NAME TP - M# SER - BLK - MF

SERIAL #

AF

BG

BS

SC RCL/# V#-P

PHOTO CREDITS

BALL OF FIRE THE III

B

-

24

D

-

30

-

CO 42-40128

8

93

328

~ J 00-5 N/A

"Head-On Shot" - Starboard has WAR BABY - Survived Operation TIDAL WAVE, 1 Aug 43, Ploesti Romania
Interned 18 Nov 43, SWE - MACR 2187 - Pilot Frank Kilcheski

Contributor - Brendan Wood

Info Contributor - Christian Bolgen VIA Ingemar Melin (Sweden)
A veteran from the famous low level raid against the Romanian oil fields (Ploesti) in Aug 43. Her crew on this final mission, 18 Nov 43, after receiving damage from attacking ME-109s (after the Hjeller-Oslo, Norway mission):

Pilot - Lt. Frank Kilcheski
Co-Pilot - Lt. Robert A. Hill
Navigator - Lt. Walter H. Sills
Bombardier - Lt. Abe H. Shonier
Engineer - Sgt. Glenn A. Corn
Radio Operator - Sgt. Edward J. Donnelly
Gunner - Sgt. Dan Cairns
Gunner - Sgt. James Nichols
Gunner - Sgt. Bertil Carlson
Gunner - Sgt. Bob Bryce

Info Contributor - John Donnelly (Son of Radio Operator - Sgt. Edward J. Donnelly)
I have a letter from a boy, Arne Svensson (Örebro, Sweden), that recalls the day when WAR BABY / BALL OF FIRE THE III arrived. He was 15 at the time (5 years younger than my Dad) and recalls the event in a 1975 news article. He was able to contact Lt. Robert A. Hill (Co-Pilot ) and Sgt. Bob Bryce (Gunner).

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B-24 Best Web. Published on Veterans Day 11/11/97. Last modified: 29-Oct-2021