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Claude Alvin Turner

Military

  • 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.

    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.

    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

    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

    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

    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.

    ~ 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.

    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.

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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

  • Donald De Armond

    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.

  • William Dunckel

    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.

  • Robert Geiss

    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...

  • Charles Holbrook

    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. ...

  • Clarence Hood

    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.

  • James Marquis

    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...

  • John Rudell

    Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
    SSGT John Peter Rudell ...

  • Coleman Whitaker

    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

  • 93rd Bomb Group

    93rd Bomb Group

    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...

  • 328th Bomb Squadron

    328th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

Aircraft

  • 42-63988 - Birmingham Blitzkrieg

    B-24 Liberator
    ...

  • 42-40608 - The Vulgar Virgin

    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

  • Operation Tidal Wave

    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...

  • VIII Bomber Command 130

    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 ...

Associated Place

  • Lete

    Military site : airfield

Events

Event Location Date
Born Austin, Texas, USA 22 October 1919

From First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas memorial service, December 21,1944
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.
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.
Buried
Nationality
American
Nickname
None
Service numbers
O-665742
Highest rank
First Lieutenant
Role/job
B-24 Command Pilot
Awards
  • Air Medal
  • American Campaign Medal
  • Distinguished Flying Cross
  • European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
  • Purple Heart
  • Silver Star

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
17 November 2021 02:18:29 Kickapoo Changes to role
Sources

Details added. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
17 November 2021 02:17:05 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

Aircraft name changed to non capital letters for accuracy. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
08 August 2021 13:00:21 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

Word and spelling changes - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
08 August 2021 12:52:54 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

1Lt. Robert E Geiss - FindAGrave Memorial
Date Contributor Update
08 August 2021 12:46:11 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

1Lt. Robert E. Geiss - FindAGrave Memorial
Date Contributor Update
04 April 2021 03:04:09 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - '42-63988'
Date Contributor Update
05 March 2021 20:07:23 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

FindAGrave - Lt. Claude Alvin Turner
Date Contributor Update
05 March 2021 20:05:13 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

FindAGrave - Lt. Claude Alvin Turner
Date Contributor Update
05 March 2021 03:28:35 Firstgear Changes to awards
Sources

Adjusted medals earned in WWII.
Date Contributor Update
02 March 2021 18:02:37 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

FindAGrave - Lt. Claude A. Turner
Date Contributor Update
07 February 2021 05:24:51 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

Personal Archives - John S Young Jr
Date Contributor Update
07 February 2021 05:05:31 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - SN # 42-40608 - 'The Vulgar Virgin'
Date Contributor Update
04 February 2021 15:54:00 Kickapoo Changes to unit associations
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - # 42-40608 - 'The Vulgar Virgin'
Date Contributor Update
04 February 2021 15:49:51 Kickapoo Changes to biography and events
Sources

WWII Aircraft Shot Down Over The Netherlands or the North Sea
Date Contributor Update
04 February 2021 06:52:38 Bombay Changes to highest rank and role
Sources

- B-17 command pilot
Lt>1st Lt
several sources
Date Contributor Update
04 February 2021 06:44:42 Bombay Changes to middlename and awards
Sources

+middle name
ancestry.com & findagrave.com
+Air Medal
-UN Svc Medal, none such in WWII
https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/turner%3Dclaude-0
Date Contributor Update
04 February 2021 01:30:13 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - # 42-40608 - "The Vulgar Virgin'
Date Contributor Update
03 February 2021 23:48:07 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web - #42-40608 - 'The Vulgar Virgin'
Date Contributor Update
03 February 2021 23:39:39 Firstgear Changes to awards and events
Sources

From First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas memorial service, December 21,1944
Date Contributor Update
30 January 2021 04:44:36 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web
Date Contributor Update
29 January 2021 19:52:36 Kickapoo Changes to nickname and biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web ---- The Great Ground-Air Battle Of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart
Date Contributor Update
29 January 2021 19:48:25 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web
Date Contributor Update
29 January 2021 18:20:26 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web
Date Contributor Update
29 January 2021 04:12:14 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
29 January 2021 03:28:45 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web
Date Contributor Update
29 January 2021 03:27:44 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web
Date Contributor Update
29 January 2021 03:24:06 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

B-24 - Best Web
Date Contributor Update
29 January 2021 01:43:54 Kickapoo Changes to biography
Sources

Personal Archives - Herb Turner - John Simmons Young Jr
Date Contributor Update
29 January 2021 01:32:24 Kickapoo Changes to biography and awards
Sources

Personal archives - Herb Turner - John Simmons Young Jr
Date Contributor Update
19 December 2020 09:22:27 Kickapoo Changes to role, biography, events, unit associations and place associations
Sources

Wikipedia - B-17 aircraft # 42-63988
Date Contributor Update
19 December 2020 09:12:51 Kickapoo Changes to role, biography, awards and events
Sources

Wikipedia - B-24 aircraft - # 42-40608
Date Contributor Update
01 April 2020 18:44:20 jmoore43 Changes to biography
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial numbers in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Date Contributor Update
25 September 2019 14:13:14 general ira snapsorter Changes to biography, events and mission associations
Sources

Ploesti Sortie Reports, 93rd Bomb Group
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:06:21 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

ABMC; MACR 2180, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol I pp. 221, 367 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2180 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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