American Air Museum in Britain

9th Air Force

98th Bomb Group

Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942. ...

345th Bomb Squadron

Squadron
Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron and trained by Third Air Force. Deployed to Egypt in June 1942 over South Atlantic Transport Route transiting from Morrison Field, Florida though the Caribbean to Brazil; performed trans-Atlantic...

William Buchanan

Military | First Lieutenant | Co-pilot
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. John Dore crew. Missed the Ploesti oil refinery due to dysentery. ETD Awards: DFC, AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.

John Dore

Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot
Lt. John J. Dore, Jr. was assigned as Command Pilot to the 345th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force, USAAF. B-24D, 42-40102, Old Baldy. The airplane and crew were lost near their target at Ploesti, Romania, shot down by flak and...

Joseph Finneran

Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Bombardier
Lt. Joe Fenneran was assigned to the 9th Air force. the the 98th Bomb Group, and the 345th Bomb Squadron, USAAF, as Bombardier on the B-24D, 42-40102, Old Baldy, Lost, shot down over Ploesti. Took a direct flak hit from 30 feet or less from a Romanian...

Worthington Franks

Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator
Lt. Worthington Alfred Franks was a B-24 navigator assigned to the 345th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force, USAAF, on the B-24D, 42-40102, Old Baldy, shot down over Ploesti, Romania, hit by an AA direct hit from a Rumanian 80 mm...

Joseph Iosco

Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Crew member of B-24 42-40102 Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Pilot 1st Lt John J Dore. 10 KIA. MACR 223 Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (4OLC), PH.

Wesley Jones

Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner
Lt. Wesley Jones was assigned to the 345th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force, USAAF, in Lt. John Dore's crew, as Tail Gunner on the B-24D, 42-40102, Old Baldy. The aircraft was lost, shot down by flak near the target, White IV,...

Max Lower

Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Radio Operator/Gunner
T/Sgt. Max Lower was assigned to the 345th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force, USAAF, in WWll. He was the Radio Operator/Gunner on the B-24D, 42-40102, Old Baldy, on Operation Tidal Wave over the Ploesti oil refineries. His...

Frank Norris

Military | Technical Sergeant | Filght Engineer
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. John Dore crew. Flight Engineer on B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 223. Awards: DFC (OLC), AM, PH.

Stanley Packer

Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. John Dore crew. Gunner on B-24 42-40102, Old Baldy, lost near the target at Ploesti. AA hit aircraft point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. All crew were Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 223. ...

42-40102 - Old Baldy

B-24 Liberator
The B-24D named, Old Baldy, was assigned to the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 345th Bomb Squadron, USAAF. Aircraft was lost, Failed To Return (FTR), with Lt. John J. Dore Jr.'s crew, after the bombing mission over Ploesti, Romania. Old...

Operation Tidal Wave

1 August 1943
Operation TIDAL WAVE. B-24D Liberators attack the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. The bombers flew low to avoid radar detection and dropped time delayed bombs. Out of the 177 B-24s that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57...