44-40454 Betta Duck

B-24J-165-CO

 

44-40456 had white stars, so this plane probably did as well.

 

See photo in Harry Holmes, The US 8th Air Force at Warton 1942-1945. p.160.

See photo in Helton’s Hellcats, p.38.

 

A 493BG Original, assigned to the 862nd Squadron as letter K.

Any combat missions with the 493BG are not known to me.

Transferred to the 34BG between June 2nd and June 12th 1944, assignbed to the 7th Squadron as E/G.

 

MISSION LIST

 

Mission #15 June 12, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck (deputy lead)

Mission #17 June 17, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Holmes Betta Duck

Mission #18 June 20, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry (deputy lead) Betta Duck

Mission #19 June 20, 1944 44-40454 E/G 4BS Cook Betta Duck

Mission #19 June 20, 1944 44-40454 E/G Betta Duck (ground spare)

Mission #21 June 23, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck

Mission #23 June 24, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS McAllister Betta Duck (lead)

Mission #25 June 25, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS McAllister Betta Duck (lead)

Mission #28 June 29, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck

Mission #30 July 6, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck (deputy lead)

Mission #32 July 8, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck (incorrectly listed as E/C)

Mission #33 July 9, 1944 44-40454 E/G Terry Betta Duck

Mission #35 July 14, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Brown Betta Duck (deputy lead)

Mission #36 July 17, 1944 44-40454 E/G Mackey Betta Duck WX ship

Mission #37 July 18, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck

Mission #38 July 19, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS McAllister Betta Duck

Mission #40 July 21, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Gardner Betta Duck

Mission #41 July 24, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Bush Betta Duck

Mission #42 July 25, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Bush Betta Duck  (lead)

Mission #44 July 27, 1944 44-40454 E/F 7BS Gardner, H. Betta Duck

Mission #45 July 28, 1944 44-40454 E/F 7BS Terry Betta Duck

Mission #49 August 2, 1944 44-40454 E/B 18BS Dees Betta Duck (lead)

Mission #50 August 3, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Bush Betta Duck

Mission #53 August 6, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Brown Betta Duck (lead)

Mission #57 August 11, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Dean Betta Duck

Mission #58 August 13, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS McAllister Betta Duck (lead – Target #5)

Mission #59 August 14, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Brown Betta Duck

Mission #60 August 15, 1944 44-40454 E/B Betta Duck (ground spare)

Mission #61 August 16, 1944 44-40454 E/B Betta Duck (ground spare – lead)

Mission #63 August 24, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Brown Betta Duck

 

Transferred to 466BG

 

1945 to Storage and later salvaged at Altus, OK.

 

MISSION DETAILS

 

Mission #15 June 12, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck

Took off at 0505 hours.

Flew Deputy Lead, position 1-2, in Lead Squadron.

Carried 24 250 lb bombs. Dropped 22 bombs on the Primary at 0909 hours from 22,000 feet. Dropped 2 bombs on a Target of opportunity.

No damage reported.

Landed 1107 hours.

Terry (P)

Halgren (CP)

Brophy (Command Pilot)

Adams (N)

Stampon (PN)

Kinney (B)

Zekaib (R)

Schlineman (E)

Jenkins (G)

Walker (G)

Frischmuth (G)

 

                       June 14, 1944 44-40454 E/G Terry

Took off at 1744 hours for the Otmoor range.

Landed 1945 hours.

 

Mission #17 June 17, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Holmes Betta Duck

Took off at 1648 hours.

Flew position 3-3 in High Squadron.

Carried 12 500 lb bombs. Dropped on the Primary at 2023 hours from 18,000 feet.

No battle damage reported.

Landed 2240 hours.

Holmes (P)

Granger (CP)

Grzelak (N)

Gibbs (R)

Ivey (E)

Berry (G)

Peterson (G)

Jenson (G)

Weaver (G)

 

Mission #18 June 20, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry (deputy lead) Betta Duck

Took off at 0502 hours.

Flew Deputy Lead, position 1-2 in Low Squadron.

Carried 12 500 lb bombs. Dropped on the Primary at 0914 hours from 22,340 feet.

No damage reported.

Landed 1142 hours.

Terry (P)

Halgren (CP)

Adams (N)

Stampon (PN)

Kinney (B)

Zekaib (R)

Schildman (E)

Jenkins (G)

Walker (G)

Tymczyszyn (G)

 

Mission #19 June 20, 1944 44-40454 E/G Betta Duck (ground spare)

Mission #19 June 20, 1944 44-40454 E/G 4BS Cook Betta Duck

Took off at 1842 hours.

Flew position 4-3 in Group C (4th)

Carried 52 100 lb GP bombs. Jettisoned the bombs in error at 2058 hours from 22,560 feet.

No battle damage reported.

Landed 2212 hours.

No Crew Loading List available.

