B-24D - Command Pilot Lt Lloyd H. "Pete" Hughes from the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bomb Group the "Sky Scorpions" from England, flew his B-24, 'Oleon "Operation Tidal Wave" to destroy the German's oil refineries at Ploesti Romania. As Hughes approached his target refinery at low altitude, his B-24 took two direct flak hits in his left wing and in one of his auxiliary gas tanks in his bomb bay and began streaming gasoline out of his wing and his fuselage, but he continued on, determined to bomb his target, the Steaua Romano refinery near Campina, Ploesti. As he closed in to the target, Pete saw his path was blocked by a wall of fire from a refinery already having been bombed ahead of him, yet he made his decision to fly through the flames knowing very well they would set his own airplane on fire. With his plane on fire and failing, Hughes successfully bombed his target, and only then did he attempt to land and save his crew. As che attempted to landin a dry river, a wingtip hit the side of the riverbank and cartwheeled his plane, 'Ole Kickapoo' into a flaming fireball killing everyon but two gunners, who survived the crash. ~ 2nd Lt. Lloyd H. Hughes was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his skill and determination to attack and bomb his target with no regard to his own life and safety. ~ KIA 1 Aug ,1943.