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  B-24A-CO Liberator Serial Number 40-2355 Number 21
USAAF
11th AF
28th Composite Group
404th BS

Pilot  Major Carl G. Wagner, O-474446 (survived, interned) Flushing, NY
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt. Winfred H. Vaniver, O-672508 (survived, interned) Frisco, TX
Navigator  2nd Lt. Benson H. Black, O-676019 (survived, interned) Durham, NC
Bombardier  SSgt Thomas A. Corbett, 6809139 (survived, interned) Bedford, MA
Engineer  Cpl Robert L. Daniels, 14072259 (survived, interned) Nashville, TN
Radar  Sgt Charles L. Waid, 13038751 (survived, interned) Greenville, PA
Asst. Radar  Cpl Howard C. Fuller, 12049794 (survived, interned) Newark, NJ
Gunner  SSgt Lawrance E. Mark, 16012309 (survived, interned) Flint, MI
Asst. Engineer-Gunner  SSgt Joseph P. Kerns, 13006854 (survived, interned) Pottsville, PA
Gunner  Sgt David L. Carter, 18041073 (survived, interned) Bonham, TX
Gunner  Sgt Arnold M. O. Saugestad, 19083551 (survived, interned) Minneapolis, MN
Gunner  Sgt Margarito Vasques, 19021002 (survived, interned) Los Angeles, CA
Photographer  Sgt Henry C. Everett, Jr., 34134087 (survived, interned) Braxton, MS
Crashed  September 11, 1943 at 3:15pm
MACR  12420

Aircraft History
Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation at San Diego during 1941. Constructors Number 7. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24A-CO Liberator serial number 40-2355. Ferried to Alaska.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 11th Air Force, 28th Composite Group, 404th Bombardment Squadron. Aircraft Number 21 painted in large digits on both sides of the nose. No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R-1830-43 serial numbers 41-15241, 42-59124, 42-40992 and 42-59189. Weapon serial numbers not noted in Missing Air Crew Report 12420 (MACR 12420).

Mission History
On September 11, 1943 took off from Attu Airfield on Attu Island for a bombing mission against Paramushiru Island. Weather was ceiling and visibility unlimited (CAVU). During the bomber's last radio contact, their position was noted as roughly 100 miles off Shimushu Island headed westward. This B-24 crash landed on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Soviet Union (Russia). The entire crew survived the landing.

Fates of the Crew
The entire crew was interned by Soviet forces and later returned to duty.

References
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24A-CO Liberator 40-2355
"RAF as AM916. Sold Aug 19, 1946. Salvaged Baledo Bridge, 1952" [sic, this information is incorrect]
Missing Air Crew Report 12420 (MACR 12420) was created retroactively circa 1945-1946
List of Americans, British, and French military personnel detained by organs of the Ministry of State Security [B-24D No 02355 Wagner, Wendwer (sic), Black, Daniels, Morks (sic), Kearns (sic), Corbitt (sic), Carter, Vasquez (sic), Sogristed (sic), Fulley (sic), Evrett (sic), Wade (sic)]
The Last Flight of Bomber 31 page 2??

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Last Updated
March 22, 2023

 

Tech Information
B-24
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