Paul Andrew Nicholson

Military
media-14353.jpeg UPL 14353 The flight crew poses in front of the B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, Stinger, in the 415th Bomb Squadron - the 98th Bomb Group - and the 9th Air Force. Flown on Operation Tidal wave over Ploesti, Romania. Pilot Lt. Andrew Opsata, and CoPilot Lt. Louis Quaglino, with their Bombardier, Lt. Donald Di Coscoe, and Bombardier, Lt. Howard LaLonde, launched from Benghazi, Libya, on the Ploesti mission and successfully returned with only 1 crew member, Gunner SSgt, John Gormey, wounded. WIA. Aug 1, 1943.

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11817 - Stinger

Object Number - UPL 14353 - The flight crew poses in front of the B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, Stinger, in the 415th Bomb Squadron - the 98th Bomb Group - and the 9th Air...

TechSgt. Paul A. Nicholson was a B-24 flight engineer/ top turret gunner, assigned (TDY) to the 415th Bomb Squadron, in the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force, USAAF. He was a crew member of the B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, Stinger, and flew on Operation Tidal Wave, the oil refinery bombing mission to Ploesti, Romania, returning safely (RTB) to Libya with only one crew member wounded. 1 WIA-RTS. 10 RTS. 1 Aug 43.



Awards: AM - DFC - WWII Victory Medal - EAME.

Connections

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Units served with

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: 389th Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Stinger
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Lisbon, OH 22 December 1923 Son of James E. Nicholson.

Enlisted

Akron, OH 7 April 1942 Akron, Ohio

Other

Survived Ploesti

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 Crew member of the B-24D, Liberator, 41-11817, Stinger. Participated in the Ploesti oil refinery mission, returning safely to Libya with only one crewmember wounded - RTB. 1 WIA-RTS. 10 RTS. 1 Aug 43.

Other

Discharged USAAF

9 March 1946 Honourable discharge.

Died

Lisbon, OH 3 August 2002

Buried

Lisbon Cemetery Lisbon, Columbiana County, OH 6 August 2002 Lisbon Cemetery Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio

Other

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya Assigned to the 415th Bomb Squadron, in the 9th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force, USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added connections to the 415 BS & 98 BG mentioned in the events section.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

USAAF Photo.

Paul Andrew Nicholson: Gallery (1 items)