42-40738 - The Oklahoman
Standing (L-R)
Lt. Robert C. Schroeder - Bombardier
Major Tom Conroy - 566th Squadron CO
Lt. Walter J. Stabrowski - Navigator
TSgt. C. Lowell Vick - Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
566th's Flight Surgeon
SSgt. Wiley C. Windham - Right Waist Gunner
SSgt. William L. Wilhem - Left Waist Gunner
SSgt. Gus Triantaffillos - Tail Turret Gunner (replaced the original Tail Turret Gunner, Albert Bailey, who was shot down over Ploesti with Lt. Neef's crew)
Lt. Eldon N. Colby - Co-Pilot - standing third from left with big smile !
Lt. John C. Martin - Pilot
Ground Crewman
Kneeling (L-R) :
Bernard H. Shelly - Ball Turret Gunner,
SSgt. Flatter - Radio Operator;
Ground Crewman
Ground Crewman
Best Web - B-24 - 42-40738 - The Oklahoman
The B-24 Liberator bomber, 42-40738, named, The Oklahoman, was in the 566th Bomb Squadron, the 389th Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force, from Britain. The pilot, Lt. John C. "Jack" Martin, who named, The Oklahoman, was, appropriately, from Tosamingo, Oklahoma, .
The Oklahoman, and Pilot Lt. John "Jack" Martin, flew on the mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, copiloted by Lt. Thomas C. Conroy. After the mission, they diverted to Malta due to flak damage and fuel leakage. SSgt. Lowell Vick, was the Engineer and Top Turret Gunner.
The Oklahoma's Tidal Wave Crew :
Lt. John C. Martin - Pilot -
Lt. Eldon N. Colby - Co-Pilot with big smile !
Lt. Robert C. Schroeder - Bombardier -
Maj. Tom Conroy - CO - 566th Squadron - Lt. Walter J. Stabrowski - Navigator -
Tech/Sgt. C. Lowell Vick - Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner -
S/Sgt. Wiley C. Windham - Right Waist Gunner -
S/Sgt. William L. Wilhem - Left Waist Gunner -
S/Sgt. Gus Triantaffillos - Tail Turret Gunner - replaced the original Tail Turret Gunner,
Albert Bailey, who was shot down over Ploesti with Lt. Neef's crew.
SSgt. Bernard H. Shelly - Ball Turret Gunner
S/Sgt. Flatter - Radio Operator -
.
The Oklahoman was shot down, 5 Dec 43, over St. Nazaire, France, by a direct burst of flak, which exploded the airplane. Flying,The Oklahoman, on that day, was Lt. Harley Mason and his crew, who normally flew in the B-24D, Fightin' Sam, 42-40506. Lt. Mason was the sole survivor of the explosion and was taken captive (POW). Lt. Eldon N. Colby, the copilot, was flying next to The Oklahoman, on his first mission as a command pilot, in, Touch Of Texas, 42-40751. Pieces of the exploding B-24D, The Oklahoman, hit his and several other aircraft. 5 Dec 43.
Lt. Eldon Colby was shot down in the B-24D, 42-7766, on Dec 30, 1943, survived and became a Prisoner of War (POW). 30 Dec 43. MACR 1974
Connections
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Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-796583
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12046261 / O-796603
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 491st Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Missions
Aircraft
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Survived Ploesti |
Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 | Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti raid piloted by Thomas C Conroy, diverting to Malta due to damage and fuel shortage. |
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 5 December 1943 | 5th Dec 43 the 389th BG set out against Cognac, France. Poor weather forced the group to return home with their bombs. Over Nantes, A/C was hit a direct burst of flak and exploded. Crashed at Painbosuf, France. One man, Lt. Harley Mason of the 566th BS, survived and became a POW. 9 KIA / 1 POW. MACR 2351. One B-24 released bombs on flak gun location in retaliation. |
Assigned |
Benghazi, Libya | 566th BS, 389th BG, 8th AF. TDY 9th AF. |
Revisions
389 Bomb Group Mission Record - 5 December 1943 - Box 1928
389 Bomb Group Mission Record - 5 December 1943 - Box 1892
MACR 2351
MACR 2351 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database