Originally posted on the OH B-24D Liberator skin "Joisey Bounce" page:
"Fifty-two years had passed since fate placed Stewart, a gangly 25-year-old Army Air Corps pilot, at the controls of the lead plane, dubbed "Utah Man," in the famous low-level bombing raid on Romania's Ploesti oil refineries in World War II. (Continuum published a gripping account of the incident in the Summer 1993 issue.) After the American commander's aircraft was shot down, Stewart took the lead, piloting "Utah Man" into the face of the Germans' bristling defenses.
"Utah Man" bored through the vicious antiaircraft fire and dropped the first bombs of the raid. Then Stewart nursed his four-engine B-24, bullet-riddled and perilously low on fuel, back across Yugoslavia and over the Mediterranean to its home base in Libya, landing safely after 1,200 miles and 14 hours in the air."
Lt. Walter Stewart was the wingman for "Hell's Wench", a B-24 piloted by Lt. Col. Addison Baker and co-pilot Maj. John Jerstad. On the run into the target:
"Although Hell's Wench was in flames and had been seriously damaged by German anti-aircraft guns, Baker maintained formation and bombed his target. Subsequently, Baker broke formation to avoid a mid-air collision with bombers from the lead group, now arriving in the target area from the opposite direction. He attempted to gain altitude so that his crew could escape by parachute, but despite his efforts, Hell's Wench crashed and exploded, killing Baker and the other nine airmen aboard."
Lt. Stewart then assumed lead for the remainder of the 93rd BG with him on approach to other targets and egress. Baker and Jerstad were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Stewart was awarded the DSC.
If you ever have the opportunity to watch "The Saga of Utah Man", which was a PBS documentary, DO IT. If you can purchase a copy of the DVD, DO IT. You won't be disappointed.
Found this on Brigham Young University TV:
http://byutv.org/watch/cec68289-586b...2-bbbf09eb5d80
Enjoy !!
"Fifty-two years had passed since fate placed Stewart, a gangly 25-year-old Army Air Corps pilot, at the controls of the lead plane, dubbed "Utah Man," in the famous low-level bombing raid on Romania's Ploesti oil refineries in World War II. (Continuum published a gripping account of the incident in the Summer 1993 issue.) After the American commander's aircraft was shot down, Stewart took the lead, piloting "Utah Man" into the face of the Germans' bristling defenses.
"Utah Man" bored through the vicious antiaircraft fire and dropped the first bombs of the raid. Then Stewart nursed his four-engine B-24, bullet-riddled and perilously low on fuel, back across Yugoslavia and over the Mediterranean to its home base in Libya, landing safely after 1,200 miles and 14 hours in the air."
Lt. Walter Stewart was the wingman for "Hell's Wench", a B-24 piloted by Lt. Col. Addison Baker and co-pilot Maj. John Jerstad. On the run into the target:
"Although Hell's Wench was in flames and had been seriously damaged by German anti-aircraft guns, Baker maintained formation and bombed his target. Subsequently, Baker broke formation to avoid a mid-air collision with bombers from the lead group, now arriving in the target area from the opposite direction. He attempted to gain altitude so that his crew could escape by parachute, but despite his efforts, Hell's Wench crashed and exploded, killing Baker and the other nine airmen aboard."
Lt. Stewart then assumed lead for the remainder of the 93rd BG with him on approach to other targets and egress. Baker and Jerstad were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Stewart was awarded the DSC.
If you ever have the opportunity to watch "The Saga of Utah Man", which was a PBS documentary, DO IT. If you can purchase a copy of the DVD, DO IT. You won't be disappointed.
Found this on Brigham Young University TV:
http://byutv.org/watch/cec68289-586b...2-bbbf09eb5d80
Enjoy !!
