- The Consolidated Aircraft Bomber, B-24 -D-75-CO. SN #42-40608 - # 42-40608, named the 'Vulgar Virgin' and it's pilot, Lt. Claude Alvin Turner, were both transferred from Britain to the MTO (Mediterranean Theatre of Operations), with the 8th Army Air Force, the 93rd Bombardment Group, and the 328th Bomb Squadron - Jun 26, 1943, to assist in the coming Operation Tidal Wave mission to Ploesti, Romania. Once in North Africa, it's Command Pilot, Lt. Claude Turner immediately flew # 42-40608 on a number of combat missions out of North Africa to the Messina, Italy railroad yards, the Port of San Giovanni, an airfield at Vibo Valencia, and missions to Italy, Foggia, Naples, and Rome, Italy, each time returning to base with flak damage.

Lt. Turner trained for and flew # 42-40608, 'The Vulgar Virgin', on "Operation Tidal Wave", the large mission to destroy the German held oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, Aug 1, 1943. On that mission, Lt, Turner's 'Virgin' took two direct hits by flak over Ploesti. Knowing that his damaged bomber would not make it back to his home base at Benghazi, Libya, Lt. Turner decided to fly south to safety in Turkey and managed to fly as far as Chorlu, Turkey, where he landed safely. But, he and his crew, and his bomber were interned by the Turkish Air Force, August 1, 1943.

After the Ploesti mission, Lt. Claude Turner and his navigator escaped captivity in Turkey, and with help from friendly partisans, they were able to return to the 8th Air Force and the 93rd Bomb Group, in Britain.

Three months later, Lt. Claude Turner's B-24, # 42-63988, 'Birmingham Blitzkrieg' was shot down by an FW-190 fighter over the North Sea, close to Helgoland Island, after a mission to Bremen, Germany. Lt. Turner and his crew were reported missing in action (MIA) and later reported killed in action (KIA), Nov 13, 1943.

AIRCRAFT TYPE: B-24-D-75 MANUFACTURE: CO - SN #42- 40608

CONSTRUCTION NO. : 1685 SERIES NUMBER: 41 / 45

DATE BUILT: 07 Apr 43 DATE ACCEPTED: 07 Apr 1943 DATE SOC: 01 Aug 1943

Transferred: Turkish Air Force. August 1, 1943 - S/N # 42-40608

AIR FORCE ASSIGNED: 8th DATE OF SERVICE: May 13, 1943 - Jun 27 1943 - 9th DATE OF SERVICE Jun 27, 1943 - Aug 01, 1943

AIR DIVISION ASSIGNED: 2nd DATE OF SERVICE: 13 May 1943 - 01 Aug 1943

COMBAT WING ASSIGNED: 201th DATE OF SERVICE: 13 May 1943 - 01 Aug 1943

GROUP ASSIGNED: 93rd DATE OF SERVICE: 13 May1943 - 01 Aug 1943

SQUADRON ASSIGNED: 328th DATE OF SERVICE: 13 May 1943 - 01 Aug 1943

FINAL LOCATION: Turkey (interned) (MACR 335)

GROUP MARKINGS: SQUADRON MARKINGS: A/C I.D. MARKINGS: M MARKINGS ASSIGNED: 13 May 1943

AIRCRAFT NAME (S): 'The Vulgar Virgin'

DATE MISSION PILOT COMMENTS
-- 10 Apr 43 Airfield Location: Tucson, AZ Modification Center: Project 92067-R 4/29 -- 30 Apr 1943 Airfield Location: Topeka, KS, Combat crew replacement center -- 03 May 1943 Airfield Location: Presque Isle, ME -- 13 May 1943 Airfield Location: Hardwick, England -- 26 Jun 1943 Transferred to MTO (Mediterranean Theatre of Operations) -- 27 Jun 1943 Airfield Location: Terra, Libya (LG 7) 1 05 Jul 1943 Messina, Italy - railroad yard 1st Lt Turner, C. 2 12 Jul 1943 San Giovanni, Italy, - port facilities 1st Lt Turner, C. Combat damage (AA): one hole in nose 3 13 Jul 1943 Vibo Valenia, Italy - airfield 1st Lt Turner, C. 4 15 Jul 1943 Foggia, Italy - airfield 1st Lt Turner, C. 5 17 Jul 1943 Naples, Italy - railroad yard 1st Lt Turner, C. 6 19 Jul 1943 Rome, Italy - railroad yard 1st Lt Turner, C. end 01 Aug 1943 Ploesti, Romania - oil production 1st Lt. Turner, C. Combat damage (AA): bomb-bay fuel tank, fuselage holed, one engine. airfield location: Chorlu, Turkey Interned: Turkey - SOC
Pilot - 1st Lt Claude A Turner - Combat damage from AA: bomb bay fuel tank, fuselage holed, one engine. - Landed at Chorlu, Turkey - Crew Interned - Released

The B-24D aircraft # 42-40608, in the 8th Air Force, should not be confused with another B-24D, #41-24198, in the 9th Air Force, also named, 'The Vulgar Virgin', flown by Capt. Wallace C. Taylor, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron, based at the Lete Air Base at Benghazi, Libya. Capt. Wallace and # 41-24198 also flew on "Operation Tidal Wave". Aircraft # 41-24198 was shot down and lost over their target, White IV. The only survivor from the “The Vulgar Virgin” was the pilot, Capt. Wallace C. Taylor, who bailed out and was captured, and became a POW. August 1, 1943

Service

Events

Event	Location	Date
Assigned	Benghazi, Libya	1943
328th BS, 93rd BG 8th AF. TDY 9th AF.
Interned	59860 Çorlu/Tekirdağ, Turkey	1 August 1943
Landed at Chorlu, Turkey, Crew 10 Interned.
Participated Ploesti raid	Ploiești, Romania	1 August 1943
1st Aug 43 Ploesti, Romania - oil production pilot 1st Lt Claude A Turner, sustained combat damage (AA): bomb-bay fuel tank, fuselage holed, one engine.