John B Long
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Image stamped on reverse : 'Passed for publication 16 FEB 1943 General Section Press & Censorship Bureau' and 'Reviewed and Passed U.S. Army 16 Feb 1943 Press Officer No. 21 E.T.O.' Printed caption on reverse: '21-25. Liberator bombers taxiing up to take off for the start of an operational patrol at their base "somewhere in England". And February 17th 1943 PN' Roger Freeman Collection
Punctuation. - Kickapoo
Object Number - FRE 662 - B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group line up for take off at Shipdham in 1943. The B-24D Liberator, 41-23818, Texan II, formerly, Bela, piloted...
1st Lieutenant J.B. Long was born March 11, 1920, and was the son of Ben and Goldena Long. His hometown was May, Oklahoma.
Lt. John B. Long was a B-24D pilot in the 8th Air Force, the 44th Bomb Group, and the 67th Bombardment Squadron, based at Shipdham, UK. On returning from from a bombing mission over the U Boat submarine pens at St. Nazaire, France, on 3 Jan 43, serving as the pilot of the B-24D, 41-23808, Texan, Lt. Long, short of fuel, crash landed the aircraft in a field near Aberporth Airfield, Cardiganshire, UK. Lt. Long's skillful piloting, landing his bomber, was credited for the minimal damage to his aircraft and the safe return of all crew members. 11RTD. 3 Jan 43. No MACR.
Later, on 16 Feb 43, while serving as the command pilot of his second airplane, the B-24D, 41-23818, Texan II, Lt. Long and his Copilot John McCormick, again flying a mission to bomb the U Boat submarine pens at St. Nazaire, France, was hit by flak and lost partial control of their airplane, causing a midair collision with the B-24D, 42-40354, Snafu. Texan II exploded and crashed into the sea off Selsey Bill, Sussex, UK. Long, McCormick and their entire crew were killed in action (KIA). 16 Feb 43. MACR 4697
Crash report - Feb 16 43. Lt. John Long. Pilot of B-24, 41-23818 Texan II, 44th BG, 67 BS, when it went down over the English Channel after a mid-air collision with another B-24 from his Bomb Group. Exploded and crashed into the sea off Selsey Bill, Sussex. Lt. Long and all of his crew killed in action. His remains were never recovered. 10 KIA. Feb 16, 1943. MACR 4697
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 67th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-439007
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
![B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group fly over countryside. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Feb 1943.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: '7-12 Liberator planes of U.S. Bomber Command in flight at the start of an operational patrol from their base "somewhere in England". And February 17th 1943 PN'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379113.jpg.webp?itok=PMFn3r3H)
- Date: 16 February 1943
- Date: 3 January 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
May, Oklahoma, USA | 11 March 1920 | 1st Lieutenant J.B. Long was born March 11, 1920, and was the son of Ben and Goldena Long. His hometown was May, Oklahoma. |
|
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
English Channel | 16 February 1943 | Lt. John Long was killed in action - KIA. 16 Feb 43 in the B-24D, 41-23818, Texan II, when hit by flak, his aircraft had a mid-air collision with B-24D, 42-40354, Snafu, and crashed into the sea off of Selsey Bill, Sussex. His remains have never been recovered. He was the command pilot of the B-24D, 41-23818, known as, Texan II, Bela, and, Miss Marcie Ann, of the 44th Bomb Group, 67th Bomb Squadron, when it went down over the English Channel after a mid air collision with, Snafu, another B-24D from it's 44th Bomb Group. |
|
Other Commemorated |
Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Madingley Road, Coton, Cambridgeshire CB23 7PH, UK | Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery |
Revisions
IDPF and/or crash report researched by Bill Beigel. IDPF donated to American Air Museum by Bill Beigel. For more information about this flyer, you may contact http://ww2research.com.
Lee Cunningham 30-Jan-2015. Added decorations , SN and rank per MACR 4607 for B-24D 41-23818 MIA 16-Feb-43; Added RTD event based on existing Description data ; Added KIA event of 16-Feb-43 per MACR 4697; Edited Description to chronological order and details per 'Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; Made connections to Place, 2 aircraft and two Missions within existing website data.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4697 & 3302 A / MACR 4697, Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 61-62, 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Lundy pp. 41, 50, The 44th BG in WWII by MacKay and Adams pp.27, 32. / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database