Howard Joseph LaLonde Jr
MilitaryDetail added. - Kickapoo
Major Howard J. LaLonde was a B-24 navigator, originally assigned and deployed to the 389th Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force in Hethel, Britain in Lt. Robert Wright's crew in, Old Blister Butt. He was, then, detached and deployed (TDY) to the 415th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force, at Benghazi, Libya, for Operation Tidal Wave, to bomb the Ploesti oil refineries. Maj. LaLonde flew on 26 combat missions. For the Ploesti mission he flew with his pilot from the 8th Air Force, Lt. Andrew Opsata, as Opsata's navigator on the B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, Stinger. Both planes and crews returned safely to Libya with only one of Stinger's crew members wounded - WIA. Lt. LaLonde's regular airplane had previously been Robert Wright's, 42-40776, Old Blister Butt, which also flew on the Ploesti mission with Command Pilot Lt. Wright and his crew. 1 Aug 1943.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (5OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-?
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32160105 / O-?
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-666395
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Stinger
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Ole Irish
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Old Blister Butt - Widow
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron 406th Bomb Squadron 564th Bomb Squadron 566th Bomb Squadron 858th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Cleveland, OH | 3 August 1918 | Son of Howard J Sr and Adelaide LaLonde. |
Enlisted |
Cleveland, OH | 4 August 1941 | Cleveland, Ohio |
Other Survived Ploesti |
Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 | Navigator of B-24 Liberator 41-11817 'Stinger' participated in the 1-Aug-43 Ploesti oil refinery raid returning safely to Libya with only one crewmember WIA. |
Died |
6 August 1975 | ||
Buried |
Calvary Cemetery Springfield, Clark County, OH | 9 August 1975 | Calvary Cemetery Springfield, Clark County, Ohio |
Other Assigned |
Benghazi, Libya | Assigned to 415BS, 98BG, 9AF. |
Revisions
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/184013626/howard-j-lalonde
Removed circular link
Added connections to the 415 BS & 98 BG mentioned in the events section.
Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.