B-24 Liberator
B-24D-5-CO 41-23777 was assigned to the 44th Bomb Group/66 Bomb Squadron at Shipdham, UK. On 26-Feb-43 the aircraft was despatched to bomb the shipyards at Bremen, Germany but the target was obscured by clouds so the aircraft diverted to the secondary target at Wilhelmshaven, Germany the aircraft was under almost constant attack by German fighters beginning at Texel Island, Holland and finally exploded in mid-air and crashed near Willbroksmoor, Germany. 9KIA 2 POW MACR 16067. Among those killed was Mr. Robert P. Post a war correspondent working for the New York Times newspaper.
Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
Squadron
Military | Captain | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Killed in Action 26-Feb-43 in B-24D 41-23777 'Maisey', 44BG/66BS while serving as Pilot. The aircraft came under almost constant fighter attack from Texel Island, Holland and finally exploded in mid-air near Willbroksmoor, Germany. Journalist Robert...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 26 February 1943 in B-24 41-23777 'Maisey'. Killed in Action.
NY Times war correspondent Robert Post was aboard and was also Killed in Action.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Killed in Action (KIA) 26-Feb-43 in B-24d 41-23777 'Maisey', 44BG/66BS while serving as Radio Operator. The aircraft wa attacked by German fighters, exploded in mid-air and crashed near Wilbroksmoor, Germany. NY Times war correspondent Robert Post was...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 26 February 1943 in B-24D #41-23777 'Maisey', 44BG/66BS while serving as Navigator. He baled out and was captured as a Prisoner of War (POW).
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Killed in Action (KIA) 26-Feb-43 in B-24D 41-23777 'Maisey', 44BG/66BS while serving as Bombardier. The aircraft was attacked ny German fighters,exploded in mid-air and crashed near Willbroksmoor, Germany while on a mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. A...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Killed in Action (KIA) on 26-Feb-43 in B-24D 41-23777 'Maisey', 44BG/66BS while serving as Right Waist Gunner. The aircraft was attacked by German fighters, exploded in mid-air and crashed near Willbroksmoor, Germany. NY Times war correspondent Robert...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Killed in Action 26-Feb-43 in B-24D 41-23777 "Maisey' while serving as Co-Pilot. The aircraft came under almost constant attack by German fighters from Texal Island, Holland until it exploded in mid-air and crashed near Willbroksmoor, Germany. Robert...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 26 February 1943 in B-24D 41-23777 'Maisey', 44BG/66BS while serving as Left Waist Gunner. The aircraft was attacked by German fighters, exploded in mid-air and crashed near Willbroksmoor, Germany. He was able to bale out of the striken...
Civilian | War Correspondent
Post was a Journalist and War Correspondent for the New York Times, he had joined the London Bureau of the New York Times in 1938 and had covered the Battle of Britain and Rudolph Hess' flight to Scotland, establishing himself as a veteran reporter by...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Killed in Action (KIA) on 26 February 1943 in B-24D 41-23777 'Maisey', 44BG/66BS while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner. The aircraft was attacked by German fighters, exploded in mid-air and crashed near Willbroksmoor, Germany while on a mission...
26 February 1943
After 10 days of weather related delays of the bomber offensive, a mission is organised with the port facilities of Emden, Germany as the primary target. However, Emden is obscured by cloud cover and all formations divert to attack the port facilities...
Military site : airfield
Shipdham was built in 1941-1942, the first US heavy bomber airfield in the English county of Norfolk. It was a standard design, with T2-type hangars and a domestic site dispersed to the south east. Improvements were carried out to increase the number...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Willbroksmoor, 26160 Bad Zwischenahn, Germany | 26 February 1943 |
|
Under constant attack by German fighters beginning at Texel Island, Holland. Exploded in mid-air and crashed at Willbroksmoor, Germany |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 19 August 2019 17:08:46 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Corrrected a typo from "Germn" to German" in the Description. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 June 2015 20:18:46 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to markings, description, events, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 21-Jun-2015. Made Connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; All other information based on: "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE and MACR 16067. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 May 2015 18:24:23 | JasonR | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 16067 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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