41-23810 Tarfu
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. The aircraft returned safely to Libya. 1 Aug 43.
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41-23810
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. The aircraft returned safely to Libya. 1 Aug 43.
Tarfu, was shot down and lost on a mission to Kiel, Germany. It was hit by flak, severing the flight controls, and 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 shot out by anti aircraft flak explosions. The plane pitched down and went down in a 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 - 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 - shot down - 6 KIA
Note : The B-24Ds' mission was to bomb targets of opportunity, while the B-17s attacked the Kiel port area. The 93rd Bomb Group lists 1 ship lost on this date.
B-24D, 41-23810, Tarfu, was piloted by Lt. Earl C. Hurd, with a different crew, on Operation Tidal Wave, over Ploesti, Romania. The aircraft was shot down and Failed To Return (FTR). Aug 1, 1943.
Crew for Operation Tidal Wave : B-24D - 41-23810 - Tarfu
2Lt. Allan F. Rabinovitz
2Lt. Rex S. Walker
SSgt John M Larsen - Gunner
S/Sgt. Charles K. Gordoni
Sgt. Cornelius Pas
Sgt. Frank E. Perkins, Jr
Lt. Earle C. Hurd - Pilot
Service
Aircraft
Units
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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. ... -
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93rd Bomb Group
Group
93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1-March-1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15-May-1942 the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida to continue advanced flight training and also to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; they... -
329th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Thomas Adams
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. ... -
Joseph Clements
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. -
Roy Davis
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. -
Merrill Demas
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Flew on the low level Ploesti mission aboard tarfu as a tail gunner, came home with shrapnel in his back from this mission. He was a waist gunner early on then a tail gunner for the remaining missions. ... -
Thomas Dick
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. ... -
Thomas Gilbert
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. -
Charles Gordoni
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... -
Earl Hurd
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... -
Jack Lang
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. ... -
John Larsen
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
Missions
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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... -
8th Air Force 174
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...
Places
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Hardwick
Military site : airfield
Planned as an RAF bomber airfield, Hardwick was used first by the 310th Bomb Group, equipped with B-25 Mitchells. In December 1943, the B-24 Liberators of the 93rd Bomb Group moved in, and remained until the end of the war, flying over 330 missions....
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| 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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Lost on 4th Jan 44 mission to 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. 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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Revisions
| 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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