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Military
The flight crew poses in front of the B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, Stinger, in the 415th Bomb Squadron - the 98th Bomb Group - and the 9th Air Force. Flown on Operation Tidal wave over Ploesti, Romania. Pilot Lt. Andrew Opsata, and CoPilot Lt. Louis Quaglino, with their Bombardier, Lt. Donald Di Coscoe, and Bombardier, Lt. Howard LaLonde, launched from Benghazi, Libya, on the Ploesti mission and successfully returned with only 1 crew member, Gunner SSgt, John Gormey, wounded. WIA. Aug 1, 1943.
Major Howard J. LaLonde - The Navigator on the B-24D, Stinger, (TDY) in the 98th Bomb Group on Operation Tidal Wave. 1 Aug 43. Major LaLonde had previously been part of Lt. Robert Wright's crew on, Old blister Butt.
The B-24D, Stinger, 41-11817, was flown by Pilot Andrew Opsata, Copilot Louis Quaglino, with their Bombardier, Don Di Coscoe. While most B-24 Liberators were named by their command pilots, this one was named, Stinger, by Lt. Opstata's navigator, Maj. Howard LaLonde. All of the crewmen were detached (TDY) to the 98th Bomb Group in the 9th Air Force for the Ploesti mission. 1 Aug 1943.
B-24D - Stinger. 1943
B-24D - Stinger - 41-11817. - Crew - Named by Maj. LaLonde and Detached to the 98th BG for the Ploesti mission. 1943
Lt. Donold Di Coscoe was a B-24D bombardier on the B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, Stinger, assigned (TDY) to the 415th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force. He participated in Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing mission to destroy the Ploesti oil refineries, returning safely to Libya with only one crew member WIA. 1-Aug-43.
Awards: Air Medal - Distinguished Flying Cross - WWII Victory Medal - European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Military | Major | B-24D Navigator | 389th Bomb Group
Major Howard J. LaLonde was a B-24 navigator, originally assigned and deployed to the 389th Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force in Hethel, Britain in Lt. Robert Wright's crew in, Old Blister Butt. He was, then, detached and deployed (TDY) to the 415th...
Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
Lt. Andrew Opsata was a B-24D Command pilot who flew the B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, Stinger, with his Copilot Lt. Louis Quaglino, and Bombardier Lt. Don Di Coscoe, on Operation Tidal Wave, assigned to the 389th Bomb Group, the 8th Air Force,...
Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24 Co-Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
Lt. Louis R. Quaglino was reassigned (TDY) to the 415th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force, USAAF, as copilot of the B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, with his pilot, Lt. Andrew Opsata. Lt. Quaglino, flying, Stinger, participated in...
Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942.
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Squadron
The 415th Bomb Squadron was established as a B-24 Liberator Reconnaissance Squadron in early 1942. Initially, it was engaged in antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico. Later, it was redesignated as a Heavy Bombardment Squadron, and was trained...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, named, Stinger, flew on Operation Tidal Wave, mission to the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, flown by it's pilot for the mission, Lt. Andrew Opsata, it's copilot, Lt. Louis R. Quaglino, with their Bombardier, Lt....
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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| Assigned | Benghazi, Libya | 1943 – 1944 |
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Assigned to 415BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. |
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| Survived Ploesti | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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Bombardier of B-24 41-11817 'Stinger' participated in the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid returning safely to Libya with only one crewmember WIA. |
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| 17 September 2021 17:01:25 | Kickapoo | Changes to biography |
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Wording. - Kickapoo |
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| 16 September 2021 17:08:46 | Kickapoo | Changes to biography |
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| 16 September 2021 16:48:56 | Kickapoo | Changes to biography |
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Wording. - Kickapoo |
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| 16 September 2021 08:39:49 | Al_Skiff | Changes to biography, events and person associations |
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USAAF Photo. |
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| 16 September 2021 07:21:26 | Kickapoo | Changes to person associations |
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Details. - Kickapoo |
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| 16 September 2021 06:47:10 | Kickapoo | Changes to nickname |
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Details, spelling. - Kickapoo |
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| 16 September 2021 06:41:54 | Kickapoo | Changes to nickname, role, biography and events |
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Spelling, details added. - Kickapoo |
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| 16 September 2021 06:39:11 | Kickapoo | Changes to biography |
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Added details, awards. - Kickapoo |
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| 16 September 2021 06:35:16 | Kickapoo | Changes to biography and awards |
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Details, awards added. - Kickapoo |
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| 16 September 2021 06:32:38 | Kickapoo | Changes to biography, person associations and place associations |
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Added name. - Kickapoo |
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| 29 January 2021 11:24:00 | Al_Skiff | Changes to surname, service number, biography, awards and events |
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USAAF Photo. |
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| 17 April 2020 20:01:48 | jmoore43 | Changes to biography |
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Added a space to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 April 2020 19:40:15 | jmoore43 | Changes to unit associations |
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Added connections to the 415 BS & 98 BG mentioned in the events section. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 April 2020 19:27:13 | jmoore43 | Changes to biography |
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Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 March 2015 18:42:14 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with surname, firstname, nationality, highest rank, role, biography, events, unit associations, aircraft associations, mission associations and media associations |
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USAAF Photo. |
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