, John R. Kane, returned his former plane back to the 98th's 344th Bomb Squadron, where a new form of the original, Hail Columbia, name and nose art quickly replaced, Grumpy's. According to Scott Flood, great nephew of 41-11825's crew chief, Charles Wilfred Brann, the name, Grumpy, had been chosen by TSgt Brann, "reflecting his personality, a short, stocky man, rather gruff and grumpy on the outside." Flood also wrote that, by Col. Kane's directive, Hail Columbia, was again repainted in red block letters over new nose art chosen by  Col. Kane : a flying bald eagle carrying a large club, on both sides of Hail Columbia with stars in a circle under the eagle, on both sides of the forward nose section, for the Ploesti mission. So, Hail Columbia, was chosen by Col. Kane, for the second time, as his personal airplane and was one of the lead aircraft for the Ploesti mission.



John Kane and the crew of, Hail Columbia, bombed their target, White IV, and escaped Ploesti with one engine destroyed, two propellers on other engines damaged, and with over 150 counted flak holes in the airplane, and several crewmen wounded by flak shards, but recovered. They flew all the way south through Turkey to the Island of Cyprus. Col. Kane and his Copilot, John Young, crash landed, Hail Columbia, in the dark at Nicosia, Cyprus, after running over a ditch the British had dug across the runway's threshold, which took out their landing gear when they hit it at high speed. Hail Columbia was abandoned at Cyprus. 2 Aug 43.



The next day, while Col. Kane was looking over the plane, Young reported that there were tears in the normally stoic, Col. Kane's eyes, as he surveyed the damage to his crashed and wrecked airplane that he had carefully chosen as his personal plane for the second time and renamed it, Hail Columbia, after his alma mater, Columbia University. Likely, Kane was also thinking of his personal friends and men he had just lost on the terrible and deadly Ploesti mission, like his wrecked airplane. Pilots often also had strong feelings, as well, about the airplanes they flew and that they felt had saved their lives and had brought them home to safety. Crewmen on, Hail Columbia, on the Ploesti mission. 1 Aug 1943 :                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Col. John R Kane - Group Leader and Command Pilot   -

First Lieutenant John S. Young - CoPilot   -

First Lieutenant Norman Whelan - Navigator   -

Staff Sergeant Neville C. Benson - Waist Gunner   -

First Lieutenant Raymond B. Hubbard - Radio Operator   -

Second Lieutenant Harold F. Korger - Bombardier   -

Sergeant Joseph W. LaBranche - Gunner -

Technical Sergeant Frederick A. Leard - Waist Gunner    -

Sergeant William Leo - Tail Gunner    -

Staff Sergeant Harvey L. Treace - Top Turret Gunner    -









All of the crewmen who flew in, Hail Columbia, and on the Ploesti mission received the Distinguished Flying Cross medal for flying the mission. Lt. Norman "The Baron"  Whelan was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for navigating his airplane and several others to safety at Nicosia, Cyprus. Lt. John Young received another Oak Leaf Cluster to his DFC and Silver Star. Col. John Kane was awarded the Medal Of Honor and another Oak Leaf Cluster to those already on his DFC.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Three airmen of the 389th Bomb Group stand with a B-24 Liberator used as a Flight Assembly Ship. Image via Tim Bivens. Handwritten caption from Bivens: 'My friend remembers it being named "Bucksheesh Benny" that it was used to fly Jack Benny around USA shows. Says it flew in North Africa with Benny and was eventually assigned to 389th as a hack and later as a form-up ship. He thinks it was originally with another group (possibly 376th or 98th).' Handwritten caption on reverse: '389th BG Form-up ship.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-661482
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-29680
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer / Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16023226 / O-54160
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Berka, al Birkah
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Bengazi Airfield, Wheelus Airbase

Missions

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Sleepy - The Squaw
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Kickapoo
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
B-24D, 41-11819,  9th AF 98th BG 344th BS. Shot down over White IV. 1 Aug 43
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Raunchy
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Vulgar Virgin - Hell From Heaven - Shoot Youre Faded
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
A B-24 Liberator ( serial number 41-24226) nicknamed "Joisey Bounce" of the 93rd Bomb Group in flight.
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Joisey Bounce - Utah Man
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

Cyprus 1 August 1943 A veteran of the low-level Ploesti, Romania mission on August 1,43. She crashed on the island of Cyprus returning from the mission and was abandoned.

Other

Survived Ploesti mission

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 A veteran of the low-level Ploesti, Romania mission on August 1,43. She survived the Ploesti mission, though badly damaged with one engine out and two others damaged but running.

