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| USAAF 11th AF 28th BG 404th BS  c1944    11th AF August 15, 1944   Dave Bowen 1963 |
Pilot Captain Corbin U. Terry, 0683610 Temple, TX Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Thaddeus C. Buszek, 0812543 Navigator 2nd Lt. William T. Blakemore, 0695864 Oklahoma, OK Bombardier 2nd Lt. Michael J. Dwyer, 0690790 Kewanna, IN Engineer SSgt Harold A. Edinger, 15340436 Blanchester, OH Engineer Raymond C. Carmichael, 19059361 Wapato, WA Radio Sgt Edward I. Mee, 33477791 Philadelphia, PA Gunner Sgt James H. Siders, 35790601 Hillsboro, OH Armor/Gunner Sgt William H. Smith, 37511455 Kansas City, MO Radio / Radar T/Sgt Oscar "Eddie" Gilinsky, 32569824 Newark, NJ Force Landing August 13, 1944 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation at San Diego. Constructors Number 346. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-CO Liberator serial number 41-11850. Ferried to Alaska. Wartime History Assigned to the 11th Air Force (11th AF), 28th Bombardment Group (28th BG), 404th Bombardment Squadron (404th BS). Nose Number 23. No known nickname or nose art. The crew of this bomber flew a total of 34 combat mission together during May 26, 1944 to March 12, 1945. Mission History On August 13, 1944 took off pilot Captain Corbin U. Terry on a bombing mission. Returning low on fuel with one engine stopped, this bomber made an emergency landing on Ilak Island in open tundra. Officially, this B-24 was condemned on August 13, 1944. Rescue Three hours after the crash landing, the entire crew was rescued by a U.S. Navy boat directed to them by radio. Wreckage After the force landing, Allied aircraft attempted to bomb the intact wreck, but failed to destroy it. Later, a team landed and set the B-24 wreckage on fire, destroying the fuselage section. Today, the wings, tail section and burned fuselage section remain 'in situ'. Also, bomb craters from the bombing attempt are clearly visible from the air. Relatives Bob Gilinsky (grandson of Oscar Gilinsky) "My grandfather was the radio/radar operator and a turret gunner in Terry's crew in the 404th. They completed 32 out of 34 missions in the Aleutian theatre between May '44 and March '45. This crew were the most decorated fliers in that theatre of operations during WWII." References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-CO Liberator 41-11850 "11850 (MSN 346) W/o 13 Aug 1944 at Ilak Island, AK, condemned Aug 13, 1944" Thanks to Bob Gilinsky and Pete Johnston for additional information. The Forgotten War mistakenly identified this wreck as B-24D 41-23908 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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 B-24  Photo Archive  1944 Article 1945 Article |
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