Table of Contents INTRODUCTION THE CREW AND THEIR PLANE SOME HIGHLIGHTS IN THE COMBAT CAREER OF BIG NOISE FROM KENTUCKY SUMMARY OF MISSIONS FLOWN BY BIG NOISE

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  "Stop, Look, Listen -- Listen to the Big Noise" -- Bob Crosby

INTRODUCTION

During World War II, more B-24 Liberator heavy bombers were produced by American industry than any other single type of combat aircraft. More than 18,000 B-24s were produced between 1940 and 1945. The B-24, in various models, saw duty in every theater of the war.

On this web site, you can find the highlights of the wartime saga of one of those B-24s --
                                    the one they called "Big Noise From Kentucky."

In late 1943, the Fifteenth Air Force was formed for the purpose of placing a strategic bombing force in southern Italy that could reach targets in central and eastern Europe beyond the range of the 8th Air Force operating from England. In January 1944, the 449th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was assigned to the Fifteenth Air Force. The 449th Bomb Group operated from a field at Grottaglie, Italy. The 449th brought 61 new B-24H Liberators to Grottaglie in December 1943 and January 1944. Upon arrival, the 449th Bomb Group immediately went into action. Between January 1944 and April 1945, the 449th Bomb Group flew 254 combat missions against Axis targets.

THE CREW AND THEIR PLANE

One of the B-24H Liberators (Serial #42-52149) of the 449th Bomb Group was delivered on 5 November 1943 and assigned to the crew of 2nd Lt. Fletcher S. Porter of the 718th Squadron.

Porter's crew consisted of ten men:

At the time they received their new B-24, Porter's crew, together with the rest of the 449th, was in the final phase of training at an airfield near Bruning, Nebraska. Lt. Porter -- in honor of his hometown of Georgetown, Kentucky -- coined a name for the new ship: Big Noise From Kentucky. The name was derived from a popular big-band tune of the day, "Big Noise From Winetka." The large, flat nose of the B-24 was ideally suited for artwork. The nose-art of Big Noise was unique.

Upon completion of their training at Bruning in December 1943, Porter's crew joined the rest of the 449th in the movement overseas. The 61 B-24s of the 449th were flown overseas to southern Italy by their crews via the southern route. This route took the 449th from Bruning, Nebraska, to West Palm Beach, Florida, and thence to Puerto Rico and Brazil. The Atlantic crossing was made from Brazil to Dakar, Africa. From Dakar, the pilots flew north to Morroco, thence east to Tunsia, and finally northeast to Grottaglie, Italy. Porter's crew arrived in Grottaglie aboard Big Noise From Kentucky on 8 January 1944.

Big Noise flew its first of 26 combat missions on 13 January 1944. Each 449th aircraft was assigned a two-digit combat number which was used to identify individual aircraft for purposes of general record keeping. The two-digit combat number was painted on the tail of the aircraft. The combat number was used for designating aircraft position within the planned combat formation on any given day. Big Noise was assigned the combat number 26. When an aircraft was lost the replacement aircraft was assigned the combat number of the plane which it replaced.


SOME HIGHLIGHTS IN THE COMBAT CAREER OF BIG NOISE FROM KENTUCKY.

8 January 1944
Big Noise arrived at Grottagle on 8 January 1944. Sgt. Charles Shepherd, tail gunner on Big Noise, noted in his diary the poor conditions at Grottaglie Field. "This place has been bombed to pieces. There are four of us sleeping in the plane tonight because there are no more beds." Conditions at Grottaglie were indeed grim. "There are no lights, no latrines, poor food, no beds, bombed out buildings, no heat, no nothing. So this is War!"[449th BG War Diary]

13 January 1944
The first mission flown by Big Noise was against the German airdrome at Perugia, Italy. Big Noise landed back at Grottaglie at 1355 hours after having dropped its twenty bombs on the target area at 1208 hours from an altitude of  20,100 feet. The crew reported "grayish smoke from fairly large fires on [the] target." For the first time the ground crew stenciled the profile of a single bomb on the nose of the big bomber.  In the months ahead, the string of bombs painted on the nose of Big Noise would lengthen as the mission count accumulated. (Photo: Big Noise on the field at Grottaglie.)

