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B-24D - 41-11886 - Lil Joe - 345th BS - 98th BG - 9th AF, was lost on the Ploesti oil refinery mission. 6 crew bailed out. 2 survived descent. Lil Joe, exploded and crashed in a field. Pilot Lt. Hussey and his radioman were pulled from their wrecked B-24, badly burned and became POW's. 4 POW - 5 KIA. 1 August, 1943. MACR 222.
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PHOTO : the B-24D, Lil Joe, with a crewman, possibly, the tail gunner, SSGT. Roy Carney. - B-24D, Lil Joe, B-24-D-CO, 41-11886, in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 345th Bomb Squadron. Left Side : A dice roll combination of 4, in craps, is referred to as a, "Little Joe", score, hence, the bomber's name, Lil Joe. Lil Joe was lost on Operation Tidal Wave. Aug 1, 1943.
The B-24D, named, Lil Joe, 41-11886, was flown by Pilot Lt. Lindley Hussey on Operation Tidal Wave to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Lil Joe, was shot down and lost on the Ploesti mission. FTR. On approach to it's target, Lil Joe, was hit by flak in one of it's 400 gallon extra bomb bay gasoline tanks, and caught on fire from a large fuel leak. It's pilot, Lt. Hussey, pressed on and bombed his target with his burning airplane trailing flames from it's leaking gasoline tank. After dropping his bombs, Hussey pulled, Lil Joe, up into climb to enable a bail out for his crew. Six crewmen bailed out. But, only two survived their descent. SSgt Roy Carney, the tail gunner, was killed. KIA. Lil Joe, crashed in a field and exploded in flames. Lt. Hussey and his radioman were pulled from the wrecked aircraft badly burned, but survived their burns and became POW's. 4 POW. 5 KIA. A/C failed to return. FTR. 1 Aug, 1943. MACR 222.
Note : the B-24D, Lil Joe, 41-11886, lost over Ploesti, should not be confused with another B-24D in the MTO, named, similarly, Little Joe, with the serial number, 41-24195, which was also in the 9th Air Force, and the 98th Bomb Group, and flew on Operation Tidal Wave, returning safely to base. RTB. 1 Aug 43.
Service
Aircraft
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, named, Lil Joe, 41-11886, was flown by Pilot Lt. Lindley Hussey on Operation Tidal Wave to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Lil Joe, was shot down and lost on the Ploesti mission. FTR. On approach to it's target, Lil Joe, was...
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator bomber, Little Joe, 41-24195, was in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 415th Bomb Squadron. Little Joe, 41-24195, flew on the Ploesti oil refinery mission piloted by Lt. Wesley N. Pettigrew, returning safely to Libya....
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Units
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Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942.
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Squadron
Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron and trained by Third Air Force. Deployed to Egypt in June 1942 over South Atlantic Transport Route transiting from Morrison Field, Florida though the Caribbean to Brazil; performed trans-Atlantic...
People
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Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Tail Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
SSgt Roy E. Carney was the tail gunner on the B-24D Liberator, 41-24195, Lil Joe.
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer/ Top Turret Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
TSgt. Lloyd T. Fowler was a crew member, the Flight Engineer/top turret gunner, of the B-24D, 41-11886, Lil Joe, shot down and lost on Operation Tidal Wave over Ploesti, Romania. Lil Joe was hit in it's extra gasoline tank in it's bomb bay by flak...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner
Crew member of B-24 #4111886 'Lil Joe' lost on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, A/C had large fuel leak in bomb bay prior to target, pressed on and bombed target with A/C bursting into flames from leaked fuel, pilot pulled aircraft into climb to...
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Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
Lt. Lindley Hussey was the pilot of the B-24D liberator bomber, #41-11886, named, 'Lil Joe', lost on the Aug 1, 1943 Ploesti oil refinery raid. As Lt. Hussey, flying in Flight 3 behind the fist two flights ahead of him, approached his target, he took...
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Military | Lieutenant | Co Pilot
Co Pilot of B-24 #4111886 'Lil Joe' lost on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, A/C had large fuel leak in bomb bay prior to target, pressed on and bombed target with A/C bursting into flames from leaked fuel, pilot pulled aircraft into climb to...
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ploesti raid in B-24 41-11886 'Lil Joe'; A/C burst into flames from leaked fuel over target, pilot pulled aircraft into climb to enable bail out, exploded and crashed in a field. Killed in...
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Military | Lieutenant | Bombardier
Bombardier of B-24 #4111886 'Lil Joe' lost on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, A/C had large fuel leak in bomb bay prior to target, pressed on and bombed target with A/C bursting into flames from leaked fuel, pilot pulled aircraft into climb to...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator
Radio Operator of B-24 #4111886 'Lil Joe' lost on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, A/C had large fuel leak in bomb bay prior to target, pressed on and bombed target with A/C bursting into flames from leaked fuel, pilot pulled aircraft into climb...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Crew member of B-24 41-11886 'Lil Joe' lost on 1-Aug-43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, A/C had large fuel leak in bomb bay prior to target, pressed on and bombed target with A/C bursting into flames from leaked fuel,...
Missions
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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...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Failed To Return FTR |
Ploiești, Romania |
1 August 1943 |
B-24 #4111886 'Lil Joe' lost on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, A/C had large fuel leak in bomb bay prior to target, pressed on and bombed target with A/C bursting into flames from leaked fuel, pilot pulled aircraft into climb to enable bail out, 6 crew bailed, 2 survived descent, Lil Joe exploded and crashed in a field, pilot Lt Hussey and radioman pulled from wreck badly burnt and became POW's. 4 POW, 5 KIA. MACR 222.
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Assigned |
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345th BS 98th BS, 9th AF.
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