41-11768 - Kickapoo
Kickapoo's reassigned crew for the Ploesti bombing mission : ---
1st Lt. Robert J. Nespor - Pilot - (KIA) - 98th BG - Died two weeks later from his burns 2nd Lt. John C. Riley - Co Pilot (KIA) Detached Service from 93rd BG - Died from his burns
2nd Lt. Russell W. Polivka - Navigator (WIA) D.S. from 93rd BG - Severely Burned - Recovered after long rehabilitation
T/Sgt. Vaun D. Wenrich -Engineer/Top Turret (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG - Died of his injuries
T/Sgt. Armand R. Massart - Radio Op (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG - Died of his injuries
S/Sgt. George W. Lawlor - Gunner (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG - Died of his injuries
S/Sgt. Edwin G. Sliwa - Gunner (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG - Died of his injuries
S/Sgt. Eugene R. Garner - Gunner (WIA) D.S. from 93rd BG - Badly burned - Survived and recovered after long rehabilitation.
S/Sgt. John P. D'Armour - Gunner (KIA) D.S. from 93rd BG
Best Web - B-24 - Kickapoo
Object Number - UPL 39794 - - The B-24D - Kickapoo, with it's regular crew, and pilot, Lt. John S. Young on the far right, before the mission to bomb Ploesti. Lt....
The B-24D Liberator, 41-11768, named, Kickapoo, was Lt. John S. Young's regularly assigned B-24D, in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bombardment Group, The Pyramiders, and the 344th Bomb Squadron, after they moved out of Egypt, to the air bases at Benghazi, Libya. John Young was from Dallas,Texas, a Texan like so many of the men in the 98th Bomb Group and the 344th Bombing Squadron, who were also from all over Texas, many of whom arrived in North Africa in late 1942. Lt. Young's B-24D was his second assigned aircraft, that he was now flying out of Berca, Benina, and, Lete Airfields at Benghazi, Libya, in the Mediterranean theater of World War II in 1943. His first B-24 was shot down earlier that year in an air fight with eight German fighters just off the coast of Italy. Lt. Young named this, his second B-24D, Kickapoo, after the magical liquor, "Kickapoo Joy Juice" in Al Capp's famous cartoon, "Lil Abner".
Later, in June of 1943, Young and most of his regular crew from, Kickapoo, were also reassigned by Kane to fly in, Hail Columbia, on Operation Tidal Wave, the huge mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti Romania, as his crew and copilot in the 98th Bomb Group's lead ship, Hail Columbia, which had been renamed by Kane for his alma mater, Columbia University. Kickapoo, was reassigned to another of the 98th Bomb Group's.344th Bombing Squadron's pilots, his friend, 1st Lt. Robert Nespor, who was still recovering from dysentery, and Lt. John C. Riley, Nespor's replacement copilot, reassigned from the 93rd Bomb Group, with the rest of the replacement crew also from the 93rd Bomb Group for the Ploesti mission.
But, on the morning of the mission, fate dealt Lt. Nespor, Lt. John Riley, and their crew, a very bad hand, when Kickapoo's number 4 engine failed and caught fire at the worst possible time, just after getting airborne. Command Pilot Bob Nespor, and his Copilot John Riley crashed, and both were killed (2 KIA) while desperately and heroically trying to save their valuable ship, instead of bailing out or ditching it into the Mediterranean Sea.
