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| Captain Robert Mooney was a B-24 pilot during the ill-fated mission to bomb the Ploesti oil refineries. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48830995/robert-carleton-mooney/photo#view-photo=28188668 https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/black-sunday-ploesti-raid.html |
He was born on October 14, 1919 in Nebraska. His parents Will and Ora were born in Nebraska and Iowa, respectively. His father worked as a contractor engineers salesman and later as a steel company salesman. Still later he worked as a master mechanic. Robert had one older brother. By 1940 Robert had completed two years of college. He was living in Detroit, Michigan and worked as an oil field supply clerk.
He volunteered for the Army Air Forces in September 1941. We was trained to be a bomber pilot and reached the rank of captain in the 567th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bombardment Group, which was equipped with B-24 Liberators. When he earned his flight wings in August 1942, Mooney had hoped that his father would have been there to pin them on him. It just so happened that the radio and movie comedian Red Skelton was in Victorville, California that day and stood in to pin the wings on Mooney. After the ceremony, Mooney removed the wings and gave them to Skelton as a keepsake.
The 389th BG was sent to England in June 1943. Shortly thereafter many of the planes in the 389th BG were sent to Libya. It flew missions over Crete, Sicily, Italy, Austria, and Romania.
On August 1, 1943, Captain Mooney was the pilot of B-24 42-40544 Hitler's Hearse. He was part of the ill conceived and disastrous Operation Tidal Wave, the mission to destroy the key oil refineries around Ploesti, Romania. There were 178 planes sent out from their base in Libya. The mission came in low, hoping to avoid radar and maintained radio silence to keep their position unknown for as long as possible. The bombers lost formation during the hours it took to get to the targets.
After Berlin, Vienna, and the Ruhr, Ploesti had the greatest anti-aircraft defense in the Third Reich. Coming in at treetop level, the bombs dropped by the 389th BG heavily damaged the refinery it was assigned, which would not reopen for the duration of the war. Four of its planes were lost over the target.
During the bomb run, Hitler's Hearse was badly damaged and Captain Mooney was killed. The crew was not able to close the bomb bay doors, making the plane harder to fly. They threw everything they could out to lighten the load. They determined the bomber would never make it back to base, so they flew into Turkey and made a safe landing. Because Turkey was neutral, the crew was interned. Fifty-three planes failed to return from the mission, including eight, like Hitler's Hearse, which landed in Turkey.
Captain Mooney was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, one of 56 awarded for this mission along with five Medals of Honor. Here is his citation.
During a long and hazardous attack against a vital enemy oil installation made at low-altitude by a formation of B-24 type aircraft, Captain Mooney flew through heavy enemy fire against impossible odds. He died while still skillfully and determinedly flying into the face of the enemy.
The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Captain Mooney on this occasion, at the cost of his life, exemplified the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 9th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.
Thank you Captain Mooney for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Robert.
EDWARD FEIGHTNER
Another flyer was born on the exact date as Robert Mooney -- Edward Feightner. Feightner would go on to a more storied career. He was born in Ohio and learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program and got his pilot license in 1940. He graduated from Finlay College in 1941.
After graduating from college, Feightner first tried to join the Army Air Forces, but they had an eight month backlog of volunteers because of lack of planes, so Feightner joined the Navy in June 1941, who could use him right away.
Feightner became an F4F Wildcat pilot assigned to the USS Enterprise. He became an ace with 9 victories and 4 other probables. Among his awards were four Distinguished Flying Crosses.
After the war he became a test pilot and flew with the Blue Angels. He retired in 1974 with the rank of rear admiral. As of this writing Edward Feightner is still living.
Happy Birthday Edward!
Last year on this date I profiled B-17 waist gunner Edward Herlihy. You can read about Edward here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
In January 1944, Red Skelton met Robert Mooney's father Will at a Houston airport and presented him with Robert's wings. Will went on to become state president of the American War Dads organization and Robert's mother Ora served as national president of American Gold Star Mothers.
Robert's grave is at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas.
EDWARD FEIGHTNER
Another flyer was born on the exact date as Robert Mooney -- Edward Feightner. Feightner would go on to a more storied career. He was born in Ohio and learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program and got his pilot license in 1940. He graduated from Finlay College in 1941.
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| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_L._Feightner#/media/File:Edward_Feightner_Nine_Victories_1944.jpg |
Feightner became an F4F Wildcat pilot assigned to the USS Enterprise. He became an ace with 9 victories and 4 other probables. Among his awards were four Distinguished Flying Crosses.
After the war he became a test pilot and flew with the Blue Angels. He retired in 1974 with the rank of rear admiral. As of this writing Edward Feightner is still living.
Happy Birthday Edward!
Last year on this date I profiled B-17 waist gunner Edward Herlihy. You can read about Edward here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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