41-11819 - Raunchy

Object Number - UPL 13734 - The B-24D, Liberator, 41-11819, Raunchy, in the 344th Bombardment Squadron, in the 98th Bombardment Group, and the 9th Air Force. Crashed and...
The B-24D Liberator, Raunchy, 41-11819, was in the 344th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 9th Air Force, based at Benghazi, Libya, North Africa, in early 1943. Raunchy, was flown by Lt. Sam Neely, in Flight 1, of the B-24Ds in the 98th Bomb Group's planes on Operation Tidal Wave, over Ploesti, Romania. Raunchy, was destroyed, and 8 of it's crew, including Pilot Lt. Sam Neely and his copilot, Lt. Herman Henslee, were killed in action. KIA, with 2 exceptions, the plane's radio operator, Sgt. William Schiffmacher and waist gunner, Nick Allen, both of whom survived the airplane's crash, though badly burned, and were captured - 2 WIA-POW. Operation Tidal Wave, the mission to destroy the German held oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, was one of the most daring and desperate bombing missions of WW II. The 98th Bomb Group took 67 percent casualties over their refinery targets. Lt. Samuel Neely, who was close friends with both Col. John Kane and Lt. John Young, who were flying the Element Lead B-24D, Hail Columbia, off to Neeley's right side, were in the center of Flight 1. Sam Neeley was one of the one hundred, or so, airmen killed on the Ploesti mission. Raunchy : 8 KIA - 2 WIA-POW. 1 Aug 1943 Lt. Neeley, and his crew, flew in Flight 1, the 1st wave of the 98th Bomb Group's bombers attacking White IV. Command Pilot Lt. Neeley was flying at tree top level on the far left side of Flight 1. Raunchy, had already been heavily hit by the AA flak guns when the plane flew into a smoke column and hit a barrage balloon cable immediately after his bomb release. One of Raunchy's wings struck, but did not break the cable, and pulled down an explosive charge attached to it's cable, onto the airplane's wing. The explosive charge detonated when it hit the wing, partially folding it and sending the bomber crashing down to the ground, killing Lt. Neeley and most of his crew, who died instantly. Somehow, and by some kind of miracle, Sam Neely's radio operator, Lt. Bill Shiffmacher, and one of Neeley's waist gunners, Sgt. Nick Allen, were badly burned, but survived the crash and were rescued to became POWs at Ploesti. Most of the dead crew members' remains were never found, recovered, or identified because of the extensive fire having totally burned up the airplane, Raunchy, and the crewmen inside. 1 Aug 1943. MACR 169. B-24D Raunchy's Crew Over Ploesti: 1st Lt. Samuel R. Neeley - Pilot - KIA - Note : The surviving Ploesti airmen prisoners in Romania were rescued by U.S. Army and U.S. Army Air Corps personnel and were flown out of Romania, and back to safety, some months later, in a special operation (Operation Gunn) by U.S. Army Air Force B-17s sent to rescue them from the approaching Russian army. 31 Aug 1944.
B-24D, Raunchy - 41-11819 - Was lost on the low level mission to Ploesti, Romania, and Failed To Return (FTR). Lt. Sam Neeley hit a barrage balloon cable over his target, White IV, and was impacted by an explosive charge attached to the balloon cable, which exploded and partially blew, Raunchy's, wing off, crashing the plane flying from an altitude of 150 feet. Raunchy, crashed into a field killing Lt. Neeley, Copilot Lt. Herman Henslee, and most of the rest of his crew in the crash and fire, except two. The only two survivors of the crash were the radio operator, SSgt. William W. Schiffmacher and waist gunner, SSgt. Nick Allen, who both survived the crash, along with the other Americans taken prisoners.
2nd Lt. Herman H. Henslee - Copilot - KIA
1st Lt. Joel I. Corn - Navigator - KIA
2nd Lt. Eugene L. Rodgen - Bombardier - KIA
TSgt. Karl T. Edelen - Engineer/Top Turret Gunner - KIA
SSgt. Robert P. Schultz - Gunner - KIA
SSgt. William W. Schiffmacher - Radio Operator - WIA-POW
SSgt. Alfred D. Cason - Gunner - KIA
Sgt. Nick A. Allen - Gunner - WIA-POW
Connections
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Units served with

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- 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
- Service Numbers: 14028237
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Gunner

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-661482
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: B-24D Pilot

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-29680
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer / Pilot

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16023226 / O-54160
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: - B-52 Bombardier
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: - Kickapoo
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Raunchy
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th 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

- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Hadley's Harem
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - The Scorpion
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other FTR Failed To Return |
1 August 1943 - 8 January 1943 | Lost on the Ploesti oil refinery bombing mission. Immediately after bomb release the A/C struck an AA barrage balloon cable with an attached explosive device, which, upon detonation, heavily damaged one of it's wings. 8 KIA, including Sam Neeley. 2 POW. The radio operator and a gunner survived the crash and became prisoners. 2 POW. Pilot Samuel R. Neeley KIA Ploesti. 1 Aug 43. MACR 169. | |
Assigned |
In the 344th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", in the 9th Air Force, "The Force For Freedom". |
Revisions
Changed name spelling errors (mine) to correct spelling. - Kickapoo
Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill describes the crash of Lt. Sam Neeley and his crew in his B-24D, Raunchy, over White IV. Minor wording and spelling changes for clarity and accuracy. - Personal Archives - KickapooJoyJuice
AAM Database.
Valor : Operation Gunn - Air Force Magazine
Valor : Operation Gunn - Air Force Magazine
Into The Fire - Duane Schultz - p. 151, 152, 225.
Into The Fire - Duane Schultz - p. 151, 152, 225.
Into The Fire-Ploesti - Duane Schultz ----- Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill
Details added, spelling, word spacing changes. - Kickapoo
Best Web - B-24 - Raunchy
Added details. - Kickapoo
Revised "Markings". - Kickapoo
The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August, 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
Details and wording additions. - Kickapoo
Word changes and additions. - Kickapoo
Word additions and changes. - Kickapoo
Spelling, word spacing. - Kickapoo
Changed all instances of aircraft name into sentence case to as per best practice for accessibility.
Detail, wording, and spacing changes for clarity and accuracy - Kickapoo
Details, wording, and spelling changes. - Kickapoo
Wording changes for clarity - John S Young Jr
Spelling corrected in biography - John S Young Jr
Punctuation changed for clarity - John S Young Jr
Wording and punctuation altered for clarity - John S Young Jr
Puctuation for clarity.
American Air museum In Britain
Best Web - B-24 - 'Raunchy'
Black Sunday - Michael Hill The Great Ground-Air battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart Best Web - B-24 - 'Raunchy'
Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Into The Fire - Duane Schultz
The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill
The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Ploesti The Great Air-Ground Battle of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz
Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz
Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz
AAM Database.