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya 9th Air Force, 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", 344th Bomb Squadron.                         ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Revisions

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens  -  Roger A. Freeman   ---   Attack On Ploesti-Planning The Mission - Col. J.E. Smart   ---   Over The Target by Capt. John S. Young ---   Air Force - The Official Service Journal Of The U.S. Army Air Forces - Nov 1943    ----     He Brought Us Home - (The Baron)   ---   Capt. John S. Young - as told to Felix R. McKnight - The American Legion Magazine    ----    Hail Columbia - by Mike Hill (EAA 214424) 1405 8th Street SW Minot, ND 58701 - Warbirds Magazine 14 Nov/Dec 1987

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens  -  Roger A. Freeman   ---   Attack On Ploesti-Planning The Mission - Col. J.E. Smart   ---   Over The Target by Capt. John S. Young ---   Air Force - The Official Service Journal Of The U.S. Army Air Forces - Nov 1943    ----     He Brought Us Home - (The Baron)   ---   Capt. John S. Young - as told to Felix R. McKnight - The American Legion Magazine    ----    Hail Columbia - by Mike Hill (EAA 214424) 1405 8th Street SW Minot, ND 58701 - Warbirds Magazine 14 Nov/Dec 1987

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens  -  Roger A. Freeman   ---   Attack On Ploesti-Planning The Mission - Col. J.E. Smart   ---   Over The Target by Capt. John S. Young ---   Air Force - The Official Service Journal Of The U.S. Army Air Forces - Nov 1943    ----     He Brought Us Home - (The Baron)   ---   Capt. John S. Young - as told to Felix R. McKnight - The American Legion Magazine    ----    Hail Columbia - by Mike Hill (EAA 214424) 1405 8th Street SW Minot, ND 58701 - Warbirds Magazine 14 Nov/Dec 1987

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Warbirds Magazine - "Hail Columbia" by Mike Hill (EAA 314424, WB 3917) 1405 8th Street SW, Minot, ND, 58701                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The American Legion Magazine  -  "He Brought Us Home"  By Capt. John S. Young and Felix R. McNight                                                                                                                -                                                                                                                                            Air Force - The Official Service Journal Of The U.S. Army Air Forces - "Attack On Ploesti" -  "Planning The Mission"  - by Col. J.E. Smart  -  "Over The Target" by Capt. John S. Young  -  9th Air Force  - Nov. 1943                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    "The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -  Roger A. Freeman  

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor details added.   -  Black Sunday-Ploesti   -   Michael Hill   -   Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                        The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo.                                                          

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

https://www.hobbylinc.com/warbird-b24d-grumpy:hail-columbia  -   aircraft marking changes   -  Kickapoo

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Best Web - B-24 - Hail Columbia

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Information added. - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Associations. - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Updated aircraft names. - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorEmily
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Sources

Changed all instances of aircraft name into sentence case to as per best practice for accessibility.

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ContributorKickapoo
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Information added - Kickapoo

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ContributorKickapoo
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Word and information changes - Kickapoo

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ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Punctuation changes - Kickapoo

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ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Wording, spacing, punctuation, and spelling changes for accuracy and clarity - Kickapoo

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ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Wording and details changed for accuracy and clarity - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Word structure and changes for accuracy and clarity - Kickapoo

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ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Best Web - B-24 - HAIL COLUMBIA - Contributor - Bill Whitney

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ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Best Web - B-24 - HAIL COLUMBIA - Contributor - Bill Whitney

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ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - HAIL COLUMBIA - Contributor - Bill Whitney

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ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - HAIL COLUMBIA - info Contributor Bill Whitney

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ContributorKickapoo
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill

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ContributorKickapoo
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Changes to connections - John S Young jr

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ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Removed nicknames punctuation in names section - John S Young Jr

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ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Spacing - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Spacing changes - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Detail and letter spacing changes for clarity - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Spelling and letter spacing changes for accuracy and clarity - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Detail changes made for accuracy - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Spelling, punctuation, and wording changes for clarity - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Reformatted aircraft nickname to remove unnecessary punctuation and quotation marks

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation to the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Personal Archives - John S Young Jr

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ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Removed tidy symbols from nickname for clarity

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster -- Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr. ---- Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ----Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. -- personal archives

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster -- Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr. ---- Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ----Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. -- personal archives

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young - Personal Archive

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young - Personal Archive

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Their Finest Hour : Col. John R. Kane and Hail Columbia

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

U.S. Air Force Archives

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Together We Served - U.S. Air Force Archives

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Together We Served - Operation Tidal wave

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

b24bestweb.com ~ 'Little Chief Big Dog'

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

"Operation Tidal Wave"

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

"Together We served" "Operation Tidal Wave"

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

" Into The Fire " by Duane Cole Part III Chap 6 p. 104

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Added details about the name "Grumpy" (source 11 November 2003 e-mail from Scott Flood, great-nephew of 41-11825 crew chief Charles Wilfred Brann)

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
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ContributorAl_Skiff
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ContributorAl_Skiff
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41-11825: Gallery (7 items)