B-24 liberator #41-11768 'Kickapoo' of the 344th BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. This was Capt. John S. Young's regular aircraft. He and most of his regular crew were reassigned to fly with Col. John R. Kane on the 'Hail Columbia' for the August 1, 1943 low-level Ploesti mission. The 'Kickapoo' was assigned to Lt. Robert Nespor and a replacement crew for the mission. They crashed the 'Kickapoo' shortly after take-off after losing the number 4 engine just after getting airborne. After jettisoning all bombs at sea, the 'Kickapoo' was guided back for an emergency landing. Due to a conflicting aircraft on the runway, 1st Lt. Nespor was forced to circle and approach the field from the West. In doing so, on final approach, the plane's wing tip smashed into a concrete pole, cartwheeling the plane, and it burst into flames, killing Nespor and all but two of the crew. The photo of the crew standing in front of 41-11768, shows Capt. Young on the far right hand side of this photo and his crew, the original crew of the 'Kickapoo'. The 'Kickapoo' was named by Young after "Kickapoo Joy Juice" from Al Capp's cartoon, "Dogpatch". Capt. Young was the tallest man in the 98th Bomb Group at 6'3". Also pictured are Lt. Norman, "The Baron", Whalen, his navigator, and Lt. Harold Korger, his bombardier. All three were hand picked by Col. John R. Kane to fly with him in the Hail Columbia along with the rest of Young's crew minus his copilot. ~ All the men on the 'Hail Columbia' survived the mission. - Capt. John S. Young - Pilot - Reassigned to 'Hail Columbia' for Ploesti mission
- Lt. Norman M. Whalen - Navigator - Reassigned to 'Hail Columbia' for Ploesti mission - Lt. Harold F. Korger - Bombardier - Reassigned to 'Hail Columbia' for Ploesti mission - Fredrick A. Leard - Waist Gunner - Reassigned to 'Hail Columbia' for Ploesti Mission - William Leo - Tail Gunner - Reassigned to 'Hail Columbia' for Ploesti mission - Raymond B. Hubbard - Radio Operator - Reassigned To 'Hail Columbia' for Ploesti mission - Joseph J. LaBranche - TB - Reassigned to 'Hail Columbia' for Ploesti mission - Harvey L. Treace - Engineer Top Turret - Reassigned to 'Hail Columbia' for Ploesti mission - Nevill C. Bensen - Waist Gunner - Reassigned to 'Hail Columbia' for Ploesti mission ~ 'Hail Columbia' completed mission, crash landed Cyprus. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- 1st Lt. Robert J. Nespor - Pilot (KIA) - 2nd Lt. John C. Riley - Co Pilot (KIA) Detached Service from 93rd BG
2nd Lt. Russell W. Polivka - Navigator (WIA) D.S. from 93rd BG
T/Sgt. Vaun D. Wenrich - Engineer/Top Turret (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG T/Sgt. Armand R. Massart - Radio Op (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG
S/Sgt. George W. Lawlor - Gunner (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG S/Sgt. Edwin G. Sliwa - Gunner (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG
S/Sgt. Eugene R. Garner - Gunner (WIA) D.S. from 93rd BG S/Sgt. John P. D'Armour - Gunner (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG. ~ 'Kickapoo' crashed on takeoff for Ploesti mission.

Service

Events

Event	Location	Date
Crashed	Benghazi, Libya	1 August 1943
Crashed shortly after take-off for the August 1, 43 low-level Ploesti, Romania mission. She lost No 4 engine just after getting airborne, after jettisoning all bombs at sea, Kickapoo was guided back for an emergency landing. Due to a conflicting aircraft on the runway, 1st Lt Nespor was forced to approach the field from the West. In doing so a wing tip smashed into a concrete pole and burst into flames, killing Nespor and all but two of the crew.