41-23722 - Bomerang

Spelling, details added. - Kickapoo
Object Number - UPL 14929 - The B-24D Liberator, 41-23722, Bomerang, was in the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 328th Bomb Squadron. It was the first 8th Air Force...
- NOTE : The B-24D, 41-23722, named, Bomerang, should not be confused with the B-24D, 42-40115, named, Boomerang, and which was also based in Britain. Boomerang was shot down and lost on the Ploesti mission. FTR. 1 Aug 43. The B-24D, 41-23722, Bomerang, like most 8th Air Force planes, was also originally based in Britain, in the 93rd Bomb Group and the 328th Bomb Squadron. It flew on the 93rd Bomb Group's maiden mission, 9 Oct 1942, and sustained the worst battle damage of the ten Liberators damaged on that mission, with over 200 flak splinter holes in the plane. Due to shortages of B-24 parts in the U.K. early in the war, common practice dictated that, 41-23722, was to be cannibalized to repair other aircraft, but the aircraft's crew chief, Master Sergeant Charles Chambers, adamantly refused to scrap his plane, and the aircraft was saved with the support of the pilot, Lieutenant John Stewart. Bomerang, was flown on Operation Tidal Wave by Pilots Lt. Roy G. Martin and Col. Luther Smith Bird, both of whom, survived the mission to return with their plane, safely to Benghazi, Libya. RTB. 10 RTB. 1 Aug 1943. Survived Operation Tidal Wave, Ploesti Romania. 1 Aug 43. Bomerang, became the first B-24D Liberator of the 8th Air Force to complete it's 50 mission total, qualifying to be sent home from combat. On completion of the aircraft's 53rd mission on, 4 Apr 1944, General Ted Timberlake visited the plane and crew at Hardwick, U.K. for their "50 Mission" going away party. On 17 April, 1944, Bomerang, flown by Walter Stewart, returned to Fort Worth, Texas, and embarked on a national war bond tour with its crew led by Col. Stewart, with Lt. Royden Lebrecht flying in his plane, The Squaw, and Lt. John Young in, The Blue Streak. Bomerang's Crew On The Ploesti Mission : Roy G. Martin - Pilot When Bomerang's crew arrived back at the 36th Street Airport, Miami, Florida, for it's bond tour, it's crew members were: Col. Walter Travis Stewart - Pilot
Bomerang, was the first 8th AF B-24 to complete 50 missions. After completing 53 missions, was flown back to the States by Major Walter Stewart for a War Bond tour.
My uncle, Lt. Jack Roach, was the Bombardier on Bomerang on the, 1 Aug 43, mission to Ploesti. He was KIA along with two of his fellow crew members on another B-24 during the Osnabruck mission, 22 Dec 43. - Info Contributor - Kent Jaquith
Luther C. Bird - Copilot
Donald R. Dahl - Copilot
James W. Reid - Navigator
Jack M. Roach - Bombardier
Charles R. Molina - Top Turret Gunner
George H. Kelly - Waist Gunner
Herschel W. Dodd - Waist Gunner
Francis A. Sullivan - Ball Turret gunner
Robert O. Sparks - Tail Gunner
Harry A. Strand - Engineer
M/Sgt. George E. Ewald
M/Sgt. Charles A. Chambers
S/Sgt. Enos H. Lee
Lt. George G. Everhart
T/Sgt Alfred B. Bergkamp
Lt. William N. Ford
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: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment

- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 724369
- Highest Rank: Captain

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17020867
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14062779 / O-668185
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13108804
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail gunner

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13037816
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Places
Missions

- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
- Date: 9 October 1942
- Official Description:
Aircraft

- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Bomerang
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Little Sheppard
- Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Boomerang
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Ploesti Survivor |
Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 | Survivor of 1 Aug 43 raid on the Ploesti oil refinery complex. Returned safely to Libya. |
Other War Bond |
Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Miami International Airport (MIA), 4200 Northwest 36th Street, Miami, FL 33166, USA | 17 April 1944 | First 8th AF Liberator to complete 50 missions. After completing 53 missions, it was flown back to the States by Walter Stewart for a War Bond tour. |
Assigned |
Benghazi, Libya | Temporary Duty with 9th Air Force. |
Revisions
World War Photos |- Consolidated B-24 Liberator named Bomerang 41-23722 of 328th Bomb Squadron
https://www.worldwarphotos.info › usa › b-24-bomber Info Contributor - Kent Jaquith
USAAF AIRCRAFT MARKINGS AND CAMOUFLAGE - 1941 - 1947 - Chapter 2. p.103
World War Photos |- Consolidated B-24 Liberator named Bomerang 41-23722 of 328th Bomb Squadron
https://www.worldwarphotos.info › usa › b-24-bomber Info Contributor - Kent Jaquith
USAAF AIRCRAFT MARKINGS AND CAMOUFLAGE - 1941 - 1947 - Chapter 2. p.103
Updated crew for the Ploesti mission to include Lt. Donald R. Dahl as Copilot per 93rd BG sortie report for 1 Aug 1943.
Best Web - B-24 - 42-40115 - Boomerang
Best Web - B-24 - 41-23722 - Boomerang - ( not : Bomerang )
Name spacing. - Kickapoo
Punctuation, spelling errors corrected. - Kickapoo
Best Web - B-24 - 41-23722 - Bomerang
Account of 41-23722's first mission in ' The Mighty Eighth', Roger Freeman, p20
Edited biography for coherence and relevance, transferring content not applicable to the history of the aircraft to other records as required, and changing all instances of aircraft name into sentence case to as per best practice for accessibility.
Word spacing, punctuation, for clarity and accuracy - Kickapoo
Black Sunday - Michael Hill - Note: Error on p. 209. 41-23722-C's name is mistakenly listed as, "BOOMERANG". It was named, BOMERANG. - Kickapoo
Best Web - B-24 - 41-23722 - BOMERANG
Best Web - B-24 - 'Bomerang' - Info Contributor - Kent Jaquith
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
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
personal archives - John S Young Jr
This signed photo was given to James Edward Melson, Sr. who was the plant manager at Rockwell-Marlin Bearing Company in Plainville, Connecticut. My father, Robert Melson, has it now.
This was given to James Edward Melons, Sr. who was the plant manager at Rockwell-Marlin Bearing Company in Plainville, Connecticut. My father, Robert Melson, has it now.