VENI, VIDI, VICI (PIC 1)

NAME	TP	-	M#	SER	-	BLK	-	MF	SERIAL #	AF	BG	BS	SC	RCL/#	V#-P	PHOTO CREDITS
VENI, VIDI, VICI	B	-	24	H	-	10	-	FO	42-52150	15	449	718	~	33	00-1	N/A

"I Came, I Saw, I Conquered" - Warner Bros. Character "Bugs Bunny" - Line #501 - #17 Then #33
Lost 17 May 44, ITA - MACR 5052 Pg1 / Pg2 - Pilot Henry N. Silvers, Jr.

Contributor - Brendan Wood

Info Contributor - Don Shepherd
Delivered to Bruning 5 Nov 43, and assigned to Silvers' crew. Downed by flak over Orbetello, Italy 17 May 44 with Silvers' crew aboard. 7 KIA / 3 POW. Enemy Evasion Aid Report: "At 1332 hours, [ship #33] had a direct hit by flak shell on #2 engine blowing the engine off and firing the ship. The pilot, Lt. H. Silvers, and the copilot, Lt. Thomas Turner, held the aircraft under control straight and level until the crew could bail out. The B-24 peeled out of formation to avoid damage to other aircraft."
In the above photo, a fuel cloud can be seen emerging from the wing at the location of the missing engine. Shortly after this photograph was taken, the left wing collapsed. Seven members of Silver's crew, including both pilots, perished in the ensuing crash. In the post-mission debriefing, the Squadron C. O. referred to the controlled manner in which ship #17 peeled out of the formation thereby avoiding other aircraft and allowing time for crew members to begin bailing out as "the finest piece of flying ever seen."