Reginald L Carpenter
Military
Back row - Left to right :
1st Lt. Selansky - Navigator
1st Lt. Reginald L Carpenter - Command Pilot;
1st Lt. Edwin L Rumsey Jr. - Copilot;
2nd Lt. Berthel Swensson - Bombardier;
SSgt. Frederick W Durand - Gunner - KIA - Ploesti
Front row, left to right :
SSgt. Walter L Brown - Gunner
TSgt. Joseph F Manquen - Radio Operator
SSgt. Glenn O Higley - Assisstant Flight Engineer
TSgt. Vincent E Huenerberg - Flight Engineer
SSgt. Rollin C Looker - Assisstent Radio Operator
Best Web - B-24 - 41-24024 - Bewitching Witch
Object Number - UPL 13736 - Lt. Reginald Carpenter's crew in the 67th Bomb Squadron, the 44th Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force in Britain, 1942-43, before being temporarily...
Command Pilot Lt. Reginald Carpenter took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti, in August 1943, flying the B-24D Liberator bomber, 41-24024, Bewitching Witch. The aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire over Ploesti, and was limping home when the plane was attacked by German fighters over the Ionian Sea and forced to ditch 127 km North of Benghazi,Libya. Lt. carpenter and six others of his crew were able to escape their fast sinking plane, but gunners, Fred Duran and Walt Brown, failed to get out of the airplane and drowned, killed in action. 2 KIA. 1 Aug 1943
On October 1, 1943, on mission to Weiner Neustadt, 42-41017, was attacked by fighters over the target. After being hit by the fighters' cannons with two engines already destroyed and on fire, their B-24 exploded and crashed. Five crewmen bailed out successfully and were captured, Prisoners of War (POW)s, with the other crew members were killed in action (KIA). 5 POW. 5 KIA. 1 Aug 43.
Both incidents occurred while on TDY to the 9th Air Force in North Africa, 1943.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Ferndale, Michigan |
Revisions
Lt Carpenter received the Distinguished Service Cross for the 1 August 1943 low level raid on Ploesti. NARA files verified his ASN upon entry, DSC and Air Medal w/1 OLC. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery and his headstone denotes a Purple Heart along with the DSC and AM w/1 OLC.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15859, MACR 15559 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Will Lundy pp. 129-130, pp. 95-96, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 298, 218; 44th Bomb Group, The Flying Eightballs, pg 20, 22