Aircraft History
Built by Consolidated in San Diego. Constructors Number 3365. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24J-80-CO Liberator serial number 42-100216. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then to the Central Pacific.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 7th Air Force, 11th Bombardment Group, 26th Bombardment Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. Nose number 216.

When lost, engine R-1820-65 serial numbers BP 428572, BP 426725, BP 428685 and BP 428644. Aboard were ten .50 caliber machine guns and two .30 caliber machine guns, w weapon serial numbers noted in Missing Air Crew Report 3875 (MACR 3875).

Mission History
On April 4, 1944 took off from Eniwetok Airfield piloted by 2nd Lt. Stanley L. Opperman on a night bombing mission against Truk. The weather was .3 to .4 cloud coverage. When this bomber failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was B-24J 42-100394 (MIA).

Memorials
The entire crew was officially declared dead on February 15, 1946. The entire crew earned the Purple Heart, posthumously.

All are memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing. Opperman, Marker, Slumska, Maloney, Le Pere, Haidet and Shapiro on court 7. Wood and Stephens on court 5.

Opperman also has a memorial marker at Clarksfield Methodist Cemetery in Clarksfield, OH.

Marker also has a memorial marker at Oklahoma Veterans Cemetery in Oklahoma City, OK.

Stephens also has a memorial marker at Springfield Cemetery in Springfield, SD.

Haidet also has a memorial marker at Alliance City Cemetery in Alliance, OH at section T.

Shapiro also has a memorial marker at Arlington National Cemetery at section MI site 173.

References
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J-80-CO Liberator 42-100216
Missing Air Crew Report 3875 (MACR 3875)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Stanley L. Opperman
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Clyde M. Marker
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Franklin Wood
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Paul P. Stephens
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Glenn Slumska
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Clifford E. Haidet
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Louis Le Pere
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William A. Maloney
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Sidney Shapiro
FindAGrave - 2Lt Stanley L Opperman (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Lieut Stanley L. Opperman (photo, memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Clyde M Marker (courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Clyde Max Marker (photo, memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Franklin Wood (courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Paul P Stephens (courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Paul Place Stephens (photo, memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt Glenn Slumska (courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt Clifford E Haidet (courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Clifford E Haidet (memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt Louis LePere (courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt William A Maloney (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - SGT Sidney I Shapiro (memorial marker photo)

Last Updated
February 18, 2020