one less name on the MIA rolls from WW2, one of 80 men buried as unknown, after Operation Tidal Wave, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti Romania.

World War II veteran from Roby has been identified 80 years after he was killed in action, a tech sgt  aboard a B-24 that was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire in Romania August 1, 1943, assigned to the 328th Bombardment Squadron, 93rd Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania.

The B-24D Liberator bomber, 42-40612, named, Euroclydon The Storm, (Euroclydon is a cyclonic tempestuous northeast wind which blows in the Mediterranean) and most of it's crew, was lost on Operation Tidal Wave, the large bombing mission to Ploesti, Romania. The aircraft took a direct flak hit approaching it's target, igniting its two long range fuselage bomb bay tanks. The pilot, Lt. Enoch Porter, was observed attempting to climb to 300 feet to give his crew enough altitude to bail out . But, with the aircraft, now completely engulfed in fire, broke apart in mid air and crashed in flames on a school at Plopu, Romania.

Army Air Forces Tech Sgt. Frank C. Ferrel, 31, was officially accounted for January 10, 2023 after his remains were identified through DNA analysis. 

His remains were buried in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania alongside more than 80 other unidentified veterans.

Sgt. Ferrel will be buried in Sylvester, Texas, at a yet-to-be-determined date.

In 2017, DPAA began exhuming unknowns believed to be associated with unaccounted-for airmen from Operation TIDAL WAVE losses. These remains were sent to the DPAA Laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for examination and identification.

To identify Ferrel’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis.. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

https://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/military/roby-wwii-veteran-identified-80-years-after-being-killed-in-action/

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/media/media-55931jpeg

By all accounts, Euroclydon the Storm was the 1st Liberator shot down over the target area on that August day.

 Only three men would survive the plane’s crash—two of whom were Staff Sgts. Jack Reed and James Vest, who would become two of the 75 men from Tidal Wave who would become P.O.W.s

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