The B-24D, The Pink Elephant, 42-40364, was in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", and the 343rd Bomb Squadron. First named, The Pink Elephant, 42-40364, was the second B-24D, that was later renamed, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The first B-24D, named, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, was the aircraft, 41-11913. After both airplanes were renamed, they both had the same name and stunning nose art, a picture of Walt Disney's "Snow White" and the ship's names in large letters: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" on their forward nose sections. In both of the nose art pictures of, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, Snow White held a wand with stars on the tips of the wand. Each star on the wand depicted 2 missions of the bomber completed.





Pilot Capt. James Gunn, his crew, and, The Pink Elephant, 42-40364, with the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 343rd Bomb Squadron, was dispatched to North Africa and left the United States July, 1942, and flew to South America, to the Gold Coast, then, across the Atlantic ocean to Egypt, and was based near Haifa, Egypt. The aircraft's first mission was on Aug 14, 1942, starting combat operations on May 13, 1943, in the MTO, flying out of Benghazi, Libya.





The, Pink Elephant, was flown by Capt. James A. Gunn, Jr, on Operation Tidal Wave, the low level bombing mission to Ploesti, Romania. The aircraft was shot down and lost on the mission. It was shot down near the Yugoslavian / Bulgarian border by enemy fighters during it's withdrawal from the target in the same action that downed, The Witch, 41-11840, flown by Lt. Julian Darlington. The Pink Elephant's pilot, Capt. James A. Gunn, Jr. and his crew, failed to return - FTR - and were killed in action. 10 KIA. Aug 1,1943. MACR 165

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Crew of, The Pink Elephant, over Ploesti :



Capt. James Gunn, Jr. - Pilot (KIA) -

2nd Lt. Richard C. Williamson - Copilot (KIA -

1st Lt. Bernard E. Leimbach - Navigator (KIA)

2nd Lt. Robert C. Courtney - Bombardier (KIA)

T/Sgt. Edwin L. Turner - Engineer - Top Turret Gunner (KIA)

T/Sgt. Delmar E. Smith - Radio Operator (KIA)

S/Sgt. Frederick L. Stukey - Waist Gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. Charles R. Ruark - Waist Gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. Stanley M. Horine, Jr. - Tail Gunner (POW)