B-24 "Liberator"

The Consolidated Vultee-designed B-24 Liberator was the most widely used four-engine bomber of World War II, with more than 18,000 built for long-range bombing missions in all theaters of the war, and its range also made it useful for anti-submarine patrols. The first Liberators to enter combat were designated LB-30 and were used by the Royal Air Force of Great Britain, while the later B-24J became the most famous model of the series. B-24s were the main equipment of the 8th Air Force in the massive daylight bombing offensive of 1943-1945 and gained fame in the raid on the Ploesti oil industry in Romania on August 1, 1943. The 93rd Bombardment Group, one of three 8th Air Force bombardment groups involved along with the 389th and 44th, received one of two Distinguished Unit Citations for its exploits that day. The 93rd was the oldest B-24 group in the 8th Air Force, flew more missions than any bomb group, and was the most traveled group assigned to the 8th; its first mission was October 9, 1942, its last was April 25, 1945, and it flew a total of 396 missions. The 93rd also received the other Distinguished Unit Citation for a North African operation on December 17, 1942, and February 20, 1943. General George S. Brown flew B-24 Liberators as his first assignment after pilot training in 1942, took part as executive officer of the 329th Bombardment Squadron in the low-level bombing raid at Ploesti, took over the lead of the 93rd Group after the lead plane and 10 others were shot down, received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions, and later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force in 1973 and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from July 1974 until his retirement in June 1978.

Lackland AFB, Texas · United States