41-11825 - Hail Columbia - Little Chief Big Dog - Grumpy

Object Number - UPL 39169 - Lt. Harold Korger was the navigator on the B-24D, Liberator, heavy bomber, 41-11825, Hail Columbia, on Operation Tidal Wave, the mission to destroy...

The B-24D, Hail Columbia, 41-11825, was assigned to the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron. It was first assigned to the 344th Squadron's CO, Col. John R. Kane's, personal aircraft until Kane became the 98th Bomb Group's CO and turned it over to Herman "Big Dog" Lewis. Lewis changed the name to Little Chief Big Dog on the RH side of the forward nose section, but retained, Hail Columbia, in block letters on the left side. Following Lewis's death in another B-24, Little Chief Big Dog/Hail Columbia, was transferred back to the 98th Bomb Group's 343rd Bomb Squadron, where the right side art work was changed to a picture of, and the name, Grumpy, in compliance with the "Snow White Squadron" directive. Wilfred Brann was the crew chief and nose art artist for, Grumpy, in the 343rd Squadron. The name, Little Chief Big Dog, was removed prior to the Rome mission of July 19, 1943.

Just prior to the low level Ploesti mission, the 98th Bomb Group's CO, John R. Kane, returned his former plane back to the 98th's 344th Bomb Squadron, where a new form of the original, Hail Columbia, name and nose art quickly replaced, Grumpy's. According to Scott Flood, great nephew of 41-11825's crew chief, Charles Wilfred Brann, the name, Grumpy, had been chosen by TSgt Brann, "reflecting his personality, a short, stocky man, rather gruff and grumpy on the outside." Flood also wrote that, by Col. Kane's directive, Hail Columbia, was again repainted in red block letters over new nose art chosen by Col. Kane : a flying bald eagle carrying a large club, on both sides of Hail Columbia with stars in a circle under the eagle, on both sides of the forward nose section, for the Ploesti mission. So, Hail Columbia, was chosen by Col. Kane, for the second time, as his personal airplane and was one of the lead aircraft for the Ploesti mission.

John Kane and the crew of, Hail Columbia, bombed their target, White IV, and escaped Ploesti with one engine destroyed, two propellers on other engines damaged, and with over 150 counted flak holes in the airplane, and several crewmen wounded by flak shards, but recovered. They flew all the way south through Turkey to the Island of Cyprus. Col. Kane and his Copilot, John Young, crash landed, Hail Columbia, in the dark at Nicosia, Cyprus, after running over a ditch the British had dug across the runway's threshold, which took out their landing gear when they hit it at high speed. Hail Columbia was abandoned at Cyprus. 2 Aug 43.

The next day, while Col. Kane was looking over the plane, Young reported that there were tears in the normally stoic, Col. Kane's eyes, as he surveyed the damage to his crashed and wrecked airplane that he had carefully chosen as his personal plane for the second time and renamed it, Hail Columbia, after his alma mater, Columbia University. Likely, Kane was also thinking of his personal friends and men he had just lost on the terrible and deadly Ploesti mission, like his wrecked airplane. Pilots often also had strong feelings, as well, about the airplanes they flew and that they felt had saved their lives and had brought them home to safety. Crewmen on, Hail Columbia, on the Ploesti mission. 1 Aug 1943 :                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Col. John R Kane - Group Leader and Command Pilot   -
First Lieutenant John S. Young - CoPilot   -
First Lieutenant Norman Whelan - Navigator   -
Staff Sergeant Neville C. Benson - Waist Gunner   -
First Lieutenant Raymond B. Hubbard - Radio Operator   -
Second Lieutenant Harold F. Korger - Bombardier   -
Sergeant Joseph W. LaBranche - Gunner -
Technical Sergeant Frederick A. Leard - Waist Gunner    -
Sergeant William Leo - Tail Gunner    -
Staff Sergeant Harvey L. Treace - Top Turret Gunner    -

All of the crewmen who flew in, Hail Columbia, and on the Ploesti mission received the Distinguished Flying Cross medal for flying the mission. Lt. Norman "The Baron"  Whelan was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for navigating his airplane and several others to safety at Nicosia, Cyprus. Lt. John Young received another Oak Leaf Cluster to his DFC and Silver Star. Col. John Kane was awarded the Medal Of Honor and another Oak Leaf Cluster to those already on his DFC.

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 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
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: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist 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

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Berka, al Birkah
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Bengazi Airfield, Wheelus Airbase

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: - Kickapoo
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
B-24D, 41-11819,  9th AF 98th BG 344th BS. Shot down over White IV. 1 Aug 43
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Raunchy
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Vulgar Virgin - Hell From Heaven - Shoot Youre Faded
  • Unit: 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

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

Cyprus 1 August 1943 A veteran of the low-level Ploesti, Romania mission on August 1,43. She crashed on the island of Cyprus returning from the mission and was abandoned.

Other

Survived Ploesti mission

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 A veteran of the low-level Ploesti, Romania mission on August 1,43. She survived the Ploesti mission, though badly damaged with one engine out and two others damaged but running.

