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B-24D Liberator, 42-40765, Valient Virgin, was in the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 329th Bomb Squadron in Britain. It flew on the Ploesti oil refinery raid, returning safely to Libya. 1 Aug 43
Tidal Wave Crew : -
Russell D. Demont - Pilot - Robert C. Murray - Co-Pilot George A. Stewart - Navigator
George G. Everhart - Bombardier
Fredrick H. Homnick - Radio Operator Alfred B. Bergkemp - Top Turret Gunner
Bernard A. Coburn - Waist Gunner
Julius Erdely - Waist Gunner William J. Nelson - Nose Gunner Raymond J. Russell - Tail Gunner
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B-24D - Valient Virgin - 42-40765 - 8th Air Force - 93rd Bomb Group - 329th Bomb Squadron. Flew on and survived Operation Tidal Wave, to the Ploesti oil refineries, returning safely to Libya - Aug 1, 1943. Returned to Hardwick, Britain with the 93rd Bomb Group. Lost in collision with the B-24D, Joisey Bounce, after a mission to Bremen, Germany - Nov 1943
Contributor - Brian J. Piaquadio
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B-24D, Black Jack, 41-23661, with, the B-24D, Valient Virgin's, vertical stabilizer fin installation to repair battle damage to, Black Jack's, flak damaged fin, over Ploesti. The fin was, apparently, removed undamaged and robbed (serviceable) by, Black Jack's, mechanics from the, Valient Virgin, some time after the Ploesti mission, on 1 Aug 43, still painted with the olive drab camouflage paint from the 8th Air Force ETO markings, and still showing, Valient Virgin's abbreviated serial number, 240765. 5-7 Aug 43.
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B-24D - Valient Virgin, and crew. 42-40765. Flew on Ploesti mission and returned to base. RTB. 1 Aug 43.
Aircraft lost. Mid air collision with, Joisey Bounce. Pilot Richard Sedivec. 10 KIA. 1944
B-24-D-95-CO - 42-40765 - Delivered : Tucson, AZ May 1943 - Allocated : 8th Air Force
Assigned : 8th Air Force - 93rd Bomb Group - 329th Bomb Squadron.
The B-24D, 42-40765, named, Valient Virgin, with the name, "Valient", misspelled, was originally allocated and assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 329th Bomb Squadron, based at Hardwick in the U.K. May, 1943. It was temporarily detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 343rd Bomb Squadron, based at Berca Field at Benghazi, Libya, 1942, to assist with Operation Tidal Wave, the large bombing mission to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.
Valient Virgin, flew on Operation Tidal Wave, over Ploesti, Romania. The Pilot, Lt. Russell D. Demont and Copilot Lt. Robert C. Murray, and their crew, flew, Valient Virgin, with the 98th Bomb Group's element, in "B" formation, Position 2-2, returning safely to Benghazi, Libya. August 1, 1943.
One of, Valient Virgin's, vertical stabilizer fins shows up, with it's olive drab paint, and it's abbreviated serial number, 240765, visibly mounted on the RH side of the 98th Bomb Group's B-24D, 41-23661, 42-40246, Black Jack's, empennage, several days after the Ploesti mission, when the color photo was taken. Aug 5-7, 1943.
Valient Virgin's Crew on Operation Tidal Wave :
Russell D. Demont - Pilot
Robert C. Murray - Co-Pilot
George A. Stewart - Navigator
George G. Everhart - Bombardier
Fredrick H. Homnick - Radio Operator
Alfred B. Bergkamp - Top Turret Gunner
Bernard A. Coburn - Waist Gunner
Julius Erdely - Waist Gunner
William J. Nelson - Nose Gunner
Raymond J. Russell - Tail Gunner
After the Ploesti mission, Valient Virgin, returned to Hardwick, England, with the rest of the 8th Air Force and the 93rd Bomb Group.
Later, in Nov 1943, Valient Virgin, flown by Lt. Richard Sedivec, had a midair collision on a mission over Bremen, Germany, with the B-24D, Joisey Bounce, crashed, and was lost. FTR. A total of 7 members of Lt. Sedivec's crew were killed in action (KIA) in the crash or by failing to bail out after the disastrous air collision, including, Lt. Sedivec and Edwin Gillespie. The B-24D, Joisey Bounce, had been renamed, Utah Man, for the Ploesti mission. It was piloted and flown by Walter Stewart and his crew, on the Ploesti mission. 1-Aug-43.
After having already been renamed, Joisey Bounce, again, by it's crew back in Britain, Joisey Bounce, took a devastating direct hit by an enemy flak burst, on a mission over Germany. The flak explosion caused one of, Joisey Bounce's, wings to separate from the aircraft, causing it to spin wildly out of control, colliding with, Valient Virgin, flying below it, and crashing into, Valient Virgin's, fuselage and bomb bays, causing the, Virgin's, tail section to break off and separate from the rest of the airplane. Joisey Bounce, and her crew were also lost in the collision/crash near Husum, Germany. 13-Nov-43. Valient Virgin's crew : 3 POW. 7 KIA.
