"Undoubtly (sic) Shoot Luke will continue to make news but that constituted the story to date of a proud globe buster-- a tribute to the skill of the men who built it.....a doff of the hat to the guys who flew in it....and a deep-down thrill to the landborne boys who have watched it go out again and again and return each time."
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Excerpt from an article written on September 15th, 1943 recapping the history of the bomber Shoot Luke.
It would fly its final mission 33 days later. |
History of Shoot Luke
The B-24 Liberator was a heavy bomber was designed by Consolidated Aircraft Company. Though the aircraft many not not have gained the notoriety of the B-17 Flying Fortress, it could fly farther and with a bigger payload than the Boeing. Often called the "Flying Boxcar" the B-24 saw action in both the European and Pacific theaters.
The war time story of B-24 Serial Number 41-23729 begins on August 17th, 1942. This was the day it was assigned to the ten man crew that would first fly it into combat. Led by pilot, Lieutenant John H. Murphy, the crew's first task was to come up with a name. To pass the many idle hours of a soldier waiting to head overseas, a popular distraction was "rolling the dice". According to Lt. Murphy, the popular phrase around the barracks was "Shoot Luke, you're faded", and the name stuck...Shoot Luke it was. On September 9th, 1942, the crew of ten along with "Luke", would lead 17 other Libs of the 93rd Bomb Group over the Atlantic to their new home in England. Their first combat mission would take place on October 9th, 1942 to Lille, France. The original crew of "Shoot Luke" would complete 25 missions over targets in France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Tunisia, Sicily, Tripolitania, and Germany. The crew would get to go home after 25 missions (this number extended later in the war), but "Shoot Luke" would fight on with different crews. Under the command of Lt. Black, Shoot Luke would take part in Operation Tidal Wave, however an engine quit while en route to the target, and Luke was forced to turn back. When Robert and his crew took off from Hardwick on 18 October 1943, "Shoot Luke" had already completed over 40 missions. |
Shoot Luke at an airbase in England
B-24 waist gunners in action. Crew and aircraft unknown.
Click for a virtual tour of the cockpit of the B-24
Photo Gallery of Shoot Luke |