Ancil Clair Holman

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying in B-24 Liberator 41-11803.



Crew member B-24 Liberator 41-24026 'Baby', 21-Aug-43 mission to Cancello, Italy marshalling yards, A/C dropped its bomb payload on target and was being attacked by numerous fighters and taking heavy damage. Lt. Minnich and Lt. Cook were still in the cockpit trying to level the plane, now in a spin, so the rest of the crew could bail out. Lt. Minnich waved us all out with his right arm as he levelled the plane for a few moments. Only 3 survived the bail out. KIA. MACR 377.

Connections

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

Units served with

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

Aircraft

41-11803

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Rosie Wrecked Em
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron

41-24026

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Baby
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Died

Killed in action

Cancello CR, Italy 21 September 1943 Failed to Return (FTR) Cancello, Italy in B-24 41-24026 'Baby'; Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 377

Born

Bell County, KY Son of Henry Clay and Juletie Barbra [Robbins] Holman.

Buried

Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial Nettuno, Provincia di Roma Lazio, Italy. Plot E Row 12 Grave 49

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56310160/ancil-clay-holman

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Ploesti Sortie Reports for the 98th Bomb Group;
http://www.ploesti.com/roster.pdf;
https://www.low-level-ploesti.org/Ploesti_B-24D_Aircraft.htm.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

http://usaafdata.com / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 377 /http://www.freewebs.com