Clayton E Heller
Military ROLL OF HONOURJoined Sqd 6/19/43.
DS/Bengahzi 6/26/43.
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying in B-24 Liberator 42-40373.
Killed in Action (KIA) 8/16/43 (Foggia). Pilot: Shannon. Killed in Action (KIA) on August 16, 1943, was shot down in 'Natchez-Belle' 42-40373 on a mission to Foggia, IT while temporarily assigned to the 9th AAC. Four minutes after the target, the plane was attacked by FW 190s. The plane caught fire while gunners Smith, Rothrock, Vogel and Slattery together shot down 9 enemy aircraft. Finally pilot Shannon had to give the bail out order. 7 crew members became Prisoner of War (POW)s and 3 were Killed in Action (KIA).
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Natchez Belle
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Killed in action |
16 August 1943 | ||
Born |
Concordia, Kansas |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Webb Todd, 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties by Will Lundy pp. 112-4