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B-24 Liberator
Lt. Harold Korger flew as navigator on the B-24D Liberator heavy bomber, SN # 41-11825, 'Hail Columbia", on the mission to Ploesti, Romania, "Operation Tidal Wave" - 'Hail Columbia' was named and piloted by Col. John Riley "Killer" Kane and Lt. John S. Young from Dallas Texas. Four extra .50 caliber fixed nose guns, visible in this photo, were added to the lower front nose for the Ploesti Mission for strafing the German flak guns ahead of the bomber, as they made their bombing run into the Romanian oil refinery area. 'Hail Columbia' and all the crew members, including Lt. Korger, survived the Ploesti mission with over 150 counted flak holes in the airplane, yet, with no life threatening injuries to any one on board. Knowing they could not return to their base at Benghazi, Libya, with their aircraft heavily damaged by German anti aircraft flak guns over their target, the Astra Romano Refinery complex, Col. Kane and his navigator, Lt. Norman Whalen, decided to try to fly south to the island of Cyprus, and crash landed in the dark, on the British air base at Nicosia, Cyprus, August 1, 1943. 'Hail Columbia' was wrecked and written off at Nicosia, Cyprus, August, 3,1943. The next day, as the men inspected their wrecked airplane that had carried them into a burning hell of a bombing mission, and brought them safely home, the men could see tears in the eyes of their, normally, stoic Commander, John "Killer" Kane.
B-24 Liberator #4111825 'Hail Columbia' 'Grumpy', survived the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, crashed on its return to Cyprus and was abandoned.
B-24 Liberator #4111825 'Hail Columbia' 'Grumpy', survived the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, crashed on its return to Cyprus and was abandoned.
Nose art of B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-11825) nicknamed "Little Chief Big Dog", also known as "Hail Columbia" and "Grumpy".
B-24D - 'Hail Columbia' - After Crash Landing at Nicosia, Cyprus - Aug 1, 1943. From left : Lt. Harry Korger/ Bombardier - Lt. Norman Whalen Navigator/nose gunner - kneeling, second from right, 1st Lt. Raymond Hubbard/ radio operator/ gunner, SSgt. Harvey Treace/gunner, TSgt Clarence Weckesser/ Engineer/ top turret gunner, SSgt. Neville Benson/waist gunner, SSgt. Joseph LaBranch/ gunner, SSgt. Frederick Leard/waist gunner . The next morning after the Ploesti mission, Monday August 2nd, 1943.
'Hail Columbia' crashed and wrecked on Cyprus Island - Center Photo Between #3 and #4 Engines - Col. John Kane with Lt. John Young, center. Lt. Norman Whalen facing camera. Notice the men closely looking at the #4 engine, which is partly off it's mounts. It had taken a direct flak hit over White IV, which destroyed the engine. Aug 2, 1943
Operation Tidal Wave - Last Briefing. - 1943
B-24D 'Hail Columbia' #41-11825. This was originally the 98th Bomb Group Commander John R. Kane's aircraft, who had his aircraft name 'Hail Columbia' painted over the former name, 'Grumpy'.
The B-24D, 'Hail Columbia', # 41-11825, originally served in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron. It was, first, the 344th Squadron's CO, Col. John R. Kane's, personal aircraft until Kane became the 98th Bomb Group's CO and turned it over to Herman "Big Dog" Lewis. Lewis changed the left side nose art to 'LITTLE-CHIEF BIG-DOG' but retained 'HAIL COLUMBIA' in block letters on the left side. Following Lewis's death in another ship, the airplane was transferred to the 343rd Bomb Squadron where the right side art work was changed to 'GRUMPY' in compliance with the "Snow White Squadron" directive. Wilfred Brann was the crew chief of 'GRUMPY' in the 343rd Squadron. 'LITTLE-CHIEF BIG-DOG' had been removed prior to the Rome mission of July 19, 1943.
Then, for the second time, the B-24D - 'Hail Columbia' was chosen by Col. John "Killer" Kane as his personal plane and his Lead Aircraft for the Ploesti mission. He, then, had the old name, "Grumpy", on the LH forward side of the nose, repainted over with new nose art, a circle of stars around a bald eagle holding a large bat, with the name "Hail Columbia" painted in large red block letters above the eagle. Just prior to the low level Ploesti mission, 98th Bomb Group CO John R. Kane had the airplane returned to his 344th BS where a new form of the original 'HAIL COLUMBIA' nose art quickly replaced 'GRUMPY'. According to Scott Flood, great-nephew of the 41-11825's crew chief, Charles Wilfred Brann, the name 'Grumpy' was chosen for T/Sgt Brann, "reflecting his personality, a short, stocky man, rather gruff and grumpy on the outside." Flood also wrote that, by Col. Kane's directive, "Hail Columbia" in block letters was again repainted over 'Grumpy' on the right side of 'Hail Columbia' for the Ploesti mission. So, the B-24 previously named 'Grumpy', was chosen by Col. John "Killer" Kane, for the second time, as his personal plane and his Lead Aircraft for the Ploesti mission. Kane and the crew of 'Hail Columbia' bombed their target at "White IV" and escaped Ploesti with one engine out, and two propellers damaged, and over 150 counted flak holes in it, with several crewmen WIA, wounded but recovering. They flew all the way south through Turkey to the island of Cyprus. Col. Kane and co-pilot, Lt. John Young crashed "Hail Columbia' upon landing in the dark at Nicosia, Cyprus, after hitting a ditch the British had put a ditch across their runway's threshold, which took out their landing gear when they hit it at high speed. - The aircraft was abandoned at Nicosia, August 1, 1943. The next day, while looking over the plane, Lt. Johnny Young reported that there were tears in "Killer" Kane's eyes, as he surveyed the damage of his crashed and wrecked airplane that he had named 'Hail Columbia'. A lot of pilots felt that way about the airplanes they felt had saved their lives.
