Military
Joined 6/19/43.
DS/Bengahzi 6/26/43.
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 41-24211.
DS/Tunis 9/16/43.
On October 1, 1943, when he was wounded, the crew was TDY to the 9th AAC. On a mission to Weiner Neustadt, 41-24009 'Margaret Ann' was attacked by flak and fighters. Losing #1 radio and hydrolic systems, Pilot Kessler landed at a Canadian base outside of Bari, Italy. Spent a few days at the base working on the plane.
Returned to Base via ATC 10/4/43. Returned to England.
Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
Squadron
B-24 Liberator
A/C flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid piloted by 1st Lt Walter T Holmes and returned safely to Libya.
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...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Mankato, Minn |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 23 March 2020 12:18:51 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to biography, aircraft associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:11:36 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Webb Todd, 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Will Lundy pp. 133-134 |
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