464th Bomb Group
Group
A Consolidated History of the 464th Bomb Group
...
The American Air Museum archive is under redevelopment
We are currently working on a site-wide upgrade which will be completed in September 2022
You will not be able to search, add or edit information in the American Air Museum archive while this takes place.
You can find out more about our plans here
44-49710
B-24 Liberator
-
A pathfinder B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-49710) nicknamed "Stevonovitch II (Black Nan)" of the 464th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force explodes and rolls over in midair as a result of a direct flak hit, during a mission over Lugo, Italy, 10 April 1945.
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines, pilot Col James Gilson, C/O of the 779th BS and nine other crew members were KIA [killed in action], one waist gunner was thrown clear and survived. Lugo, Italy 10th April 1945, MACR 13711.
Service
Units
-
-
778th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron in mid-1943, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), October 1943, becoming a Fifteenth Air Force heavy bomb squadron, attacking enemy targets both in...
People
-
Norman Cope
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist gunner | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 13711. ... -
Charles Foote
Military | Captain | Co-pilot | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Gilson crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR... -
James Gilson
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 13711. ... -
Charles Montegut
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Gilson crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR... -
Lacey Morton
Military | Captain | Navigator | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Gilson crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR... -
Robert O'Leary
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Gilson crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR... -
Robert Rogers
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flight Engineer | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Gilson crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR... -
Jerrold Ruben
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Gilson crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR... -
Melvin Thomason
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist gunner | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Gilson crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR... -
George Wall
Military | Captain | Bombardier | 464th Bomb Group
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. Gilson crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Lugo, Italy in B-24 44-49710; A/C suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines; crashed Lugo, Italy 10-Apr-45, Killed in Action (KIA) MACR...
Places
-
Pantanella
Military site : airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Manufactured | Willow Run, Ypsilanti, MI | 1944 |
|
Built by Ford. |
||
| Assigned | Pantanella, Italy | 1944 |
|
Assigned to 778BS, 464BG, 15AF USAAF. |
||
| Crashed | Lugo RA, Italy | 10 April 1945 |
|
Suffered direct flak hit on a 'milk run'. Starboard wing collapsing between engines, pilot Col James Gilson, C/O of the 779th BS and nine other crew members were KIA [killed in action], one waist gunner was thrown clear and survived. Lugo, Italy 10th April 1945, MACR 13711. |
||
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 30 May 2020 13:23:45 | Al_Skiff | Changes to nicknames, markings, description and events |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 November 2016 00:12:46 | 466thHistorian | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, markings, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 11 March 2015 15:17:20 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, events, unit associations and media associations |
| Sources | ||
Roger Freeman / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com |
||
