Michael L Libonati

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

26-Jul-42 Assigned as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24563 [PU-H] "Garbage", 303BG/360BS with crew at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. Arrived at Molesworth, UK, aboard "Garbage".



11-Nov-42 as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24563 'Garbage', the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with RAF Anson EF939, and made a forced "belly" landing at Luton, UK. There were no injuries but the aircraft was Damaged Beyond Repair and eventually salvaged for parts. Poor weather conditions contributed to accident on landing 'Garbage'.



Shot down 3 January 1943 in B-17F 41-24620 'Snap! Crackle! Pop!' while serving as Bombardier. Killed in Action (KIA).



Participated in 4 Operations - See Biography events

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

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

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24559) nicknamed "Old Soljer" of the 303rd Bomb Group. Passed as censored 25 Jan 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17 "Old Soljer". 25 Jan 1943.' Printed caption attached: 'How The Boys Live And Work At Flying Fortress Station In England. Wide World Photo Shows:- Side view of Fortress. This one's been named "Old Soljer" by her crew, who have painted the name on the side of the fuselage, as shown here. WW/ALA. 26-1-43.' On reverse: Ministry of Information, As

41-24559

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ooold Soljer
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

41-24620

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Snap! Crackle! Pop!
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Two airmen of the 303rd Bomb Group admire the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Iza Vailable". Printed caption removed from reverse. On reverse: Keystone Press Agency, 'Sacred' and U.S. Official Photograph O.W.I. [Stamps].

42-2973

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Iza Vailable
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA 26 July 1942 Assigned as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24563 "Garbage", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 16 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Bombardier aboard B-17F 41-24563 "Garbage", 303BG/360BS.

Other

Aircraft Accident

Luton, Luton, UK 11 November 1942 While flying serving a Bombardier of B-17F 41-24563 "Garbage", 303BG/360BS on a training mission, the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with an RAF aircraft. Pilot was forced to make a belly landing at Luton, UK. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Other

Mission #1, 1LT Michael L. Libonati, Jr., w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 Served as Bombardierof B-17F 41-24559 "Oold Soljer" on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, 1LT Michael L. Libonati, Jr., w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Oold Soljer" on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, 1LT Michael L. Libonati, Jr., w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 30 December 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, 1LT Michael L. Libonati, Jr., w/B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS - KIA

Saint-Nazaire, France 3 January 1943 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. The aircraft was shot down and he was Killed in Action (KIA).

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Bois d'Escoublac, 44500 La Baule-Escoublac, France 3 January 1943 Killed when aircraft sustained damage from AA fire and enemy aircraft and crashed into the Forest of Escoublac, France, west of St. Nazaire.

Buried

Saint-James, France According to MACR 15464 2Lt Libonati was buried in the "St. James Cem. Plot P, Row 5, Grave 101. This is probably the Brittany American Cemetery. However, the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) does not have a database listing for this airman. It is possible that his remains were repatriated to the United States after the war.

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added Aircraft Accident event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: Arthur I. Adams crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-adams.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: Arthur I. Adams crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-adams.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: Arthur I. Adams crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-adams.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added initial assignement and arrival info to Summary Biography; made connections to Aircraft and Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: Arthur I. Adams crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-adams.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Jan-2015. Added SN, crew position, KIA event and Burial event per MACR 15464; made connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; made minor edit to description adding crew position per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15464 / MACR 15464, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey p. 46 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database