UPL 39789
IMAGECopilot Lt. John C. Riley, and Pilot Lt. Bob Nespor, Lt. John Young's good friend from the98th Bomb Group's 344th Bomb Squadron, were reassigned to fly Lt. Young's plane, Kickapoo, on the Ploesti oil refinery mission. Both Lt. Nespor, Lt Riley, and most of their crew were killed, crashing in flames at Lete, Benghazi, when one of Kickapoo's engines failed, just after taking off for the Ploesti mission. 8 KIA - 2 WIA. August 1, 1943.
Connections
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Units
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18065717 / O-725567
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Pilot
Revisions
Date:
ContributorKickapoo
Sources
Ploesti Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives