42-40364 - The Pink Elephant - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

media-13728.jpeg UPL 13728 B-24D, 42-40364, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, of the 343rd Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force. Lost on the Ploesti oil refinery mission. Pilot Lt. James Gunn, Jr. 1 Aug 1943.

Best Web - B-24 - 42-40364 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Object Number - UPL 13728 - B-24D, 42-40364, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, of the 343rd Bomb Squadron, the 98th Bomb Group, in the 9th Air Force. Lost on the Ploesti oil...

The B-24D, The Pink Elephant, 42-40364, was in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, "The Pyramiders", and the 343rd Bomb Squadron. First named, The Pink Elephant, 42-40364, was the second B-24D, that was later renamed, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The first B-24D, named, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, was the aircraft, 41-11913. After both airplanes were renamed, they both had the same name and stunning nose art, a picture of Walt Disney's "Snow White" and the ship's names in large letters: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" on their forward nose sections. In both of the nose art pictures of, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, Snow White held a wand with stars on the tips of the wand. Each star on the wand depicted 2 missions of the bomber completed.





Pilot Capt. James Gunn, his crew, and, The Pink Elephant, 42-40364, with the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 343rd Bomb Squadron, was dispatched to North Africa and left the United States July, 1942, and flew to South America, to the Gold Coast, then, across the Atlantic ocean to Egypt, and was based near Haifa, Egypt. The aircraft's first mission was on Aug 14, 1942, starting combat operations on May 13, 1943, in the MTO, flying out of Benghazi, Libya.





The, Pink Elephant, was flown by Capt. James A. Gunn, Jr, on Operation Tidal Wave, the low level bombing mission to Ploesti, Romania. The aircraft was shot down and lost on the mission. It was shot down near the Yugoslavian / Bulgarian border by enemy fighters during it's withdrawal from the target in the same action that downed, The Witch, 41-11840, flown by Lt. Julian Darlington. The Pink Elephant's pilot, Capt. James A. Gunn, Jr. and his crew, failed to return - FTR - and were killed in action. 10 KIA. Aug 1,1943. MACR 165

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Crew of, The Pink Elephant, over Ploesti :



Capt. James Gunn, Jr. - Pilot (KIA) -

2nd Lt. Richard C. Williamson - Copilot (KIA -

1st Lt. Bernard E. Leimbach - Navigator (KIA)

2nd Lt. Robert C. Courtney - Bombardier (KIA)

T/Sgt. Edwin L. Turner - Engineer - Top Turret Gunner (KIA)

T/Sgt. Delmar E. Smith - Radio Operator (KIA)

S/Sgt. Frederick L. Stukey - Waist Gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. Charles R. Ruark - Waist Gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. Stanley M. Horine, Jr. - Tail Gunner (POW)

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19032952 / O-736686
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11037168 / O-791098
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19100012
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15096200 / O-730276
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16098271
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Soluch Airfield
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Berka, al Birkah

Missions

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Witch
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Pink Elephant - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 343rd Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

FTR Failed to Return

Bulgaria 1 August 1943 Failed to Return (FTR) - Lost during the low-level mission to bomb the oil refineries in Ploesti, Rumania on August 1,1943. She was jumped by fighters while leaving the target and shot down with only the tail gunner, S/Sgt. Stanley Horine, surviving. MACR 165

Assigned

Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF.

Revisions

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Details added. - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24 - 42-40364 - The Pink Elephant

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Best Web - 42-40364 - Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs - Pink Elephant

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Added details. - Kickapoo

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Additions to text. - Kickapoo

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Change of rank - Kickapoo

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Added crew members to list. - Kickapoo

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Added crew members. - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24 - 42-40364 - The Pink Elephant - Snow White And The Seven dwarfs

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Added Lt. James A. Gunn to crew list - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24 - 42-40364 - The Pink Elephant - Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs

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Best Web - B-24 - 'The Pink Elephant'

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Best Web - B-24 - 'The Pink Elephant'

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Best Web - B-24 - 'The Pink Elephant'

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Best Web - B-24 - 'The Pink Elephant'

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Best Web - B-24 - #42-40364

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Best Web - B-24 - #42-40364

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Best Web - B-24 - #42-40364

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Best Web - B-24 - ' Snow White '

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Best Web - B-24 - ' Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs '

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Corrected to Stanley M. Horine, Jr. per movement order.

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Charles R. Ruark was listed as Roark, so the biography listing is correct now.

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ContributorLucy May
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"Air Stories of the 12th & 15th Air Forces" - Gerard Paloque

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42-40364: Gallery (5 items)