Military
The B-24D, 41-23717, "Exterminator", of the 330th Bomb Squadron, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force. This plane and crew were flying as element lead when it collided with another plane in its element ( 121-J ) after entering a cloud bank over Bulgaria. Both planes crashed in flames in the mountains. MACR 334 "Exterminator" Crew : Capt. Hugh R. Roper - Pilot (KIA) - Oak City, UT, Capt. John B. White, Jr - Navigator (KIA - Hillsboro, IL 1st Lt. Ted Brannon - Bombardier (KIA) - Coatesville, PA, T/Sgt. Henry C. Lloyd, Jr.- Radio Operator (KIA) - Flint, MI T/Sgt. Albert L. Lee - Tail Gunner T/Sgt. Joseph L. Craighead - Waist Gunner S/Sgt. Earl P Lemoine - Gunner (KIA) - Moreauville, LA S/Sgt. William A. Defreese - Waist Gunner (KIA) - Anniston, AL Walter Stewart was not on "Exterminator" when it crashed. He is my father, Col Robert W. Stewart's cousin. Walter flew the B-24D, "Utah Man", on the Ploesti mission. 1 Aug 1943. Stewart survived the mission and the war.
Left to right: T/Sgt. Joseph L. Craighead, Bedford, Va.; T/Sgt. William H. Gregg, Pocatello, Idaho; T/Sgt. Benjamin P. Hall, Haynesville, La.; T/Sgt. Kenneth A. Jeffers, Oriskany Falls, N.Y. and T/Sgt. Walter D. Smith, Padroni, Colo., all of whom received Air Medals. 93rd Bomb Group.
Tech Sgt. Joseph Craighead was assigned as a B-24 gunner to the 330th Bomb Squadron, in the 93rd Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force, USAAF.
Awards: DFC, AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Captain | Navigator | 93rd Bomb Group
Captain James Gott was assigned as the navigator to the 330th Bomb Squadron, the , 93rd Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force. After completing their required combat missions, the crew of, Hot Stuff, the B-24D, 41-23728, were tasked with flying General...
Military | Captain | B-24 Command Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
Capt. Robert Shannon and the the crew of the B-24D, 41-23728, Hot Stuff, was tasked with flying General Frank Andrews, commanding general of the USAAF in the ETO to the US. The plane crashed in Iceland, killing all but the tail gunner. Capt. Shannon...
Group
The 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1 Mar 42 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15 May 42. the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, to continue advanced flight training and also to fly antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico. They...
Squadron
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator, Hot Stuff, was the 1st heavy bomber in the 8th Air Force (93rd Bomb Group, and 330th Bomb Squadron) to complete 25 missions, even though the B-17, Memphis Belle, wears the label of the first 50th mission B-24. Hot Stuff, crashed...
Military site : airfield
Alconbury had been constructed as a satellite airfield for RAF Upwood and Wyton and was used by RAF Squadrons: Nos. 15, 40 and 156. In preparation for the arrival of American heavy bombers, the base was developed in 1942 with the runways extended. When...
Military site : airfield
Planned as an RAF bomber airfield, Hardwick was used first by the 310th Bomb Group, equipped with B-25 Mitchells. B-24 Liberators of the 93rd Bomb Group moved in briefly in March 1943, then returned in June 1943 remaining until the end of the war and...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Bedford, VA | 24 December 1917 |
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Son of Otty Thomas Craighead. |
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| Enlisted | Montgomery, AL | 25 August 1941 |
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Montgomery, Alabama |
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| Based | Hardwick | 1943 – 1944 |
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Assigned to 330BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Discharged USAAF | 27 June 1945 | |
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Honorable discharge. |
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| Discharged USAAF | 27 June 1945 | |
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Honourable discharge. |
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| Died | Bedford, VA | 11 October 1996 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 24 April 2022 15:38:38 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, nickname, highest rank, biography and events |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/647198755 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 April 2022 21:41:33 | Kickapoo | Changes to nickname, role, biography and events |
| Sources | ||
93rd Bomb Group - Roster |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 November 2020 14:43:01 | Al_Skiff | Changes to service number, biography, awards, events and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/record/29128894-joseph-l-craighead |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 September 2019 20:44:32 | jmoore43 | Changes to role |
| Sources | ||
Removed extra info from job title. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 March 2016 03:06:43 | Lux1 | Changes to place associations |
| Sources | ||
Jim Lux at hotstuff.memorial@gmail.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 March 2016 03:06:11 | Lux1 | Changes to highest rank, role and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Jim Lux at hotstuff.memorial@gmail.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 March 2016 03:04:12 | Lux1 | Changes to awards |
| Sources | ||
Jim Lux at hotstuff.memorial@gmail.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:17:23 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia |
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