The Man Behind the Name
Vance Taylor served as top turret gunner (engineer) on the 1 August 1943 Ploesti mission with the 93rd Bomb Group, 330th Bomb Squadron.
Taylor was on the flight deck at the time of the crash and was not seen alive afterward. Co-pilot Bassett's questionnaire notation indicates Taylor was 'behind dead' and 'was on flight died at time of crash,' listing him among those believed killed. Lt. Beaumont's separate report likewise placed Taylor among those believed dead.
Romanian witnesses confirmed to the survivors that the remaining crew members were dead. Taylor was reported killed in action.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.