Military
Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. TDY 9AF. Co-Pilot B-24 Liberator 42-40772 'Scheherezade' flew on 1-Aug-43 Ploesti oil refinery raid piloted by John T Blackis, returning safely to Libya.
Awards: DFC, AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
Lt. John T. Blackis took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing mission over Ploesti, flying the B-24D Liberator, 42-40772, Scheherazade, interned in Portugal due to mechanical problems. 10 INT. 1 Aug 43.
Group
The 389th Bomb Group, known in more familiar terms as "the Sky Scorpions", flew strategic bombing missions in B-24 Liberators from Hethel, England. They also sent detachments to join bases in North Africa at Benghazi No. 10, Libya, between 3 July 1943...
Squadron
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator, 42-40772, Scheherazade, was in the 564th Bomb Squadron, the 389th Bomb Group, and the 8th Air Force, TDY to the 9th Air Force, and was flown by Lt. John T. Blackis on Operation Tidal Wave, over Ploesti's oil refineries. Interned...
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...
Military site : airfield
Construction of Hethel airfield began in 1941, and was finished in late 1942. The number of hardstandings was increased from the planned 36 to 50 in 1942, in order to accommodate a full heavy bomb group. The 320th Bomb Group occupied the base for ten...
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Born | Milwaukee, WI | 30 August 1921 |
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Son of Margaret Ware. |
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| Lived in | Milwaukee, WI, USA | 1941 |
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. |
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| Enlisted | Milwaukee, WI | 30 March 1942 |
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
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| Based | Benina | 1943 – 1944 |
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Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. TDY 9AF. |
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| Survived Ploesti | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid piloted by John T Blackis, returning safely to Libya. |
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| Died | 18 November 1991 | |
| Buried | 21 November 1991 | |
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Arlington National Cemetery |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 28 February 2021 15:20:47 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, service number, role, biography, awards, events, person associations and place associations |
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https://www.fold3.com/image/686000678 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 October 2019 13:10:49 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 26 April 2015 11:57:27 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nationality, highest rank, role, biography, events, unit associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
