Forest Hunter Phifer
Military ROLL OF HONOURTook part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, in B-24 Liberator 42-40773. Lt. Phifer was awarded the "Distinguished Flying Cross" for his valor in " Operation Tidal Wave " one of the most daring raids of WW2. Coming in at tree top level the Sky Scorpions destroy the Steaua Romana oil refinery. The refinery did not produce oil for six months. The 389th earned a Presidential Unit Citation and lost six aircraft on this mission.
3 October 1943 killed in B24 42-40773 over Morocco from fuel exhaustion during flight back to England having flown missions TDY out of N. Africa.
Earlier, Collision on training mission in B24 42-40687, but landed safely back at Hethel June 25, 1943.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
McMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee | 1 October 1920 | |
|
Other Killed non combat |
3 October 1943 | ||
|
Buried |
North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial | Plot B Row 6 Grave 9 |
Revisions
Forrest Phifer was my uncle. I have seen him listed as Forrest N Phifer but this is an error. His name is Forrest H Phifer. The H is for Hunter. I do know these were 2 of the awards given to him as we still have them. Thank you for this website !! Also is there a way to add a photo of him?
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey pp. 165, 301