Carl Frederick Root

Military

Assigned to 344BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid in B-24 42-40208 'Sad Sack' with William Banks crew.



Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (6OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.



Post war: Received his degree of Doctor of Medicine from Loma Linda University in California and a Masters in public health from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Root practised medicine in Marvel Reading, Pa., and in North Carolina.

Connections

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

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

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: The Sad Sack
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 344th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Berwick, PA 25 November 1921

Enlisted

Wilkes Barre, PA 18 March 1942 Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania

Died

Radford, VA 11 March 1992

Buried

West View Cemetery, Radford, Radford City, VA 14 March 1992 West View Cemetery Radford, Radford City, Virginia

Other

Based

Benghazi, Libia Assigned to 344BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF.