765th Nose Art
Rhode Island Red
Ship No. - 20
B-24H-10-DT
Serial No. - 41-28737
I've been told that Rhode Island Red was destroyed in an explosion on the ground at Torretta Field on 8 May 1944. It was badly damaged, but was repaired and put back in service.
Submitted by Chris Aiken
Jack Aiken.
Our Hobby
Ship No. - 22 1/2
B-24H-20-CF
Serial No. - 42-50303
This is a widely recognized 461st ship.
Leading Lady
Ship No. -24
B-24H-10-DT
Serial No. - 41-28685
Crashed due to flak damage on Korcula Island 5/31/44. See Losses.
Tom Moss Photo
Invictus
Ship No. -27
B-24H-10-DT
Serial No. - 41-28725
One of the original batch of 461st BG aircraft, this H model was piloted by Lt. Tom Moss. The art was painted before leaving the States, but the circle around it was added in Italy. This aircraft was named by Margie Moss, wife of pilot, Tom Moss.
Big Stinky
Ship No. -30
B-24H-10-DT
Serial No. - 41-28717
Although the mission summary for Mission #14 on 24 April 1944 doesn't indicate the loss of "Big Stinky", the 765th History for April 1944 lists "Big Stinky" as lost with Lt. Forrest Nixon in command.
Courtesy of Gerry Kersey
Piecemaker
Ship No. - 34
B-24H-15-FO
Serial No. - 42-52368
Crashed due to fighter attack 25 July 1944 near Stranzberg with Glenial Fulks in command. See Losses.
Courtesy of Bob Migatz
Enhanced by Gerry Kersey
Rhode Island Red II
Ship No. - 23
B-24L/M-15-FO
Serial No. - 44-49896
This, from Alex Azary: I was the radio operator of the crew of Lt. Wm. O. Cunningham. After the war ended, we flew back (home) aboard B-24L 44-49896 (according to my radio logs which I still have). We departed Gioia, Italy on 6/2/45 for Marrakesh, Dakar, Natal, British Guiana, Puerto Rico, and landed in Savannah, GA. in 'Rhode Island Red II'.
"ALL AMERICAN"
Ship No. -24
B-24G-16-NT
Serial No. - 42-78444
On the disastrous 25 July 1944 mission to Linz, the crew of this aircraft set a record of 14 enemy aircraft shot down on a single mission - a record that still stands. Lost to flak damage 10/4/44. Crashed near Tolmin with Lt. Robert R. Chalmers in command. See Losses.
Courtesy of Tulsa Air And Space Museum
Tulsamerican leaving Tulsa
Courtesy of Tulsa Air And Space Museum
Tulsamerican in flight
Courtesy of Tulsa Air And Space Museum
Enhanced by Gerry Kersey
Tulsamerican nose art
Tulsamerican
Ship No. -24
B-24J-10-DT
Serial No. - 42-51430
The LAST B-24 built at Douglas in Tulsa, OK. Look for an extensive segment on this aircraft coming soon. See Losses.
Gene's Harepower
Ship No. - 24
B-24J-20-FO
Serial No. - 44-48993
Lost to flak and crash landed 21 February 1945. Members of the Aircraft MIA Project in Poland have uncovered evidence that this aircraft was recovered and returned to service by the Soviet Union through the late '40s. See Losses.
Arsenic and Lace
Ship No. - 26
B-24J-15-FO
Serial No. - 42-52025
Piloted by Lt. Gerry Smith, this J model was lost to fighter attack 17 December 1944 on the Odertal Refineries mission. The art was either Factory or Depot applied. See Losses.
Betty Jean
Ship No. - 27
B-24J-1-NT
Serial No. - 42-78606
Burnie Presho has supplied us with a picture of "Betty Jean" as he flew it - as number "27". In one picture the numeral "7" is absent. It appear the 7 has not yet been applied.
Courtesy of Bryan Slater
YOU BET!
Ship No. -27
B-24J-65-CF
Serial No. - 44-10557
A veteran of some of the toughest targets in Europe (Linz, Graz, Wiener-Neustadt, Lienz), and the POW resupply missions, this aircraft was flown back to the States by Vahl Vladyka.
Photo Courtesy Lloyd Burkholder
Thanks also to Dick Olson for the MACR
Liberty Belle
Ship No. - 33
B-24H-20-DT
Serial No. - 41-28970
This plane was ferried in to Torretta by John P. Kelly of the 484th Bomb Group, then it was transferred to the 461st. Crashed on 3 August 1944 due to mechanical failure with Lt. Robert E. Schweisberger in command. See Losses.
Courtesy Len Cole
from Stan Staples
Courtesy of Richard Wilder
What's Next!
