Suggested edit From FAG (48612389) | Oct. 4, 2022
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Davies, G.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. George E. Davies, 27, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 9, 2022.
In the summer of 1943, Davies was assigned to the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator bomber on which Davies was the assistant engineer was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
------------------------------
Gunner S/Sgt. George E. Davies DFC KIA
Hometown: –Portland, Ore.
Squadron: 345th BS 98th Bomb Group
Service # 39313315
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
Pilot 1st/Lt. John B. Thomas DFC KIA
Target: Ploesti
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:
Date Lost: 1-Aug-43
Serial Number: 42-40312
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter: Y
Aircraft: AIRE LOBO
Location: Lost near the target, Ploesti.
Cause: 10 9KIA 1POW
S/Sgt. Davies lost his life in the Ploesti raid "Operation Tidal Wave" one of the most daring raids of WW2 August 1st 1943. Coming in at tree top level the Pyramider's destroy Romanian oil refineries. S/Sgt. Davies was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor and heroism.
Briefed to fly in the 4th wave attacking White IV. Thomas was hit by flack before the target and again on the cockpit area after bombing. Gunners believed wounded. AIRE LOBO came down in the target area striking the ground with the left wing before disintegrating. 9 crew members perished but only 4 bodies recovered.
Sgt. Carters body was never recovered.
Crew of the AIRE LOBO
1st/Lt. John B. Thomas Pilot
2nd/Lt. David M. Lewis Co Pilot MIA
2nd/Lt. Robert D. Nash Navigator
2nd/Lt. Robert D. Nash Navigator
1/Lt George McCandless Jr. Bombardier
T/Sgt. Elijah D. Johnson Flight Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Ernest E. Gough Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt.Richard G. Salsbury Gunner MIA
S/Sgt. William A. Kneisl Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. George E. Davies Gunner MIA
S/Sgt. Eldon L. Carter Tail Gunner KIA
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Davies, G.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. George E. Davies, 27, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 9, 2022.
In the summer of 1943, Davies was assigned to the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator bomber on which Davies was the assistant engineer was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
------------------------------
Gunner S/Sgt. George E. Davies DFC KIA
Hometown: –Portland, Ore.
Squadron: 345th BS 98th Bomb Group
Service # 39313315
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
Pilot 1st/Lt. John B. Thomas DFC KIA
Target: Ploesti
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:
Date Lost: 1-Aug-43
Serial Number: 42-40312
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter: Y
Aircraft: AIRE LOBO
Location: Lost near the target, Ploesti.
Cause: 10 9KIA 1POW
S/Sgt. Davies lost his life in the Ploesti raid "Operation Tidal Wave" one of the most daring raids of WW2 August 1st 1943. Coming in at tree top level the Pyramider's destroy Romanian oil refineries. S/Sgt. Davies was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor and heroism.
Briefed to fly in the 4th wave attacking White IV. Thomas was hit by flack before the target and again on the cockpit area after bombing. Gunners believed wounded. AIRE LOBO came down in the target area striking the ground with the left wing before disintegrating. 9 crew members perished but only 4 bodies recovered.
Sgt. Carters body was never recovered.
Crew of the AIRE LOBO
1st/Lt. John B. Thomas Pilot
2nd/Lt. David M. Lewis Co Pilot MIA
2nd/Lt. Robert D. Nash Navigator
2nd/Lt. Robert D. Nash Navigator
1/Lt George McCandless Jr. Bombardier
T/Sgt. Elijah D. Johnson Flight Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Ernest E. Gough Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt.Richard G. Salsbury Gunner MIA
S/Sgt. William A. Kneisl Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. George E. Davies Gunner MIA
S/Sgt. Eldon L. Carter Tail Gunner KIA
Suggested edit From FAG (48612389) | Oct. 4, 2022
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Davies, G.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. George E. Davies, 27, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 9, 2022.
In the summer of 1943, Davies was assigned to the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator bomber on which Davies was the assistant engineer was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
------------------------------
Gunner S/Sgt. George E. Davies DFC KIA
Hometown: –Portland, Ore.
Squadron: 345th BS 98th Bomb Group
Service # 39313315
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
Pilot 1st/Lt. John B. Thomas DFC KIA
Target: Ploesti
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:
Date Lost: 1-Aug-43
Serial Number: 42-40312
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter: Y
Aircraft: AIRE LOBO
Location: Lost near the target, Ploesti.
Cause: 10 9KIA 1POW
S/Sgt. Davies lost his life in the Ploesti raid "Operation Tidal Wave" one of the most daring raids of WW2 August 1st 1943. Coming in at tree top level the Pyramider's destroy Romanian oil refineries. S/Sgt. Davies was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor and heroism.
Briefed to fly in the 4th wave attacking White IV. Thomas was hit by flack before the target and again on the cockpit area after bombing. Gunners believed wounded. AIRE LOBO came down in the target area striking the ground with the left wing before disintegrating. 9 crew members perished but only 4 bodies recovered.
Sgt. Carters body was never recovered.
Crew of the AIRE LOBO
1st/Lt. John B. Thomas Pilot
2nd/Lt. David M. Lewis Co Pilot MIA
2nd/Lt. Robert D. Nash Navigator
2nd/Lt. Robert D. Nash Navigator
1/Lt George McCandless Jr. Bombardier
T/Sgt. Elijah D. Johnson Flight Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Ernest E. Gough Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt.Richard G. Salsbury Gunner MIA
S/Sgt. William A. Kneisl Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. George E. Davies Gunner MIA
S/Sgt. Eldon L. Carter Tail Gunner KIA
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Davies, G.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. George E. Davies, 27, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 9, 2022.
In the summer of 1943, Davies was assigned to the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator bomber on which Davies was the assistant engineer was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
------------------------------
Gunner S/Sgt. George E. Davies DFC KIA
Hometown: –Portland, Ore.
Squadron: 345th BS 98th Bomb Group
Service # 39313315
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
Pilot 1st/Lt. John B. Thomas DFC KIA
Target: Ploesti
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:
Date Lost: 1-Aug-43
Serial Number: 42-40312
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter: Y
Aircraft: AIRE LOBO
Location: Lost near the target, Ploesti.
Cause: 10 9KIA 1POW
S/Sgt. Davies lost his life in the Ploesti raid "Operation Tidal Wave" one of the most daring raids of WW2 August 1st 1943. Coming in at tree top level the Pyramider's destroy Romanian oil refineries. S/Sgt. Davies was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor and heroism.
Briefed to fly in the 4th wave attacking White IV. Thomas was hit by flack before the target and again on the cockpit area after bombing. Gunners believed wounded. AIRE LOBO came down in the target area striking the ground with the left wing before disintegrating. 9 crew members perished but only 4 bodies recovered.
Sgt. Carters body was never recovered.
Crew of the AIRE LOBO
1st/Lt. John B. Thomas Pilot
2nd/Lt. David M. Lewis Co Pilot MIA
2nd/Lt. Robert D. Nash Navigator
2nd/Lt. Robert D. Nash Navigator
1/Lt George McCandless Jr. Bombardier
T/Sgt. Elijah D. Johnson Flight Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Ernest E. Gough Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt.Richard G. Salsbury Gunner MIA
S/Sgt. William A. Kneisl Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. George E. Davies Gunner MIA
S/Sgt. Eldon L. Carter Tail Gunner KIA
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Oregon.
Other Records
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