After jettisoning his bombs out over the sea, Nespor requested being guided back to the field for an emergency landing, but was forced to abort and circle around due to conflicting aircraft still taking off at Berca and Lete. With Kickapoo's right wing now on fire, Nespor made a second attempted approach to the field from the West. While doing so, he began losing power from his remaining three engines. On fire, with failing engines, and sinking on short final approach, Nespor and Riley landed hard, bounced and drifted off the centerline to the left of the runway. A wing tip clipped a concrete pole next to the runway, and the plane cartwheeled into the desert, and, predictably, exploded in a huge fireball, killing Lt. Nespor, his copilot, Lt. Riley, and all but two of the rest of the crew, Lt. Russell W. Polivka, the navigator, and SSgt. Gunner Eugene R. Garner. Somehow, both men escaped from the airplane's burning wreckage and survived the crash despite their severe burns and eventually returned to duty in 1944 after long recoveries. (2 WIA - RTD). Lt. Nespor died two weeks later, finally succumbing to his burns. KIA. Robert Nespor and his crewmen were the first casualties of the Ploesti mission, before it had even begun. The other men taking off and flying over the smoke and fire of the crash, knew that some, if not all, of the men in that airplane would not be returning home alive, and they took the crash as a bad omen for what was to come, which it certainly was. Approximately 450 airmen from the five Bomb Groups would be wounded, captured, maimed, missing, or dead, before that terrible day would be over. It truly earned the name, that the author, Michael Hill gave it in his book, "Black Sunday-Ploesti."
But Col. John Kane, Lt. John Young, Lt. Harry Korger, Lt. Norman Whalen, and all the men in Kane's plane, Hail Columbia, miraculously survived the Ploesti mission without serious injury in spite of over 150 counted flak and flak splinter holes in their aircraft, Hail Columbia. Kickapoo, was destroyed in the crash and fire on the runway at Berca Air Base. AIrcraft Lost. 1 Aug 1943.
~ Kickapoo's Regular Crew in the 98th Bomb Group :
- Lt. John S. Young - Pilot - Reassigned to Hail Columbia for Ploesti mission
- Lt. Norman M. Whalen - Navigator - Reassigned to Hail Columbia for Ploesti mission
- Lt. Harold F. Korger - Bombardier - Reassigned to Hail Columbia for Ploesti mission
- SSgt. Fredrick A. Leard - Waist Gunner - Assigned to Hail Columbia - Ploesti Mission
- SSgt. William Leo - Tail Gunner - Reassigned to Hail Columbia for Ploesti mission
- Lt. Raymond B. Hubbard - Radio Operator - Reassigned To Hail Columbia for Ploesti
- SSgt. Joseph J. LaBranche - Ball Turret - Reassigned to Hail Columbia for Ploesti
- TSgt. Harvey Treace - Engineer/Top Turret - Reassigned to Hail Columbia for Ploesti
- SSgt. Nevill C. Bensen - Waist Gunner - Reassigned to Hail Columbia for Ploesti
Kickapoo's Replacement Crew for Ploesti bombing mission :
1st Lt. Robert J. Nespor - Pilot - 98th BG - Died from burns. KIA
2nd Lt. John C. Riley - Co Pilot - 93rd BG - Died from burns. KIA
2nd Lt. Russell W. Polivka - Navigator - 93rd BG - Recovered from burns - WIA - RTS
T/Sgt. Vaun D. Wenrich - Engineer/Top Turret Gunner - 93rd BG. KIA
T/Sgt. Armand R. Massart - Radio Operator - 93rd BG. KIA
S/Sgt. George W. Lawlor - Gunner - 93rd BG. KIA
S/Sgt. Edwin G. Sliwa - Gunner - 93rd BG. KIA
S/Sgt. Eugene R. Garner - Gunner - 93rd BG. WIA - recovered - RTS
S/Sgt. John P. D'Armour - Gunner - 93rd BG. - KIA
- Kickapoo, crashed after takeoff for the Ploesti mission. Aircraft destroyed. 8 KIA. 2 WIA-RTS - Neither, Kickapoo, nor her crew were counted as having participated in Operation Tidal Wave. All of the plane's crewmen were awarded Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart Medals, posthumously, to Lt. Nespor and Lt. Riley, who who paid for their medals with their lives. 1 Aug 1943.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18065645 / O-726423
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33278362
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18051855 / O-435980
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16006213 / O-?
