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B-24D Liberator, 42-40246, Thunder Mug and Crew :
Standing - Left to Right :
Stanley Valcik, Hubert R. Tardif, William Schrampf, Russell D. Longnecker - Pilot
Kneeling - Left to Right :
Edward A. Sand, Howard Teague, J. C. Pinson, Bernard C. Strand, Leonard J. Dougal, Aloysios G. Cunningham
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B-24D Liberators, including, 41-24226, Joisey Bounce, in the 8th Air Force, and the 93rd Bomb Group, fly in formation during a mission, 1944. Written on slide casing : "8th AF - 93 BG - 328th BS, Target : Arwelter, Germany. Delta 1944. Battle of the Bulge."
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Thunder Mug's Captain Thomas Jackson and crew, 93rd Bomb Group.
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RAF Form 441A Sortie Reports for the 93rd Bomb Group on Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing of Ploesti. - 1 August 1943.
The B-24D, 42-40246, named, Thunder Mug, was flown by pilots, Lt. Russell Longnecker and Lt. Donald K. "Deacon" Jones, on the Ploesti oil refinery mission. Returned safely to Benghazi, Libya. 1 Aug 43.
Thunder Mug - Operation Tidal Wave Crew :
Pilot : Russell Longnecker Copilot : Donald K. "Deacon" Jones
Navigator : Stanley Valcik
Bombardier : William M. Schrampf
Observer : Odin C. Olsen
Top Turret Gunner : J.C. Pinson
Rear Gunner Bernard : C. Strand
Waist Gunner : Aloisius G. Cunningham
Waist Gunner : Howard I. Teague
Gunner : Edward A. Sand Jr.
The B-24D, Thundermug, had a landing accident at Bedford, U.K., due to a mechanical failure. Pilot Lt. Frank Kilcheski, RO SSgt. Gerald Weinberg, and another crewman were killed in action. 3 KIA. 30 Oct 43.
Aircraft salvaged. 10 Oct, 1943.
Formation Photograph : Consolidated B-24D Liberator bombers
93rd Bomb Group formation flight. Nearest aircraft is the Consolidated B-24D-25-CO , 41-24226, Joisey Bounce. Second aircraft is, 41-24147, The Duchess, also in the 330th Bomb Squadron. Next higher is, 41-23722, Bomerang, from the 328th Bomb Squadron. Last of all, at the very top is, 42-40246, Thunder Mug, RCL F, also part of the 328th Bomb Squadron. - U.S. Air Force photo.
The B-24D, Joisey Bounce, was lost on a mission to Bremen, Germany when it was involved in a mid air collision with the B-24D, 42-40765, Valient Virgin. First named, Joisey Bounce, then, formerly named, Utah Man, and flown by Capt. Walter Stewart, for the Ploesti mission, but was again renamed, Joisey Bounce, back in the U.K. at the time of it's loss, over Husum, Germany. 13 Nov 1943. MACR 2176
Joisey Bounce's Crew When Lost :
2nd Lt. Loren J. Koon - Pilot - O-2044710 - South Carolina - KIA
2nd Lt. Robert Timmer - Co-Pilot - O-2044427 - Michigan- KIA
Sgt. Benjamin Caplan - Navigator - 10600460 - California - KIA
1st Lt. Ralph W. Cummings - Bombardier - O-733155 - Montana - KIA
Sgt. Robert L. Cox - Engineer/Top Turret Gunner - 18064516-POW - Stalag17B - POW
Breunau, Germany
TSgt. Paul E. Johnston - Radio Operator - 35258734 - Kentucky- POW - Stalag Luft 3,
Sagan
SSgt. William E. Major - Right Waist Gunner - 15104438 - Indiana - KIA - buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri
SSgt. John E. Connolly - Left Waist Gunner - 16042975 - Michigan - KIA - buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri
SSgt. Joseph R. Doyle - Tail Gunner - 13039348 - Pennsylvania - KIA - buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri
SSgt. Richard E. Bartlett - Tunnel Gunner - 19056154 - Montana - KIA - All KIA Crewmen were buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri
Service
Aircraft
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, The Duchess, was in the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 330th Bombing Squadron in Britain. It was detached, transferred temporarily (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa and flew on Operation Tidal Wave to bomb the oil...
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, 41-24226, Joisey Bounce, was assigned to Pilot Lt. Walter Travis Stewart in the the 330th Bomb Squadron, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force, for the large mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Col. Stewart changed...
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24H, 41-28711, named, Little Sheppard, was assigned to the 712th Bomb Squadron, the 448th Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force in the U.K.
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B-24 Liberator
B-24-D-95-CO - 42-40765 - Delivered : Tucson, AZ May 1943 - Allocated : 8th Air Force
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, 42-40246, named, Thunder Mug, was flown by pilots, Lt. Russell Longnecker and Lt. Donald K. "Deacon" Jones, on the Ploesti oil refinery mission. Returned safely to Benghazi, Libya. 1 Aug 43. ...
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Units
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Group
The 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1 Mar 42 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15 May 42. the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, to continue advanced flight training and also to fly antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico. They...
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People
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Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
Landing accident in B-24D, 42-40246, Thunder Mug. 30 October 1943
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying on B-24 Liberator 42-40246.
Awards: DFC (1OLC), AM (5OLC), GCM, ACM, EAME Campaign Medal with one or more campaign stars, WW II Victory Medal
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 42-40246.
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Military | Captain | Maintenance | 93rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 328BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF.
Awards: GC, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24 Co-Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
Lt. Donald K. "Deacon" Jones flew as the co-pilot of the B-24D, 42-40246, Thunder Mug, with his Command Pilot, Lt. Russell Longnecker, on Operation Tidal Wave, the Ploesti oil refinery mission, and safely returned to Benghazi, Libya. (RTB) He stood in...
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Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
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Military | Captain | Pilot / Flight Officer | 93rd Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943 as pilot flying B-24 Liberator 42-40246.
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Military | Technical Sergeant | B-24 Flight Engineer - Top Turret Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
TSgt. Charles Mauldin was killed on a recalled mission. Accident in landing. 30 Oct 1943 in the B-24, Pregnant Portia, 42-40246, Thundermug. 1 KIA. 30 Oct 43.
PH
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Military | Flying Officer | Co-Pilot / Observer on Longnecker Crew | 93rd Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying on B-24 Liberator 42-40246 as Observer on Longnecker Crew.
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Military | 93rd Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 42-40246.
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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 |
Survived Ploesti |
Ploiești, Romania |
1 August 1943 |
Flew in 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid returning safely to Libya.
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Crashed |
Bedford, Bedford, UK |
30 October 1943 |
Landing accident Nr Bedford due to mechanical / material failure 30th Oct 43, pilot Lt Frank Kilcheski, two crew KIFA.
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Written Off |
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10 November 1943 |
Salvaged on Oct 10, 1943.
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Assigned |
Benghazi, Libya |
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328th BS, 93rd BG, 8th AF. TDY 9th AF.
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