Ship No. - 35
B-24J-10-FO
Serial No. - 42-51783
Yes, I remember what happened to "What's Next!". I was the flight engineer on the crew of Edward C. Demmond and we were assigned to "What's Next!" on 25 April 1945 for a run from Torretta, Italy to Linz, Austria. We had something of a reputation as a hard luck crew, and I remember we joked about the name and what's next for us.
Over Linz, we were hit by flack. The first thing I did was to check the tanks to determine if we were losing fuel. We were not, and there appeared to be no other problems for our return trip.
As we approached Torretta the landing gear was lowered and the tower immediately radioed to tell us the left wheel and tire had fallen off, the result of the hit we had taken. The tower then gave us instructions to fly out over the sea, bail out, and ditch the aircraft. Pilot Demmond declined. He flew along the edge of the airfield as seven of the crew jumped. I remained on board with the pilot and co-pilot. We raised the gear and came around to land.
As we bellied in the aircraft went left and then shot right, off the runway and onto the grass. The three of us climbed out without injury. I looked back, as we drove away in the pickup jeep, and that is the last time I saw "What's Next!".
Frank J. Procopio / 11070706 / 748
Courtesy of Christopher Roy
Contributed by Pat Roy, son of L.A. Roy pictured in the right photo.
Courtesy of Christopher Roy
Upstairs Maid
Ship No. - 37
B-24H-15-FO
Serial No. - 42-52371
Wayne W. Boyce Photo
Dave Blake photo
Robert Blake
Stumpy Joe
Ship No. - 38
B-24J-200-CO
Serial No. - 44-41162
Crashed, out of fuel, near Garensica on 11/20/44 with Lt. Arthur Hughes in command. See Losses.
Courtesy of the B24BestWeb
Courtesy of David Moore
Plastered Bastard
Ship No. - 28
B-24H-10-CF
Serial No. - 41-29284
For more information about the Plastered Bastard, see the Blake crew.
This aircraft was delivered to the Group at Hammer Field on 6 January 1944 by a WASP crew. It was assigned to Crew #28 of the 765th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Lt. Vernon Garrison (pilot). It left the U.S. from Morrison Field, Florida, 12 February 1944, to Waller Field, Trinidad. It then flew to Belem, Brazil, 13 February; Fortaleza, Brazil, 14 February. A fuel cell ruptured the morning it was to fly to Africa and aircraft was flown to Natal, Brazil for repair on 17 February. From Natal to Dakar, Senegal, French West Africa, on 22 February. It left on 23 February for Marrakech, Morrocco, but was diverted to Tindouf, Algeria, due to weather in the Atlas Mountains. It then flew back to Marrakech on 25 February. It was weathered in at Marrakech and finally arrived at Djedeida Field, Tunisia, on 2 March. It was flown to Torretta, Italy on 8 March 1944. It was the last aircraft in the 461st BG air movement to arrive at Torretta.
It was flown regularly in combat. The aircraft had two engines shot out over Weiner Neustadt, Austria, on 10 May 1944, and a forced landing was made on a South African front line air strip at Sinnela, Italy. The South Africans did not have the proper aircraft moving equipment and damaged the landing gear in moving it out of the mud. It continued in combat at Torretta throughout the summer and was damaged beyond repair when the landing gear collapsed during a landing at Torretta after a test hop on 4 August 1944, the same day that its assigned crew, Crew #28, was leaving for return to the United States.
from David White son of Howard White
Hare Power
Ship No. - 27
B-24H-10-CF
Serial No. 41-29325
Hare Power belonged to crew #29
Historical Flight Record T/Sgt. Howard C. White 18166945 Eng. Gunner
| Date | No. | Total | Remarks | |
| 4/3/44 | 1 | 5:50 | Drnis, Yugo. | |
| 4/5/44 | 2 | 11:50 | Nis, Yugo. | |
| 4/6/44 | 3 | 18:05 | Zagreb, Yugo. | |
| 4/12/44 | 4 | 24:05 | Zagreb, Yugo. | |
| 4/13/44 | 5-6 | 31:35 | Budapest, Hungary | |
| 4/20/44 | 7 | 38:05 | Ferrara, Italy | |
| 4/30/44 | 8 | 45:25 | Alessandria, Italy | |
| 5/5/44 | 9-10 | 53:25 | Ploesti, Rumania | |
| 5/7/44 | 11-12 | 61:55 | Bucharest, Rumania | |
| 5/12/44 | 13 | 68:40 | Viareggio, Italy | |
| 5/14/44 | 14 | 74:40 | Padova, Italy | |
| 5/18/44 | 15 | 80:55 | Belgrade, Yugo. | |
| 5/22/44 | 16 | 87:40 | Piombino, Italy | |
| 5/24/44 | 17-18 | 95:40 | Wollersdorf, Austria | |
| 5/25/44 | 19 | 102:10 | Carnoulis, France | |
| 5/29/44 | 20-21 | 109:55 | Weiner Neustadt, Austria | |
| 5/31/44 | 22-23 | 118:40 | Ploesti, Rumania | |
| 6/4/44 | 24 | 126:10 | Orelle, France | |
| 6/5/44 | 25 | 133:40 | Fornovo, Italy | |
| 6/11/44 | 26-27 | 141:40 | Giurgio, Rumania | |
| 6/14/44 | 28-29 | 148:40 | Komarno, Hungary | |
| 6/22/44 | 30 | 154:25 | Trieste, Italy | |
| 6/23/44 | 31-32 | 162:40 | Giurgio, Rumania | |
| 6/28/44 | 33-34 | 171:00 | Bucharest, Rumania | |
| 7/2/44 | 35-36 | 178:30 | Budapest, Hungary | |
| 7/5/44 | 37 | 187:00 | Beziers, France | |
| 7/7/44 | 38-39 | 195:15 | Blechhammer, Germany |
Courtesy of Gerry Kersey
from Stan Staples
Irish Angel II/She Wolf
Ship No. - 26
B-24J-195-CO
Serial No. 44-41112
This aircraft appears to have had two names. If anyone can tell me more about it, I would appreciate hearing from you. Each of the pictures of this aircraft is a link - you can click on the picture to see a larger image. Close that image to return here.
