41-11603 Malicious
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The B-24D Liberator bomber, 41-11603, Malicious, was one of 23 B-24D Liberators assigned to the Halverson Detachment Project, which departed the U.S. in May, 1942, to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India (CBI) Theatre of operations. The Halverson Project aircraft were then assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 515th Bomb Squadron, when it was constituted in October, 1942.
Malicious, completed 50 missions with Halpro and the 376th Bomb Group. The aircraft was lost on a mission to Messina, Sicily, with Major John Toomey and crew on board, in the 515th Bomb Squadron. On the mission to bomb the Messina Harbor, Malicious was hit by anti aircraft flak. Two engines were destroyed by German flak batteries, but Major Toomey stayed on his bomb run and bombed his target. He was, then, attacked by German fighter planes, and, after a running air battle, Maj. Toomey was forced to make a water crash landing, ditching his plane into the sea, twenty miles off the coast of Messina, Sicily. Crewmen in other aircraft in the area saw four to six men evacuate the plane into life rafts, but subsequent rescue flights were unable to locate the men. Maj. Toomey and his crew were all listed as Missing In Action, MIA. Jan 31, 1943.
Halpro Aircraft #22 - C - Transfer
Lost Jan 31, 1943. ITA - Pilot Maj. John M. Toomey - 515th Bomb Squadron - MACR 3304
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Detachment
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 513th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16003930
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (9th Air Force) US Army Middle East Air Force
- Service Numbers: O-3132
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
- Role/Job: Commanding General
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 513th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 7020410
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 513th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 6997114
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 515th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-433160
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 17 July 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 28 June 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 12 June 1942
- Official Description:
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Malicious
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 515th Bomb Squadron Halverson Detachment
Revisions
Punctuation and lettering changes to aircraft name for clarity - Kickapoo
Reformatted aircraft nickname to remove unnecessary punctuation and quotation marks
The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart