42-40765 'Valient Virgin'
B-24 Liberator
Flew the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti mission in the B formation, returned safely to Libya.
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41-24226
B-24 Liberator
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A B-24 Liberator ( serial number 41-24226) nicknamed "Joisey Bounce" of the 93rd Bomb Group in flight.
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B-24 Liberators, including (serial number 41-24226 ) nicknamed "Joisey Bounce" of the 93rd Bomb Group fly in formation during a mission, 1944. Written on slide casing: '8th AF 93 BG 328th BS, Target Arwelter, Germ. Delta 1944. Battle of the Bulge.'
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B-24 Liberators, including (serial number 41-24226 ) nicknamed "Joisey Bounce" of the 93rd Bomb Group fly in formation during a mission. Image via Daniel A McGovern. Written on slide casing: '8th AF 93rd BG "Joisey Bounce" Flew on Aug 1 1943 Ploesti, Romania.'
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93rd Bomb Group formation flight. Near aircraft is Consolidated B-24D-25-CO (S/N 41-24226) "Joisey Bounce," of the 330th Bomb Squadron, second aircraft is (S/N 41-24147) "The Duchess" also of the 330th. Next higher is Bomerang (s/n 41-23722) from the 328th. Last of all at the very top is 42-40246 (F) "Thunder mug" also of the 328th.
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A picture of Lt Pietrowski, his memorial stone and 93 rd BG Liberators from https://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2018/08/ww2-fallen-b-24-navigator-raymond.html?showComment=1534247922291#c8536001219693584689
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B-24D 'Utah Man' with pilot Col. Walter Stewart, deputy lead pilot for the 93rd Bomb Group.
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# 42-40753 ~ B-24D 'OLE KICKAPOO' - Command Pilot 2nd Lt. Lloyd Hughes, Copilot 2ndLt. Ronald Helder, and Crew 1943. Aircraft was lost at Campina, Ploesti with both pilots and all crewmen, except two, KIA. Two crewmen survived the crash, WIA on "Operation Tidal Wave" 1 Aug 1943 - Pilot Lt. Lloyd "Pete" Hughes was awarded the Medal Of Honor for his determination to press on and bomb his target without regard to his life and safety. His copilot, Lt. Ronald Helder was awarded The Distinguished Service Cross. - All crewmen on 'Ole Kickapoo' were awarded The Distinguished Service Cross and The Distinguished Flying Cross for their bravery, skill, and sacrifice in participation with Operation Tidal Wave. Pilot: 2Lt Lloyd H. Hughes, Jr. KIA : Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously Co-Pilot: 2Lt Ronald L. Helder. KIA : Distinguished Service Cross posthumously Navigator: 2Lt Sidney A. Pear. KIA : Died of wounds August 6, 1943, surgery hospital in Campina, Rumania : Distinguished Service Cross posthumously Bombardier: 2Lt John A. McLoughlin. KIA : Escaped burning wreckage - Died of wounds on August 3, 1943, surgery hospital in Campina, Rumania : Distinguished Service Cross posthumously Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: T/Sgt Joseph E. Mix. KIA : Distinguished Service Cross posthumously Radio Operator: T/Sgt Louis N. Kase. KIA : Distinguished Service Cross posthumously Waist Gunner: S/Sgt Malcolm C. Dalton. KIA : Distinguished Service Cross posthumously Waist Gunner: S/Sgt Edmond H. Smith. WIA POW : Distinguished Service Cross Tail Gunner: S/Sgt Thomas A. Hoff. WIA POW : Distinguished Service Cross Tunnel Gunner: Sgt Avis K. Wilson. KIA : Distinguished Service Cross posthumously Full names: Pilot: 2Lt Lloyd Herbert Hughes, Jr. Co-Pilot: 2Lt Ronald Lee Helder Navigator: 2Lt Sidney Allen Pear Bombardier: 2Lt John A. McLoughlin Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: T/Sgt Joseph Elzie Mix Radio Operator: T/Sgt Louis Norman Kase/Kassowitz Waist Gunner: S/Sgt Malcolm Clay Dalton Waist Gunner: S/Sgt Edmond Howard Smith Tail Gunner: S/Sgt Thomas Albert Hoff Tunnel Gunner: Sgt Avis Kenneth Wilson
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Operation Tidal Wave - Last Briefing. - 1943
Assigned to Col. Walter T. Stewart of the 330 Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, USAAF for the mission to bomb the refineries at Ploesti Aug 1,1943. Col. Stewart named this plane, 'Utah Man', to underscore his Utah Morman background to all the Texans in the 98th Bomb Group. Col. Stewart took command of the 93rd Bomb Group over Ploesti after his Group Leader, Col. Addison Baker and Maj. John Jerstad were shot down and killed approaching their target of opportunity, White IV. Stewart in 'Utah Man' was one of several stragglers who followed Col. John Kane in 'Hail Columbia' south and away from Ploesti and returned with the entire group of planes, minus Lt. Gilbert hadley in 'Hadley's Harem', who drowned, caught in his plane after attempting to ditch in the ocean off the Turkish coast, before getting to Nicosia, Cyprus after the mission. Stewart made it home to Benghazi the next day. After returning to England 'Utah Man' was repainted as, 'Joisey Bounce', and failed to return (FTR) mission to Bremen, en route to target, suffered a mid air collision with the B-24 #42-40765, the 'Valient Virgin' with ten crewmen KIA. Nov 13 1943. MACR 2179.
