The B-24D, 41-24040, first named, Big Operator, and later, What's Cooking Doc, 41-24040, was in the 9th Bomber Command, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombardment Squadron, based at the Lete airbase, Benghazi, Libya. The aircraft started out on Operation Tidal Wave, to bomb the Ploesti oil refineries, piloted by Lt. Hoover Edwards, but Lt. Edwards aborted the mission near the island of Corfu with turbo supercharger problems.

Operation Tidal Wave Crew:

Pilot - Hoover Edwards
Copilot - Homer S. McCollom
Navigator - John R. Fontenrose
Bombardier - Albert J. Mickish
Aircraft Engineer - Bernard M. Boullioun
Radio - Dale E. Petty
Top Turret - Gene J. Colley
Right Waist - John S. Alesauskas
Left Waist - Vernon C. Utter
Tail Turret - Raymond Waters                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The plane was converted to a transport aircraft. 17 Aug 43.
On September 3, 1943, What's Cooking Doc, would fly it's last mission. The mission was supposed to be a routine one, over Sulmona, Italy. But on the way to the target, the B-24D, What's Up Doc? - Big Operator, was attacked by JU-88’s and ME-110’s with cannons and rockets. What's Up Doc?, took several direct and devastating hits. It pitched over into a dive, fell into a flat spin, and crashed. Six crewmen, including Lt. Harold Korger, the bombardier on this mission, successfully bailed out, and were captured (6 POW). Korger earned the first of his two Caterpillar Club pins for successfully bailing out of his airplane. He hit the ground hard and was injured, but survived. He was arrested by the Italian police and held in several German and Italian prison camps for the next two years, 1943 to 1945. Four of the crew were killed. Six were captured. Sept 3, 1943. 6 POW - 4 KIA