UPL 39596

IMAGE
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Lt. Robert J Nespor, killed in action on 1 August 1943. Nespor was in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombardment Squadron. Lt. Nespor was reassigned to fly Lt. John S. Young's regularly assigned airplane, Kickapoo, with his replacement copilot. Lt. John Clark Riley, from the 376th Bomb Group, for the Ploesti mission to bomb the oil refineries. Nespor and Riley were killed just after takeoff when, Kickapoo's #4 engine failed and caught on fire. The plane's wing hit a concrete pole on landing cartwheeling the plane into the ground in flames. All but two of the plane's crew were KIA, with two WIA. Both pilots, Lt. Nespor and Lt. John C. Riley were posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart for their bravery and sacrifice for the Ploesti mission. 1 Aug. 1943

Connections

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

Units

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.'

98th Bomb Group

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

People

Robert James Nespor

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18051855 / O-435980
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Revisions

Date:
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
ChangesChanges to person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Removed associations not depicted in image.

Date:
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to collection, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

John S Young Jr - personal archives

Date:
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
ChangesChanges to person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Removed associations not depicted in the image. Associated content should be added to the AIRCRAFT and/or PERSON records.

Date:
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to caption, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date:
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
ChangesChanges to person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Removed associations not depicted in the image. Associated content should be added to the AIRCRAFT and/or PERSON records.

Date:
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to person associations
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives

Date:
ContributorEmily
ChangesChanges to caption, unit associations, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Removed associations not depicted in image, and transferred biographical information on Nespor to his person record.

Date:
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to caption, unit associations, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Ploesti - Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives

Date:
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to caption
Sources

Ploesti - Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives

Date:
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesCreated entry with collection, caption, unit associations, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg ---- Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Together We Served.com ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives