9th Air Force
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42-40102
B-24 Liberator
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B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' nose art flanked by Navigator Worthington A. Franks (L) and Bombardier Joseph E. Finneran (R)
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B-24 Liberator 42-40102 'Old Baldy' lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Pilot 1st Lt John J Dore. 10 KIA. MACR 223. Rear L-R: Frank Norris, Joe Finneran, Worthington Franks, Will D Buchanan, John J Dore. Front L-R: Max Lower, Joe Iosco, Stan Packer, Wes Jones
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TSGT MAX WENDELL LOWER 19072581
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) with John Dore crew Ploesti;
Lost near the target, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Romanian 80 mm. 10 x Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 223.
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. ... -
345th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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...
People
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William Buchanan
Military | First Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. John Dore crew. Missed the Ploesti oil refinery due to dysentery. ETD Awards: DFC, AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME. -
John Dore
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Pilot on B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Pilot 1st Lt John J Dore. 10 KIA. MACR 223. Awards: SS, DFC, AM (5OLC), PH. -
Joseph Finneran
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Bombardier on B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Romanian 80 mm. Pilot 1st Lt John J Dore. 10 KIA. MACR 223. ... -
Worthington Franks
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Navigator on B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Pilot 1st Lt John J Dore. 10 KIA. MACR 223. Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (5OLC), PH. -
Ray Gleason
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Crew member B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Pilot 1st Lt John J Dore. 10 KIA. MACR 223. Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (OLC), PH. -
Joseph Iosco
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Crew member of B-24 42-40102 Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Pilot 1st Lt John J Dore. 10 KIA. MACR 223 Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (4OLC), PH. -
Wesley Jones
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. John Dore crew. Tail gunner on B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 223. Awards: DFC (OLC), AM, PH. -
Max Lower
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Radio Operator on B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Pilot 1st Lt John J Dore. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 223. ... -
Frank Norris
Military | Technical Sergeant | Filght Engineer | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. John Dore crew. Flight Engineer on B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 223. Awards: DFC (OLC), AM, PH. -
Stanley Packer
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. John Dore crew. Gunner on B-24 42-40102 'Old Baldy' Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 223. Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (5OLC), PH.
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...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Assigned | Libya | 1943 |
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Assigned to 345BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. |
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| Crashed | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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Lost near the target, Ploesti, AA hit point blank at 30 feet or less from a Rumanian 80 mm. Pilot 1st Lt John J Dore. 10 KIA. MACR 223. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 21 June 2020 16:59:16 | Al_Skiff | Changes to manufacturer, markings, description, events, unit associations and media associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/29418724 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 June 2020 21:20:45 | Hendry | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Joseph Finneran was my friends uncle, he is on the B-24 LIBERATOR Old Baldy and was the Bombardier. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dpaa.mil%2FNews-St... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 March 2015 11:21:58 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 223 |
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