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41-23778

B-24 Liberator

  • B-24 Liberator 41-23778 'Jenny' 'Lady Luck' of the 66th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. Flew on the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned to Libya. FTR - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields whilst on TDY to the 9th AF. Pilot Rocco A Curelli. 9 KIA, 1 POW, MACR 2141/3150.

    B-24 Liberator 41-23778 'Jenny' 'Lady Luck' of the 66th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. Flew on the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned to Libya. FTR - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields whilst on TDY to the 9th AF. Pilot Rocco A Curelli. 9 KIA, 1 POW, MACR 2141/3150.

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  • The crew of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-23778) nicknamed

    The crew of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-23778) nicknamed "Jenny", of the 44th Bomb Group, return to Shipdham following a raid on Germany, 27 January 1943 The insignia attached to the breast of several crew members jackets has been censored. Image stamped on reverse: 'Barratt's Photo Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 29 Jan 1943.' [stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: 'First American raid on Germany. Flying Fortresses and Liberators of the U.S. Army Air Corps Carried out their first raid on Germany on Wednesday last. O.PS., the crew of the Liberator "Jenny" leaving after the U.S. raid on Germany. (Barratt's. 29/1/43).'

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  • B-24 Liberator 41-23778 'Lady Luck' of the 66th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. Flew on the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned to Libya. FTR - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields whilst on TDY to the 9th AF. Pilot Rocco A Curelli. 9 KIA, 1 POW, MACR 2141/3150.

    B-24 Liberator 41-23778 'Lady Luck' of the 66th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. Flew on the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned to Libya. FTR - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields whilst on TDY to the 9th AF. Pilot Rocco A Curelli. 9 KIA, 1 POW, MACR 2141/3150.

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  • B-24 Liberator 41-23778 'Lady Luck' of the 66th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. Flew on the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned to Libya. FTR - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields whilst on TDY to the 9th AF. Pilot Rocco A Curelli. 9 KIA, 1 POW, MACR 2141/3150.

    B-24 Liberator 41-23778 'Lady Luck' of the 66th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. Flew on the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned to Libya. FTR - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields whilst on TDY to the 9th AF. Pilot Rocco A Curelli. 9 KIA, 1 POW, MACR 2141/3150.

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The B-24D Liberator bomber, SN #41-23778 renamed 'Lady Luck' from 'Jenny' - Survived Operation Tidal Wave over Ploesti Romania, August 1, 1943.

'Lady Luck' was in the 8th Air Force, the 44th Bomb Group, and the 66th Bombing Squadron in Britain in 1942. It was temporarily attached to 9th AF for the August 1, 1943, Ploesti oil refinery raid and returned to Libya. Flown by the Lt. Rocco Curelli crew, 'Lady Luck' was shot down over Foggia, Italy, by enemy fighters near Ruoti, Italy. Aug 16, 1943. - ITA - MACR 3150

AC Failed to Return - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields while on TDY to the 9th Air Force. Shot down by enemy fighters near Ruoti, Italy. Pilot Rocco A. Curelli. - 9 KIA, 1 POW. Aug 16, 1943. MACR 2141/3150.

Service

Units

  • 8th Air Force

    8th Air Force


    Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. ...

  • 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs

    44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs

    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...

  • 66th Bomb Squadron

    66th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • John Altman

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator;Top Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778. 29 x combat missions. ETD. Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • John Barcus

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Staff Sargent John Raymond Barcus was a waist gunner on the B-24D SN #41-23778 - 'Lady Luck' Assigned to the 66th Bomb Squadron, the 44th Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force. He flew on the Ploesti raid as part of Lt. Felber's crew, on temporary...

  • James Corrigan

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator; Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778. Completed 28 missions.

  • Rocco Curelli

    Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Pilot 2nd/Lt. Rocco A. Curelli, KIA ...

  • Deforest Ela

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Attack on Foggia airfields under TDY to the 9th AAF. KIA in 41-23778 'Lady Luck' Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 2141/3150 Awards: AM,PH.

  • Robert Felber

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778 'Lady Luck'. 25 x combat missions. Moved up to Group Operations. ETD. Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.

  • John Grinde

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Attack on Foggia airfields under TDY to the 9th AAF. KIA in 41-23778 'Lady Luck' Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 2141/3150 Awards: PH.

  • George Honeyman

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778. 10 x combat missions. Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medals.

  • John Hughes

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Attack on Foggia airfields under TDY to the 9th AAF. POW in 41-23778 'Lady Luck' Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 2141/3150 Awards: PH.

  • Claron Markham

    Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Assigned to 66BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 41-23778. 31 x combat missions. ETD ...

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Missions

  • Operation Tidal Wave

    1 August 1943
    Operation TIDAL WAVE. B24D 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 B...

Events

Event Location Date
Manufactured willow run, Ypsilanti, ME 1943

Built at Consolidated.
Assigned Benghzi, Libya 1 August 1943

Temporary attachment to 9th AF for Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned to Libya.
Failed to Return (FTR) 85056 Ruoti PZ, Italy 16 August 1943

Failed to Return - Lost on attack on Foggia airfields whilst on TDY to the 9th AF. Pilot Rocco A Curelli. 9 KIA, 1 POW, A/C shot down by enemy fighters near Ruoti, Italy, Aug. 16, 1943. MACR 2141/3150.
Nicknames
'Lady Luck' - 'Jenny'
Production block number
B-24-D-5-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery

'Lady Luck' from the 8th Air force in Britain was painted overall olive drab with it's national insignias of early 1943, a white star in a blue roundel with a yellow or red circle around it. The nose art for 'Lady Luck' was a painting on the nose of "Lady Luck" and the title, 'Lady Luck'. When she was named 'Jenny' the name, "Jenny" was painted in block letters on each forward side of the nose.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
03 March 2021 20:40:06 Kickapoo Changes to production block number, nicknames, markings and description
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - #41-23778 - 'Jenny' - 'Lady Luck'
Date Contributor Update
22 February 2021 01:53:47 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - 'Lady luck' - SN # 41-23778
Date Contributor Update
22 February 2021 01:10:12 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames and description
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - 'Lady luck' - SN # 41-23778
Date Contributor Update
22 February 2021 01:04:03 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - 'Lady luck' - SN # 41-23778
Date Contributor Update
22 December 2020 09:42:49 Al_Skiff Changes to description and events
Sources

http://www.amervets.com/replacement/tidal.htm
http://www.greenharbor.com/ROHPDF/ROH.pdf
Date Contributor Update
09 December 2020 12:16:30 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties
Date Contributor Update
09 December 2020 12:12:52 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties
Date Contributor Update
09 December 2020 12:04:03 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties
Date Contributor Update
12 February 2020 15:06:43 general ira snapsorter Changes to description
Sources

Ploesti Sortie Reports, 44th Bomb Group
Date Contributor Update
22 March 2015 17:03:41 Al_Skiff Changes to description and events
Sources

http://www.findagrave.com
Date Contributor Update
22 March 2015 16:58:47 Al_Skiff Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations
Sources

AAM Database / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / http://www.b24bestweb.com
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:01 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

MACR 3150 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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