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41-23729

B-24 Liberator

  • B-24 Liberator, 41-23729,

    B-24 Liberator, 41-23729, "Shoot Luke", and crew. A/C flew on the Ploesti oil refinery bombing mission. Aborted. - Photo taken at Hardwick, Norfolk, England, on April 12,1943 Crew in photo, L-R: 1st Lt. John Murphy, San Diego, CA, 1st Lt. Archie Rantala, Brule, WI, 2nd Lt. Edmond F. Janic, Milwaukee, WI 2nd Lt. George G. Black, Monterey, CA, T/Sgt. Floyd H. Mabee, Lafayette, NJ, T/Sgt. William D. Mercer, Zanesville, OH S/Sgt. Adam J. Hastak, New Orleans, LA, S/Sgt. George W. Foster, Akron, OH, S/Sgt. James D. Cowan, Boston, MA S/Sgt. Mahlon D. Cressey, Biddeford, ME

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  • B-24 Liberator, 41-23729,

    B-24 Liberator, 41-23729, "Shoot Luke", and crew. A/C flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, having to abort . Photo taken on April 12,1943 at Hardwick, Norfolk, England.

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  • B-24D Liberator, 41-23729,

    B-24D Liberator, 41-23729, "Shoot Luke" - 328th BS - 93rd BG - 8th AF, being bombed up. A/C flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, having to abort . 1 Aug 43.

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  • Page 17 of the 93rd Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Page 17 of the 93rd Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8
  • Page 58 of the 93rd Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Page 58 of the 93rd Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

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  • RAF Form 441A Sortie Reports for the 93rd Bomb Group on Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing of Ploesti. - 1 August 1943.

    RAF Form 441A Sortie Reports for the 93rd Bomb Group on Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing of Ploesti. - 1 August 1943.

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  • B-24D

    B-24D "Shoot Luke" - Nose Art - Bearded Man By Jug.

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  • B-24D -

    B-24D - "Shoot Luke". Aborted Operation Tidal Wave, Ploesti, Romania. 1 Aug 43. MACR 4927

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The B-24D, 41-23729, named, Shoot Luke, was assigned to the 328th Bomb Squadron, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force, temporarily deployed (TDY) to the 9th Air Force, Benghazi, Libya. Lt. George G. Black flew Shoot Luke on the Ploesti oil refinery bombing mission. He was forced to abort the mission with an engine failure. 1st Aug 43

Shoot Luke, flown by Lt. Charles R. Hutchens, was shot down on Oct 18, 1943, NLD, by enemy fighters over the North Sea, 215 km north of Texel, Netherlands. The entire crew was killed in action (KIA). MACR 4927

Service

Aircraft

  • 41-23729 Shoot Luke

    B-24 Liberator
    The B-24D, 41-23729, named, Shoot Luke, was assigned to the 328th Bomb Squadron, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force, temporarily deployed (TDY) to the 9th Air Force, Benghazi, Libya. Lt. George G. Black flew Shoot Luke on the Ploesti oil...

Units

  • 93rd Bomb Group

    93rd Bomb Group

    Group
    The 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1 Mar 42 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15 May 42. the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, to continue advanced flight training and also to fly antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico. They...

  • 328th Bomb Squadron

    328th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • George Black

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
    George G. Black took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator, serial number 41-23729. He aborted the mission over the Mediterranean Sea, due to his No. 4 engine failure. 1 Aug 1943.

  • Clifford Blais

    Military | Staff Sergeant | 93rd Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 18 October 1943 AM/ PH

  • Gregory Bournazos

    Military | Second Lieutenant | 93rd Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 18 October 1943 AM w/ Oak Leaf Cluster/ PH

  • Idus Coleman

    Military | Technical Sergeant | 93rd Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 18 October 1943 AM/ PH

  • James Cowan

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 328BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. TDY to 9AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-23729). Aborted over Mediterranean due to No. 4 engine failure. ...

