George W Guilford

Military

Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 42-40071.



Joined Sqd 4/14/42. ETO/Queen Mary 9/5/42. WIA 1/27/43 (Wilhelmshaven). He was seriously wounded on this mission on B-24 41-23819 'Rugged Bunny'. DS/Bengahzi 6/26/43. Returned to base 8/26/43. DS/Tunis 9/16/43.



Prisoner of War (POW) 10/1/43 (Wiener-Neustadt). Returned after the war. Pilot: Whitaker. October 1, 1943, when the crew was TDY to the 9th AAC, on a mission to Weiner Neustadt, B-24 41-23816 'Black Jack' was attacked by flak in the bomb bay shortly after leaving target area. . A/c peeled off while quickly losing altitude as fire developed. Broke in two and crashed in target area. 5 Killed in Action (KIA) and 5 Prisoner of War (POW). Guilford was imprisoned at Stalag 17B after a 2 week hospitalization.



Fw 190 destroyed 5/14/43

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.

44th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group line up for takeoff at Shipdham in 1943. The 'Flying Eight-Ball' emblem of the 68th Bomb Squadron is visible on the nose of the leading aircraft. Image stamped with field press censor, 1943. Press Agency photograph- original printed caption has been removed.

68th Bomb Squadron

  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

41-23816

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Black Jack
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron

42-40071

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Margaret Ann II
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Prisoner of war

1 October 1943

Born

Hartford, Alabama

Revisions

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Ploesti Sortie Reports, 44th Bomb Group

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Webb Todd, MACR 3312, 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Will Lundy p. 135, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 298 with picture of the plane and p. 497