41-23661 - Black Jack

media-15198.jpeg UPL 15198 Lt. Delbert Hahn's B-24D Liberator - 41-23661 - Black Jack - in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 345th Bomb Squadron, and crew. Black Jack, 41-23661, flew on Ploesti oil refinery mission, diverting to Sicily with flak damage. Later it returned to base at Benghazi, Libya, after repairs. RTB. Aug 1, 1943 - TSgt Louis A. Hoffman Engineer/Top Turret Gunner, 2nd from left, kneeling.

Into The fire - Duane Schultz

Object Number - UPL 15198 - Lt. Delbert Hahn's B-24D Liberator - 41-23661 - Black Jack - in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 345th Bomb Squadron, and crew....

Note : This B-24D, 41-23661, one of 2 B-24Ds named, Black Jack, in the MTO, this one with the nose art of a kicking mule, was flown by Lt. Delbert Hahn and his crew.





Lt. Delbert Hahn's, Black Jack, 41-23661, should not be confused with another B-24D, 41-23816, also, named, Black Jack, in the ETO's 8th Air Force, in the U.K., flown by Lt. Coleman Whitaker, who was killed in action (KIA) and shot down over Germany, 2 Nov 1944, lost in his B-24D, also named, Black Jack, with nose art of a picture of a Black Jack hand of cards. The aircraft was lost, shot down and Failed To Return. FTR. 1 Oct 43. Pilot Coleman S. Whitaker KIA. - MACR 3312



The B-24D Liberator, 41-23661, named, Black Jack, with it's pilot Lt. Delbert Hahn and it's distinctive nose art of a kicking mule with horse shoes painted on the fuselage for all of it's bombing missions, was assigned to the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 345th Bomb Squadron, in the MTO, based at the Lete, Air Base, at Benghazi, Libya, North Africa.



Lt. Delbert Hahn and his crew, flew, Black Jack, 41-23661, on Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing mission to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. 1 Aug 43. After receiving flak damage over Ploesti, Hahn diverted, Black Jack, to a safe landing in Sicily. Black Jack, was photographed after the Ploesti mission with a robbed vertical fin installed on his B-24D, Black Jack, from the B-24D, Valient Virgin, flown by Lt. Claude Turner and interned in Turkey. INT-TURK. Lt. Turner and his crew were KIA later on a mission over Germany in the B-24D, Birmingham Blitzkrieg. Delbert Hahn had a long and successful military career with service in the Korean War and Vietnam. He retired from the U.S. Air Force with the final rank of Colonel.



B-24D - 41-23661 - Black Jack's Crew:

Lt. Delbert H. Hahn, Pilot

Lt. John W. Viewers, CoPilot

Lt. Nathan Nowak, Navigator

Lt. Raymond F. Vengelen, Bombardier

T/Sgt. Robert L. Baird, Engineer

T/Sgt. James E. Creighton, Radio Operator

S/Sgt. John H. Chapman, Gunner

S/Sgt. Leslie J. Foster, Gunner

S/Sgt. Curtis Washburn, Gunner

S/Sgt. Isadore I. Klein, Tail Gunner

Connections

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

Units served with

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
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-22549
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-885920
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18021181 / O-664934
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Soluch Airfield
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Bengazi Airfield, Wheelus Airbase

Missions

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Chug-A-Lug
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Black Jack
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Black Jack
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Survived Ploesti

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 Black Jack, flew on the August, 1943, Ploesti oil refinery mission, piloted by Lt. Delbert H. Hahn, diverting to Sicily, with battle damage. RTB. 1 Aug 43

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya 345th BS, 98th BG, 9th AF.

Revisions

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The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

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Into The fire - Duane Schultz

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The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack ---- Best Web - B-24 - 41-23816 - Black Jack

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23816 - Black Jack - ( with the nose art of a Black Jack playing card hand )

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Best Web - B-24 - 41- 23816 - Black Jack - ( with nose art of a Black Jack hand of playing cards ) - Shot down 1 Oct 1943.

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Best Web - 41-23661 - Black Jack - ( with the nose art of a kicking mule )

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Best Web - 41-23661 - Black Jack - ( with the nose art of a kicking mule )

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack - ( with the high kicking mule nose art )

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack - ( kicking mule picture for nose art )

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack (Kicking Mule)

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Details added. - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack - mule shoes

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Black Sunday - Michael Hill

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Black Sunday - Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23816 - Black Jack

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Punctuation, wording changes. - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack

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Minor word changes. - Kickapoo

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Text revised. - Kickapoo

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Detail added. - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23816

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - 'BLACK JACK'

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661

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Best Web - B-24 - '41-23661 - 'BLACK JACK'

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41-23661: Gallery (6 items)