Hilary Mouzon Blevins

Military
media-56372.jpeg UPL 56372 Major Hilary M. Blevins

Via findagrave contributor 'Flo McOwen-Snyder'

Object Number - UPL 56372 - Major Hilary M. Blevins

Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing mission on Ploesti, on 1-Aug-43, flying in the B-24D Liberator, 42-40316, Snake Eyes.

Awards: DFC (1OLC), AM (6OLC), ACM, EAME with at least two campaign stars, WW II Victory Medal

Connections

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Units served with

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

Barner Franklin Clemens

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33237890
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner

Ernest Victor Martin

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32271998
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

42-40316

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Snake Eyes
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th 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...

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

14 April 1919

Enlisted

22 January 1942 CP CROWDER NEOSHO MISSOURI

Died

29 November 1990

Buried

Riverside National Cemetery Riverside National Cemetery Riverside, Riverside County, California PLOT 28, 0, 359

Revisions

Date24 Mar 2022 11:58:24
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to service number, biography, events and unit associations
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/376772/hilary-mouzon-blevins

Date24 Mar 2022 06:22:52
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to biography
Sources

Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

Date26 Feb 2022 20:55:02
Contributordecwriter
ChangesChanges to middlename, nickname, service number, highest rank, biography, awards and events
Sources

Added to awards and bio section.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/376772/hilary-mouzon-blevins

Date25 Nov 2020 13:17:05
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
ChangesCreated entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nationality, highest rank, role, biography, unit associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

https://www.98bg.org/blevins-hilary-b8554-98bg.cfm;
Ploesti Sortie Reports for the 98th Bomb Group.
http://ploesti.com/roster.pdf

Hilary Mouzon Blevins: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 56372 - Major Hilary M. Blevins