The B-24D, 42-40747, was named, 747, and later, Heavy Date. It was in the 567th Bomb Squadron, the 389th Bombardment Group, in the 8th Air Force, in the U.K. It was temporarily detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa to fly on the Ploesti oil refinery mission, piloted by Lt. William M. Selvidge, who flew it on the mission and returned safely to Libya. RTB. 1 Aug 43.

On Jan 7, 1944, Heavy Date, was assigned to bomb the Ludwigshafen Oil Refinery in Germany, piloted by Lt. Carl A. Mattson. The plane was attacked, shot up, and damaged by German fighters, It fell out of control and out of position in it's formation. It's cockpit caught on fire, as it fell into a spin and crashed. Some of the crew were able to bail out the plane before it exploded and crashed, one kilometer NE of Vrigny, France, 40km NE of Orléans, France. 7 Jan 44. 4 EVD. 5 KIA. 1 POW. MACR 1851.