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42-40765

B-24 Liberator

  • 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

    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

    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.

    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-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

    Show caption About this image
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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

  • 41-23816 - Black Jack

    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...

  • 41-24147 - The Duchess - Evelyn

    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...

  • 41-24226 - Joisey Bounce - Utah Man

    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...

  • 42-40765 - Valient Virgin

    B-24 Liberator
    B-24-D-95-CO - 42-40765 - Delivered : Tucson, AZ May 1943 - Allocated : 8th Air Force ...

  • 41-11761 - The Squaw - Sleepy

    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...

  • 42-40246 - Thunder Mug

    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. ...

  • 41-11766 - Chug-A-Lug

    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

  • 93rd Bomb Group

    93rd Bomb Group

    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...

  • 329th Bomb Squadron

    329th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • Alfred Bergkamp

    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.

  • Bernard Coburn

    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...

  • Joseph Cozzone

    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

  • Russell De Mont

    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...

  • Julius Erdely

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 392nd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 329BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. ...

  • William Erwin

    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).

  • George Everhart

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator / Bombardier | 93rd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 329BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. ETD Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Edwin Gillespie

    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.

  • Frederick Homnick

    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).

  • Robert Murray

    Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot / Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
    Awarded DFC

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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...

  • VIII Bomber Command 130

    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

  • Hardwick

    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...

  • Berca

    Military site : airfield

  • Lete

    Military site : airfield

Events

Event Location Date
Manufactured Consolidated Aircraft San Diego, CA 1943

Built at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, CA
Delivered Tucson AAF, AZ 1943

Tucson, AZ.
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.
Survived Ploesti Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943

Flew the Ploesti mission in the B formation. Returned safely to Libya. RTB 1 Aug 43.
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.
Nicknames
- Valient Virgin
Production block number
B-24-D-95-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery

The B-24D, 42-40765, named, Valient Virgin, was painted in the USAAF standard olive drab color for the ETO. It's national insignias were white stars on blue roundels with a yellow border around the insignias. The plane's name, Valient Virgin, was misspelled by the crew and painted on the LH side of the aircraft's forward nose in written letters over a picture of a naked lady on her knees facing the airplane's written name, Valient Virgin. It's abbreviated serial number, 240765, was painted on the outboard sides of it's vertical stabilizers with it's RCL Radio Call Letter, a capital T.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
05 June 2022 15:41:09 Al_Skiff Changes to description, events and unit associations
Sources

http://www.b24bestweb.com / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 2184
Date Contributor Update
29 May 2022 07:05:48 Kickapoo Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 42-40765 - Valient Virgin
Date Contributor Update
24 May 2022 12:37:59 Al_Skiff Changes to unit associations
Sources

http://www.b24bestweb.com / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 2184
Date Contributor Update
23 May 2022 13:07:17 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

www.Low-Level-Ploesti.org> - David H. Klaus
Date Contributor Update
20 May 2022 17:54:58 Al_Skiff Changes to unit associations
Sources

http://www.b24bestweb.com / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 2184
Date Contributor Update
19 May 2022 14:20:56 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
19 May 2022 04:28:36 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Into The Fire - Duane Schultz
Date Contributor Update
19 May 2022 04:17:51 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Into The fire - Duane Schultz
Date Contributor Update
18 May 2022 22:11:56 Kickapoo Changes to description and events
Sources

Into The fire - Duane Schultz
Date Contributor Update
18 May 2022 21:49:31 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
18 May 2022 11:25:46 Kickapoo Changes to production block number and markings
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
18 May 2022 11:23:44 Kickapoo Changes to description and unit associations
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
18 May 2022 02:57:38 Kickapoo Changes to description, unit associations and place associations
Sources

The Great Ground-Air battle of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan - Carroll Stewart
Date Contributor Update
16 May 2022 11:11:49 Al_Skiff Changes to unit associations
Sources

http://www.b24bestweb.com / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 2184
Date Contributor Update
24 January 2022 08:50:43 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames and description
Sources

Details, wording changes. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
06 January 2022 07:40:51 Kickapoo Changes to description and events
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
19 December 2021 22:18:49 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames
Sources

Detail added. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
18 November 2021 06:32:42 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Into The Fire - Duane Schultz
Date Contributor Update
10 November 2021 09:15:29 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Airplane name changes and details added for clarity. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
10 November 2021 09:12:20 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Airplane names changed for accuracy. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
17 October 2021 02:00:06 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Wording changes. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
06 October 2021 04:50:53 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Wording changes. Punctuation and word spacing. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
06 October 2021 00:59:11 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce
Date Contributor Update
06 October 2021 00:55:51 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce
Date Contributor Update
06 October 2021 00:50:02 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce
Date Contributor Update
06 October 2021 00:38:24 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce
Date Contributor Update
04 October 2021 06:01:05 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
04 October 2021 05:33:23 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Black Sunday - B-24 - 42-40765 - Valient Virgin
Date Contributor Update
04 October 2021 05:03:44 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 42-40765 - Valient Virgin
Date Contributor Update
04 October 2021 04:55:36 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 42-40765 - Valient Virgin
Date Contributor Update
28 July 2021 05:38:20 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - VALIENT VIRGIN - 42-40765
Date Contributor Update
28 July 2021 05:21:20 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - VALIENT VIRGIN
Date Contributor Update
27 July 2021 09:52:28 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill Best Web - VALIENT VIRGIN
Date Contributor Update
26 July 2021 23:07:33 Jim Stocking Changes to description
Sources

As per November 1945 letter written by Joisey Bounce survivor and POW, Sgt.Robert Cox ,to one of the crew's mother describing the last minutes of the aircraft..
Also corrected the spelling of the name of the Vali"e"nt Virgin.
Date Contributor Update
07 May 2021 03:03:44 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin
Date Contributor Update
07 May 2021 02:58:54 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames and markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'Valient Virgin'
Date Contributor Update
08 April 2021 15:39:23 Emily Changes to nicknames and description
Sources

Amended spelling of Bergkamp in aircraft biography
Date Contributor Update
10 March 2021 09:35:53 Al_Skiff Changes to events and aircraft associations
Sources

Removed circular database reference - (Linked to itself)
Date Contributor Update
10 March 2021 05:57:56 phil marchese Changes to description
Sources

Added US history per a/c record card. Conformed basic information to AAM format.
Date Contributor Update
10 March 2021 05:14:55 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'Valient Virgin' - # 42-40765
Date Contributor Update
10 March 2021 05:12:28 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'Valient Virgin' - # 42-40765
Date Contributor Update
10 March 2021 05:09:37 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B -24 - 'Valient Virgin' - # 42-40765
Date Contributor Update
05 February 2021 08:08:43 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - # 42-40765 - 'Valient Virgin'
Date Contributor Update
05 February 2021 08:06:27 Kickapoo Changes to description, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - #42-40765 - Valient Virgin'
Date Contributor Update
30 January 2021 11:41:01 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

B-24 - Best Web ---- The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
Date Contributor Update
24 January 2021 20:42:00 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
Date Contributor Update
24 January 2021 20:39:55 Kickapoo Changes to description and events
Sources

The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
Date Contributor Update
12 April 2015 16:48:21 Al_Skiff Changes to nicknames
Sources

http://www.b24bestweb.com / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 2184
Date Contributor Update
12 April 2015 16:38:29 Al_Skiff Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations
Sources

http://www.b24bestweb.com / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 2184
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:52 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

MACR 2184 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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