Samuel Robert Neeley

Military

Object Number - UPL 48525 - Lt. Sam Neeley's B-24D, Raunchy, and it's crew. Pilot Lt. Sam Neeley is in the front row, second from right, smiling. Lt. Neeley and most of his...

Pilot Lt. Samuel Neeley was a B-24D Bomber pilot in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in WWII. He served in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bomb Squadron in North Africa, flying, bombing, and strafing missions, mostly against the German army in the North African desert, and also against Axis ports and shipping all over the Mediterranean area.

Sam Neeley was killed, (KIA), flying his B-24D, Liberator bomber, he named, Raunchy, on Operation Tidal Wave, the large bombing mission to destroy the German held oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.

Neeley and his crew flew in Flight 1, the first line abreast wave of the 98th Bomb Group's bombers, just a few planes to the left of his friend, Lt. John Young, flying copilot on the mission in John Kane's lead aircraft, Hail Columbia, attacking their target, White IV, flying in at tree top level on the far left side of Flight One, the first wave of the 98th Bomb Group's planes. Immediately after his bomb release, as Neeley's B-24, Raunchy, began taking flak hits, his right wing snagged a barrage balloon cable, which didn't break the cable, but pulled an explosive charge down to his airplane that detonated and blew the wing off, sending the bomber crashing down to the ground, killing Lt. Neeley and most of his crew, instantly. The radio operator and a gunner survived the crash and became POWs in Romania. Most of the crew members' remains were not recovered or identified because of the explosion and extensive fire of the crash. 8 KIA - 2 POW. 1 Aug 1943. MACR 169

For his part in the Ploesti mission and for his sacrifice, Lt. Neeley was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart medal.

1st Lt. Robert Samuel Neeley
BIRTH : 1921
Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, USA
DEATH : 1 Aug 1943 - Age : 21–22
Ploesti, Prahova, Romania
BURIAL :
Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial
Neuville En Condroz, Arrondissement de Liège, Liège, Belgium
PLOT : Plot A - Row 39 - Grave 43
MEMORIAL ID : 56360023

Command Pilot 1st Lt. Samuel R. Neeley - DFC - PH - KIA
Hometown : Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Squadron : 344th Bomb Squadron - 98th Bomb Group - 9th Air Force
Service : O-728710
Awards : Distinguished Flying Cross, - Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters - Purple Heart -

Target : Ploesti - White IV - The Astra Romano Refinery complex
Missing Air Crew Report Details :
USAAF MACR 169
Date Lost : 1 Aug 43
Aircraft Serial Number : 41-11819
Aircraft Model : B-24D
Aircraft Letter : G
Aircraft Name : Raunchy
Location : Lost near target, the Astra Romano Refinery complex, Ploesti, Romania
Cause : Barrage balloon cable charge. 8 KIA. 2 POW.
Raunchy - B-24 - D - CO - 41-11819. 9th Bomb Group - 98th Bomb Group - 344th Bomb Squadron ~ RCL - G - 01 1. Lost on Operation Tidal Wave. 1 Aug 43. Ploesti, Romania. MACR 169

Raunchy’s Crew on Tidal Wave : 
1st Lt. Samuel R. Neeley - Pilot
1st Lt. Joel I. Corn - Navigator
2nd Lt.Herman H. Henslee - Co Pilot
2nd Lt. Eugeen L. Rodgen - Bombardier
Sgt. Robert P. Schultz
Sgt.Charles P. Geers - Gunner
Sgt. Earl T. Edelen - Gunner
Sgt. Alfred D. Cason - Gunner

Connections

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

Units served with

  • 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.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14028237
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-661482
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: B-24D Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

B-24D, 41-11819,  9th AF 98th BG 344th BS. Shot down over White IV. 1 Aug 43
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Raunchy
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Hail Columbia - Little Chief Big Dog - Grumpy
  • Unit: 376th Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Sandman
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 345th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • 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

Revisions

Date24 May 2023 04:25:28
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to Awards, Summary Biography and Mascot?
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Into The Fire  -  Duane Schultz

Date10 Apr 2022 13:54:25
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to biography
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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11819 - Raunchy

Date16 Aug 2021 21:18:56
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to biography
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Details, wording, and punctuation changes for clarity and accuracy - Kickapoo

Date16 Aug 2021 21:13:54
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nickname
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Wording, spacing changes - Kickapoo

Date16 Aug 2021 21:12:31
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to biography
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Wording and punctuation changes for clarity - Kickapoo

Date6 Jun 2021 18:15:26
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to biography
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American Air Museum In Britain

Date14 Apr 2021 00:48:11
Contributordecwriter
ChangesChanges to service number and awards
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NARA files verified his ASN upon entry. His DFC lists his MIA status for the low level Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 1943. He earned at least one bronze star device on the EAME Campaign Medal.

Date15 Feb 2021 08:53:16
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to biography
Date4 Feb 2021 21:21:04
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to biography
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Personal Archives - John S Young Jr

Date2 Feb 2021 03:06:22
ContributorKickapoo
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The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

Date2 Feb 2021 03:03:06
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nickname
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The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

Date2 Feb 2021 03:01:42
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to biography
Sources

The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

Date2 Feb 2021 02:36:05
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to role, biography, awards, person associations, unit associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
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The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

Date26 Jan 2021 04:11:43
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to service number and role
Sources

Removed "#" from the S/N.
Removed "B-24" from the "Role/job" field.

Date26 Jan 2021 04:08:59
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to biography
Sources

Added some punctuation to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date15 Dec 2020 12:13:55
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to biography and awards
Sources

FindAGrave - 2nd Lt. Samuel Robert Neeley

Date15 Dec 2020 11:57:30
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesCreated entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nickname, nationality, service number, highest rank, role and biography
Sources

FindAGrave -- 1st Lt. Samuel Robert Neeley

Samuel Robert Neeley: Gallery (2 items)