41-11620 Edna Elizabeth

media-15167.jpeg UPL 15167 The B-24D Liberator, 41-11620, Edna Elizabeth, of the 343rd Bomb Squadron, in the 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", in the 9th Air Force. It began the Ploesti bombing mission, but is not counted, due to aborting and turning back with a leaking fuel mechanical problem, returning to Benghazi, Libya. 1 Aug 1943.

Removed punctuation marks around aircraft names for clarity, uniformity, and readability. Kickapoo

Object Number - UPL 15167 - The B-24D Liberator, 41-11620, Edna Elizabeth, of the 343rd Bomb Squadron, in the 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", in the 9th Air Force. It...

- 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.

It was transferred to the 98th Bomb Group, and the 343rd Bomb Squadron, with the squadron number, 16, and the RCL M. It was transferred to the 98th Bomb Group just in time to start out in, but did not complete or participate in the low level Ploesti mission. Flown by the James Haverty crew, it was assigned to the 98th Bomb Group's Flight 5. The plane turned back early, soon after takeoff and leaving the African coast to cross the Mediterranean Sea. None of the major Ploesti historical works recognize Lt. Haverty, who was on loan to the 98th Bomb Group from the 93rd Bomb Group or, the plane, Edna Elizabeth, as participants in the Ploesti mission. Haverty's navigator, Frederick Mueller, confirms that they did start out on the mission. The crew chief, Lee Bendt, in the 343rd Bomb Squadron, lost his airplane, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, 42-40364, on the Ploesti mission and soon thereafter, he took over, Edna Elizabeth, as his airplane. Edna Elizabeth almost caused Lt. Bendt's ground crew to mutiny after seven consecutive wing fuel tank changes were needed to stop a fuel leak. A runaway prop governor stopped Lee Bendt's first attempt to send, Edna Elizabeth, on a combat mission. 22 Sep 43. Later, the plane did return to the U.S. for reclamation. 1st Lt. Sam R. Oglesby, Jr. ferried, Edna Elizabeth, to the U.S. and was it's pilot on 13 of the 23 combat missions it flew, including it's last one, to Tobruk, Libya. 20 Oct 1942. It is probably on that date that it suffered the nose wheel collapse and went to a depot for repairs to be completed for it's ferry flight. The airplane ended up at the Project 19 Depot in Gura, Eritrea, where it was repaired and repainted, resulting in a slight alteration of the lettering style in the name, but still was named, Edna Elizabeth.

The airplane was transferred to the 98th Bomb Group just in time to start out flying on the low level Ploesti mission. 1 Aug 43. It was reported to have been flown by, both, the James Haverty crew and by Lt. Sam Oglesby and his crew, assigned to the 98th Bomb Group's Flight 5. But, because the pilot, plane, and crew turned back early from the mission, none of those men, or their airplane, Edna Elizabeth, are counted as participants in Operation Tidal Wave, because, in reality, none of them did participate in the mission due to an early mechanical turnback. 1 Aug 43.



Note : Lt. Sam R. Oglesby Jr's daughter wrote in a 2003 posting that her father was, Edna Elizabeth's, pilot on Operation Tidal Wave. 1 Aug 43. The plane turned back early, soon after leaving the African coast to cross the Mediterranean. None of the major Ploesti works recognize Lt. James Haverty and crew, on loan to the 98th Bomb Group from the 93rd Bomb Group, or Sam Oglesby and his crew, or, Edna Elizabeth, as participants in the Ploesti mission for having aborted the mission. Haverty's navigator, Frederick Mueller confirms that they did start out on the mission, but aborted.





Note : The Crew Chief, Lee Bendt, in the 343rd Bomb Squadron, lost his airplane, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 42-40364, on the Ploesti mission and later took over, Edna Elizabeth. The airplane continued to be a mechanical problem ship and almost caused Bendt's ground crew to mutiny when seven consecutive changes of the wing fuel tank were needed to stop a fuel leak. A runaway prop governor stopped Bendt's first attempt to send, Edna Elizabeth, on another combat mission, and the plane was again consigned to a service depot for repair.

Though it was reported that, Edna Elizabeth, did not fly any combat after 22 Sep 43, it did return later to the USA for repair and reclamation.



