There were five bombers lost on the mission to bomb the oil refinery at Ludwigshafen, Germany on 7 January 1944.

From the 389th Bomb Group based at RAF-Hethel, England:

1. Caldwell’s Crew, B-24D-125-CO, #42-41013, ‘Trouble’

Captain David Lee Wilhite was in the Pilot seat, O-405475, from Kentucky
Major Kenneth Marion Caldwell is listed as the Co-Pilot, O-1699045, from Kansas - although he was the Command Pilot for the squadron and the Co-Pilot seat afforded a good viewing position to direct the squadron attack.
Attacked by enemy fighters on the return trip from the target.
Crashed near Bouville, France with the loss of nine crew members from the crew of ten.
Ball Turret Gunner, Sergeant Robert Houston Sweatt, 38124585, was the only survivor, he evaded capture for more than two months and returned to England on the night of 23 March.
A monument in the town of Bouville, France carries the names of the crew on the north wall of the local town church in the town center.

2. Smith’s Crew, B-24H, #42-7593, ‘Blunder Bus’

Second Lieutenant Royce E Smith was the Pilot, O-741944, from Oregon
Attacked by enemy fighters on the return trip from the target.
Crashed north of Orleans, France with the loss of one crew member from the crew of ten.
Six crew members evaded capture but while crossing the Pyrenees, a snow-slide killed one crew member and their guides, they made it to a French village, only to be captured and the remaining five became POWs.
Two crew members were captured and became POWs.
The final two crew members evaded capture and successfully crossed the Pyrenees to return to England.
A memorial plaque, memorializes the crew in Auffains, France.

3. Cooper’s Crew, B-24D-20-CF, #42-63977, ‘Los Angeles City Limits’

First Lieutenant Earl Thomas Cooper was the Pilot, O-667950, from California
Attacked by enemy fighters on the return trip from the target.
Crashed north-east of Orleans, near Trainou, France.
Six crew members perished in the crash from the crew of eleven.
One crew member was seriously burned on his hands and face, after his capture he was included in an exchange of sick and injured prisoners with German prisoners and returned home to Minnesota in October 1944, to have plastic surgery on his face.
Three other crew members evaded capture, two returned to England in February and one in March.
A memorial stone, along the hedgerow, east of of the town of Trainou, marks the nearby crash site, with the names of the crew.

4. Mattson’s Crew, B-24D, #42-40747, ‘Heavy Date’

First Lieutenant Carl Andrew Mattson was the Pilot, O-797156, from New Hampshire.
Attacked by enemy fighters on the return trip from the target.
Crashed north-east of Vrigny, France.
Six perished in the crash from the crew of ten.
One crew member was captured and became a POW.
Three crew members evaded capture and returned to England.
A memorial stone in the town of Vrigny, France bears the names of the fallen crew members.

From the 93rd Bomb Group based at RAF-Hardwick, England:

5. Walters’ Crew, B-24D, #42-40990, ‘On the Ball’

First Lieutenant Charles W Walters was the Pilot, O-797206, from Pennsylvania
Attacked by enemy fighters on the return trip from the target.
Crashed near Chartres, France
Three crew perished in the crash from the crew of only nine.
One crew member was captured and was a POW until he was liberated in June 1945
Five crew members evaded capture and eventually returned to England
A monument in the town of Unverre, France at the Church of Saint Martin bears the names of the fallen crew members.

James J McConnell