  • Mahlon Cressey

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 328BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-23729). Aborted over Mediterranean due to No. 4 engine failure. ...

  • Robert Fisher

    Military | Staff Sergeant | 93rd Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 18 October 1943 AM/ PH

  • George Foster

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
    Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-23729). Aborted over Mediterranean due to No. 4 engine failure.

  • Reuben Gareau

    Military | Staff Sergeant | 93rd Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 18 October 1943 AM/ PH

  • Robert Graff

    Military | Staff Sergeant | 93rd Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 18 October 1943 AM/ PH

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Missions

  • Operation Tidal Wave

    1 August 1943
    Operation TIDAL WAVE. B-24D Liberators attack the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. The bombers flew low to avoid radar detection and dropped time delayed bombs. Out of the 177 B-24s that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57...

  • VIII Fighter Command FO-162 BOMBER ESCORT

    18 October 1943
    This mission was composed of two fighter elements. The first element was a force of 33 P-38s from 55FG despatched to accompany bomber formations headed for Duren, Germany. Weather conditions prevented rendevous with the bomber stream and both the...

Places

  • Hardwick

    Military site : airfield
    Planned as an RAF bomber airfield, Hardwick was used first by the 310th Bomb Group, equipped with B-25 Mitchells. B-24 Liberators of the 93rd Bomb Group moved in briefly in March 1943, then returned in June 1943 remaining until the end of the war and...

Events

Event Location Date
Assigned Benghazi, Libya 1943

328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. TDY 9th AF.
Survived Ploesti Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943

A/C flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, forced to abort.
Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW) North Sea 18 October 1943

Shot down on Oct 18, 1943 by enemy fighters over the North Sea, 215 km north of Texel, Netherlands. The entire crew was KIA. MACR 4927
Nicknames
Shoot Luke
Production block number
B-24D-1-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery

The B-24D, 41-23729, named, Shoot Luke, was painted in the U.S. in the standard Army olive drab color for camouflage in the ETO in Britain, with a light blue colored paint applied to the lower wings and fuselage surfaces. It's national insignias were white stars painted over with a dull grey color, on blue roundels. Their original yellow surround borders were painted over with dark blue border surrounds in mid/early 1943. The airplane's name, Shoot Luke, was painted in yellow letters on both sides of the aircraft's forward nose section. A picture of a small bearded man standing by a flask of whiskey was painted beside the name, first, on only the RH side, and, later, added to the LH side. The aircraft's abbreviated serial number, 123729, was painted on the outboard sides of the vertical stabilizers with it's RCL, a large block letter, "H" and the rectangular British blue and red fin flashes.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
17 May 2022 13:42:36 Al_Skiff Changes to unit associations
Sources

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 4927
Date Contributor Update
30 August 2021 16:13:21 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Capital letter added. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
30 August 2021 16:11:34 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23729 - Shoot Luke
Date Contributor Update
30 August 2021 16:03:12 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23729
Date Contributor Update
19 August 2021 00:15:14 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Aircraft name changed from all capitals - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
18 August 2021 15:53:11 general ira snapsorter Changes to description
Sources

Changed all instances of aircraft name into sentence case to as per best practice for accessibility.
Date Contributor Update
18 August 2021 09:58:51 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23729 - SHOOT LUKE
Date Contributor Update
18 August 2021 09:32:02 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - SHOOT LUKE
Date Contributor Update
18 August 2021 09:01:50 Kickapoo Changes to production block number, markings, description and aircraft associations
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23729
Date Contributor Update
18 August 2021 08:06:24 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23729
Date Contributor Update
18 August 2021 07:55:50 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23729
Date Contributor Update
20 December 2018 17:11:13 Al_Skiff Changes to description and events
Sources

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 4927
Date Contributor Update
10 April 2015 19:33:43 Al_Skiff Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations, place associations and mission associations
Sources

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 4927
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:01 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

MACR 4927 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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