41-11761 - Sleepy - The Squaw

Object Number - UPL 54691 - The Squaw's Command Pilot Lt. Roydon LeBrecht smiles at his new, upgraded nose art painting on his B-24D. This was the second version of The...

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 Force and the 98th Bomb Group at Benghazi, Libya. Lt. LeBrecht flew, The Squaw, on the famous Ploesti bombing mission, returning safely to Nicosia, Cyprus, after joining up with and covering several shot up and damaged straggler B-24s, including, John Kane's, Hail Columbia, Lt. Gilbert Hadley's, plane, Hadley's Harem, and Lt. Robert Sternfels', The Sandman. LeBrecht, then, flew, The Squaw, back to home base at Benghazi, Libya, a day, or so, later. After the Ploesti mission and the completion of his combat tour, Lt. Lebrecht and his crew returned to the U.K. and, then, to Fort Worth, Texas, USA, flying, The Squaw, for a national war bond tour with Lt. Walter Stewart , flying, Bomerang, and Lt. John Young and his crew, flying, The Blue Streak, respectively, on the tour. 1944

The Squaw, was in the 9th Air Force (The Force For Freedom) - the 98th Bomb Group (The Pyramiders) - and the 343rd Bomb Squadron. The Squaw, was flown on the Ploesti mission by Lt. LeBrecht, and returned safely to Nicosia, Cyprus, providing armed escort cover for a small group of the 98th Bomb Group's flak damaged stragglers, Hail Columbia, and Gilbert,"Gib", Hadley's plane, Hadley's Harem, which was running so short of fuel and engine oil that Hadley had to turn back from following the group of stragglers all the way to Cyprus. Approaching the Turkish coast, the last of his three running engines seized up, and he crashed just off the southern coast as he was descending to ditch his plane in the ocean, killing Hadley and all but two of his crew. Aug 1, 1943. The Squaw, flown by Lt. LeBrecht and his crew, with, The Blue Streak, and, Bomerang, flown respectively, by Lt. John Young, and Lt. Walter Stewart, all flew from the U.K back to Fort Worth, Texas, a few months after the Ploesti mission for a nation wide war bond tour to the Consolidated factories. 1944

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 93rd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Three airmen of the 389th Bomb Group stand with a B-24 Liberator used as a Flight Assembly Ship. Image via Tim Bivens. Handwritten caption from Bivens: 'My friend remembers it being named "Bucksheesh Benny" that it was used to fly Jack Benny around USA shows. Says it flew in North Africa with Benny and was eventually assigned to 389th as a hack and later as a form-up ship. He thinks it was originally with another group (possibly 376th or 98th).' Handwritten caption on reverse: '389th BG Form-up ship.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 06151631
  • Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Crew Chief
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17074993
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37188518
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12037573
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Soluch Airfield

Missions

  • Date: 1 August 1943
  • Official Description: 177 B-24’s, of IX Bomber Command (including Heavy Bombers on loan from Eighth AF) are dispatched to bomb oil refineries at Ploesti and nearby Campina. The operation (TIDALWAVE) is costly, 54 planes and 532 airmen being lost, but damage to the targets...

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Sleepy - The Squaw
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Hail Columbia - Little Chief Big Dog - Grumpy
  • Unit: 376th Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
A B-24 Liberator ( serial number 41-24226) nicknamed "Joisey Bounce" of the 93rd Bomb Group in flight.
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Joisey Bounce - Utah Man
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Hadley's Harem
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Sandman
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Survived Ploesti

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 B-24D Liberator, 41-11761, The Squaw, flew on the Ploesti mission, returning to Cyprus, piloted by Royden Lebrecht. 1 Aug 43

Other

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya 343rd Bomb Squadron, 98th Bomb Group, 9th Air Force.

Other

War Bond Tour

Fort Worth, TX, USA B-24D Liberator, 41-11761, The Squaw, returned to Fort Worth, Texas, USA for a war bond tour.

Revisions

Date22 Feb 2023 16:47:28
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources
Date21 Feb 2023 00:37:22
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Nickname, Sleepy, added.   -   Kickapoo

Date23 Nov 2022 22:23:51
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Changed the order of the nicknames per info in the Description section.

Date16 May 2022 09:45:11
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to unit associations
Date21 Mar 2022 19:09:15
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings and description
Sources

Punctuation, spelling, and wording changes. - Kickapoo

Date24 Jan 2022 08:42:26
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Added details. - Kickapoo

Date24 Jan 2022 08:29:36
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames, markings, description, events and unit associations
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date19 Jan 2022 11:48:30
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date6 Jan 2022 07:19:20
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings and description
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date6 Jan 2022 05:49:10
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date6 Jan 2022 05:17:32
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11761 - Sleepy - The Squaw

Date6 Jan 2022 04:57:25
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to production block number and markings
Sources

Details added. - Kickapoo

Date19 Dec 2021 18:37:02
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames, markings, description and place associations
Sources

Added Details - Kickapoo

Date2 Oct 2021 05:59:23
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to aircraft associations
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date2 Oct 2021 05:55:07
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to person associations
Sources

Details added. - Kickapoo

Date2 Oct 2021 05:25:58
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date17 Aug 2021 13:00:20
ContributorEmily
ChangesChanges to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Changed all instances of aircraft name into sentence case to as per best practice for accessibility.

Date29 Jul 2021 16:20:02
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11761 - THE SQUAW

Date6 May 2021 05:27:06
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11761 - 'Sleepy - 'The Squaw'

Date6 May 2021 05:20:07
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to person associations
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11761 - 'Sleepy - 'The Squaw'

Date6 May 2021 05:14:45
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11761 - 'Sleepy - 'The Squaw'

Date30 Apr 2021 11:37:17
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11761 - 'Sleepy - 'The Squaw'

Date30 Apr 2021 11:05:09
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames and markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11761 - 'Sleepy - 'The Squaw'

Date30 Apr 2021 10:49:25
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11761 - 'The Squaw

Date26 Feb 2021 02:27:51
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - # 41-11767

Date15 Dec 2020 10:02:34
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames
Sources

John S Young Jr - personal archives

Date21 Nov 2016 04:51:38
Contributor466thHistorian
ChangesChanges to production block number, nicknames, unit associations and place associations
Date31 Mar 2015 18:38:12
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to events
Date31 Mar 2015 17:20:03
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesCreated entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations, mission associations and media associations

41-11761: Gallery (6 items)