UPL 51958

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B-24D, Black Jack, 41-23661, with, the B-24D, Valient Virgin's, vertical stabilizer fin installation to repair battle damage to, Black Jack's, flak damaged fin, over Ploesti. The fin was, apparently, removed undamaged and robbed (serviceable) by, Black Jack's, mechanics from the, Valient Virgin, some time after the Ploesti mission, on 1 Aug 43, still painted with the olive drab camouflage paint from the 8th Air Force ETO markings, and still showing, Valient Virgin's abbreviated serial number, 240765. 5-7 Aug 43.

Connections

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

Units

345th Bomb Squadron

  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Three airmen of the 389th Bomb Group stand with a B-24 Liberator used as a Flight Assembly Ship. Image via Tim Bivens. Handwritten caption from Bivens: 'My friend remembers it being named "Bucksheesh Benny" that it was used to fly Jack Benny around USA shows. Says it flew in North Africa with Benny and was eventually assigned to 389th as a hack and later as a form-up ship. He thinks it was originally with another group (possibly 376th or 98th).' Handwritten caption on reverse: '389th BG Form-up ship.'

98th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Delbert Henry Hahn

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-22549
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Coleman S Whitaker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-885920
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

41-23661

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Black Jack
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron

42-40608

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Vulgar Virgin
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron

42-40765

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Valient Virgin
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron

Mission

Operation Tidal Wave

  • Date: 1 August 1943
  • Official Description: 177 B-24’s, of IX Bomber Command (including Heavy Bombers on loan from Eighth AF) are dispatched to bomb oil refineries at Ploesti and nearby Campina. The operation (TIDALWAVE) is costly, 54 planes and 532 airmen being lost, but damage to the targets...

Revisions

Date: 5 Nov 2022 07:39:47
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to caption, unit associations and aircraft associations
Sources

Added details for accuracy. - Kickapoo

Date: 5 Nov 2022 07:39:47
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to caption and mission associations
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack

Date: 5 Nov 2022 07:39:47
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to caption and person associations
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack

Date: 5 Nov 2022 07:39:47
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to caption
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date: 5 Nov 2022 07:39:47
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date: 5 Nov 2022 07:39:47
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to caption, unit associations and person associations
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date: 5 Nov 2022 07:39:47
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to caption
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date: 31 Aug 2021 23:13:23
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesCreated entry with caption, unit associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23661 - Black Jack - with the mule and horse shoes