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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, Malicious, 41-11603. The RCL number, 22, for the Halverson Detachment Group airplanes was later changed to, 46, when it was transferred to the 376th Bomb Group in the 8th Air Force.
B-24D - Malicious - 41-11603 - the 8th Air Force - the 376th Bomb Group - and the 515th Bomb Squadron - Starboard /Right Side : Halverson Project, radio call letter, RCL, 22, on it's nose was changed to, 46, after being transferred from the Halverson Project Group to the 376th Bomb Group - 1943 Aircraft was lost, 31 Jan 43, ITA. Pilot John M. Toomey (KIA). MACR 3304. - 515th Bomb Squadron. James Britt
B-24 - D - CO - "Malicious" - SN 41-11603 - 1942 - Port /Left Side : Aircraft's name and HALPRO's RCL, 22, changed to, 46, after transfer to the 9th Air Force - the 376th Bomb Group - and the 513th Bomb Squadron. Lost Jan 31, 1943. ITA - MACR 3304 - Pilot John M. Toomey (KIA). - 513th Bomb Squadron Info Contributor - Al Blue SSGT Harold R. Vasquez, Armorer/Gunner of the Sanders Crew. Richard Sanders was the pilot of the B-24D, "Malicious". He was destined to become the youngest general since George Armstrong Custer. Visible in the photo is the ring-and-bead gun sight mounted in front of the pilot for firing the fixed machine guns mounted in the lower nose of all the original HALPRO B-24s. Another unique feature of the HALPRO ships are the blue undersurfaces, rather than standard AAF gray, is realistically represented in this photo. Capt. Ralph S. Royce was the Assistant Engineering Officer of HALPRO.
The B-24D Liberator bomber, 41-11603, Malicious, was one of 23 B-24D Liberators assigned to the Halverson Detachment Project, which departed the U.S. in May, 1942, to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India (CBI) Theatre of operations. The Halverson Project aircraft were then assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 515th Bomb Squadron, when it was constituted in October, 1942.
Malicious, completed 50 missions with Halpro and the 376th Bomb Group. The aircraft was lost on a mission to Messina, Sicily, with Major John Toomey and crew on board, in the 515th Bomb Squadron. On the mission to bomb the Messina Harbor, Malicious was hit by anti aircraft flak. Two engines were destroyed by German flak batteries, but Major Toomey stayed on his bomb run and bombed his target. He was, then, attacked by German fighter planes, and, after a running air battle, Maj. Toomey was forced to make a water crash landing, ditching his plane into the sea, twenty miles off the coast of Messina, Sicily. Crewmen in other aircraft in the area saw four to six men evacuate the plane into life rafts, but subsequent rescue flights were unable to locate the men. Maj. Toomey and his crew were all listed as Missing In Action, MIA. Jan 31, 1943.
Halpro Aircraft #22 - C - Transfer
Lost Jan 31, 1943. ITA - Pilot Maj. John M. Toomey - 515th Bomb Squadron - MACR 3304
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator bomber, 41-11603, Malicious, was one of 23 B-24D Liberators assigned to the Halverson Detachment Project, which departed the U.S. in May, 1942, to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India (CBI) Theatre of operations. The...
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...
Squadron
Detachment
HALPRO or the Halverson Detachement was a group of 23 B-24 Liberators originally destined to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India Theatre of operations.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 376th Bomb Group
Missing in Action on B-24 41-11603 'Malicious' on 31 January 1943, on a mission to Messina. His aircraft was hit by flak and forced to ditch in the sea.
Military | Lieutenant General | Commanding General
Lewis Hyde Brereton (June 21, 1890 – July 20, 1967) was a military aviation pioneer and lieutenant general in the United States Air Force. A 1911 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he began his military career as a United States Army officer...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
Missing in Action on B-24 41-11603 'Malicious' on 31 January 1943, on a mission to Messina. His aircraft was hit by flak and forced to ditch in the sea.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 376th Bomb Group
Missing in Action on B-24 41-11603 'Malicious' on 31 January 1943, on a mission to Messina. His aircraft was hit by flak and forced to ditch in the sea.
Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Navigator | 376th Bomb Group
1st Lieutenant Joseph Dale O'meara was a B-24 navigator, in the 8th Air Force, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 515th bomb Squadron, TDY to the 9th Air force in Benghazi, Libya. He was killed in action (KIA) on his B-24D Liberator Bomber, 41-11603,...
Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
Missing in Action SSgt. Cifford Street was a gunner on his B-24D, 41-11603, Malicious. He was killed with all of his crewmen a mission to Messina, Italy. His aircraft was hit by flak, shot down by German fighters, and forced to ditch in the sea. 10...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 376th Bomb Group
Missing in Action on B-24 41-11603 'Malicious' on 31 January 1943, on a mission to Messina. His aircraft was hit by flak and forced to ditch in the sea.
Military | Major | B-24 Command Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
Maj. John Marshall “Jack” Toomey
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
12 June 1942
The first Army Air Force Combat mission in Europe during the Second World War, saw 13 B-24 Liberators, originally destined for China, bomb oil refineries in Ploesti, Roumania. While the raid had little impact, it proved the concept that Heavy bombers...
28 June 1942
After being brought under the command of USAMEAF (Middle East Air Forces) HALPRO B-24s attack shipping at Tobruk.
17 July 1942
B-24 Liberators attack Benghazi harbour, while B-17 Flying Fortresses attack Tobruk
Military site : airfield
Not yet known
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 21 December 2021 09:44:30 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames, markings, description and unit associations |
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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11603 - Malicious |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 August 2021 04:10:40 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames, markings and description |
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Punctuation and lettering changes to aircraft name for clarity - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 June 2021 15:58:27 | Emily | Changes to nicknames |
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Reformatted aircraft nickname to remove unnecessary punctuation and quotation marks |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 April 2021 16:10:53 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
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Best Web - B-24 - '41-11603' |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 April 2021 15:55:18 | Kickapoo | Changes to markings |
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Best Web - B-24 - '41-11603' - 'Malicious' |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 April 2021 15:48:56 | Kickapoo | Changes to markings and description |
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Best Web - B-24 - 'MALICIOUS' |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 February 2021 10:46:54 | Kickapoo | Changes to aircraft associations and unit associations |
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The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 26 January 2021 07:05:28 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames, markings, description, person associations and mission associations |
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B-24 Best Web |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 March 2020 10:01:14 | Emily | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, unit associations, person associations and place associations |
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