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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42-40735
B-24 Liberator
Pilot 1/Lt Horton, Robert W. KIA, Co-Pilot 2/Lt Hull, Charles T. KIA
Navigator 2/Lt Krug, Richard B. KIA, Bombardier 2/Lt Emerson, Elwood H. KIA
Engineer S/Sgt Steen, Zerrill J. POW, Radio Sgt Smith, Jack E. KIA
Waist T/Sgt Herlevic, Frank A. KIA, Waist S/Sgt Lambert, James V. KIA
Tunnel Sgt Kauffmann, Robert P. KIA, Tail S/Sgt Smith, Mack H. KIA
Service
Units
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389th Bomb Group
Group
The 389th Bomb Group, known in more familiar terms as "the Sky Scorpions", flew strategic bombing missions in B-24 Liberators from Hethel, England. They also sent detachments to join bases in North Africa at Benghazi No. 10, Libya, between 3 July 1943... -
566th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Constituted 566th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 Dec. 1942. Activated on 24 Dec. 1942. Inactivated on 13 Sept. 1945. Campaigns: Air Offensive, Europe; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air...
People
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Elwood Emerson
Military | Second Lieutenant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti Raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735 -
Frank Herlevic
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735. -
Robert Horton
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to the 9th AF during the Ploesti Raid, flying the B-24, 'Sand-witch' (42-40735). -
Charles Hull
Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti Raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735. -
Robert Kauffman
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735 -
Richard Krug
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735. -
James Lambert
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti Raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735. -
Jack Smith
Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735. -
Mack Smith
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735. -
Zerrill Steen
Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) while on TDY to 9thAF for Ploesti raid on 8/1/43 in B-24 'Sand-witch' 42-40735.
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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| Failed to Return (FTR) | Rumania | 1 August 1943 |
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Hit by Flak over Ploesti and crashed, Campina, Romania. Pilot Robert W Horton. All crew bar Flt Eng POW, were KIA. MACR 156. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 12 March 2015 14:46:26 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
AAM Database. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:52 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 243 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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