9th Air Force
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Julian M Bleyer
Military
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"The Armed Services Committee of the 1949 Presidential Inaugural Parade discusses marching logistics in a Pentagon meeting with Carter T, Barron, Parade and Special Events Chairman. Seated, left to right, are: Colonel Orin H. Wheeler, United States Marine Corps; Colonel Charles M. Gettys, U.S. Army, Chairman of the Armed Forces Committee; Carter T. Barron; Captain Atherton Macondray, U.S. Navy. Standing: Lieutenant Colonel Julian M. Bleyer, U.S. Air Forces and Lieutenant Commander M. A. Whalen, U.S. Coast Guard."
Pilot B-24 41-11896 flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returning safely to Libya.
DSC Citation:
"Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) Julian M. Bleyer, United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-24 Heavy Bomber in Headquarters, 98th Bombardment Group (H), NINTH Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission on 1 August 1943, against the Ploesti Oil Refineries in Rumania. During a long and hazardous attack against a vital enemy oil installation made at low-altitude by a formation of B-24 type aircraft, Lieutenant Colonel Bleyer flew through heavy enemy fire against impossible odds, and then brought his crew safely back to base without the loss of a single man. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Colonel Bleyer on this occasion, even when confronted with practically certain destruction, exemplified the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 9th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces."
Service
Units served with
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98th Bomb Group
Group
The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942. ... -
343rd 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...
Aircraft
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41-11896 Nightmare
B-24 Liberator
Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, pilot Lt Col Julian M Bleyer, returning safely to Libya. Shot down on 3rd Sep 43 mission to bomb Sulmona, Italy marshaling yards, pilot Herman E Stephens - 7 KIA / 3 POW MACR 463
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...
Associated Place
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Benina
Military site : airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Born | Dawson, Tulsa, OK 74115, USA | 18 April 1915 |
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Son of Chester and Madge Bleyer. |
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| Pilot training | 1936 | |
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Primary flight training - 1936 |
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| Enlisted | February 1936 | |
| Pilot training | February 1936 | |
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Basic flight training - 1936 |
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| Pilot training | 1937 – 20 June 1937 | |
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Advanced flight training - 1937 |
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| Promotion | 20 June 1937 | |
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Promoted 2nd Lieutenant. |
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| Promotion | 9 September 1940 | |
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Promoted 1st Lieutenant. |
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| Promotion | 1 February 1942 | |
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Promoted Captain. |
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| Assigned | Benghazi, Libya | 1943 – 1944 |
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343rd BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. |
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| Promotion | 7 May 1943 | |
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Promoted Major. |
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| Survived Ploesti | Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 |
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Pilot B-24 41-11896 flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returning safely to Libya. |
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| Promotion | 27 April 1944 | |
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Promoted Lieutenant Colonel. |
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| Died | Brevard County, FL, USA | 4 March 2002 |
| Buried | Brevard Memorial Park Cocoa Brevard County, FL | April 2002 |
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Brevard Memorial Park |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 12 January 2021 21:54:08 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35140054/julian-m-bleyer |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 January 2021 20:54:35 | Al_Skiff | Changes to biography and events |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/168856254 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 July 2020 14:53:57 | decwriter | Changes to service number and awards |
| Sources | ||
NARA verified awards and Service Number. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 February 2018 14:43:16 | Al_Skiff | Changes to service number, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/312801894?terms=Julian%20M%20Bleyer |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 February 2018 12:50:36 | decwriter | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Find a Grave data for birth and death dates. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 February 2018 12:46:16 | decwriter | Changes to awards |
| Sources | ||
Service with the 98th BG. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 February 2018 12:38:42 | decwriter | Changes to highest rank |
| Sources | ||
Achieved Colonel rank in his career. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 April 2015 15:41:32 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nationality, highest rank, role, biography, events, unit associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / MACR 463 / http://www.findagrave.com |
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