Donaldson Bodine Hurd
Military
Standing left to right : Harry Crampton, Scott Farrington, Art Johnson and John Farnum.
Kneeling left to right : Jack Reiter, Pete Hansen, Arnie Good, Don Hurd and Don Emaus.
Best Web - B-24 - 42-40319 - Yankee rebel - Dopey Goldberg
Object Number - UPL 27392 - Crew of the B-24D, Yankee Rebel - Dopey Goldberg, which participated in Operation Tidal Wave, the large bombing mission over Ploesti, Romania. 1...
Lt. Donaldson B. Hurd was assigned to the 9th Air Force, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 515th Bomb Squadron, in the Middle East. He was in Benghazi, Libya for the Ploesti mission. Lt. Hurd flew the B-24D, 42-40319, Dopey Goldberg, on Operation Tidal Wave, to Ploesti Romania. He was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on the Ploesti bombing mission 1 Aug 43.
After the Ploesti mission, Lt. Hurd, flying the B-24D, 42-40664, Honey Chile - Teggie Ann, was shot down by enemy fighters on a mission over Foggia, Italy. He and his crew were all able to bail out successfully and became prisoners of war at Moosberg, Germany. 18 Aug 43. 10 POW. MACR 298.
Don Hurd and his crew in, Honey Chile - Teggie Ann, were shot down over Foggia, Italy. Crashed at Melfi, Italy and Failed To Return (FTR). The entire crew was able to bail out successfully and were captured. The shoot down was credited to Unteroffizier Martin Muller in a Bf-109G-6 from JG 3/12. 10 POW. Aug 16, 1943. MACR 298.
While still a POW, Lt. Hurd's wife was awarded his Silver Star in Indiana, in his absence.
Awards: SS, AM (5OLC), POW, ADSM, ACM, EAME (2 campaign stars), WWII Victory
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 515th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31133182
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 409th Bomb Group 93rd Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: O-22545 / 1849A
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
- Role/Job: Pilot - Squadron Commander - Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 515th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12055161
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 515th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16059719
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 376th Bomb Group 515th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14020755
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Flight engineer / Top turret
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Crawfordsville, IN | 26 September 1917 | Son of Cloyd and Frances [Eastlack] Hurd. |
|
Enlisted |
Fort Benjamin, Harrison, IN | 7 November 1941 | Fort Benjamin, Harrison, Indiana |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Moosburg, Germany | 18 August 1943 | Shot down by a German ME-109 fighter over Foggia, Italy. POW at Moosberg, Germany, Stalag VIIa. Released May, 1945. |
|
Died |
Jensen Beach, Martin County, FL | 14 January 2002 | Don Hurd died January 14, 2002. |
|
Based |
16 August 1943 | Assigned to the 515th BS, the 376th BG, in the 9th Air Force, USAAF. |
Revisions
Added to awards and bio section to reflect Ninth Air Force and locations. He was the lead pilot of the first bombing of Rome in July of 1943 and may have received a DFC for this mission, but no DFC or PH file exists for Captain Hurd. This could be confirmed with research of his personnel records through NARA.
Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Added POW camp information to the POW event and updated S/N per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
LT Donaldson B Hurd was awarded the Silver Star for the 1 Aug 43 raid of Ploesti while the pilot of the Dopey Goldberg. He was shot down of Foggia, Italy with his crew while flying Teggie Ann and became a Prisoner of War. While a POW, LT Hurds wife was awarded his Silver Star in Indiana, USA in his absence. (Indianapolis Star Newspaper) His tail gunner was my former wifes uncle Scott A. Farrington and I have also spoke personally with his radio man Harry Crampton and exchanged emails with his daughter. A true hero.