Earl Clifford Hurd

Military

Lt. Earle Clifford Hurd was assigned to 329th Bomb Squadron, the 92nd Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force, detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa, and flew as the command pilot of the B-24D, 41-23810, Tarfu, on the Ploesti oil refinery mission and returned safely to Libya. 1 Aug 43.

He copiloted for Capt. Packer. Crash landed, battle damaged B-24D, 41-23874, The Yard Bird, with all but one crew member surviving. 1 KIA. 16 Apr 43

Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

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.

93rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Merrill E Demas

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

41-23810

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

41-23874

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Ball of Fire Junior
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron

Missions

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...

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

17 October 1918 Son of Herbert O and Cora N [Jacobson] Hurd.

Enlisted

Fort Crook, NE 7 January 1942 Fort Crook, Nebraska

Other

Survived Ploesti

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returning safely to Libya.

Died

Fort Collins, CO 6 April 1986

Buried

Blair Cemetery Blair, Washington County, NE 10 April 1986 Blair Cemetery Blair, Washington County, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Based

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya Assigned to 329th BS, 92rd BG, 8th AF. TDY 9th AF.

Revisions

Date4 Oct 2021 23:55:39
ContributorKickapoo
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date12 Feb 2021 13:37:40
ContributorAl_Skiff
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/record/84580257/earl-c-hurd-wwii-army-enlistment-…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115539828/earl-clifford-hurd
Removed # from A/C Serial No. to aid clarity and consistency

Date22 Mar 2020 02:20:06
Contributorjmoore43
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date11 Oct 2019 10:21:15
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Sources

Ploesti Sortie Reports, 93rd Bomb Group

Date12 Apr 2015 14:09:53
ContributorAl_Skiff
Sources

AAM Database.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:07:56
ContributorAAM
Sources

'Ploesti' by Dugan & Stewart, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey p. 105 , Ted's Travelling Circus by Stewart p. 94 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia