42-40747 - Heavy Date
Details added. - Kickapoo
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.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12183535
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-806783
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-678680
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Missions
- Date: 7 January 1944
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Heavy Date
- Unit: 464th Bomb Group 777th Bomb Squadron
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Survived Ploesti |
Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 | Flew on the Ploesti oil refinery mission piloted by Lt. William M. Selvidge, returning safely to Libya. 1 Aug 43. |
Crashed |
7 January 1944 | 1km NE of Vrigny (Loiret Department), France | |
Assigned |
Benghazi, Libya | 567th BS, 389th BG, 8th AF. |