Military
B-24D Liberator, 42-40102, Old Baldy, was lost near it's target at Ploesti, Romania. An AA flak round hit the pilot compartment, instantly killing the pilot, 1st Lt John J Dore. All crewmembers were killed in action. 10 KIA. MACR 223. Rear L-R: Frank Norris, Joe Finneran, Worthington Franks, Will D Buchanan, John J Dore. Front L-R: Max Lower, Joe Iosco, Stan Packer, Wes Jones
TechSgt. Max Wendell Lower, 1907581, in crew photo. 1943
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, at Ploesti, Romania. An anti Aircraft 88mm round hit, Old Baldy, point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 88 mm. round. 4 missing in action MIA. 6 KIA Killed In Action KIA. 1 Aug 1943. MACR 223.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM, PH.
Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
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...
Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942.
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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...
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...
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...
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Born | Missouri | 1921 |
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Son of Sherman Wesley and Aral Mae [Pyle] Jones. |
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| Enlisted | Wichita, KS | 6 July 1941 |
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Initially with National Guard. Transferred to USAAC. |
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| Lived in | Spokane, WA, USA | 1942 |
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Spokane, Washington, USA. |
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| Specialist training | Jefferson Barracks, St Louis, MO | 1942 |
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Primary training - Jefferson Barracks, St Louis. |
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| Training | Smokey Hill AAF, Salina, KS | 1942 |
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Operational training - Smokey Hill AAF, Salina, Kansas. |
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| Based | Libya | January 1943 – 1 August 1943 |
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Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. |
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| Died | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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Crew member B-24 4-240102 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. |
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| Buried | 1946 | |
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Tablets of the Missing |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 29 November 2021 13:58:00 | Kickapoo | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 June 2020 15:32:47 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, nickname, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations |
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https://www.fold3.com/image/29418724 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 March 2015 11:36:37 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 March 2015 11:34:37 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nationality, service number, highest rank, role, biography, events, unit associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
