Lavell Stanley Smith

Military

Assigned to 565BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying B-24 42-40629.



Awards: DFC, AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.

389th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Kenneth Marion Caldwell

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-1699045
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Pilot

Aircraft

42-40629

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Scorpion
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Smith County, TX 18 July 1917 Son of Oran Lee and Lula Augusta [Allen] Smith.

Enlisted

Tyler, TX 18 July 1942 Tyler, Texas
VanZandt County, TX

Based

Hethel Assigned to 565BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Removed # from A/C serial No. to aid clarity and consistency

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/626240699
https://www.fold3.com/record/90343048/world-war-ii-army-enlistment-reco…
https://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/Texas/Lavell-Smith_5h2r03

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Ploesti Sortie Reports, 389th Bomb Group

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

389th BG Roster / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia