Vaun Darrell Wenrick
MilitaryCrew member B-24 liberator 41-11768 'Kickapoo' of 344th BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. Crashed shortly after take-off for the 1-Aug-43 low-level Ploesti, Romania mission. She lost an engine just after getting airborne and then caught fire while banking back toward the field to land, then a wing touched the ground and she smashed into a concrete pole and burst into flames. KIA.
Due to the abort after take-off and subsequent crash, Lt. Nespor's crew did not receive mission credit and their names do not appear in the official AAF History Roster of Personnel for DFCs.
Awards: AM, PH, American Campaign Medal, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Kickapoo
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Lincoln, NE, USA | 20 April 1920 | Son of George K and Goldie Patience [Emigh] Wenrick. |
Enlisted |
Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN | 2 February 1942 | Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana |
Died |
Benghazi, Libya | 1 August 1943 | Crew member B-24 liberator 41-11768 'Kickapoo' of 344th BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. Crashed shortly after take-off for the 1-Aug-43 low-level Ploesti, Romania mission. She lost an engine just after getting airborne and then caught fire while banking back toward the field to land, then a wing touched the ground and she smashed into a concrete pole and burst into flames. KIA. |
Other Assigned |
Benghazi, Libya | 1 August 1943 | 344th BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. |
Buried |
Southlawn Cemetery South Bend, St. Joseph CountyIN | Southlawn Cemetery South Bend, St. Joseph County Indiana, USA. |
Revisions
Added to awards and bio data.
Find a Grave data
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39283963/vaun-d-wenrick