9th Air Force
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41-24200
B-24 Liberator
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B-24 Liberator 41-24200 'Wittle Wed Wabbit' 515th BS 376th BG, 9th AF.
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Nose art of B-24 Liberator 41-24200 'Wittle Wed Wabbit' 515th BS 376th BG, 9th AF.
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. 2 x POW, 7 x KIA MACR 3305
Service
Units
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376th Bomb Group
Group
Constituted as 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 Oct 1942 and activated in Palestine on 31 Oct. Began combat immediately, using B-24 aircraft. Operated with Ninth AF from bases in the Middle East, Nov 1942-Sep 1943, and with Twelfth AF from Tunisia... -
515th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Theodore Deffner
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 3305 ... -
John Gaffney
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 3305 ... -
Alexander Holliday
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 3305 Awards: PH. -
Andrew Huska
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight engineer | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 3305 ... -
Robert Longstreth
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 3305 ... -
Dwight Morgan
Military | First Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 3305 Awards: PH. -
John Paul
Military | Staff Sergeant | Armourer | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 3305 ... -
Albert Romero
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 3305 ... -
Walter Swarner
Military | Captain | Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 3305 ...
Places
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Berca
Military site : airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Assigned | Berka, Libya | 1943 |
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Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. |
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| Crashed | Vicinity Messina, Sicily | 30 April 1943 |
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Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. 2 x POW, 7 x KIA MACR 3305 |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 19 March 2020 17:44:48 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/28650956 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 March 2020 17:39:45 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, markings, description, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/28650956 |
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