Donald E Taylor

Military
media-48897.png UPL 48897 Command Pilot Lt. Harley B. Mason of the 389th Bomb Group with his crew in front of the B-24D Liberator, serial number 42-40506, Fightin' Sam. 1943.

Back row: Thomas Baum, Harley Mason, Harold Roodman, Robert McNair, Lester Ward, Rudolph Anchondo
Front row: Doyle Kirkland, Victor Scollin, Walter Taylor, Edward Lesnak

Removed punctuation marks from aircraft name for clarity, uniformity, and readability. - Kickapoo

Object Number - UPL 48897 - Command Pilot Lt. Harley B. Mason of the 389th Bomb Group with his crew in front of the B-24D Liberator, serial number 42-40506, Fightin' Sam. ...

Technical Sargent Donald E Taylor was a ball turret gunner on the B-24D, SN #42-40738, named, 'The Oklahoman' from the 8th Air Force, and the 389th Bomb Group.

TSgt Donald Taylor was killed on a bombing mission to Cognac, France, after taking a direct flak hit that exploded and destroyed his airplane, the B-24D, 'The Oklahoman". TSgt Taylor and his entire crew were KIA, with the exception of his pilot, Lt. Harley Mason, who bailed out and survived as a POW.



After returning to Britain from Benghazi, Libya in North Africa, the 389th Bomb Group set out on a bombing mission to Cognac, France. Flying 'The Oklahoman' on that day, was Pilot, Lt. Harley Mason, his Copilot, Thomas Baum, and their crew, who normally flew in the B-24, 'Fightin' Sam' - #42-40506. Poor weather forced the group to return home instead. Over Nantes, the aircraft was hit a direct burst of flak and exploded. One B-24 released bombs on the flak position. Lt. Eldon N. Colby, Co-Pilot, was flying next to 'The Oklahoman' on his first mission as a command pilot, in the 'Touch Of Texas' - #42-40751. Pieces of 'The Oklahoman', hit his and several other aircraft. 'The Oklahoman' crashed at Painbosuf, France. The pilot, Lt. Harley Mason, was the sole survivor of the lost B-24, 'THE OKLAHOMAN', from the 566th Bomb Squadron. Mason survived and became a POW. Dec 5, 1943. - 9 KIA / 1 POW. - MACR 2351

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Oklahoman
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Touch of Texas
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Los Angeles, California

Revisions

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'THE OKLAHOMAN'

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

89th Bomb Group Roster - 8th Air Force

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

89th Bomb Group Roster - 8th Air Force

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

389th BG Roster / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Donald E Taylor: Gallery (2 items)