from Stan Staples
#34
Ship No. - 34
B-24J-15-FO
Serial No. 42-51967
from Stan Staples
Courtesy of Robert 'Stan' Staples
Model of #34 built by Stan Staples
#34
Ship No. - 34
B-24J-5-FO
Serial No. 42-51599
from Stan Staples
Courtesy of b24bestweb
#39
Ship No. - 39
B-24L/M-15-FO
Serial No. 44-50616
This was the last replacement received by the 765th Squadron.
from Stan Staples
Courtesy of Robert 'Stan' Staples
Model of the Billie K built by Stan Staples
Billie K
Ship No. 30
B-24L-1-FO
Serial No. 44-49038
This is the aircraft Stan Staples flew home.
from John Bybee
from John Bybee
Judy R
Ship No. 23
B-24J-190-CO
Serial No. 44-41020
From Dave Blake
The Flying Finger
Ship No. 39
B-24J-5-FO
Serial No. 42-50953
Courtesy of Troy Martin
The Bat
Ship No. 36
B-24H-10-DT
Serial No. 41-28740
This aircraft was flown to Italy by the Childrey crew #36, but was transferred to the 451st upon arrival.
Courtesy of Troy Martin
Courtesy of Troy Martin
Courtesy of Dan Matthews
The Mary L being pushed out of the way at Lyons, France on 10 September, 1944.
Ship No. 36
B-24H-15-DT
Serial No. 41-28940
This is the aircraft the Childrey crew #36 ended up flying.
Courtesy of Debbie Miller
Hard Guy
Ship No. 23
B-24H-15-CF
Serial No. 41-29529
Rollen Phillips crew #38-0 next to this aircraft. This aircraft was transferred from the 484th BG. The second photo shows Robert Schear (CP) on the left.
Courtesy of Ray Sipple
Sleepy Time Gal
Ship No. 21
B-24H-15-FO
Serial No. 41-28867
#20
Ship No. 20
B-24J-1-NT
Serial No. 42-78627
#22
Ship No. 22
B-24H-15-DT
Serial No. 41-28927
Billie K
Ship No. 25
B-24H-15-DT
Serial No. 41-28891
Courtesy of Chuck Parsonson
Irish Angel
Ship No. 26
B-24H-15-FO
Serial No. 42-52486
33
Ship No. 33
B-24M-10-FO
Serial No. 44-50735
#22
Ship No. 22
B-24J-195-CO
Serial No. 44-41113
Courtesy of Chuck Parsonson
#39
Ship No. 39
B-24J-10-FO
Serial No. 42-51695
This is the plane Lt. Kelliher was flying when it crashed at Torretta Field, killing Lt. Williams. I believe the photo was taken just after it arrived at Gioia from the US and was on a check out flight before moving up to the group. (Therefore no 461st markings yet)
Courtesy of Gino
#29
Ship No. 29
B-24L-5-FO
Serial No. 44-49428
Courtesy of Gino
#29
Ship No. 29
B-24G-10-NT
Serial No. 42-78253
Courtesy of Chuck Parsonson
Our Baby
Ship No. 23
B-24H-10-DT
Serial No. 41-28681
An original 765th aircraft, Our Baby was transferred to the 767th as #62 and later #73.
Courtesy of b24bestweb.com
Fickle Finger
Ship No. - 31
B-24H-15-FO
Serial No. 42-52550
This aircraft was transferred to the 47th Bomb Wing, 449th Bomb Group on 28 February 1944.