B-24 Liberator
B-24H-15-CF #41-29387 "Snafu Snark" Code: 2U-B 466th BG - 785th BS
Crew #504 Malcolm O. Dike Crew 466th BG - 785th BS B-24H-15-CF #41-29387 "(Snafu) Snark" Code: 2U-B A bomber crew of the 466th Bomb Group with their shark mouth B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-29387) nicknamed "The Snafu Snark". First handwritten caption on reverse: 'Photo taken of the "SNARK" and crew 504 of 785th Squadron of the 466th Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force, on arrival at Attlebridge, England on Feb 25 1944. Top Row (left to right) Malcolm O Dike (P) , Claude V Meconis, (CP), William L Brooks, (N) , Harold K Miller (B), Julian R Thompson (FE) Bottom row (left to right) Joseph J Rooney (R/O), Vito Calderalo (TG), George A Bertie (WG), Dennis L Beavers (BTG) , James Smith (WG) Second handwritten caption on reverse: '466 BG crew of Liberator "Snark".'
A B-24 Liberator nicknamed "The Snark" of the 466th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'The "Snark". 785th Squdron, 466th Group, 8th Air Force. Piloted by Malcom O. Dike, Co-Pilot Claude V. Meconis.'Second handwritten caption on reverse: '1024/RF. 466 BG Lib - Snark.'
B-24H-15-CF #41-29387 "(Snafu) Snark" Code: 2U-B 466th BG - 785th BS TSGT Lyle Hampton - 472nd Sub Depot
B-24H-15-CF #41-29387 "Snafu Snark" Code 2U-B 466th BG - 785th BS This is an early shot of the "Snark." Here shark mouth was repainted at least once.
MACR 7381 41-29387 "Snafu Snark" 466th BG | 785th BS 08 Aug 1944
The B-24H, named SNAFU Snark, was an original 466th Bomb Group airplane. It flew combat missions from March 24, 1944 through August 8, 1944 when it crash landed at Manston emergency airfield, Kent, on it's return from a mission to Clastres, France. It's fuel cells were changed, and extensive battle damage was repaired. The repairs were completed on Sep 17, 1944. It flew no more combat missions and was converted to a CB-24H and is recorded as salvaged by BAD 3, Langford Lodge, Northern Ireland, Nov 11, 1944.
Group
The 466th Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators from Attlebridge, Norfolk, during the last year of the war in Europe. The Group flew 232 missions in the course of the year and celebrated the 100th one by inviting local people onto the base to mark the...
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Waist Gunner | 466th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 466th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Gunner | 466th Bomb Group
MACR 7381. B-24 AC # 41-29387 'THE SNARK'. AC put through violent actions to avoid flak on mission on 8 Aug 1944. 4 crewman bailed out and were captured. Remaining crew returned to England, but forced to crash land at Manston. Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 466th Bomb Group
St. Dizier, France 24 Mar 1944; Brunswick, Germany 8 April 1944; Hamm, Germany 22 April 1944; Leipheim, Germany 24 April 1944; Paderborn, Germany 26 April 1944; Siracourt, France 27 April 1944; Mimoyecque, France 28 April 1944; Liege, France 1 May 1944...
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Tail Gunner | 466th Bomb Group
Military | Captain | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 466th Bomb Group
MACR 7381. B-24 AC # 41-29387 'THE SNARK'. AC put through violent actions to avoid flak on mission on 8 Aug 1944. 4 crewman bailed out and were captured. Remaining crew returned to England, but forced to crash land at Manston. Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Corporal | Left Waist Gunner | 466th Bomb Group
MACR 7381. B-24 AC # 41-29387 'THE SNARK'. AC put through violent actions to avoid flak on mission on 8 Aug 1944. 4 crewman bailed out and were captured. Remaining crew returned to England, but forced to crash land at Manston. Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 466th Bomb Group
MACR 7381. B-24 AC # 41-29387 'THE SNARK'. AC put through violent actions to avoid flak on mission on 8 Aug 1944. 4 crewman bailed out and were captured. Remaining crew returned to England, but forced to crash land at Manston. RTD.
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 466th Bomb Group
MACR 7381. B-24 AC # 41-29387 'THE SNARK'. AC put through violent actions to avoid flak on mission on 8 Aug 1944. 4 crewman bailed out and were captured. Remaining crew returned to England, but forced to crash land at Manston. RTD.
24 March 1944
This mission is composed of two elements, one from 1st Air Division and the other from 2nd Air Division. A total of 436 hevay bombers are despatched. The primary target for 1st Air Division is the the ball bearing plants at Schweifurt, Germany. 2nd Air...
27 March 1944
This mission might be likened to a "shotgun blast" as a combined force 714 heavy bombers are despatched form all three Air Divisions to attack 11 different German airfields and air depots in France. Mission summary follows:
...
8 April 1944
9 April 1944
29 May 1944
Mission #2. The target was an aircraft assembly plant. Flak was exceedingly heavy. We were in the air 7-1/2 hours.
8 August 1944
Military site : airfield
Attlebridge was constructed for RAF use and completed to that standard in 1942. However, with news that it was to be assigned to the American Air Force, the runways were extended and additional hardstandings and outbuildings constructed for the heavy...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| First 466th BG Combat Mission | 52100 Saint-Dizier, France | 24 March 1944 |
| Crash landed/Salvaged | Manston, Ramsgate CT12 5BB, UK | 8 August 1944 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 30 August 2021 12:14:06 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
Changed first part of aircraft name, SNAFU, to lower case letters. - Kickapoo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 August 2021 13:52:39 | Emily | Changes to nicknames and description |
| Sources | ||
Changed all instances of aircraft name into sentence case to as per best practice for accessibility. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 July 2021 11:40:31 | Kickapoo | Changes to nicknames, markings and description |
| Sources | ||
Best Web - B-24 - SNAFU SNARK |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 December 2020 04:14:50 | 466thHistorian | Changes to mission associations |
| Sources | ||
466th BG Historian |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 16 February 2018 22:44:27 | 466thHistorian | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
"Attlebridge Diaries" - John Woolnough |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 16 February 2018 22:40:18 | 466thHistorian | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
466th BG Historian |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 31 October 2014 15:26:52 | 466thHistorian | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 31 October 2014 01:26:11 | 466thHistorian | Changes to nicknames, markings, person associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:05 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 7381 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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