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-519127
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Places
Missions
Aircraft
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Crashed |
1 August 1943 | The B-24D Liberator bomber, named, Kickapoo, crashed shortly after after takeoff for the low level Ploesti, Romania mission. The #4 engine seized, failed, and caught fire just after the plane was getting airborne. After jettisoning all bombs at sea, Pilot Robert Nespor and, Kickapoo, were guided back to base for an emergency landing. Due to conflicting aircraft still on the runway, 1st Lt Nespor tried another approach to the field from the West. While making his second landing approach, his RH wing became totally enveloped in flames, and the other three engines began losing power, causing the plane to sink into a hard landing, a bounce, and, then, drifted off the centerline causing the left wing to hit a concrete pole, cartwheeling the plane into the desert and exploding into flames, killing both pilots and all but two of the crew. 8 KIA. 2 WIA-RTS. 1 Aug 43 |
Revisions
Details added to Aircraft markings. - "USAAF Aircraft Markings And Camouflage - 1941 - 1947 - The History of USAAF Aircraft Markings, Insignia,Camoflage, and Colors " - Robert D. Archer & Victor G. Archer.
USAAF Aircraft Markings And Camouflage - 1941 - 1947 - The History of USAAF Aircraft Markings, Insignia,Camoflage, and Colors - Robert D. Archer & Victor G. Archer
USAAF AIRCRAFT MARKINGS AND CAMOUFLAGE 1941 - 1947 - The History of USAAF Aircraft Markings, Insignia, Camouflage, and Colors - Chapter 2: 1942----The First Full Year of Combat. p. 103 - Robert D. Archer & Victor G Archer Punctuation and minor word changes. - Kickapoo
USAAF AIRCRAFT MARKINGS AND CAMOUFLAGE 1941 - 1947 - The History of USAAF Aircraft Markings, Insignia, Camouflage, and Colors - Chapter 2: 1942----The First Full Year of Combat. p. 103 - Robert D. Archer & Victor G Archer Punctuation and minor word changes. - Kickapoo
USAAF AIRCRAFT MARKINGS AND CAMOUFLAGE 1941 - 1947 - The History of USAAF Aircraft Markings, Insignia, Camouflage, and Colors - Chapter 2: 1942----The First Full Year of Combat. p. 103 - Robert D. Archer & Victor G Archer
Minor spelling changes. - The Ploesti Raid-Through The Lens - Roger A. Freeman ---- Kickapoo
The Great Ground-Air Battle of August 1, 1943 by James Dugan & Carroll Stewart. Personal Archives ---- James Dugan & Carroll Stewart commented on the crash of the, Kickapoo, and the loss of most of it's crew. 1 Aug 1943 - KickapooJoyJuice. ---- These men all knew each other. And many in the 98th Bomb Group had trained together as aviation cadets into advanced training and had become close friends during their time together training and fighting in the MTO in North Africa from 1941 to mid 1943. Lt. Nespor was in the 98th Bomb Group with Col. Kane and in Lt. John Young's 344th Bomb Squadron. Lt. John Riley was on loan from the 93rd Bomb Group, reassigned to fly with Lt. Nespor in, Kickapoo. Their last minute reassignments contributed to their deaths. They could have taken several easier options to save themselves, but they made the decision to try to save their valuable airplane and paid for that decision with their lives. The losses in combat weighed heavily on the surviving men, and seeing their friends, like Lt. Nespor and Riley, killed all around them on the Ploesti mission and on many others, was perhaps one of the biggest contributers to what was called at that time, combat fatigue, shell shock, and other names that didn't really decribe the terrible toll that the horror of the deadly fighting that takes place in a war, takes on the men who survived and lived through it. ----- KickapooJoyJuice
