42-40765 - Valient Virgin

media-14982.jpeg UPL 14982 B-24D Liberator, 42-40765, Valient Virgin, was in the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 329th Bomb Squadron in Britain. It flew on the Ploesti oil refinery raid, returning safely to Libya. 1 Aug 43
Tidal Wave Crew : -
Russell D. Demont - Pilot - Robert C. Murray - Co-Pilot George A. Stewart - Navigator
George G. Everhart - Bombardier
Fredrick H. Homnick - Radio Operator Alfred B. Bergkemp - Top Turret Gunner
Bernard A. Coburn - Waist Gunner
Julius Erdely - Waist Gunner William J. Nelson - Nose Gunner Raymond J. Russell - Tail Gunner

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Object Number - UPL 14982 - B-24D Liberator, 42-40765, Valient Virgin, was in the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 329th Bomb Squadron in Britain. It flew on the...

B-24-D-95-CO - 42-40765 - Delivered : Tucson, AZ May 1943 - Allocated : 8th Air Force
Assigned : 8th Air Force - 93rd Bomb Group - 329th Bomb Squadron.

The B-24D, 42-40765, named, Valient Virgin, with the name, "Valient", misspelled, was originally allocated and assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 329th Bomb Squadron, based at Hardwick in the U.K. May, 1943. It was temporarily detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 343rd Bomb Squadron, based at Berca Field at Benghazi, Libya, 1942, to assist with Operation Tidal Wave, the large bombing mission to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.

Valient Virgin, flew on Operation Tidal Wave, over Ploesti, Romania. The Pilot, Lt. Russell D. Demont and Copilot Lt. Robert C. Murray, and their crew, flew, Valient Virgin, with the 98th Bomb Group's element, in "B" formation, Position 2-2, returning safely to Benghazi, Libya. August 1, 1943.
One of, Valient Virgin's, vertical stabilizer fins shows up, with it's olive drab paint, and it's abbreviated serial number, 240765, visibly mounted on the RH side of the 98th Bomb Group's B-24D, Black Jack, 41-23661's, empennage, several days after the Ploesti mission, when the color photo was taken. Aug 5-7, 1943.

Valient Virgin's Crew on Operation Tidal Wave :
Russell D. Demont - Pilot
Robert C. Murray - Co-Pilot
George A. Stewart - Navigator
George G. Everhart - Bombardier
Fredrick H. Homnick - Radio Operator
Alfred B. Bergkamp - Top Turret Gunner
Bernard A. Coburn - Waist Gunner
Julius Erdely - Waist Gunner
William J. Nelson - Nose Gunner
Raymond J. Russell - Tail Gunner

After the Ploesti mission, Valient Virgin, returned to Hardwick, England, with the rest of the 8th Air Force and the 93rd Bomb Group.

Later, in Nov 1943, Valient Virgin, flown by Lt. Richard Sedivec, had a midair collision on a mission over Bremen, Germany, with the B-24D, Joisey Bounce, crashed, and was lost. FTR. A total of 7 members of Lt. Sedivec's crew were killed in action (KIA) in the crash or by failing to bail out after the disastrous air collision, including, Lt. Sedivec and Edwin Gillespie. The B-24D, Joisey Bounce, had been renamed, Utah Man, for the Ploesti mission. It was piloted and flown by Walter Stewart and his crew, on the Ploesti mission. 1-Aug-43.
After having already been renamed, Joisey Bounce, again, by it's crew back in Britain, Joisey Bounce, took a devastating direct hit by an enemy flak burst, on a mission over Germany. The flak explosion caused one of, Joisey Bounce's, wings to separate from the aircraft, causing it to spin wildly out of control, colliding with, Valient Virgin, flying below it, and crashing into, Valient Virgin's, fuselage and bomb bays, causing the, Virgin's, tail section to break off and separate from the rest of the airplane. Joisey Bounce, and her crew were also lost in the collision/crash near Husum, Germany. 13-Nov-43. Valient Virgin's crew : 3 POW. 7 KIA.

The bodies of the crews of both planes were interred together at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery, Missouri. MACR 2184.

Contributor - Brian J. Piaquadio

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 93rd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • 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 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35306438
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 84th Fighter Wing 405th Fighter Group 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38002510 / O-666252
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron 576th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33287412
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Berka, al Birkah

Missions

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: - Chug-A-Lug
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Duchess - Evelyn
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th 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
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Thunder Mug
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Survived Ploesti

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 Flew the Ploesti mission in the B formation. Returned safely to Libya. RTB 1 Aug 43.

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Husum, Germany 13 November 1943 Lost on the 13-Nov-43 mission to Bremen, Germany, after a collision with another B-24D, 41-24226, Utah Man - Joisey Bounce, which smashed its bomb bays and caused the tail section to break off. both fell out of control and crashed near Husum, Germany. 3 POW 7 KIA. MACR 2184.

