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

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32465910
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16058971 / O-672885
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Missions

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

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Serial number added in error removed.    -    Kickapoo

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

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

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

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Into The fire - Duane Schultz

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Into The fire - Duane Schultz

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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

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Details, wording changes. - Kickapoo

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Detail added. - Kickapoo

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Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

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Airplane name changes and details added for clarity. - Kickapoo

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Airplane names changed for accuracy. - Kickapoo

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Wording changes. - Kickapoo

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Wording changes. Punctuation and word spacing. - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce

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Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce

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Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin - Joisey Bounce

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Black Sunday - Michael Hill

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

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

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

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Best Web - B-24 - VALIENT VIRGIN - 42-40765

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Best Web - B-24 - VALIENT VIRGIN

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Black Sunday - Michael Hill Best Web - VALIENT VIRGIN

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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.

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Best Web - B-24 - Valient Virgin

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Best Web - B-24 - 'Valient Virgin'

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Amended spelling of Bergkamp in aircraft biography

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Removed circular database reference - (Linked to itself)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

42-40765: Gallery (4 items)