Tragedy of the 'Lady Be Good'

4th April 1943: The first and last operation for nine USAAF airmen flying a B-24 based in Libya

USAAF Ordinancemen with the 514th Bomb Squadron preparing bombs at Soluch Airfield, Benghazi, Libya, mid-1943. B-24D Liberator “Wash’s Tub” in the background was one of the bombers on the Ploesti Raid of Aug 1 1943.

B-24 Liberator bomber on a bomb run later in the war.

The diary of Lt Toner, when found over sixteen years later, told a sad tale.

Sunday, Apr.4 1943

Naples - 25 planes - things pretty well mixed up - got lost returning, out of gas, jumped, landed in desert at 2.00 in morning, no one badly hurt, cant find John, all others present.