Memorial

More information

On 24 June 1944, our group was on a mission to bomb the target at Ploesti, Rumania. I was flying as waist gunner in ship #231 in the lead element of the second attack unit. Shortly after leaving the target our group was attacked by enemy fighters. Several passes were made on Captain Robinson´s aircraft and soon after five men bailed out. Then the ship went into a steep dive and exploded on the ground. The time was 0940 and the coordinates were 4450N-2630E.
Statement from Sgt Romeo R. Paoletti, ASN 31287175.
Crewmembers believed that Armand was hit when flak knocked out no. 3 and 4 engines. He said ´Oh my God´ when first flak hit the plane. It is believed that the flak wounded him. He was in the upper turret at the target time. Olney called to him to shut off the fuel to the engines but heard no answer, got up to look and found L´Heureux gone, there was blood beneath the upper turret, fuel was shut off, parachute gone. The bomb-bay doors were already opened, prior to Olney´s instruction to L´Heureux about fuel.
Armand L'Heureux got down to follow Olney´s order on fuel, saw Olney climbing out of the pilot´s seat and having no intercom on at the time he thought Olney was going to bail out and he went out first.