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya 9th Air Force, 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", 344th Bomb Squadron.                         ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Revisions

Date11 Feb 2023 06:10:25
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor details added.   -  Black Sunday-Ploesti   -   Michael Hill   -   Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 06:05:10
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:57:24
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:55:49
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:53:14
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:49:39
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:47:57
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                        The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:46:12
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:43:49
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:42:16
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:40:59
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:39:30
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:37:29
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo.                                                          

Date11 Feb 2023 05:33:18
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:29:02
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Minor spelling, facts, and word changes for accuracy.                                                           ---    The Ploesti Raid - Through The Lens   -   Roger A. Freeman   -    Kickapoo

Date11 Feb 2023 05:20:51
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

https://www.hobbylinc.com/warbird-b24d-grumpy:hail-columbia  -   aircraft marking changes   -  Kickapoo

Date16 May 2022 11:52:32
ContributorAl_Skiff
Date19 Dec 2021 22:27:09
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - Hail Columbia

Date7 Sep 2021 07:42:10
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Information added. - Kickapoo

Date7 Sep 2021 07:32:56
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Associations. - Kickapoo

Date7 Sep 2021 07:28:46
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date19 Aug 2021 00:22:30
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Updated aircraft names. - Kickapoo

Date17 Aug 2021 13:11:58
ContributorEmily
Sources

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

Date14 Aug 2021 09:32:41
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Information added - Kickapoo

Date14 Aug 2021 09:26:18
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Word and information changes - Kickapoo

Date27 Jul 2021 07:51:46
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Punctuation changes - Kickapoo

Date27 Jul 2021 07:48:31
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Wording, spacing, punctuation, and spelling changes for accuracy and clarity - Kickapoo

Date27 Jul 2021 07:24:43
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Wording and details changed for accuracy and clarity - Kickapoo

Date27 Jul 2021 06:56:18
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Word structure and changes for accuracy and clarity - Kickapoo

Date20 Jul 2021 10:45:50
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - HAIL COLUMBIA - Contributor - Bill Whitney

Date20 Jul 2021 10:35:28
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - HAIL COLUMBIA - Contributor - Bill Whitney

Date20 Jul 2021 10:31:54
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - HAIL COLUMBIA - Contributor - Bill Whitney

Date20 Jul 2021 10:30:00
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - HAIL COLUMBIA - info Contributor Bill Whitney

Date28 Jun 2021 09:36:17
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date28 Jun 2021 09:33:41
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Changes to connections - John S Young jr

Date19 Jun 2021 05:46:20
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Removed nicknames punctuation in names section - John S Young Jr

Date19 Jun 2021 05:37:26
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Spacing - John S Young Jr

Date19 Jun 2021 05:30:15
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Spacing changes - John S Young Jr

Date19 Jun 2021 05:24:55
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date19 Jun 2021 05:19:42
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Detail and letter spacing changes for clarity - John S Young Jr

Date19 Jun 2021 05:13:39
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Spelling and letter spacing changes for accuracy and clarity - John S Young Jr

Date19 Jun 2021 05:07:25
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Detail changes made for accuracy - John S Young Jr

Date11 Jun 2021 15:48:37
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Spelling, punctuation, and wording changes for clarity - John S Young Jr

Date3 Jun 2021 15:59:58
ContributorEmily
Sources

Reformatted aircraft nickname to remove unnecessary punctuation and quotation marks

Date18 May 2021 19:28:50
Contributorjmoore43
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date13 Mar 2021 21:27:09
Contributorjmoore43
Sources

Added punctuation to the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date10 Jan 2021 01:07:33
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Personal Archives - John S Young Jr

Date23 Dec 2020 09:36:55
ContributorAl_Skiff
Date23 Dec 2020 00:50:09
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date23 Dec 2020 00:45:21
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date23 Dec 2020 00:13:13
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

Date23 Dec 2020 00:10:26
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date18 Dec 2020 02:49:19
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date18 Dec 2020 02:37:46
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date18 Dec 2020 02:31:04
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date18 Dec 2020 02:02:48
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

personal archives - John S Young Jr

Date17 Dec 2020 06:07:00
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date17 Dec 2020 05:44:30
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date12 Feb 2020 11:59:01
ContributorEmily
Sources

Removed tidy symbols from nickname for clarity

Date7 Nov 2019 16:23:16
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster -- Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr. ---- Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ----Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. -- personal archives

Date7 Nov 2019 16:20:36
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster -- Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr. ---- Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ----Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. -- personal archives

Date8 Jul 2019 05:58:18
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young - Personal Archive

Date8 Jul 2019 05:40:12
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young - Personal Archive

Date1 Jul 2019 13:24:23
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

Date25 Dec 2018 04:07:40
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Their Finest Hour : Col. John R. Kane and Hail Columbia

Date25 Dec 2018 03:55:31
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date11 Oct 2018 00:03:18
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date28 Feb 2018 10:37:50
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

U.S. Air Force Archives

Date28 Feb 2018 10:35:05
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Together We Served - U.S. Air Force Archives

Date28 Feb 2018 10:25:36
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Together We Served - Operation Tidal wave

Date3 Feb 2018 12:28:19
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

b24bestweb.com ~ 'Little Chief Big Dog'

Date3 Feb 2018 12:07:04
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

"Operation Tidal Wave"

Date3 Feb 2018 12:02:45
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

"Together We served" "Operation Tidal Wave"

Date14 Jan 2018 01:23:14
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

" Into The Fire " by Duane Cole Part III Chap 6 p. 104

Date12 Dec 2017 14:02:30
ContributorED-BB
Sources

Added details about the name "Grumpy" (source 11 November 2003 e-mail from Scott Flood, great-nephew of 41-11825 crew chief Charles Wilfred Brann)

Date6 Apr 2015 16:46:55
ContributorAl_Skiff
Date6 Apr 2015 16:20:33
ContributorAl_Skiff
Date6 Apr 2015 16:08:47
ContributorAl_Skiff

41-11825: Gallery (7 items)