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The B-24D, 42-40735, named, Sand Witch. B-24-D-90-CO, 42-40735. TDY 9th Air Force, the 389th Bomb Group, in the 566th Bomb Squadron. RCL C. The aircraft was hit by flak over it's target, at Campina, Ploesti, caught on fire and crashed in flames, killing the entire crew, with the exception of the tail gunner, Zerril Steen, who, though badly burned in the crash, managed to crawl clear of the wreck and survived - POW. 1POW-WIA. - 9 KIA. 1 Aug 1943
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 Benghazi, 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, flown by it's pilot, Lt. Robert W. Horton (KIA) was shot down and lost on Operation Tidal Wave. It crashed at the Prahovah River Valley, after bombing it's target at Campina. As they approached Campina, Jack Deiterle, flying, The Little Gramper, next to the, Sand Witch, wrote later, “Aboard, Sand Witch, in the fourth flight, no one fell asleep. A gunner in, The, Little Gramper, one plane over, saw what happened. Some crewmen in, Sand Witch, were waving at him when an antiaircraft shell struck the bomb bay fuel tanks. In an instant, gasoline poured out of Sand Witch and the plane caught on fire. The pilot, Robert Horton, took the plane up to bombing altitude and dropped their bomb load squarely on the target, but, Sand Witch, was finished. It took several more flak hits. The gunner watching from, The Little Gramper, said, “It was a horrible sight watching the burning plane and knowing that the men in there were fighting for their lives, and there was nothing we could do to help.” Sand Witch, the element lead plane, crashed in flames, killing the entire crew, with the exception of Gunner SSgt. Zerril Steen, who survived the crash, though badly burned, and crawled out of, Sand Witch's wreckage and survived. 9 KIA. 1 WIA-POW. 1 Aug 43. MACR 156
Sand Witch's Crew On Operation Tidal Wave -
Pilot - 1st Lt. Robert W. Horton - KIA -
Copilot - 2nd Lt. Charles T. Hull - KIA -
Navigator - 2nd Lt. Richard B. Krug - KIA -
Bombardier - 2nd Lt. Elwood H. Emerson - KIA -
Radio Operator - 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 -
Engineer / Gunner - SSgt. Zerrill J. Steen - POW-WIA -
Service
Aircraft
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B-24 Liberator
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 Benghazi, North Africa, for Operation Tidal Wave, flying in the 389th Bomb Group, and the 566th Bomb Squadron, to bomb...
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B-24 Liberator
Initially, the B-24D Liberator, 42-40723, The Little Gramper, was in the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bomb Group, and the 566th Bomb Squadron in Britain. It was temporarily deployed to North Africa and the 9th Air Force, and flew on the Ploesti oil...
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Units
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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...
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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
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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
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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.
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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. ...
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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...
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.
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