Edgar Octave Hamel
Military
(**** There may be an error here. It is not evident that this aircraft is 41-24201. This is not the crew who flew in 41-24201 on the Ploesti raid according to the SORTIE REPORT).
Kneeling (L-R):
S/Sgt. Lemuel B Fleming - L Waist Gun,
2nd Lt. William H Strong - Pilot,
2nd Lt. Lyle S. Davenport - CoPilot
2nd Lt. Thomas A. Flaherty - Bombardier,
2nd Lt. David E. McCash - Navigator
Standing (L-R):
S/Sgt. Warren E. Morrison - Tail Gun,
Sgt. Oliver R. Germann - Belly Gun,
T/Sgt. Clarence W. Nelson - Radio Operator
S/Sgt. Elwood W. Harbison,Jr. - Right Waist Gun,
T/Sgt. Edgar O. Hamel - Engineer/Top Turret Gun
Object Number - UPL 14893 - B-24 Liberator #4124201 'Baldy and his Brood' of the 506th BS, 44th BG, 8th AF, flew on the 1st Aug 43 Ploesti raid, returning safely to...
Assigned to 506BS,44BG, 8AF USAAF. Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1-Aug-43, flying in B-24 Liberator 41-24201.
On 16-Aug-43, landed in Malta in 'Baldy and His Brood' A/C 41-24201 on the mission to Foggia, IT while temporarily assigned to the 9th AAC. After about 20 attacks by German aircraft and with the crew shooting down at least 3 German aircraft, pilot Strong headed to Malta knowing the British hospital could tend to his wounded men.
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-?
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Baldy and his Brood
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 506th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
18 August 1916 | Son of Napoleon J and Clarabelle Hamel. | |
|
Enlisted |
15 October 1940 | Boston, Massachusetts | |
|
Other Discharged USAAF |
26 July 1945 | Honourable discharge. | |
|
Died |
4 January 2005 | ||
|
Buried |
7 January 2005 | Linwood Cemetery Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts | |
|
Based |
Assigned to 506BS,44BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.
Corrected the A/C S/N in the "Summary biography" - changed '"42-" to "41-".
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Dugan & Stewart 'Ploesti', 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties by Will Lundy pp.120-121