Service
Aircraft
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42-40402 The Sandman
B-24 Liberator
Crew of "The Sandman" on the Ploesti raid: ... -
41-24311 'Hadley's Harem'
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. ... -
41-11761 'The Squaw'
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator #4111761 'The Squaw' flew on the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti raid, recovering to Cyprus, piloted by Royden L Lebrecht. On completion of its tour, returned to Fort Worth, TX, USA for a war bond tour. -
41-11825 'Hail Columbia' 'Grumpy' 'Little Chief Big Dog'
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, 'Hail Columbia', # 41-11825, originally served in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron. It was, first, the 344th Squadron's CO, Col. John R. Kane's, personal aircraft until Kane became the 98th Bomb Group's... -
41-11768 'KICKAPOO'
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator 41-11768, 'KICKAPOO', was piloted by Lt. John S. Young from Dallas, Texas as part of the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron, which arrived in North Africa in early 1943. This airplane and was Lt... -
42-40629 'The Scorpion'
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator 42-40629, 'The Scorpion', with the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bombardment Group, and the 565th Bomb Squadron, flew on the Ploesti oil refinery raid, "Operation Tidal Wave" piloted by Lt. Kenneth M. Caldwell and Col. Jack Wood...
Units
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8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. ... -
93rd Bomb Group
Group
93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1-March-1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15-May-1942 the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida to continue advanced flight training and also to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; they... -
330th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Richard Bartlett
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Collided with another aircraft 13 November 1943 in B-24 42-24226 'Utah Man. ' Killed in Action (KIA). -
Benjamin Caplan
Military | Sergeant | Navigator | 93rd Bomb Group
Collided with another aircraft 13 November 1943 in B-24 #42-24226 'Utah Man', Killed in Action (KIA). -
John Connolly
Military | Technical Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Collided with another aircraft 13 November 1943 in B-24 42-24226 'Utah Man. ' Killed in Action (KIA). Also had flown on famous Ploesti raid of 1 Aug '43 -
Robert Cox
Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Collided with another aircraft 13 November 1943 in B-24 #4224226 'Utah Man. ' Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Ralph Cummings
Military | Lieutenant | Bombardier | 93rd Bomb Group
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Joseph Doyle
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Collided with another aircraft 13 November 1943 in B-24 #4224226 'Utah Man. ' Killed in Action (KIA). -
Gilbert Hadley
Military | First Lieutenant | B-24D Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
First Lieutenant Gilbert B. Hadley was a B-24D Liberator bomber pilot with the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", from Texas, and the 344th Bombing Squadron, based at Cairo, Egypt, Tobruk, and Benghazi, Libya, in the Mediterranean... -
Ronald Helder
Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24D Co-Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
2nd Lt. Ronald Lee Helder was a B-24 pilot in the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bomb Group, and the 564th Bombing Squadron in WWII. He flew as Co-pilot with his friend, Command Pilot Lt. Lloyd H. Hughes, in the B-24D Lt. Helder called, 'Ole Kickapoo',... -
Lloyd Hughes
Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
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Paul Johnston
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 93rd Bomb Group
Was shot down by enemy aircraft while on a bombing run to Bremen, Germany. Collided with another aircraft 13 November 1943 in B-24 42-24226 'Utah Man' as it was spiraling down. Prisoner of War (POW) from Nov. 1943-May 1945.
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 B-24s that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57 B...
Places
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Hardwick
Military site : airfield
Planned as an RAF bomber airfield, Hardwick was used first by the 310th Bomb Group, equipped with B-25 Mitchells. In December 1943, the B-24 Liberators of the 93rd Bomb Group moved in, and remained until the end of the war, flying over 330 missions.... -
Benina
Military site : airfield
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Mellaha
Military site : airfield
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Berca
Military site : airfield
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Lete
Military site : airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Manufactured | San Diego, TX 78384, USA | 1943 |
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Built at Consolidated. |
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| Delivered | Texas, USA | 1943 |
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Delivered to USAAF. |
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| Assigned | Hardwick, Cambridge CB23, UK | 1943 |
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Assigned to 330BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Crashed | Bremen, Germany | 13 November 1943 |
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Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Bremen, en route to target suffered a mid air collision with B-24 42-40765. 10 x KIA. 13-Nov-43. MACR 2179. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 07 November 2020 22:56:48 | Kickapoo | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
He Brought Us Home -- Capt. John S. Young |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 November 2020 22:28:53 | Kickapoo | Changes to description, aircraft associations, person associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Black Sunday -- Michael Hill Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 November 2020 22:11:18 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
He Brought Us Home -- Capt. John S. Young |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 August 2019 08:34:05 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 August 2019 07:36:55 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames and person associations |
| Sources | ||
B24bestweb.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 August 2016 17:04:44 | Al_Skiff | Changes to nicknames, description, events, aircraft associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbmsn.asp?SN=41-24226 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 March 2015 12:17:40 | Al_Skiff | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 March 2015 12:15:12 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, events, unit associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 2179 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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