- The B-24D aircraft, 41-11620, Edna Elisabeth, was originally assigned to the British, as Plane BA9 #13a. It was also in the Halpro Group.

It was transferred to the 98th Bomb Group, and the 343rd Bomb Squadron, with the squadron number, 16, and the RCL M. It was transferred to the 98th Bomb Group just in time to start out in, but did not complete or participate in the low level Ploesti mission. Flown by the James Haverty crew, it was assigned to the 98th Bomb Group's Flight 5. The plane turned back early, soon after takeoff and leaving the African coast to cross the Mediterranean Sea. None of the major Ploesti historical works recognize Lt. Haverty, who was on loan to the 98th Bomb Group from the 93rd Bomb Group or, the plane, Edna Elizabeth, as participants in the Ploesti mission. Haverty's navigator, Frederick Mueller, confirms that they did start out on the mission. The crew chief, Lee Bendt, in the 343rd Bomb Squadron, lost his airplane, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, 42-40364, on the Ploesti mission and soon thereafter, he took over, Edna Elizabeth, as his airplane. Edna Elizabeth almost caused Lt. Bendt's ground crew to mutiny after seven consecutive wing fuel tank changes were needed to stop a fuel leak. A runaway prop governor stopped Lee Bendt's first attempt to send, Edna Elizabeth, on a combat mission. 22 Sep 43. Later, the plane did return to the U.S. for reclamation. 1st Lt. Sam R. Oglesby, Jr. ferried, Edna Elizabeth, to the U.S. and was it's pilot on 13 of the 23 combat missions it flew, including it's last one, to Tobruk, Libya. 20 Oct 1942. It is probably on that date that it suffered the nose wheel collapse and went to a depot for repairs to be completed for it's ferry flight. The airplane ended up at the Project 19 Depot in Gura, Eritrea, where it was repaired and repainted, resulting in a slight alteration of the lettering style in the name, but still was named, Edna Elizabeth.

The airplane was transferred to the 98th Bomb Group just in time to start out flying on the low level Ploesti mission. 1 Aug 43. It was reported to have been flown by, both, the James Haverty crew and by Lt. Sam Oglesby and his crew, assigned to the 98th Bomb Group's Flight 5. But, because the pilot, plane, and crew turned back early from the mission, none of those men, or their airplane, Edna Elizabeth, are counted as participants in Operation Tidal Wave, because, in reality, none of them did participate in the mission due to an early mechanical turnback. 1 Aug 43.

Note : Lt. Sam R. Oglesby Jr's daughter wrote in a 2003 posting that her father was, Edna Elizabeth's, pilot on Operation Tidal Wave. 1 Aug 43. The plane turned back early, soon after leaving the African coast to cross the Mediterranean. None of the major Ploesti works recognize Lt. James Haverty and crew, on loan to the 98th Bomb Group from the 93rd Bomb Group, or Sam Oglesby and his crew, or, Edna Elizabeth, as participants in the Ploesti mission for having aborted the mission. Haverty's navigator, Frederick Mueller confirms that they did start out on the mission, but aborted.

Note : The Crew Chief, Lee Bendt, in the 343rd Bomb Squadron, lost his airplane, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 42-40364, on the Ploesti mission and later took over, Edna Elizabeth. The airplane continued to be a mechanical problem ship and almost caused Bendt's ground crew to mutiny when seven consecutive changes of the wing fuel tank were needed to stop a fuel leak. A runaway prop governor stopped Bendt's first attempt to send, Edna Elizabeth, on another combat mission, and the plane was again consigned to a service depot for repair.

Though it was reported that, Edna Elizabeth, did not fly any combat after 22 Sep 43, it did return later to the USA for repair and reclamation.

Note : It is not clear if the B-24D with 54 as it's squadron nose number, is a picture of Edna Elizabeth, or her replacement, aircraft, 41-24024.

Edna Elizabeth Missions Flown :

Mission # Date AC # Letter : Target : Pilot :

1 75 11/15/1942 54 Q Tobruk Libya - George McGuire

2 77 11/21/1942 54 J Tripoli Libya - William Dwyer

3 78 11/26/1942 54 Q Tripoli Libya - John Medford

4 80 11/29/1942 54 Tripoli Libya - Therman Brown

5 82 12/ 7/1942 54 Q Tripoli Libya - Cecil Patterson, Jr

6 83 12/11/1942 54 K Naples Italy - Martin Walsh, Jr

7 84 12/16/1942 54 Q Sfax Tunisia - Delbert Hahn

8 85 12/20/1942 54 Q Sousse Tunisia - George Whitlock

9 89 1/ 7/1943 54 Q Palermo Sicily - Delbert Hahn

10 90 1/ 8/1943 54 Q Bizerte Tunisia - Delbert Hahn

11 92 1/16/1943 54 Q Tripoli Libya - Sam Oglesby

12 95 1/31/1943 54 Q Messina Sicily - James Brereton

13 96 2/02/1943 54 Q Palermo Sicily - Sam Oglesby

Possible additional missions :

14 102 3/ 1/1943 54 Q Naples Italy - Norman Appold

15 103 3/ 3/1943 54 Naples Italy - Delbert Hahn

16 104 3/13/1943 54 Q Naples Italy - Edwin Gluck