Other

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya Assigned to the 329th Bomb Squadron, the 93rd Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force, USAAF. TDY 9th Air Force. May 1943.

Manufactured

Consolidated Aircraft San Diego, CA Built at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, CA

Delivered

Tucson AAF, AZ Tucson, AZ.

Revisions

Date12 Feb 2023 04:32:12
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Serial number added in error removed.    -    Kickapoo

Date5 Jun 2022 15:41:09
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to description, events and unit associations
Date29 May 2022 07:05:48
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to aircraft associations
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 42-40765 - Valient Virgin

Date24 May 2022 12:37:59
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to unit associations
Date23 May 2022 13:07:17
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

www.Low-Level-Ploesti.org> - David H. Klaus

Date20 May 2022 17:54:58
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to unit associations
Date19 May 2022 14:20:56
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings and description
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date19 May 2022 04:28:36
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

Date19 May 2022 04:17:51
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings and description
Sources

Into The fire - Duane Schultz

Date18 May 2022 22:11:56
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description and events
Sources

Into The fire - Duane Schultz

Date18 May 2022 21:49:31
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings and description
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date18 May 2022 11:25:46
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to production block number and markings
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date18 May 2022 11:23:44
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description and unit associations
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date18 May 2022 02:57:38
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description, unit associations and place associations
Sources

The Great Ground-Air battle of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan - Carroll Stewart

Date16 May 2022 11:11:49
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to unit associations
Date24 Jan 2022 08:50:43
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames and description
Sources

Details, wording changes. - Kickapoo

Date6 Jan 2022 07:40:51
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description and events
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date19 Dec 2021 22:18:49
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames
Sources

Detail added. - Kickapoo

Date18 Nov 2021 06:32:42
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

Date10 Nov 2021 09:15:29
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Airplane name changes and details added for clarity. - Kickapoo

Date10 Nov 2021 09:12:20
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Airplane names changed for accuracy. - Kickapoo

Date17 Oct 2021 02:00:06
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Wording changes. - Kickapoo

Date6 Oct 2021 04:50:53
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Wording changes. Punctuation and word spacing. - Kickapoo

Date6 Oct 2021 00:59:11
ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce

Date6 Oct 2021 00:55:51
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce

Date6 Oct 2021 00:50:02
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce

Date6 Oct 2021 00:38:24
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce

Date4 Oct 2021 06:01:05
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date4 Oct 2021 05:33:23
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Black Sunday - B-24 - 42-40765 - Valient Virgin

Date4 Oct 2021 05:03:44
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 42-40765 - Valient Virgin

Date4 Oct 2021 04:55:36
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings and description
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Best Web - B-24 - 42-40765 - Valient Virgin

Date28 Jul 2021 05:38:20
ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - VALIENT VIRGIN - 42-40765

Date28 Jul 2021 05:21:20
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Best Web - B-24 - VALIENT VIRGIN

Date27 Jul 2021 09:52:28
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames, markings and description
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill Best Web - VALIENT VIRGIN

Date26 Jul 2021 23:07:33
ContributorJim Stocking
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

As per November 1945 letter written by Joisey Bounce survivor and POW, Sgt.Robert Cox ,to one of the crew's mother describing the last minutes of the aircraft..
Also corrected the spelling of the name of the Vali"e"nt Virgin.

Date7 May 2021 03:03:44
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin

Date7 May 2021 02:58:54
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames and markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'Valient Virgin'

Date8 Apr 2021 15:39:23
ContributorEmily
ChangesChanges to nicknames and description
Sources

Amended spelling of Bergkamp in aircraft biography

Date10 Mar 2021 09:35:53
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to events and aircraft associations
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Removed circular database reference - (Linked to itself)

Date10 Mar 2021 05:57:56
Contributorphil marchese
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Added US history per a/c record card. Conformed basic information to AAM format.

Date10 Mar 2021 05:14:55
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings
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Best Web - B-24 - 'Valient Virgin' - # 42-40765

Date10 Mar 2021 05:12:28
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'Valient Virgin' - # 42-40765

Date10 Mar 2021 05:09:37
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
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Best Web - B -24 - 'Valient Virgin' - # 42-40765

Date5 Feb 2021 08:08:43
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - # 42-40765 - 'Valient Virgin'

Date5 Feb 2021 08:06:27
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - #42-40765 - Valient Virgin'

Date30 Jan 2021 11:41:01
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings
Sources

B-24 - Best Web ---- The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

Date24 Jan 2021 20:42:00
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

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

Date24 Jan 2021 20:39:55
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description and events
Sources

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

Date12 Apr 2015 16:48:21
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to nicknames
Date12 Apr 2015 16:38:29
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations
Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:52
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

MACR 2184 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

42-40765: Gallery (4 items)