9th Air Force
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41-11819
B-24 Liberator
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B-24D-CO Liberator 41-11819 "Raunchy" of 344th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group. Lost on the August 1,1943 low-level mission to Ploesti, Romania. She was hit by AAA over the target and exploded at an altitude of 150 feet and crashing into a field. Pilot Samuel R Neeley, 8 KIA, 2 POW MACR 169.
Lost on Ploesti oil refinery raid. 1st Aug 1943. MACR 169.
1st Lt Samuel R Neeley Pilot KIA, 1st Lt Joel I Corn Nav KIA
2nd Lt Herman H Henslee Co Pilot KIA, 2nd Lt Eugeen L Rodgen Bombardier KIA
Sgt Robert P Schulz KIA, Sgt Charles P Geers Gunner KIA
Sgt Earl T Edelen Gunner KIA, Sgt Alfred D Cason Gunner KIA
Service
Units
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98th Bomb Group
Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942. ...
Missions
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Operation Tidal Wave
1 August 1943
Operation TIDAL WAVE. B24D 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 B...
Places
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Benina
Military site : airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| FTR Failed To Return | 1 August 1943 | |
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Lost on Ploesti oil refinery raid. 1st Aug 1943. Immediately after bomb release A/C struck an AA balloon cable attached with an explosive device which upon detonation caused a wing to disintegrate. 8 KIA 2 POW. The Radio operator and a Gunner survived the crash and became POW. Pilot Samuel R Neeley, MACR 169. |
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| Assigned | ||
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344th BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 21 November 2016 04:46:16 | 466thHistorian | Changes to nicknames and place associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 March 2015 16:58:03 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, mission associations and media associations |
| Sources | ||
AAM Database. |
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