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44-49710

B-24 Liberator

  • A pathfinder B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-49710) nicknamed

    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.

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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

  • 15th Air Force

    15th Air Force


    The Fifteenth Air Force was one of two Strategic Air forces in Europe, along with the Eighth Air Force. ...

  • 464th Bomb Group

    464th Bomb Group

    Group
    A Consolidated History of the 464th Bomb Group ...

  • 778th Bomb Squadron

    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...

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Places

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.
Nicknames
"Stevonovitch II"
Production block number
B-24L-5-FO
Manufacturer
Ford
Markings and paint scheme/livery

N
Radio call-sign 'Black Nan'.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
30 May 2020 13:23:45 Al_Skiff Changes to nicknames, markings, description and events
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/29424643
Date Contributor Update
15 November 2016 00:12:46 466thHistorian Changes to production block number, manufacturer, markings, unit associations and place associations
Sources

http://464th.jkhathaway.org/
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

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