41-24225 Flak Alley

media-14536.jpeg UPL 14536 B-24 #4124225 'Flak Alley' a survivor of 1st Aug 43 Ploesti raid. Lost 24 Feb 44 on her 42nd mission. Crashed in a small village south of Gotha. Pilot Lt Phillip W Bell, 4 POW, 6 KIA. MACR 2922.

Object Number - UPL 14536 - B-24 #4124225 'Flak Alley' a survivor of 1st Aug 43 Ploesti raid. Lost 24 Feb 44 on her 42nd mission. Crashed in a small village south of Gotha....

Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943.



Lost 24 Feb 44 on her 47th mission. Crashed in a small village south of Gotha. Pilot Lt Phillip W Bell, 4 POW, 6 KIA. MACR 2922. Eye witness noted that after bombing the target, Gotha, Germany, this aircraft was hit by prop wash and fell out of formation. Enemy aircraft concentrated their attacks on this A/C and it began to struggle. Six chutes were seen to come out of the A/C before it was seen to explode at approximately 1328 hours.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group line up for takeoff at Shipdham in 1943. The 'Flying Eight-Ball' emblem of the 68th Bomb Squadron is visible on the nose of the leading aircraft. Image stamped with field press censor, 1943. Press Agency photograph- original printed caption has been removed.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-376286
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33014249
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-733519
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-730244
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Survived Ploesti

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 Participated in 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, Returned to Libya. Pilot David W Alexander.

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Gotha, Germany 24 February 1944 Lost 24 Feb 44 on her 42nd mission. Crashed in a small village south of Gotha. Pilot Lt Phillip W Bell, 4 POW, 6 KIA. MACR 2922

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya TDY 9th AF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Contributorfeigenblatt
Changes
Sources

Mission number corrected, changed from 42 to 47. Mission 43 was to Polesti. Source is "8 Ball Tails," Journal of the 44th Bomb Group Veterans Association Volume 9 Issue 1, Winter 2009.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 2922 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

41-24225: Gallery (6 items)