Wallace Cadet Taylor
MilitaryAdded Details. - Kickapoo
Lt. Wallace C. Taylor was a B-24 command pilot assigned to the 344th Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 9th Air Force in the USAAF in WWII. He flew the B-24D bomber named, The Vulgar Virgin, 41-24198, on the famous bombing mission to destroy the German oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania in 1943. On his bomb run, after taking two direct flak hits over his target, White IV, Capt. Taylor called on the aircraft intercom for a crew bailout from his airplane. He was the only one of four who bailed out, survived, and became a prisoner of war in Romania. The rest of the crew were killed in action (KIA). Aircraft, 41-24198, failed to return (FTR) from Ploesti. 9 KIA. Capt. Taylor became a Prisoner of War. 1 POW. 1 Aug 1943. MACR 166
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (3OLC), POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32130688 / O-729696
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17080319
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13043772
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19010149 / T-000348
- Highest Rank: Flight Officer
- Role/Job: Co-pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20434718
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Flight engineer / Top turret
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - The Vulgar Virgin - Hell From Heaven - Shoot Youre Faded
- Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Soluch Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Manila, Philipines | 23 August 1916 | Son of Jeanette Lewis Taylor. |
Enlisted |
March Field, Riverside, CA | 6 January 1942 | March Field, Riverside, California |
Other Bailed out (POW) |
1 August 1943 | Failed to Return (FTR) Ploesti in B-24 41-24198; POW MACR 166 | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Bucharest, Romania | 1 August 1943 | Prisoner of War (POW). Held in Romania. |
Other Discharged USAAF |
18 February 1946 | Honourable discharge. | |
Died |
5 March 1978 | ||
Buried |
Bellevue Memorial Park Ontario, San Bernardino County, CA | 8 March 1978 | Bellevue Memorial Park Ontario, San Bernardino County, California |
Ontario, CA | |||
Based |
Benina | 1 August 1943 | Assigned to 344BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. |