Skip to main content
Edit entry 

42-40735

B-24 Liberator

Pilot 1st Lt. Robert W. Horton KIA -
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Charles T. Hull KIA -
Navigator 2nd Lt. Richard B. Krug KIA -
Bombardier 2nd Lt. Elwood H. Emerson KIA -
Engineer SSgt. Zerrill J.Steen POW -
Radio Sgt. Jack E. Smith KIA -
Waist Gunner TSgt. Frank A. Herlevic KIA -
Waist Gunner SSgt. James V. Lambert KIA -
Ball Turret Gunner Sgt. Robert P. Kaufman KIA -
Tail gunner SSgt. Mack H. Smith KIA -
B

-

24

D
-

90
-

The B-24-D-90-CO, 42-40735, was (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in Benghazi, Libya, from the 8th Air Force in Britain, and flown down to North Africa, for Operation Tidal Wave, flying in the 389th Bomb Group, and the 566th Bomb Squadron, to bomb the refineries at Campina, north of Ploesti, Romania.
The Sand Witch was lost on Operation Tidal Wave, crashed at the Prahovah River valley, after bombing it's target at Campina. 8 crewmen were Killed In Action (KIA). Two survived and were captured. (WIA). MACR 156 - Pilot Robert W. Horton (KIA)

Service

Aircraft

Units

  • 9th Air Force

    9th Air Force

  • 389th Bomb Group

    389th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 389th Bomb Group, known in more familiar terms as "the Sky Scorpions", flew strategic bombing missions in B-24 Liberators from Hethel, England. They also sent detachments to join bases in North Africa at Benghazi No. 10, Libya, between 3 July 1943...

  • 566th Bomb Squadron

    566th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron
    Constituted 566th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 Dec. 1942. Activated on 24 Dec. 1942. Inactivated on 13 Sept. 1945. Campaigns: Air Offensive, Europe; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air...

People

  • Elwood Emerson

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti Raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735

  • Frank Herlevic

    Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735.

  • Robert Horton

    Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
    Lt. Robert Horton was Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to the 9th AF during Operation Tidal wave, the bombing mission to the Ploesti, Romania, oil refineries, flying the B-24D, 42-40735, named, Sand-Witch. ...

  • Charles Hull

    Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti Raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735.

  • Robert Kauffman

    Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret gunner | 389th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735

  • Richard Krug

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 389th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735.

  • James Lambert

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9th AF for Ploesti Raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' #42-40735.

  • Jack Smith

    Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 389th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735.

  • Mack Smith

    Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735.

  • Zerrill Steen

    Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid on 8/1/43 in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735.

Missions

  • Operation Tidal Wave

    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...

Places

  • Lete

    Military site : airfield

Events

Event Location Date
Failed to Return (FTR) Rumania 1 August 1943

Hit by Flak over Ploesti and crashed, Campina, Romania. Pilot Robert W Horton. All crew bar Flt Eng POW, were KIA. MACR 156.
Nicknames
The Sand Witch
Production block number
B-24D-90-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery

Not known.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
19 September 2021 13:56:59 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 42-40735 - The Sand Witch
Date Contributor Update
19 September 2021 13:41:02 Kickapoo Changes to aircraft associations, unit associations and place associations
Sources

Added associations. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
19 September 2021 13:36:28 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Crew names, spacing. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
19 September 2021 13:33:08 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

B-24D - The Sand Witch Crew - American Air Museum In Britain - The Sand Witch
Date Contributor Update
19 September 2021 09:16:37 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames and markings
Sources

Added details. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
12 March 2015 14:46:26 Al_Skiff Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations
Sources

AAM Database.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:52 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

MACR 243 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Share