The B-24D Liberator bomber, #41-11603, 'Malicious', was one of 23 B-24 Liberators assigned to the Halverson Detachment (HALPRO) which departed the U.S. in May, 1942, to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India Theatre of operations. The HALPRO aircraft were then assigned to the 9th Air Force, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 515th Bomb Group 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, with Major John Toomey and crew on board, in the 515th Bomb Squadron. On a combat mission to bomb the Messina Harbor in Sicily. 'MALICIOUS' was hit by flak. Two engines were shot out of commission by German anti-aircraft flak batteries, but Major Toomey stayed on his bomb run and hit his target. His B-24 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 Tyrrhenian 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

Service

Events

Not yet known