Supports 1 fact
Missing Air Crew Report 335
Military Record · United States Army Air Forces · 1943 · Missing Air Crew Reports
Sortie2BDMissing in Action
“Jersey Bounce”.Over Ploesti, Romania.
Mission 115 · 01 August 1943
Serial
42-40609
B-24D
Fuselage Code
AG
Squadron
330th
Ted's Traveling Circus
Aboard
6
men
The crew.
§ 6 aboard
Name
Position
Serial
Hometown
On this flight
CaptHugh B. Soper
Pilot
Station 1
—
Reno
Returned
→
T/SgtWalter A. Sublecki
Engineer / Top Turret
Station 5
—
Chicago
Returned
→
S/SgtWilliam A. De Freese
Waist Gunner
Station 8
—
Anniston
Returned
→
SgtJohn T. Dee
Waist Gunner
Station 8
13037150
—
Returned
→
S/SgtMerle P. Lansing
Waist Gunner
Station 8
—
—
Returned
→
S/SgtFrank Young
Waist Gunner
Station 8
18068258
—
Returned
→
In their own words.
§ 6 entries
Hugh B. SoperPilot
Captain Hugh B. Soper served as pilot of B-24D 42-40609 on the August 1, 1943 Ploesti mission with the 93rd Bomb Group, 330th Bomb Squadron. His aircraft was reported missing after the mission. Next of kin listed was Mrs. Abbie S. Soper (wife), 344 Hill Street, Reno, Nevada.
Walter A. SubleckiEngineer / Top Turret
Technical Sergeant Walter A. Sublecki was a crew member aboard B-24D 42-40609 on the August 1, 1943 Ploesti mission. His surname appears as Smith, McIver, and Sublecki across the three OCR versions of the next-of-kin page; Sublecki is supported by the father's name (Alexander Sublecki) listed on one page. Next of kin listed was Mr. Alexander Sublecki (father), 2005 East 18th Street, Chicago, Illinois.
William A. De FreeseWaist Gunner
Staff Sergeant William A. De Freese was a gunner aboard B-24D 42-40609 on the August 1, 1943 Ploesti mission. His name is consistently spelled across all three OCR versions of the next-of-kin page. Next of kin listed was Mr. Robert C. De Freese (brother), 400-700 Hunter Street (address varies slightly across pages), Anniston, Alabama.
John T. DeeWaist Gunner
Sergeant John T. Dee was a gunner aboard B-24D 42-40609 on the August 1, 1943 Ploesti mission. His name appears consistently across all OCR versions of the next-of-kin page. Next of kin listed was Mr. William Dee (father), 1212 Meadow Avenue (address varies slightly), Charleroi, Pennsylvania.
Merle P. LansingWaist Gunner
Staff Sergeant Merle P. Lansing was a gunner aboard B-24D 42-40609 on the August 1, 1943 Ploesti mission. His surname appears as Lansing, Lemoine, and Lapsine across the OCR pages; Lansing appears on the clearest version. Next of kin listed was Mrs. Leman A. Lansing (mother), Kernersville, Louisiana.
Frank YoungWaist Gunner
Staff Sergeant Frank Young was a gunner aboard B-24D 42-40609 on the August 1, 1943 Ploesti mission. His name appears consistently across all OCR versions. Next of kin listed included Mrs. Blanch Lansing (sister), General Delivery, Ocala, Texas (possibly Ocala, Florida), and Mr. Rayford Young (son), West Pine Street, Portales, New Mexico.
The flight.
§ Ship’s Record
The Day
Took off fromBenghazi (Benina Main)
The Record
ResultMissing in Action
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Formation
Flew with330th Squadron
Fuel & Equipment
H2X scope photoNo
The target.
§ As Briefed
Ploesti, Romania
As the log wrote itPloesti, Romania
Notes.
§ From the Record
B-24D serial 42-40609 departed Site #7, Benghazi on August 1, 1943 as part of the low-level attack on the Ploesti oil refineries in Romania. The aircraft carried a crew of ten to twelve men and was one of 33 aircraft from the 93rd Bomb Group participating in the mission. On interrogation after the mission, returned crews stated the aircraft was last seen as the formation left the target area. One engine was smoking but the aircraft appeared to be under control, with the pilot seemingly searching for a place to land. A separate eyewitness account noted that this aircraft and another were seen entering cloud cover over Yugoslavia on the return route in close formation. Two aircraft were subsequently observed falling, apparently after a mid-air collision, and were later seen burning on the ground. Three descending parachutes were observed at approximately the same location. The MACR was filed on 12 August 1943 by Capt. J. S. Davis. Major Ramsey D. Potts Jr. (O-451039) was identified as having last sighted the aircraft. No search was conducted.
Read the records.
1 document
Original documents behind what this page says about this sortie — reports, records, and histories the archive holds and is free to reproduce. Check the sources for yourself.
Sources.
§ Provenance
United States Army Air Forces · National Archives and Records Administration · 1943
Official record