Vulgar Virgin was one of the many that didn't came back after the Ploesti raid, August 1943.
"The Vulgar Virgin", likely photographed at Benina, Libya, 1943, was a Consolidated B-24D Liberator (B-24D-20-CO s/n 41-24198) of the USAAF’s 98th Bomb Group "Pyramiders", 344th Bomb Squadron. Until September 1943 the "Pyramiders" were under the 9th Air Force and after this date were under command of the 12th Air Force. Beginning on 1 November 1943 the “Pyramiders” came under newly-established 15th Air Force and moved to Southern Italy. But “The Vulgar Virgin” and its crew never viewed this events because was one of the aircraft lost in the low level raid to Ploesti on 1 August 1943. This day 47 Liberator took off from a raid against the Ploesti’s oil refineries in Rumania: only 21 returned safely. “The Vulgar Virgin”, flying as the lead aircraft in the "E" Section of the 98th's formation, took a direct hit in the nose section by flak over the target and burst into flames. The pilot pulled out of formation and ordered bail out. It is believed they were still too low for the chutes to open and only one man of the four who got out survived. This the crew’s fate: Capt. Wallace C. Taylor, Pilot (POW), F/O Paul W. Packer, CoPilot (KIA), 1st Lt. Jack K. Wood, Navigator (KIA), 1st Lt. Robert N. Austin, Bombardier (KIA), T/Sgt. Gerald E. Rabb, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner (KIA), T/Sgt. Alfred F. Turgeon, Radio Operator/Left Waist Gunner (KIA), S/Sgt. Ralph M. Robbins, Gunner/Asst. Eng. (KIA), S/Sgt. Louis Kaiser, Right Waist Gunner (KIA), S/Sgt. Donald H. Duchene, Tail Gunner (KIA), Sgt. Arthur B. Van Kleek, Tunnel Gunner (KIA). Victor Sierra
source : http://www.ww2incolor.com/us-air-force/B24-VULGAR-VIRGIN.html
Credits: gettyimages