The bodies of the crews of both planes were interred together at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery, Missouri. MACR 2184.
Contributor - Brian J. Piaquadio
Service
Aircraft
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B-24 Liberator
Note : The B-24D, 41- The B-24D, 41-23816, flown by Lt. Coleman Whitaker, named, Black Jack, was one of two B-24Ds in the MTO named, Black Jack, and was assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 44th Bomb Group, and the 68th Bomb Squadron, in the U.K. in the...
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, The Duchess, was in the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 330th Bombing Squadron in Britain. It was detached, transferred temporarily (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa and flew on Operation Tidal Wave to bomb the oil...
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, 41-24226, Joisey Bounce, was assigned to Pilot Lt. Walter Travis Stewart in the the 330th Bomb Squadron, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force, for the large mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Col. Stewart changed...
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B-24 Liberator
B-24-D-95-CO - 42-40765 - Delivered : Tucson, AZ May 1943 - Allocated : 8th Air Force
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator bomber, 41-11761, was first named, Sleepy, by the men in the 8th Air Force and the 93rd Bomb Group in the U.K. It was, later, renamed, The Squaw, by it's Command Pilot, Lt. Royden LeBrecht, after being transferred to the 9th Air...
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, 42-40246, named, Thunder Mug, was flown by pilots, Lt. Russell Longnecker and Lt. Donald K. "Deacon" Jones, on the Ploesti oil refinery mission. Returned safely to Benghazi, Libya. 1 Aug 43. ...
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B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator, bomber, 41-11766, Chug-A-Lug, was in the 345th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 9th Air Force, and flew on Operation Tidal Wave, the low level mission to bomb the Romanian oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, on the...
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Units
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Group
The 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1 Mar 42 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15 May 42. the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, to continue advanced flight training and also to fly antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico. They...
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People
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Military | Technical Sergeant | 93rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 329BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. Flew Ploesti raid on 1-Aug-43. ETD
Awards: AM, DFC, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Staff Sergeant Bernard Arthur Coburn was assigned to the 329th Bomb Squadron, the 93rd Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force, USAAF, in Britain, as a waist gunner, detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force, USAAF, for Operation Tidal Wave. He flew 25 combat...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Collided with another aircraft in the B-24D, 42-40765, Valiant Virgin. Killed in Action (KIA). 13 November 1943
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Military | Lieutenant Colonel | B-24 Command Pilot | 405th Fighter Group
In WWII, Lt. Russell DeMont was assigned as B-24 bomber pilot to the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 329th Bomb Squadron in the U.K., detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force at Benghazi, Libya. Pilot Lt. Russell D. Demont and Copilot Lt. Robert...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 392nd Bomb Group
Assigned to 329BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF.
...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | B-24 Top Turret Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Collided with another aircraft 13 November 1943 in the B-24D, 42-40765, Valiant Virgin. Killed in Action (KIA).
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator / Bombardier | 93rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 329BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. ETD
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Collided with another aircraft 13 Nov 43 in the B-24D, 42-40765, Valient Virgin (misspelled by crew). Bailed out and captured. Prisoner of War - POW.
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Collided with another aircraft 13 November 1943 in B-24 42-40765 'Valiant Virgin. ' Killed in Action (KIA).
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Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot / Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
Awarded DFC
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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...
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13 November 1943
The port area of Bremen, Germany is the focus of this mission composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 154 B0-17 of 1st Bomb Division including 94BG (16); 385BG (17); 95BG (21); 100BG (18); 390BG (21); 96BG (40); and 388BG ...
Places
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Military site : airfield
Planned as an RAF bomber airfield, Hardwick was used first by the 310th Bomb Group, equipped with B-25 Mitchells. B-24 Liberators of the 93rd Bomb Group moved in briefly in March 1943, then returned in June 1943 remaining until the end of the war and...
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Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Manufactured |
Consolidated Aircraft San Diego, CA |
1943 |
Built at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, CA
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Delivered |
Tucson AAF, AZ |
1943 |
Tucson, AZ.
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Assigned |
Benghazi, Libya |
May 1943 |
Assigned to the 329th Bomb Squadron, the 93rd Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force, USAAF. TDY 9th Air Force. May 1943.
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Survived Ploesti |
Ploiești, Romania |
1 August 1943 |
Flew the Ploesti mission in the B formation. Returned safely to Libya. RTB 1 Aug 43.
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Failed to Return (FTR) |
Husum, Germany |
13 November 1943 |
Lost on the 13-Nov-43 mission to Bremen, Germany, after a collision with another B-24D, 41-24226, Utah Man - Joisey Bounce, which smashed its bomb bays and caused the tail section to break off. both fell out of control and crashed near Husum, Germany. 3 POW 7 KIA. MACR 2184.
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