98th Bomb Group
Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942.
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343rd Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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B-24D, 42-40364, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, of the 343rd Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force. Lost on the Ploesti oil refinery mission. Pilot Lt. James Gunn, Jr. 1 Aug 1943.
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1st Lt Charles Fayne Spickard Jr, 343BS, 98BG
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Capt. James A Gunn Jr, flew in the 343rd Bomb Squadron, and the 98th Bomb Group, on the deadly Ploesti mission. he flew on the left side of Flight Three's airplanes and was shot down by the heavy flak over his target, White IV. Capt. gun and all of his crew were killed in the crash of their B-24 Liberator bomber - KIA, over Ploesti. Because Capt. Gunn's remains were never identified, he was classified Missing In Action, MIA - later KIA. He was awarded the Silver Star, The Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Purple Heart medals for his flying skill, his valor, determination, and his sacrifice, in attacking and bombing his target against impossible odds, without any consideration or regard to his own safety. August 1, 1943.
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S/Sgt Ned A Howard in Cairo, after his release from POW camp in Bulgaria
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T/Sgt Dale G Hulsey, 343BS, 98BG
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2nd Lt Julian T Darlington crew. Rear L-R: Walter Hardiek, Julian Darlington, Ned Howard, Dale Hulsey, Joseph Turley, Daryl Epp. Front L-R: Anthony Rauba, Lloyd Brisbi, Joseph Quigley, Major Gillett.
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"2nd Lt. David S. Watt, Lancaster, Pa., being presented the Air Medal by Brig. General Patrick Timberlake, 9th Air Force, Libya."
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T/Sgt Raymond A Noury, 343BS, 98BG
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1st Lt George Marvin Goddard Jr, 343BS, 98BG
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2nd Lt Haig Kandarian, 343BS, 98BG
Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron and trained by Third Air Force. Deployed to Egypt in June 1942 over South Atlantic Transport Route transiting from Morrison Field, Florida though the Caribbean to Brazil; performed trans-Atlantic crossing from Brazil to Liberia, then transited east across central Africa to Sudan. Lastly the group reformed with the ground echelon which traveled by ship around the Cape of Good Hope, joining with air echelon in British Palestine.
Assigned to the newly formed IX Bomber Command, the squadron operated from airfields in Egypt; Libya and Tunisia supporting the British Eighth Army in the Western Desert Campaign. Also staged long-range strategic bombardment of enemy military and industrial targets in Sicily; Italy and the Southern Balkans, including attacking the German-controlled oilfields at Ploiești, Romania.
Reassigned to Fifteenth Air Force in southern Italy; continuing strategic bombardment raids on Occupied France; Southern Germany; Austria and targets in the Balkans. In the summer of 1944, the squadron participated in the invasion of southern France, assisted in the Soviet advance into the Balkans, and supported the partisans and guerrillas in Yugoslavia and neighboring countries.
The squadron returned to the United States in May 1945; being redesignated as a B-29 Superfortress heavy bomb squadron and began training for deployment to the Central Pacific Area and conduct strategic bombardment raids over the Japanese Home Islands. Training continued until the unit was inactivated at the end of July, its equipment and personnel being merged into the other three squadrons of its host group.
