8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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41-23690
B-24 Liberator
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A B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-23698) nicknamed "Roamin' Rosie" of the 90th Bomb Group, 5th Air Force prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '41-23690 "Roamin' Roseie" 90th BG, Darwin, 319th "Asterperious" Squadron.'
B-24D SN # 41-23690, from the 8th Air force in Britain, the 44th Bomb Group, and the 68th Bomb Squadron, was on a mission to bomb the naval installation at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The pilot was unable to find the target because of weather and navigation problems. The aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with and FW190 enemy fighter and both crashed into the Waddenzee of Holland. 27-Jan-1943 - 10KIA MACR 15637.
Pilot 1Lt Nolan B. Cargile (KIA)
Co-Pilot 2Lt Kenneth H. Moore (KIA)
Navigator Capt Oscar H. Wilkinson (KIA)
Bombardier 2Lt Paul H. Keilman (KIA)
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner TSgt Saul Suskind (KIA)
Radio Operator SSgt Michael Geriok (KIA)
Belly Gunner SSgt Paul M. Crane (KIA)
Right Waist Gunner SSgt Verne C. Stewart (KIA)
Assistant Radio Operator/Gunner SSgt Solomon I. Wise (KIA)
Tail Gunner SSgt Arthur A. Van Cleef (KIA)
Service
Units
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44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
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... -
68th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Nolan Cargile
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squad 14 October 1942. Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23690 while serving as Pilot. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR and Losses report a collision with an enemy aircraft FW 190 (yellow 3 serial 5604) of JG/1 3 Staffel piloted by Fw Fritz Koch... -
Paul Crane
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squad 14 October 1942. Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 412-3690 while serving as Right Waist Gunner. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR and Losses report a collision with an enemy aircraft FW 190 (yellow 3 serial 5604) of JG/1 3 Staffel piloted by... -
Michael Geriok
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Michael Geriok joined the squadron on 14 October 1942. He was shot down on 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23690 while serving as Radio Operator and Killed in Action (KIA). ... -
Paul Keilman
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined Squadron 8-Mar-42;ETO/Flight Echelon 2-Oct-42. Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23690 while serving as Bombardier. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR and Losses report a collision with an enemy aircraft FW 190 (yellow 3 serial 5604) of JG/1 3... -
Kenneth Moore
Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D #41-23690 while serving as Co-Pilot. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR and Losses report a collision with an enemy aircraft FW 190 (yellow 3 serial 5604) of JG/1 3 Staffel piloted by Fw Fritz Koch. Both planes crashed into... -
Verne Stewart
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23690 while serving as the Ball Turret Gunner. MACR and Losses report a collision with an enemy aircraft FW 190 (yellow 3 serial 5604) of JG/1 3 Staffel piloted by Fw Fritz Koch. Both planes crashed into the... -
Saul Suskind
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23690. while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Killed in Action (KIA). MACR and Losses report a collision with an enemy aircraft FW 190 (yellow 3 serial 5604) of JG/1 3 Staffel piloted by Fw Fritz Koch. Both... -
Arthur Van Cleef
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
On 27 January 1943 in B-24D #41-23690 while serving as Tail Gunner the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with an FW-190 (Yellow #, serial 5604) pf JG/1 3 Staffel, piloted by Fw Fritz Koch. Both aircraft crashed into the Waddenzee, Holland near... -
Oscar Wilkinson
Military | Captain | Navigator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
On 27 Jan 1943 in B-24D 41-23690 while serving as Navigator the primary target was Wilhelmshaven, Germany, but due to severe weather and poor navigation, it became a target of opportunity at Lemmer, Holland. Immediately after bombing the harbor... -
Solomon Wise
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23690 while serving as Left Waist Gunner. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR and Losses report a collision with an enemy aircraft FW 190 (yellow 3 serial 5604) of JG/1 3 Staffel piloted by Fw Fritz Koch. Both planes...
Missions
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VIII Bomber Command 31
27 January 1943
First successful attack by 8th Air Force into Germany. The 306th Bomb Group gets the distinction of being the first American Bomb Group to drop bombs on Germany. O Original target was Vegesack but clouded over. Col. Frank Armstrong lead the group. Two...
Places
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Shipdham
Military site : airfield
Shipdham was built in 1941-1942, the first US heavy bomber airfield in the English county of Norfolk. It was a standard design, with T2-type hangars and a domestic site dispersed to the south east. Improvements were carried out to increase the number...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Failed to Return (FTR) | Waddenzee | 27 January 1943 |
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Sustained a mid-air collision with an FW190, Yellow 3, 5604 of JG/1 3 Staffel, pilot Fw Fritz Koch which tore off the left wing and tail assembly. Both aircraft crashed into the Waddenzee, Holland. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 12 February 2021 23:21:59 | Kickapoo | Changes to description and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
The 44th Bomb Group - The flying Eight balls |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 April 2016 13:14:08 | Flying8ball | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
edited crew-list functions |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 April 2016 13:07:09 | Flying8ball | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
re-arranged crewlist for improved reading purpose. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 January 2015 19:37:28 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to markings, description, events, place associations and mission associations |
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Lee Cunningham 24-Jan-2014. Added markings per "The Mighty Eighth Warpaint & Heraldry" Roger A. Freeman; Added FTR event and added crew position, rank, full proper name and disposition per MACR 15673; crafted Description per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; formatted crew display. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 15637 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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