Sam Russell Oglesby Jr

Military
media-56175.jpeg UPL 56175 B-24D, 41-11620, Edna Elizabeth, showing aircraft name and squadron Number 54.

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

Object Number - UPL 56175 - B-24D, 41-11620, Edna Elizabeth, showing aircraft name and squadron Number 54.

Sam Russell Oglesby Jr.

BIRTH : 18 Nov 1921 - Great Falls, Chester County, South Carolina, USA

DEATH : 21 Oct 2003 - Age 82 - Richland County, South Carolina, USA

BURIAL :

Greenlawn Memorial Park

Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, USA

MEMORIAL ID 136958969 · View Source



Sam Russell Oglesby, Jr. was born at home on November 18, 1920, in Great Falls, South Carolina. He was son to the late Sam Russell and Pearl Gladden Oglesby. On November 10, 1945, he married Glenita Smith Oglesby in Mountain Home, Idaho. She was his beloved wife of 48 years until her death in September 1993.



Col. Oglesby was a lifetime career military pilot and decorated veteran of WWII and Korea, awarded the Silver Star. He was a member of the B-24 Hall of Fame. Following retirement from military service in 1968, he returned to South Carolina, and served as an auditor for Richland County Auditor's Office until his retirement in 1985. Col. Oglesby was a graduate of Spartanburg Methodist College and served as professor of Air Science at Duquesne University. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Blythewood where he was active with the Hillclimbers "Angel" of the Sonrise Band. He was a loyal supporter of Camp Discovery and Epworth Children's Home and a member of the Georgia Masons.



Lt. Sam Oglesby flew the B-24D, 41-11620, named Edna Elizabeth, from the U.S. to North Africa as part of the Halverson Project under Col. Harry A. Halverson. He was the command pilot of the B-24D, Edna Elisabeth, on 13 of the plane's 23 combat missions. He was decorated with the Silver Star for his heroic actions on a mission over Benghazi, Libya in July 1942. His Silver Star was awarded under G.O. #22, HQUSAFIME on 11 Nov 1942. He was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC #5447) and the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster. He remained in the Air Force after WW II and served in Korea.

Connections

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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

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Edna Elizabeth
  • Unit: 376th Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron 512th Bomb Squadron 1st Provisional Group

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Great Falls, Chester County, South Carolina, United States 18 November 1920 the son of Sam Russell Oglesby Sr and Pearl (Gladden) Oglesby

Enlisted

Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina, United States 26 April 1941 Sam Oglesby enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the U.S Army Air Corps, 26 April 1941.

Died

Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, United States 21 October 2003
White Oak, Fairfield County, South Carolina, United States

Buried

Greenlawn Memorial Park, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, United States

Revisions

Date
Contributordecwriter
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Corrected bio data for accuracy against official records.

Date
Contributordecwriter
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Corrected awards per official files.

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
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Awards added. - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Spelling, word corrections - Kickapoo

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ContributorKickapoo
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Sam Russell Oglesby, Jr. - Find-A-Grave Memorials

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

Date
Contributordecwriter
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Added to awards and bio section. NARA files reflect one Silver Star, one Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster. He did not participate in the Operation Tidal Wave mission on 1 August 1943 and is not listed on any Ploesti roster.

Date
Changes
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Updated by Michelle O Cranfor, daughter on 11-12-20

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment Records
US Censuses 1930 and 1940
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)
http://www.armyaircorps-376bg.com/oglesby_sam_r_crew.html
http://www.armyaircorps-376bg.com/41-11620_edna_elizabeth.html

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