The nine crewmen aboard 'Hail Columbia' for the Ploesti mission were: First Lieutenant Norman Whelan (Navigator), Staff Sergeant Neville C. Benson (Waist Gunner), First Lieutenant Raymond B. Hubbard (Radioman), Second Lieutenant Harold F. Korger (Bombardier), Sergeant Joseph W. LaBranche (Gunner), Technical Sergeant Frederick A. Leard (Waist Gunner), Sergeant William Leo (Gunner), Staff Sergeant Harvey L. Treace (Gunner), Technical Sergeant Fred Weckessler (Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner), and First Lieutenant John S. Young (Co-Pilot) – All crewmen received the Distinguished Flying Cross for the mission, and Lt. Whelan was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. And 1st Lt John Young received another Oak Leaf Cluster to his DFC and Silver Star. Col. John Kane was awarded the Medal Of Honor and another Oak Leaf Cluster to those already on his DFC.
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D 'Joisey Bounce' was assigned to Pilot Col. Walter T. Stewart of the 330 Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, for the famous mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, Aug 1,1943. Col. Stewart changed his assigned plane...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, named 'The Sandman' and flown by Lt. Robert Sternfels in the 9th Air force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 345th Bomb Squadron, flew on the famous mission to destroy the German held oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Lt. Sternfels flew in...
B-24 Liberator
- Not to be confused with #42-40608, 'THE VULGAR VIRGIN' of the 8th Air Force - 93rd Bomb Group - 328th Bomb Squadron - It also flew on the Ploesti mission, piloted by Lt. Claude Turner - Interned Turkey Aug 1, 1943 - Lt. Turner escaped from the...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, named 'Hadley's Harem' was Lt. Gilbert Hadley's personal airplane and the one he flew on the mission to destroy Hitler's oil refineries at Ploesti Romania in 1943.
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B-24 Liberator
B-24D-CO Liberator - 'Raunchy'
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator bomber, SN #41-11761, was first named, 'Sleepy', and, later, renamed, 'The Squaw'. It flew on the famous Ploesti bombing mission, returning to Cyprus, piloted by Lt. Royden L. Lebrecht. After Ploesti and and the completion of his ...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator, SN # 41-11768, 'KICKAPOO', was piloted by Lt. John S. Young from Dallas, Texas as part of the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron, which arrived in North Africa in early 1943. This airplane was...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator 42-40629, 'The Scorpion', with the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bombardment Group, and the 565th Bomb Squadron, flew on the Ploesti oil refinery raid, "Operation Tidal Wave" piloted by Lt. Kenneth M. Caldwell and Col. Jack Wood...
B-24 Liberator
# 42-40753 - B-24D 'OLE KICKAPOO' - A Consolidated B-24D bomber from the 389th Bombardment Group of the 8th Air Force, and the 564th Bomb Squadron from England, with it's Command Pilot, 2nd Lt. Lloyd Hughes, and his crew, who flew on "Operation Tidal...
Group
Constituted as 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 Oct 1942 and activated in Palestine on 31 Oct. Began combat immediately, using B-24 aircraft. Operated with Ninth AF from bases in the Middle East, Nov 1942-Sep 1943, and with Twelfth AF from Tunisia...
Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942.
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Squadron
The 344th Bombing Squadron was first activated at MacDill Field, Florida as one of the original three squadrons assigned to the 98th Bombardment Group. The 344th soon moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana, where it began to train as a Consolidated B-24...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
SSgt. Neville C. Bensen took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943. He was a waist gunner in the Element Lead B-24D Liberator, # 41-11825, 'Hail Columbia', piloted by Col. John R. "Killer" Kane and Lt. John S. Young. He...
Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24D Co-Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
2nd Lt. Ronald Lee Helder was a B-24 pilot in the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bomb Group, and the 564th Bombing Squadron in WWII. He flew as Co-pilot with his friend, Command Pilot Lt. Lloyd H. Hughes, in the B-24D Lt. Helder called, 'Ole Kickapoo',...
Military | First Lieutenant | Radio Operator | 98th Bomb Group
Lt. Raymond B. Hubbard was assigned to the 9th Air force, the 98th Bombardment Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron in Libya, North Africa, 1943. He took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying as a Waist Gunner and...
Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
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Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer, Command Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
John Riley Kane (January 5, 1907 – May 29, 1996) was a colonel in the United States Army Air Corps and later the United States Air Force. He received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor in World War II, for his...
Military | Colonel | Bombardier Navigator | 98th Bomb Group
Lt. Harold Korger was a bombardier in the 344th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bomb Group, 9th Air Force. He flew on the famous mission, Operation Tidal Wave, Aug 1, 1943, to knock out the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. ...
Military | Sergeant | Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying in B-24 Liberator 41-11825.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Technical Sgt. Frederick A. Leard was a waist gunner assigned to the Element Lead B-24D Liberator bomber, named 'Hail Columbia', SN # 41-11825, flown by Col. John R. "Killer" Kane and Lt. John S. Young on Operation Tidal Wave, the large mission to...
Military | Captain | B-24 Command Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
Lt. Royden Louis LeBrecht was a B-24D command pilot in the 9th Air force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bomb Squadron. He flew his B-24D, he named 'The Squaw' on Operation Tidal Wave, the large mission to destroy the German held oil refineries at...
Military | Sergeant | Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying in B-24 Liberator 41-11825.
1 August 1943
Operation TIDAL WAVE. B24D 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 B...
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Survived Ploesti mission | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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A veteran of the low-level Ploesti, Romania mission on August 1,43. She survived the Ploesti mission, though badly damaged with one engine out and two others damaged but running. |
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| Crashed | Cyprus | 1 August 1943 |
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A veteran of the low-level Ploesti, Romania mission on August 1,43. She crashed on the island of Cyprus returning from the mission and was abandoned. |
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| Assigned | Benghazi, Libya | |
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9th Air Force, 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", 344th Bomb Squadron. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 13 March 2021 21:27:09 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
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Added punctuation to the A/C “Description” to aid clarity. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 January 2021 01:07:33 | Kickapoo | Changes to markings and description |
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Personal Archives - John S Young Jr |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 December 2020 09:36:55 | Al_Skiff | Changes to description |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 December 2020 00:50:09 | Kickapoo | Changes to aircraft associations |
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- personal archives - John S Young Jr |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 December 2020 00:45:21 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- personal archives - John S Young Jr |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 December 2020 00:13:13 | Kickapoo | Changes to aircraft associations |
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Into The Fire - Duane Schultz |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 December 2020 00:10:26 | Kickapoo | Changes to person associations and place associations |
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personal archives - John S Young Jr |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 December 2020 02:49:19 | Kickapoo | Changes to markings |
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personal archives - John S Young Jr |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 December 2020 02:37:46 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames, markings and description |
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personal archives - John S Young Jr |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 December 2020 02:31:04 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
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personal archives - John S Young Jr |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 December 2020 02:02:48 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
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personal archives - John S Young Jr |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 December 2020 06:07:00 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames and description |
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 December 2020 05:44:30 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames |
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 February 2020 11:59:01 | Emily | Changes to nicknames |
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Removed tidy symbols from nickname for clarity |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 November 2019 16:23:16 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames and markings |
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Anatomy Of A Disaster -- Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr. ---- Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ----Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. -- personal archives |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 November 2019 16:20:36 | Kickapoo | Changes to markings |
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Anatomy Of A Disaster -- Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr. ---- Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ----Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. -- personal archives |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 July 2019 05:58:18 | Kickapoo | Changes to description and events |
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Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young - Personal Archive |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 July 2019 05:40:12 | Kickapoo | Changes to media associations |
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Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young - Personal Archive |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 July 2019 13:24:23 | Kickapoo | Changes to events |
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Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 December 2018 04:07:40 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
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Their Finest Hour : Col. John R. Kane and Hail Columbia |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 December 2018 03:55:31 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 11 October 2018 00:03:18 | Kickapoo | Changes to unit associations and place associations |
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 February 2018 10:37:50 | Kickapoo | Changes to unit associations |
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U.S. Air Force Archives |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 February 2018 10:35:05 | Kickapoo | Changes to person associations |
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Together We Served - U.S. Air Force Archives |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 February 2018 10:25:36 | Kickapoo | Changes to unit associations |
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Together We Served - Operation Tidal wave |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 February 2018 12:28:19 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
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b24bestweb.com ~ 'Little Chief Big Dog' |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 February 2018 12:07:04 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
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"Operation Tidal Wave" |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 February 2018 12:02:45 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
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"Together We served" "Operation Tidal Wave" |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 14 January 2018 01:23:14 | Kickapoo | Changes to manufacturer and person associations |
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" Into The Fire " by Duane Cole Part III Chap 6 p. 104 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 December 2017 14:02:30 | ED-BB | Changes to production block number and description |
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Added details about the name "Grumpy" (source 11 November 2003 e-mail from Scott Flood, great-nephew of 41-11825 crew chief Charles Wilfred Brann) |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 06 April 2015 16:46:55 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 06 April 2015 16:20:33 | Al_Skiff | Changes to unit associations |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 06 April 2015 16:08:47 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, manufacturer, nicknames, description, events and mission associations |
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