Wallace Cadet Taylor

Military
media-47566.jpeg UPL 47566 B-24D - The Vulgar Virgin - B-24-D-20-CO - 41-24198 - 98th Bomb Group - the 344th Bomb Squadron - and the 9th Air Force - The Vulgar Virgin, with it's crew. North Africa 1943. Pilot Lt. Wallace Taylor called for bailout over White IV while bombing Ploesti, after his plane was hit by flak. He was the only survivor of the bailout and was captured. - 1 POW - 9 KIA. Aug 1, 1943

Added Details. - Kickapoo

Object Number - UPL 47566 - B-24D - The Vulgar Virgin - B-24-D-20-CO - 41-24198 - 98th Bomb Group - the 344th Bomb Squadron - and the 9th Air Force - The Vulgar...

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.

Connections

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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.'
  • 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

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.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Added Details for clarity and accuracy. - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Punctuation, spelling , word spacing, changes. - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Wording, punctuation for clarity. - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Black Sunday - Michael Hill

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes

Wallace Cadet Taylor: Gallery (2 items)