Note : It is not clear if the B-24D with 54 as it's squadron nose number, is a picture of Edna Elizabeth, or her replacement, aircraft, 41-24024.



Edna Elizabeth Missions Flown :

Mission # Date AC # Letter : Target : Pilot :

1 75 11/15/1942 54 Q Tobruk Libya - George McGuire

2 77 11/21/1942 54 J Tripoli Libya - William Dwyer

3 78 11/26/1942 54 Q Tripoli Libya - John Medford

4 80 11/29/1942 54 Tripoli Libya - Therman Brown

5 82 12/ 7/1942 54 Q Tripoli Libya - Cecil Patterson, Jr

6 83 12/11/1942 54 K Naples Italy - Martin Walsh, Jr

7 84 12/16/1942 54 Q Sfax Tunisia - Delbert Hahn

8 85 12/20/1942 54 Q Sousse Tunisia - George Whitlock

9 89 1/ 7/1943 54 Q Palermo Sicily - Delbert Hahn

10 90 1/ 8/1943 54 Q Bizerte Tunisia - Delbert Hahn

11 92 1/16/1943 54 Q Tripoli Libya - Sam Oglesby

12 95 1/31/1943 54 Q Messina Sicily - James Brereton

13 96 2/02/1943 54 Q Palermo Sicily - Sam Oglesby



Possible additional missions :



14 102 3/ 1/1943 54 Q Naples Italy - Norman Appold

15 103 3/ 3/1943 54 Naples Italy - Delbert Hahn

16 104 3/13/1943 54 Q Naples Italy - Edwin Gluck

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Three airmen of the 389th Bomb Group stand with a B-24 Liberator used as a Flight Assembly Ship. Image via Tim Bivens. Handwritten caption from Bivens: 'My friend remembers it being named "Bucksheesh Benny" that it was used to fly Jack Benny around USA shows. Says it flew in North Africa with Benny and was eventually assigned to 389th as a hack and later as a form-up ship. He thinks it was originally with another group (possibly 376th or 98th).' Handwritten caption on reverse: '389th BG Form-up ship.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 467th Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron 814th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-670158
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator; Radar
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 376th Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron 512th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14048023 - O-430612
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Soluch Airfield

Missions

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Bewitching Witch
  • Unit: 376th Bomb Group 44th Bomb Group 67th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Survived Ploesti

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 Started on the low level Ploesti mission, flown by the Sam R. Oglesby Jr. crew, assigned to the 98th's Flight 5. The plane turned back early, soon after leaving the African coast and is not counted as having flown the mission. 1 Aug 43.

Crashed

Gura, Eritrea The airplane's crashed because of a nose wheel collapse. It went to a depot for repairs to be completed after it was prepared for a one time ferry flight. The airplane ended up at the Project 19 depot in Gura, Eritrea, where it was repaired and repainted.

Other

Unserviceable

Mechanical problems almost caused Lee Bendt's ground crew to mutiny when seven consecutive changes of the wing fuel tank were needed to stop a fuel leak.

Other

Unserviceable

A runaway prop governor stopped Lee Bendt's first attempt to send, Edna Elizabeth, on a combat mission, The plane was again consigned to a service depot for repair.

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya 343rd Bomb Squadron - 98th Bomb Group - 9th Air Force - 512th Bomb Squadron 376th Bomb Group - 8th Air Force

Revisions

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armyaircorps-376thbg.com

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armyaircorps-376thbg.com

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ContributorKickapoo
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armyaircorps-376thbg.com

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ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - 41- 11620 - Edna Elizabeth

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ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11620 - Edna Elizabeth

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ContributorKickapoo
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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11620 - Edna Elizabeth

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ContributorKickapoo
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Details added. - Kickapoo

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ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11620 - Edna Elizabeth

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ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11620 - Edna Elizabeth

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ContributorKickapoo
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Added details. - Kickapoo

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ContributorED-BB
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Exchange of mails in 2003 with Col. Sam R. Oglesby Jr's daughter Melody in which she wrote that her Father was pilot, of "Edna Elizabeth" on the 1 August 1943 Ploesti mission.
* http://www.armyaircorps-376bg.com/oglesby_sam_r_crew.html
* http://www.armyaircorps-376bg.com/41-11620_edna_elizabeth.html

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Contributor466thHistorian
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41-11620: Gallery (7 items)