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B-24 - Pilot 2nd Lt. Claude Alvin Turner - Command Pilot of the B-24D #42-40608 - the B-24D - 'The Vulgar Virgin' in the 8th Air force, the 93rd bomb Group, and the 328th Bomb Squadron, flew on the Ploesti mission, Aug 1, 1943 - After returning to England, Lt. Turner was shot down by an FW-109 and killed in action over the North Sea in the B-24 - SN # 42-40765 - 'Birmingham Blitzkrieg' after a chaotic mission to Bremen, Germany - KIA Nov 13, 1943.
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93rd Bomb Group Roll of Honor at Hardwick Airfield Memorial Museum.
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The crew of the B-24D - 42-40608 - The Vulgar Virgin. Lt. James Marquis - left side. They were assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 328th Bomb Squadron, flown by command pilot, Lt. Claude A Turner on the famous mission to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. The Vulgar Virgin, was hit twice by flak over his target at Ploesti, ruling out making it home to Benghazi, Libya. After asking his crew on the intercom what their preferences were, Turner had his navigator Lt. James Marquis set a course to Turkey, where they landed at the Turkish air base at Chorlu. The plane and crew were interned by the Turkish Air Force.
Lt. Claude Turner and his bombardier, Lt. Marquis, escaped from the Turks, and returned to Britain and the 8th Air Force (RTS).
After returning to Britain, flying the B-24D bomber, Birmingham Blitzkrieg, Lt. Claude Turner and his crew, minus James Marquis, were killed - KIA - shot down by an FW-190 fighter over the North Sea after a bombing mission to Bremen, Germany. 10 MIA. Feb 13, 1943. Later listed as 10 KIA. Feb 14, 1943.
Lt. Marquis survived the war and retired with the rank of Lt. Col. in 1960
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Lt. Claude A. Turner - Awarded the Silver Star for gallantry on the Ploesti mission, Aug 1, 1943
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B-24D Command Pilot Lt. Claude A Turner - Silver Star Medal Award - 2nd Part
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~ Note : Photo of, Black Jack, 41-23661, flown by Pilot Lt. Delbert Hahn, with an apparently robbed part installed, from the B-24D, Valient Virgin, one of, Valient Virgin's, vertical stabilizer fins with, Valient Virgin's, ETO olive drab paint, and it's abbreviated serial number, 240765. This picture of, Black Jack, 41-23661, taken by color photographer Ivan Dmitri after the Ploesti mission, shows that the abbreviated serial number, 240765, the olive drab paint on the inside of the RH vertical stabilizer, just installed on this plane, are original parts from, Valient Virgin. But, somehow, this usable tail fin from, Valient Virgin, was robbed and installed on Lt. Del Hahn's, Black Jack, 41-23661, which had landed in Sicily, with flak damage after the Ploesti mission, or back at Benghazi, after Aug, 5-8, 1943, when this photo was taken.
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The B-24D, 41-23661, Black Jack, one of two B-24Ds, named, Back Jack. This one, 41-23661, was from the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, shown with the vertical fin markings of a fin robbed from, Valient Virgin, from the 8th Air Force, with, Valient Virgin' s olive drab painted tail fin and it's (hidden in this photo) abbreviated serial number, This fin was, apparently, robbed from the, Valient Virgin, for installation on, Black Jack. August 5-7, 1943, when these color photos were taken.
Lt. Claude A. Turner was born in Travis Peak, Texas, on Oct 22, 1919. He trained as an aviation pilot at Kelly Field and other air bases in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. After receiving his pilot's wings, Turner was assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 328th Bomb Squadron in Britain. He and his B-24D Liberator bomber, 42-40608, The Vulgar Virgin, were transferred to North Africa and the MTO (Mediterranean Theatre of Operations) - Jun 23, 1943, remaining assigned to the 8th U.S. Army Air Force, the 93rd Bombardment Group, and the 328th Bomb Squadron. Lt. Turner immediately flew a number of combat missions to the Messina, Italy, railroad yards, the Port of San Giovanni, an airfield at Vibo Valencia, Italy, an airfield at Foggia, also missions to Naples, and Rome, Italy, each time having his airplane hit and damaged by flak.