The Great Ground-Air Battle of August 1, 1943 by James Dugan & Carroll Stewart. Personal Archives ---- James Dugan & Carroll Stewart commented on the crash of the, Kickapoo, and the loss of most of it's crew. 1 Aug 1943 - KickapooJoyJuice. ---- These men all knew each other. And many in the 98th Bomb Group had trained together as aviation cadets into advanced training and had become close friends during their time together training and fighting in the MTO in North Africa from 1941 to mid 1943. Lt. Nespor was in the 98th Bomb Group with Col. Kane and in Lt. John Young's 344th Bomb Squadron. Lt. John Riley was on loan from the 93rd Bomb Group, reassigned to fly with Lt. Nespor in, Kickapoo. Their last minute reassignments contributed to their deaths. They could have taken several easier options to save themselves, but they made the decision to try to save their valuable airplane and paid for that decision with their lives. The losses in combat weighed heavily on the surviving men, and seeing their friends, like Lt. Nespor and Riley, killed all around them on the Ploesti mission and on many others, was perhaps one of the biggest contributers to what was called at that time, combat fatigue, shell shock, and other names that didn't really decribe the terrible toll that the horror of the deadly fighting that takes place in a war, takes on the men who survived and lived through it. ----- KickapooJoyJuice
The Great Ground-Air battle of August 1, 1943. - by James Dugan & Carroll Stewart, mentions the crash of the, Kickapoo, and the untimely loss of the replacement crewmens' lives. - KickapooJoyJuice ---- Personal Archives - KickapooJoyJuice
The Great Ground-Air Battle of August 1, 1943 - James Dugan and Carroll Stewart mentions the deadly crash of the, Kickapoo, and it's casualties. KickapooJoyJuice
Removed single quote marks from aircraft names for accuracy and clarity. - Kickapoo
Corrected a typo in the "Summary biography" - “Kickapoo” was misspelled.
Changed all instances of aircraft name into sentence case to as per best practice for accessibility.
The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
Changes to description of events : John S. Young, Jr. -- personal archives
Changes to description of events : John S. Young, Jr. -- personal archives
Ploesti - An Anatomy Of A disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Ploesti - An Anatomy Of A disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Ploesti - An Anatomy Of A disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Ploesti - An Anatomy Of A disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Ploesti - Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Ploesti - Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Ploesti - Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Ploesti - Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- FindAGrave Memorials ---- John S. Young, Jr. personal archives
Ploesti - Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- FindAGrave Memorials ---- John S. Young, Jr. personal archives
Ploesti - Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- FindAGrave Memorials ---- John S. Young, Jr. personal archives
Ploesti - Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into The fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. personal archives ---- FindAGrave Memorials
Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz
Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz
Kickapoo and it's original crew. Capt. John S. Young from Dallas, Texas is on the far right.
The Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Co. in Fort Worth, Texas built the B-24D, named "Kickapoo".
41-11768 This photo is the original crew of the Kickapoo. The Kickapoo was named by Capt. John S. Young from Dallas, Texas after "Kickapoo Joy Juice" from Al Capp's cartoon, Dogpatch. Capt. Young is on the far right hand side of this photo. He was the tallest man in the 98th Bomb Group at 6'3". Also pictured are Lt. Norman "The Baron" Whalen, his navigator, and Lt. Harold Korger, his bombardier. All three were hand picked by Col. John R. Kane to fly with him in the Hail Columbia for the mission over Ploesti, Rumania. All three men survived the mission and the war, as did Col. Kane.
41-11768 This photo is the original crew of the Kickapoo. The Kickapoo was named by Capt. John S. Young from Dallas, Texas after "Kickapoo Joy Juice" from Al Capp's cartoon, Dogpatch. Capt. Young is on the far right hand side of this photo. He was the tallest man in the 98th Bomb Group at 6'3". Also pictured are Lt. Norman "The Baron" Whalen, his navigator, and Lt. Harold Korger, his bombardier. All three were hand picked by Col. John R. Kane to fly with him in the Hail Columbia for the mission over Ploesti, Rumania. All three men survived the mission and the war, as did Col. Kane.