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B-24 Liberator
B-24D, 42-40747, Heavy Date, in the 567th BS, 389th BG, 8th AF, flew on the Ploesti oil refinery bombing mission piloted by Lt. William M Selvidge, returning safely to Libya. 1 Aug 1943.
The B-24D, 42-40747, was named, 747, and later, Heavy Date. It was in the 567th Bomb Squadron, the 389th Bombardment Group, in the 8th Air Force, in the U.K. It was temporarily detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa to fly on the Ploesti oil refinery mission, piloted by Lt. William M. Selvidge, who flew it on the mission and returned safely to Libya. RTB. 1 Aug 43.
On Jan 7, 1944, Heavy Date, was assigned to bomb the Ludwigshafen Oil Refinery in Germany, piloted by Lt. Carl A. Mattson. The plane was attacked, shot up, and damaged by German fighters, It fell out of control and out of position in it's formation. It's cockpit caught on fire, as it fell into a spin and crashed. Some of the crew were able to bail out the plane before it exploded and crashed, one kilometer NE of Vrigny, France, 40km NE of Orléans, France. 7 Jan 44. 4 EVD. 5 KIA. 1 POW. MACR 1851.
B-24 Liberator
The B-24H, 42-50401, Heavy Date, was in the 464th Bomb Group, and the 777th Bomb Squadron. It was shot down by flak during the mission on the Florisdorf oil refinery and marshaling yards, Vienna, Austria. 26 Jun 1944. MACR 6455. 10 KIA
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...
Squadron
567th Bombardment Squadron, 24 December 1942 - 13 September 1945
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Irvine Balsam was Left Waist Gunner on B-24 #42-40747, shot down on 7 January 1944 on the mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany. Hit by fighters and with the cockpit on fire, some of the crew baled out before it exploded and crashed 1km NE of Vrigny (Loiret...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
Shirley Berry was Co-Pilot on B-24 #42-40747, shot down on 7 January 1944 on the mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany. Evaded capture with the help of French citizens and members of the Résistance. Taken in charge by the Shelburn evasion line, he and 23...
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Co-Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 42-40747.
3 November 1943 'The Captain & His Kids' B24D 41-24112 had an accident upon landing.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 389th Bomb Group
William Carraro was Navigator on B-24 #42-40747, shot down on 7 January 1944 on the mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany. Hit by fighters and with the cockpit on fire, some of the crew baled out before it exploded and crashed 1km NE of Vrigny (Loiret...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 42-40747.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer, Top Turret Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Francis Krueger was Engineer/Top Turret gunner on B-24 #42-40747, shot down on 7 January 1944 on the mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany. Hit by fighters and with the cockpit on fire, some of the crew baled out before it exploded and crashed 1km NE of...
Military | Lieutenant | B-24 Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
B-24D pilot, Lt. Carl Mattson, was shot down in the B-24D, 42-40747, Heavy Date, and was killed in action - KIA. After being hit and damaged by German fighter cannon shells, Heavy Date, fell out of control with it's cockpit on fire. Some of the crew...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 42-40747.
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 389th Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 42-40747.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 389th Bomb Group
David Neilson was Radio Operator on B-24 #42-40747, shot down on 7 January 1944 on the mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany. Hit by fighters and with the cockpit on fire, some of the crew baled out before it exploded and crashed 1km NE of Vrigny (Loiret...
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...
7 January 1944
The industrial areas of Ludwigshaven, Germany are the primary target for this mission. The formation has three elements. The bomber gunners of the entire force claim 30-6-17 of attacking German aircraft.
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Military site : airfield
Construction of Hethel airfield began in 1941, and was finished in late 1942. The number of hardstandings was increased from the planned 36 to 50 in 1942, in order to accommodate a full heavy bomb group. The 320th Bomb Group occupied the base for ten...
Military site : airfield
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Survived Ploesti | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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Flew on the Ploesti oil refinery mission piloted by Lt. William M. Selvidge, returning safely to Libya. 1 Aug 43. |
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| Crashed | 7 January 1944 | |
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1km NE of Vrigny (Loiret Department), France |
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| Assigned | Benghazi, Libya | |
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567th BS, 389th BG, 8th AF. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 16 May 2022 10:56:19 | Al_Skiff | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 1851 / http://usaafdata.com / http://www.findagrave.com / http://www.freewebs.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 February 2022 07:38:10 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames, description and events |
| Sources | ||
Spelling, wording changes. - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 11 January 2022 10:34:59 | Kickapoo | Changes to description and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Details added. - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 11 January 2022 08:56:46 | Kickapoo | Changes to description and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Added details. - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 11 January 2022 08:53:24 | Kickapoo | Changes to description and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Details added. - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 11 January 2022 03:19:10 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames and description |
| Sources | ||
Best Web - B-24 - 42-40747 - Heavy Date |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 May 2020 13:16:13 | ED-BB | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
MACR 1851 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 May 2020 12:45:18 | ED-BB | Changes to place associations |
| Sources | ||
Connection with Hethel |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 December 2019 15:34:59 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to description, events and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 April 2015 22:25:31 | Al_Skiff | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 1851 / http://usaafdata.com / http://www.findagrave.com / http://www.freewebs.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 April 2015 22:23:38 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 2351 / http://usaafdata.com / http://www.findagrave.com / http://www.freewebs.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:52 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 1851 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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