20 January 1944
"Went on a mission up in northern Italy today. Missed our target. Ran into heavy flak. Two engines were shot out. Made a forced landing just after we got back over the battleline. " [Charles Shepherd, Tail Gunner, Big Noise]. As the formation "broke away to the left and passed north of Guidonia," Big Noise fell victim to the "heavy, intense and very accurate flak." The resulting damage consisted of "numerous flak holes. Fuel drain line shot away in bomb bay. Turbo cables shot away on [number-3 engine.] Possible oil line damage. Oil line shot away on [number-2 engine.] Intercooler, cowling, braces, etc. [were] shot up. Hole in nose turret." Captain Nosker (pilot) and Lt. Turner (copilot) put the big aircraft into a shallow descent as they dropped out of formation with the number-2 and number-3 engines feathered. The number-1 and number-4 engines strained as the pilots demanded more power. Big Noise was on the very verge of going down.  It was questionable whether the pilots could keep the ship airborne long enough to reach friendly territory. Captain Nosker and Lt. Turner -- knowing they would never make it back to Grottaglie -- made the decision to head east for Foggia field. As Big Noise dropped out of the formation, a second B-24 -- ship #19 manned by Petz's crew -- also dropped out of formation and "followed Captain Nosker's ship as it turned off course to go to Foggia." This action on the part of Petz most probably saved Big Noise in the ensuing events. The two aircraft, flying at reduced altitude and speed, were soon left behind by the departing 449th formation. As the two B-24s crossed over the battleline, this bad situation suddenly got worse. "Approximately 5 miles west of Foggia" four German FW-190s were sighted on a reciprocal course. The FW-190s "turned on course" with the two B-24s and proceeded to attack Big Noise "from the rear abreast at 5 o'clock breaking out at 6 o'clock." As the FW-190s closed on Big Noise, the waist gunner "fired three bursts -- 15 to 25 per burst" and the tail gunner "fired a couple of bursts." The fighters did not press their attack, and did not return for a follow-on attack. A few minutes later, at 1402 hours, Captain Nosker and Lt. Turner landed Big Noise at Foggia with the number-2 and number-3 engines feathered. It was a great piece of flying to get the big bomber to Foggia, and to bring it in safely on only two engines. On the daily operational log, the notation beside ship #26 read simply: "Down at Foggia. All crew safe. Plane being sent for crew." This had been a close brush with disaster. Without the superb job of flying by Nosker and Turner, the crew would almost certainly have been force to abandon ship over enemy territory. It was one of those instances where flying skill and courage prevailed. Petz's decision to accompany Big Noise when it dropped out of formation was also instrumental in the ensuing events. Without the presence of ship #19, the four FW-190s would almost certainly have pressed their attack against Big Noise. Captain Nosker and his crew returned to Grottaglie later in the day aboard another of the Group's aircraft. Big Noise remained at Foggia field awaiting repairs. It would be a week before her two damaged engines could be changed -out and the other damage repaired. By the 27th, Big Noise was back on the field at Grottaglie ready for more missions. [Photo: The Cockpit of Big Noise]

30 January 1944
The target for the 449th was the German airdrome at Udine, Italy. For the first time, the 449th meets a serious fighter threat. On this day Big Noise is being flown for the first time by Harper's crew. Lt. Fletcher Porter is assigned to fly copilot for Lt. Ben Kendall aboard ship #18. Four 718th Squadron aircraft make up the low box in the first section of the 449th formation. Ship #30 (Wheeler's crew) leads this box. Big Noise occupies the number-2 position with ship #18 (Kendall's crew) in the number-3 position. Chandler's crew in ship #23 occupies the number-4 position. Of these four, only one, Big Noise From Kentucky, would be fortunate enough to return to Grottaglie at the end of the day. Immediately after bombs were away, some 20 to 50 enemy fighters furiously attacked the 449th formation. The attacks were concentrated on the low flight of the first section -- the unit led by Wheeler (ship #30) -- which was "apparently left uncovered from above when the second section in making the turn for the IP swung wide over the first section while there was straggling in the low flight itself." Within minutes after the beginning of the attack, three ships in Wheeler's unit (ships #18, #23, and #30) were mortally damaged by the German fighters. Ship #30 was "seen to explode and go into a spin" when "it was rammed by an ME-109, one of the B-24s engines being afire at the time of the collision." Ship #23 was seen to "spiral to earth and crash." Ship #18 was "reported to go down just south of the target." Aboard ship #18, both pilots (Kendall and Porter) died in the ensuing crash. In the wild melee, 449th gunners destroyed at least six ME-109s. Four of the ME-109s were credited to Harper's crew aboard Big Noise From Kentucky -- the sole surviving ship of the low squadron of the first section. The 718th Squadron historian lamented the losses:"And thus disappeared from our midst Lt. Kendall and his crew plus Lt. Porter, pilot of a crew not flying that day, Lt. Wheeler and his crew, and Lt. Chandler and his crew."

