Following recent government announcements the museum is currently closed, there is plenty to explore in our online archive.
The American Air Museum is a charity - Find out how you can support us
B-24 Liberator
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.
B-24D - 'Raunchy' - 41-11819 Piloted By Lt. Sam R. Neeley, KIA at White IV, Ploesti, shot down and crashed Aug 1 1943
Operation Tidal Wave - Last Briefing. - 1943
B-24D-CO Liberator - 'Raunchy'
S/N # 41-11819
344th Bomb Squadron, 98th Bomb Group, 9th Air force
'Raunchy' was 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 crashed into a field. 8 KIA, 2 POW MACR 169
Crew :
1st Lt. Samuel R. Neeley - pilot (KIA)
2nd Lt. Herman H. Henslee - Copilot (KIA)
1st Lt. Joel I. Corn - Navigator (KIA)
2nd Lt. Eugene L. Rodgen - Bombardier (KIA)
Sgt. Karl T. Edelen - Engineer/Top Turret Gunner (KIA)
Sgt. Robert P. Schultz - Gunner (KIA)
Sgt. William W. Schiffmacher - Radio Operator (POW)
Sgt. Alfred D. Cason - Gunner (KIA)
Sgt. Nick A. Allen - Gunner (POW)
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator 42-40629, 'The Scorpion', with the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bombardment Group, and the 565th Bomb Squadron, flew on the Ploesti oil refinery raid, "Operation Tidal Wave" piloted by Lt. Kenneth M. Caldwell and Col. Jack Wood...
Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942.
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | B-24 Command Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
...
Military | First Lieutenant | B-24D Command Pilot
...
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...
Military site : airfield
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| FTR Failed To Return | 1 August 1943 | |
|
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. |
||
| Assigned | ||
|
344th BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 December 2020 12:10:59 | Kickapoo | Changes to description and person associations |
| Sources | ||
Black Sunday - Michael Hill |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 December 2020 10:27:14 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Ploesti The Great Air-Ground Battle of 1 August 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 October 2020 14:06:38 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 October 2020 14:04:01 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 October 2020 13:55:29 | Kickapoo | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Black Sunday -- Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire -- Duane Schultz |
||
| 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. |
||
