NAME | TP | - | M# | SER | - | BLK | - | MF | SERIAL # |
AF |
BG |
BS |
SC | RCL/# | V#-P | PHOTO CREDITS |
TAKE OFF! |
B |
- |
24 |
D1 | - |
20 | - |
CO |
41-24149 |
7 |
11 |
42 |
~ |
~ | 00-1 |
N/A |
Port (Left) Side - Has Been Confused with SUPER MAN (41-23938)
Nose Art Inspiration - GIL
ELVGREN"FRENCH
DRESSING"
Info Contributor - Robert
Livingstone
On 20 April 1943, this was one of twenty two B-24s that took off from Funafuti
Airfield at 5:00 a.m. on a six hour flight to photograph and bomb the phosphate
works on Nauru. Aboard were Pilot Russel Allen "Phil" Philips, Co-Pilot 1st Lt.
Charleton "Hugh" Cuppernell, Bombardier 1st Lt. Louis S. Zamperini, and
Navigator 1st Lt. Robert H. Mitchell. Over the target, the formation experienced
Japanese anti-aircraft fire and were intercepted by fighters. This B-24 was
damaged by both anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters. Aboard, each of the
enlisted gunners were wounded. Returning from the mission, Zamperini made
emergency splice repairs to the rudder control cables by splicing bomb arming
wires around the damaged cables. After landing safely at Funafuti Airfield, one
of the wounded gunners succumbed to his wounds later that night. The B-24
sustained nearly 600 holes from battle damage, including five 20mm cannon hits
and over 150 7.7mm machine gun hits. Anti-aircraft fire tore off the right
vertical stabilizer and inflicted other damage.
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Best Web. Published on Veterans Day 11/11/97. Last
modified:
17-May-2022