2 April 1944
"For several weeks now the aircraft components factory at Steyr, Austria, has been much in our minds. It has been briefed and canceled; briefed and canceled. ... Today we took a resounding crack at this target." Between 0705 and 0754 hours, thirty-nine 449th B-24s roared off the runway at Grottaglie, formed-up, and headed for rendezvous with the other elements of the Wing. The 449th took the lead as the 47th Wing formation headed up the Adriatic. At high noon -- as the lead units of the 449th approached the IP -- sixty to seventy enemy fighters attacked the 449th formation. "These attacks commenced about 20 minutes before the target, continued to and over the target, and about 20 minutes after leaving the target." The enemy fighters continued to aggressively press home the attack with rockets, cannons, and aerial bombs. Aboard Big Noise From Kentucky gunners poured .50-caliber shells toward two very aggressive ME-109s attacking from the six o'clock position, and closing to less than 200 yards in pressing home the attack. An explosive 20-mm shell penetrated the tail turret and exploded just above the left gun, blowing the plexiglass off the top and sides of the turret and severely wounding S/Sgt. Harold Tombre in the right forearm and head. Despite the wounds, S/Sgt. Tombre continued to use his remaining gun to fend off the attacking ME-109s, and succeeded in scoring direct hits on one of the enemy fighters which was seen to "peel off and down" with "flames throughout the engine and cockpit." From the top turret position, T/Sgt. Van Keuren -- one of the original members of Porter's crew -- also scored direct hits on this same ME-109 as it broke away to the right. Parts of the "fin and wings flew off," and the ME-109 was seen to "fall off in a spin with flames and smoke coming from the cockpit and wings." The accompanying ME-109 broke off to the right side where it came under the gun of the right-waist gunner, S/Sgt. Robert Williams. The second ME-109 was seen to "burst into flames" and to burn with "brilliant red and dark smoke coming from the engine." Twenty minutes after the target, the enemy fighters broke off the attack on the 449th and began concentrating their efforts on the trailing formations still in the target area. By 1500 hours, the thirty-four returning aircraft were on the ground at Grottaglie. It had been a costly mission. Three 449th aircraft had been lost over the target. However, twelve enemy fighters had been downed by 449th gunners. When the days tally for enemy aircraft destroyed was finalized, two were credited to the gunners of Big Noise From Kentucky. The damage to the tail section of Big Noise would put the aircraft out of action for the next two weeks as repairs were made. When Big Noise returned to action, a total of six swastikas would adorn the nose -- the highest count of a single aircraft in the 449th at that time. (Photo: Big Noise undergoing repair to tail damage.)