Later, in August, 1943, Lt. Turner flew, The Vulgar Virgin, on Operation Tidal Wave, the large mission to destroy the German held oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, on August 1, 1943. During his bomb run, Lt. Turner sustained two major flak hits to, The Vulgar Virgin, over his assigned target, White IV, The Astra Romano refinery. Knowing he could not make it home to Benghazi, Libya, Lt. Turner elected to fly to Turkey. He flew as far as the Turkish airbase at Chorlu, Turkey, where he landed safely, and he, his crew, and his bomber were interned by the Turkish Air Force. He, later, made a harrowing escape from the Turks and returned to service (RTS) in the 8th Air Force. Lt. Turner received the Purple Heart for his wounds, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Silver Star medals for his execution, his gallantry and flying skills, in combat over Ploesti, Romania. Aug 1, 1943.
After escaping from the Turks, Lt. Turner and his navigator, Lt. James Marquis, returned to Britain and the 8th Air Force. Lt. Turner was shot down by an FW-190 fighter and killed over the North Sea in the B-24D, 42-63988, Birmingham Blitzkrieg, after a mission over Bremen, Germany. Lt. Turner and his crew were first reported Missing In Action - MIA , and later reported Killed In Action - KIA - November 14, 1943.
Notes: On this date the the 8th Air Force carried out a raid on Bremen, Germany. The 93rd Bomb Group lost 5 of 8 effective aircraft, with over 52 airman unaccounted for.
None of the crew members from the airplane, Birmingham Blitzktirg, were recovered from this mission. Their names appear on Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery. One is listed Tablets of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten, Netherlands. Aircraft 42-63988 was lost at sea.
Service
People
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Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 93rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 328BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. 1-Aug-43 on TDY to 9th AF, was interned in Turkey on Ploesti raid in B24 42-40608 'The Urgin Virgin'
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
1-Aug-43 on TDY to 9th AF, was interned in Turkey on Ploesti raid in B24 42-40608 'The Urgin Virgin'
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24 Bombardier | 93rd Bomb Group
Lt. Robert Geiss was signed to the 328th Bomb Squadron, the 93rd Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force, USAAF, in the U.K. He was shot down and killed (KIA) with his pilot, Lt. Claude A. Turner and his entire crew in the B-24D, 42-63988, named, Birmingham...
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Military | Major | Co-Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 328BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. 8-Aug-43 on TDY to 9th AF, was interned in Turkey on Ploesti raid in B24 42-40608 'The Urgin Virgin' Later suffered skull fracture in B-24 accident.
...
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Military | Private | Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 328BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. 1-Aug-43 on TDY to 9th AF, was interned in Turkey on Ploesti raid in B24 42-40608 'The Urgin Virgin'
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | Lieutenant Colonel | B-24 Navigator | 93rd Bomb Group
Lt. James E. Marquis was born on February 6, 1922. After completing his navigator flight training in the U.S. Lt. Marquis, was assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 328th Bomb Squadron in the United Kingdom, and was temporarily...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
SSGT John Peter Rudell
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Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Lt. Coleman Whitaker volunteered and served as an RAF pilot several months before Pearl Harbor. Later, he transferred back to the USAAF. and took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the large mission to the Ploesti, Romania, oil refineries, flying the B-24D...
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Units served with
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Group
The 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1 Mar 42 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15 May 42. the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, to continue advanced flight training and also to fly antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico. They...
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Aircraft
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B-24 Liberator
NOTE - The B-24D, named, The Vulgar Virgin, 42-40608, was originally in the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 328th Bomb Squadron. It was temporarily detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bomb Squadron, in...
Missions
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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...
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13 November 1943
The port area of Bremen, Germany is the focus of this mission composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 154 B0-17 of 1st Bomb Division including 94BG (16); 385BG (17); 95BG (21); 100BG (18); 390BG (21); 96BG (40); and 388BG ...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Born |
Austin, Texas, USA |
22 October 1919 |
From First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas memorial service, December 21,1944
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Interned |
Turkey |
1 August 1943 |
Flew the B-24D #42-40608 the 'Vulgar Virgin' in the Ploesti raid. Aircraft damaged by flak over White IV and flew to Turkey. Crew interned, and Aircraft interned into the Turkish AF, Aug 1, 1943.
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Died |
North Sea |
13 November 1943 |
Shot down in the B-17 #42-63988' the 'Birmingham Blitzkrieg'. His plane crashed into North Sea. Pilot and crew were Killed in Action (KIA), 13 November 1943.
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Buried |
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