 

                       June 22, 1944 44-40454 E/G Terry Betta Duck

Took off at 1443 hours on a Photo Mission.

Landed 1634 hours.

 

Mission #21 June 23, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck

Took off at 1602 hours.

Flew in Low Squadron (493BG supplied Lead and High Squadrons.)

Carried 52 100 lb GP bombs. Dropped on the Primary at 2011 hours from 19,700 feet. Made three runs.

No damage reported.

Landed 2232 hours.

Terry (P)

Halgren (CP)

Adams (N)

Stampon (PN)

Kinney (B)

Zekaib (R)

Schildman (E)

Jenkins (BG)

Walker (TG)

Tymczyszyn (NG)

 

Mission #23 June 24, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS McAllister Betta Duck (lead)

Took off at 1631 hours.

Flew Lead of Lead Squadron.

Carried 24 250 lb GP bombs. Dropped on the Primary from 23,000 feet. No time given. Results poor.

No damage reported.

Landed 2108 hours.

McAllister (P)

Tavasti (Command Pilot)

Whited (CP)

Baldea (N)

Jorgenson (N2)

Ritchie (B)

Sears (R)

Smith (E)

Carroll (BG)

Graff (TG)

Domino (NG)

Coon (G)

 

Mission #25 June 25, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS McAllister Betta Duck (lead)

Took off at 1530 hours.

Flew Lead of High Squadron.

Carried 6 1000 lb bombs. Dropped on the Primary at 1943 hours from 20,500 feet.

No damage reported.

Landed 2238 hours.

McAllister (P)

Brophy (Command Pilot)

Whited (CP)

Baldea (N)

Jorgenson (N2)

Ritchie (B)

Sears (R)

Smith (E)

Carroll (BG)

Graff (TG)

Domino (NG)

Coon (G)

 

Mission #28 June 29, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck

Took off at 0515 hours.

Flew Deputy Lead, position 1-2 in High Squadron.

Landed 1223 hours.

Navigator's mike switch out. Inspected and repaired.

Terry (P)

Halgren (CP)

Adams (N)

Stampon (PN)

Crook (B) (a write-in)

Zekaib (R)

Schildman (E)

Jenkins (BG)

Walker (TG)

Tymczyszyn (NG)

Hess (G) (a write-in)

 

Mission #29 July 2, 1944 ???           ?/?   18BS Young - Boyd (lead)

Took off at 0541 hours in 44-40454 to ferry the lead crews to Sudbury.

Took off at about 1000 hours from Sudbury in a 486th BG GH B-24 to lead the mission.

Landed the GH plane back at Sudbury after the mission.

Landed at 1647 hours in 44-40454 bringing the lead crews back to Mendlesham.

 

Mission #30 July 6, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck (deputy lead)

Mission #32 July 8, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck (incorrectly listed as E/C)

Mission #33 July 9, 1944 44-40454 E/G Terry Betta Duck

Mission #35 July 14, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Brown Betta Duck (deputy lead)

 

Mission #36 July 17, 1944 44-40454 E/G Mackey Betta Duck WX ship

Took off at 0400 to fly as the Weather Ship.

Landed at 1018 hours at Bury St. Edmonds, then back at Mendlesham at 1543 hours.

 

Mission #37 July 18, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Terry Betta Duck

 

Mission #38 July 19, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS McAllister Betta Duck

Slight flak damage.

 

                       July 20, 1944 44-40454 E/G Winsor

Took off at 1117 hours for a practice formation.

Landed 1331 hours.

 

                       July 20, 1944 44-40454 E/G Bush Betta Duck

Took off at 1530 hours on bombing practice.

Landed 1729 hours.

 

Mission #40 July 21, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Gardner Betta Duck

C-1 inoperative. Inspected and repaired.

 

Mission #41 July 24, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Bush Betta Duck

Mission #42 July 25, 1944 44-40454 E/G 7BS Bush Betta Duck  (lead)

Mission #44 July 27, 1944 44-40454 E/F 7BS Gardner, H. Betta Duck

Mission #45 July 28, 1944 44-40454 E/F 7BS Terry Betta Duck

Mission #49 August 2, 1944 44-40454 E/B 18BS Dees Betta Duck (lead)

Mission #50 August 3, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Bush Betta Duck

Mission #53 August 6, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Brown Betta Duck (lead)

Mission #57 August 11, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Dean Betta Duck

Mission #58 August 13, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS McAllister Betta Duck (lead – Target #5)

Mission #59 August 14, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Brown Betta Duck

Mission #60 August 15, 1944 44-40454 E/B Betta Duck (ground spare)

Mission #61 August 16, 1944 44-40454 E/B Betta Duck (ground spare – lead)

Mission #63 August 24, 1944 44-40454 E/B 7BS Brown Betta Duck

 

Transferred to 466BG

 

1945 to Storage and later salvaged at Altus, OK.