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B-24 Liberator
B-24D - 93rd bomb Group, 329th Bomb Squadron, Tarfu, over the Alps. 1943
The B-24D, 41-23810, named, Tarfu, flew on Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing mission to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, in Aug 1943. The B-24D, Tarfu, was flown on the mission by Command Pilot Lt. Earl C. Hurd, and returned safely to Benghazi, Libya. 1 Aug 43.
Later, Tarfu, was shot down and lost on a mission over Kiel, Germany. It was hit by flak splinters, severing the flight controls, causing a complete loss of control of the aircraft. Tarfu, crashed southwest of Süderschmedeby, south of Frensburg, Germany. 4 Jan 44. 6 KIA. 4 POW. MACR 8342
Statement from TSgt. Thomas J. Adams :
"Our plane, Tarfu, crashed after the control cables had been severed by AAA flak explosive rounds. The plane immediately stalled, pitched down and went into an uncontrollable spin. There was not much time to get out. Therefore, those of us in good condition could not help the wounded men that could not help themselves. The aircraft crashed 2 KM southwest of Suderschmedeby, south of Flensburg, Germany. 4 Jan 44. MACR 8342
B-24 Targets : Targets of Opportunity - Kiel, Germany.
Missing Air Crew Report Details : USAAF MACR 8342 :
Date Lost : 4 Jan 44
Serial Number : 41-23810
Aircraft Model : B-24D
Aircraft Letter : S
Aircraft Name : Tarfu
Cause Of Loss : Aircraft hit by flak - crashed - 6 KIA. 4 POW.
Note : The B-24D's assignment on this mission was to bomb targets of opportunity, while the B-17s attacked the Kiel port area. The 93rd Bomb Group lists 1 ship lost and failed to return on this date. FTR
B-24D, 41-23810, Tarfu, was piloted by Lt. Earl C. Hurd, with a different crew, on Operation Tidal Wave, over Ploesti, Romania. 1 Aug 43.
The aircraft was later shot down over Germany and failed to return (FTR). 6 KIA - 4 POW. 4 Jan 44. MACR 8342
Crew for Operation Tidal Wave on B-24D - 41-23810 - Tarfu
1st Lt. Earle C. Hurd - Pilot
2nd Lt. Allan F. Rabinovitz
2nd Lt. Rex S. Walker
SSgt John M Larsen - Gunner
SSgt. Charles K. Gordoni
Sgt. Cornelius Pas
Sgt. Frank E. Perkins, Jr
TSgt. Thomas J. Adams
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, 41-23810, named, Tarfu, flew on Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing mission to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, in Aug 1943. The B-24D, Tarfu, was flown on the mission by Command Pilot Lt. Earl C. Hurd, and returned safely to...
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...
Squadron
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Crew member of B-24 Liberator 41-23810 'Tarfu', flew on 1-Aug-43 Ploesti raid, returning safely to Libya.
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator #41-23810.
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 #41-23810.
Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Tail Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
SSgt. Merrill Demas flew on the low level Ploesti mission aboard the B-24D, Tarfu, as the tail gunner. He came home with shrapnel in his back from this mission. He was first assigned as a waist gunner, then, later, was a tail gunner for his remaining...
Military | Captain | Bombardier | 93rd Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator #41-23810.
...
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 #41-23810.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 93rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 329BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. TDY with 9AF USAAF. Radio Operator on B-24 Liberator 41-23810 'Tarfu' on 4th Jan 1944 mission to Kiel, Germany. A/C hit by flak damaging controls, causing loss of control. A/C crashed 2 Km southwest of Süderschmedeby...
Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Co-Pilot / Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
Lt. Earle Clifford Hurd was assigned to 329th Bomb Squadron, the 92nd Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force, detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa, and flew as the command pilot of the B-24D, 41-23810, Tarfu, on the Ploesti oil refinery...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 93rd Bomb Group
2 December 1942 while transporting navigators to a school in Oxfordshire, main landing gear retracted upon landing at the RAF station of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire. All crewmembers, including Pilot Leon C. Packer, survived on B-24 #41-23674.
...
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW). Shot down 4 January 1944 in B-24 #42-23810 'Tarfu'. Target was Kiel, Germany. A/C hit by flak damaging controls, causing loss of control. A/C crashed 2 Km southwest of Süderschmedeby, south of Frensburg, Germany.
PH
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...
4 January 1944
The port area of Kiel, Germany and the railroad marshalling yards at Munster, Germany are the Primary targets of this Mission which is organised as two elements: one going to Kiel and the other to Munster. Roger A. Freeman begins to designate aircraft...
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...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Survived Ploesti | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned safely to Libya. |
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| Failed to Return (FTR) | Flensburg, Germany | 4 January 1944 |
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Aircraft shot down and lost on the Jan 4, 1944, mission to Kiel, Germany. A/C hit by flak, damaging controls, causing loss of control. A/C crashed 2 Km southwest of Süderschmedeby, Germany, south of Frensburg, Germany. 4 Jan 44. 6 KIA - 4 POW. MACR 8342 |
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| Assigned | Benghazi, Libya | |
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329th BS, 93rd BG, 8th AF. TDY 9th AF. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 16 May 2022 10:17:32 | Al_Skiff | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 8342 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 February 2022 04:13:26 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added names, details. - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 February 2022 03:59:41 | Kickapoo | Changes to production block number and description |
| Sources | ||
Best Web - B-24 - 41-23810 - Tarfu |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 February 2022 14:05:43 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Details added. - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 February 2022 04:44:38 | Kickapoo | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Details added. - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 February 2022 15:47:16 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
MACR 8342 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 October 2021 23:45:09 | Kickapoo | Changes to description, aircraft associations, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Details added. Letters, spelling - spacing - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 October 2021 22:49:11 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Details added. - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 October 2021 21:51:20 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
FindAGrave Memorial - John M. Larsen |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 October 2021 21:28:43 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames and description |
| Sources | ||
Best Web - B-24 - 41-23810 - Tarfu |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 11 April 2015 19:00:52 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 8342 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 8342 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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