5 May 1944
"The plane I came over in went down over Yugoslavia today. The name -- Big Noise From Kentucky." [C. A. Shepherd, tail-gunner, Porter's crew.] "Today we went on a big one. The boys knew it was a 'double credit' from the moment they walked into the briefing room for there was that long string leading straight to Ploesti." [449th BG War Diary]  In total, the 15th Air Force would send 485 heavy bombers to Ploesti on this day -- 19 would not return. Five of the losses would be from the 449th. Shortly after 1000 hours, Lt. Paul Harper coaxed Big Noise From Kentucky into the air for what would prove to be the last time. Big Noise moved into the number-4 position of the lead unit of the 449th formation. Approaching the Ploesti area, Group bombardiers found targeting difficult due to a dense smoke screen which effectively obscured the target. At 1400 hours, amidst "intense, accurate, heavy flak" the 449th aircraft released 76 tons of 500-pound bombs which disappeared into the dense smoke over the target. As the big bombers emerged from the flak over the target, some 25 to 30 enemy fighters attacked the 449th formation. The aggressive, frontal attacks wreaked havoc on the B-24s as the German fighters flashed through the formation. Four 449th aircraft -- ships #41, #52, #13, and #43 -- fell victim to the enemy fighters. In the short period of 12 minutes, the German fighters had knocked four B-24s out of the 449th formation. When the fighters broke off the attacks, the remaining 449th aircraft closed up the ragged formation, and, with a feeling that the worst was behind them, began the long flight home. An hour later -- as the formation passed directly over Bor, Yugoslavia, at an altitude of only 9,000 feet -- flak once again appeared in the sky around the lead section. Time had finally run out for Big Noise From Kentucky. What the flak over Guidonia and the fighters over Steyr had failed to accomplish, this single flak barrage achieved with startling efficiency. Both the number-3 and number-4 engines were knocked out. Although still controllable and flyable, it was only a matter of minutes until the big plane would come to earth. From the tail-gun position aboard ship #54, S/Sgt. John Hatch of Widness' crew, watched as Big Noise dropped behind the formation with the number-4 engine smoking badly. Lt. Paul Harper-- realizing that his plane was mortally damaged -- gave the order to bail out. At 1508 hours, only minutes after Big Noise was hit, two chutes were observed by Widness' crew from their vantage point aboard ship #54. A few moments later, six more chutes were seen. S/Sgt. Hatch counted the chutes as Big Noise "went into a spiral glide downward and crashed with a blinding flash." The position was noted as 4350N - 2113E. Although only eight chutes were observed, all ten members of Harper's crew managed to bail out of the stricken aircraft. Lt. Harper and eight of his crew would subsequently make contact with the Yugoslavian underground known as Chetniks, and then begin a trek across Yugoslavia which would last for the next three months. In August, Lt. Harper and these eight crew members would finally arrive back at Grottaglie. The tenth crew member -- Lt. Sermeraheim, the copilot -- broke his ankle on landing, and was subsequently captured. He would finish the war as a POW.
Thus ended the combat career of  Big Noise From Kentucky.

17 May 1944

Ship #17 -- Veni, Vidi, Vici with Silver's crew aboard -- goes down over Orbetello, Italy, after being hit by flak. Seven crew members including both pilots die in the ensuing crash. The copilot is Lt. Thomas N. Turner of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Lt. Turner was the original copilot of Porter's crew and Big Noise From Kentucky. (Above) "Veni Vidi Vici" going down over Orbetllo, Italy. The ship suffered a direct hit by flak on the number-2 engine that knocked the engine from the wing. Moments after this picture was taken the left wing collapsed.

Silver’s Crew, 718th Squadron, Grottaglie, Italy -- 1944 Back Row (L to R): Henry (Hank) Silvers, Pilot; William D. (Bill) Johnson, Navigator; Thomas (Stu) Turner, CoPilot; Charles A (Charlie) Foskett, Bombardier. Middle Row (L to R): Gene (NMI) Stedman, AR; George W. Fry, Gunner; Lewis J. Warner, AE Front Row(L to R): Stephen H. (Steve) Morrison, Gunner; Mayo E. Eavenson, Engineer; Herbert J. McBay, Radio Operator. This picture was taken in the Spring of 1944 -- sometime between April 1 and May 16. After bailing out of Veni, Vidi, Vici, Bill Johnson, Steve Morrison, Herb McBay and Charlie Foskett were machine-gunned on the ground by Afrika Corps troops. Charlie Foskett was the only survivor. Later that day he was joined by Gene Stedman and George Fry and transported to Stalag Luft 3. All crew members had completed over 40 missions each. Photo and information from: Charlie Foskett

25 May 1944
Racy Tomato! the replacement aircraft for Big Noise makes its first mission with Isaac's crew aboard.

(Right) M/Sgt Francis Weaver is shown with Racy Tomato! M/Sgt Weaver was the original ground crew chief for Big Noise From Kentucky.

SUMMARY OF MISSIONS FLOWN BY BIG NOISE

The following table summarizes the combat missions flown by Big Noise From Kentucky.

Postscript

Of the six different pilots who flew Big Noise on combat missions, only two survived the war: Harper and Larson. Porter was KIA on 30 January 1944 while flying copilot with Kendall's crew. Nosker, who transferred to the 98th Bomb Group, was killed on 15 August 1944 when the B-24 he was flying crashed on take-off at Leece, Italy. Harper successfully evaded capture after bailing out of Big Noise on 5 May 1944. Silvers was killed on 17 May 1944 when Veni Vidi Vici was downed by flak over Orbetello, Italy. Larson transferred to the 8th Air Force in March 1944, and became a POW when his ship was downed by enemy action on 9 May 1944. Kirkland was killed when Wood's Chopper crashed four miles short of Grottaglie Field due to combat damage on 2 July 1944.

© 1998, 2004 by D. William Shepherd.

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Last modified: June 2004