William Toles

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-46097.jpeg UPL 46097 1st Lt William Toles.

Object Number - UPL 46097 - 1st Lt William Toles.

Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying in B-24 Liberator 42-40316.



Killed in Action (KIA) 1-Dec-43 on mission to Solingen, B24 42-40793 'Blonds Away' was damaged by fighters and exploded while trying to land.



Awards: DFC, AM (OLC), PH.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Three airmen of the 389th Bomb Group stand with a B-24 Liberator used as a Flight Assembly Ship. Image via Tim Bivens. Handwritten caption from Bivens: 'My friend remembers it being named "Bucksheesh Benny" that it was used to fly Jack Benny around USA shows. Says it flew in North Africa with Benny and was eventually assigned to 389th as a hack and later as a form-up ship. He thinks it was originally with another group (possibly 376th or 98th).' Handwritten caption on reverse: '389th BG Form-up ship.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Snake Eyes
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Blonds Away
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron 567th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Soluch Airfield

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Minnesota 30 September 1916 Son of Abel and Gittle Tores.

Enlisted

Minneapolis, MN 24 March 1942 Minneapolis, Minnesota

Died

Killed in action

Manston, Ramsgate, Kent, UK 1 December 1943 Target - Solingen, Germany, 1-Dec-43, Manston, England Crash landed at emergency field due to battle damage. KIA. MACR 3983.

Buried

2 December 1943 Cambridge American Cemetery Coton, Cambs, UK Plot D Row 5 Grave 58

Based

Benina 1 December 1943 Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

AAM Database.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Combat Chronology Supplement p. 215, Losses of 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey  pp. 406 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

William Toles: Gallery (2 items)