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Joseph Altemus
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Goddard crew. 10 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Regensburg 22-Feb-44 in B-24 42-73138; fighters / flak, explosion starboard side of fuselage. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 2726 ... -
Paul Baskis
Military | Master Sergeant | B-24 Crew Chief | 98th Bomb Group
Master Sgt. Crew Chief Paul Baskis was assigned to the B-24D Liberator, 41-11761, named, The Squaw. ... -
Francis Beatty
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Crew member of B-24 41-11921 'Northern Star' 'Doc', flew on the 1-Aug-43 Ploesti raid. The aircraft successfully bombed the target and returned safely to Benghazi, Libya despite being intercepted by enemy fighters... -
Theodore Beaudry
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 98th Bomb Group
Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, the B-24, 42-41007 'Margie A Virgin', was shot up pretty bad, and upon landing somewhere in Europe, caught fire with 6 members of the former DOPEY CREW: Gooden, Perkins, McNeil, Beaudry, Cox, and Cochrane,... -
Francis Beauregard
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying in B-24 Liberator 41-11896. -
Thomas Bennett
Military | Captain | Pilot | 491st Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying in B-24 Liberator 42-40082. -
Julian Bleyer
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Pilot B-24 41-11896 flew on 1-Aug-43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returning safely to Libya. ... -
Jesse Bowling
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
Jesse C Bowling named his aircraft 'Ruth Please!' after his wife Ruth. Bowling was shot down on 19-Feb-45 on a mission over Vienna. Bowling managed to land the aircraft in Zadar. Awards: DFC, AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star). -
Russell Burton
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 93rd Bomb Group
Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying in B-24 Liberator 41-11896, -
Isaac Canetti
Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 15AF USAAF. Flew over 20 combat missions with Bowling crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Landshut, Austria in B-24 42-94992 19-Mar-45; Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 2423 ... -
42-40364 - The Pink Elephant - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, The Pink Elephant, 42-40364, was in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", and the 343rd Bomb Squadron. First named, The Pink Elephant, 42-40364, was the second B-24D, that was later renamed, Snow White and the Seven... -
41-11840 - The Witch
B-24 Liberator
The aircraft, 41-11840, named, The Witch, was in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 343rd Bomb Squadron left. It deployed for duty in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in July, 1942. It's pilot, Lt. Glade Jorgenson, played a... -
42-40655 - Four Eyes - Damfino
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D bomber, 42-40655, named, Four Eyes, and, Damfino, flown by Lt. Donald J. Hadcock, was assigned to the 343rd Bombing Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 9th Air Force. ... -
41-11921 Northern Star, Doc
B-24 Liberator
This aircraft, 41-11921, was originally assigned to the 8th Air Force and the 376th Bomb Group in England, in 1942, and carried the name, Northern Star, and it's corresponding nose art on both sides of the nose. In the spring of 1943, Northern Star was... -
41-11761 - The Squaw - Sleepy
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator bomber, 41-11761, was first named, Sleepy, by the men in the 8th Air Force and the 93rd Bomb Group in the U.K. It was, later, renamed, The Squaw, by it's Command Pilot, Lt. Royden LeBrecht, after being transferred to the 9th Air... -
42-40082 - Prince Charming
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, Prince Charming, 42-40082, flew on the low level Ploesti mission, flown by Lt. Thomas W. Bennett. Bennet turned back early in the mission, in the vicinity of Corfu, and did not reach the target area. He aborted the mission because his gunner... -
41-11896 'Nightmare'
B-24 Liberator
Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, pilot Lt. Col. Julian M. Bleyer, returning safely to Libya. Shot down on 3rd Sep 43 mission to bomb Sulmona, Italy marshaling yards, pilot Herman E Stephens - 7 KIA / 3 POW MACR 463 -
41-11620 Edna Elizabeth
B-24 Liberator
- The B-24D aircraft, 41-11620, Edna Elisabeth, was originally assigned to the British, as Plane BA9 #13a. It was also in the Halpro Group. ... -
42-51924 Ruth Please!
B-24 Liberator
Ruth Please! was named for Ruth Bowling, wife of its Pilot Jesse C Bowling Sr ... -
41-11913 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, 41-11913, was the original 9th Air Force, 98th Bomb Group, and 343rd Bomb Squadron's, B-24D, named, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, after the Walt Disney movie characters. The aircraft's nose art depicted the Disney princess, Snow White,...
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 01 November 2016 02:39:56 | 466thHistorian | Created entry with type, category, name, motto, description, air forces, aircraft types, unit encompassing associations and media associations |
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