B-24 J-150-CO, Serial Nr : 44-40168, Marking 9H-R Nose Art “Tequila Daisy” 8th Air Force, 492nd Bomb Group, 857th Squadron, 11. Juli 1944 Dübendorf, Switzerland. In February 1941, nine months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Harold D. Stanhope joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. After basic training and Officer Candidate School he was promoted 2ed Lieutenant and assigned to flight training school. His leadership skills were quickly recognized and was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and assigned as an instructor for the new B-24 Liberator heavy bomber that was entering service for an Army Air Force that was in its early stages of rebuilding and a country rearming for an anticipated war in Europe. From 1941 to mid 1944 he was stationed for the greater part in Grand Island, Nebraska at an air field established away from prying eyes, and going through the natural progression of military life being promoted to Captain, taking leave time to marry his college sweet heart. As the war in Europe dragged on into its 4th year, the toll on pilots and air crews caused a tremendous shortage of experienced pilots, and he was transferred to the 8th Air Force, 2ed Bomb Division (Heavy) stationed in England. In his travel orders he went to Fort Worth, Texas and picked up his assigned airplane, 44-40168 manufactured by Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, California. He flew to Alamogordo, New Mexico met and trained with his combat air crew, to be known as Crew 710. As the training ended the crew made their way to Europe via the southern route that took them through Florida. During a scheduled layover in Orlando, the plane was given its distinctive nose art inspired by Alberto Vargas, who in later years would gain fame by his art work in Playboy Magazine. It was named the “Tequila Daisy” by Captain Stanhope, for his wife’s favorite mixed drink that is similar to the present day margarita. Leaving Florida and the United States behind the “Tequila Daisy” and her crew flew south to Brazil and then east across the Atlantic to the Cape Verdi Islands to refuel and then north to England via the Azores. On arrival at North Pickinham, England the “Tequila Daisy” was ferried to Northern Ireland where several upgrades were preformed on the airplane before it was placed into service. Among them was the additional armor around the pilot’s seats and the bombardier, and the 10 all too important .50 caliber Browning machineguns were installed. The “Tequila Daisy” was then returned to England and was assigned to the 492ed Bomb Group and the 857th Bomb Squadron. The 492ed Bomb Group was to receive the tag of “Hard Luck Group”, sustaining horrible losses during its short life span. The group was broken up and the air crews were scattered throughout the 8th Air Force. It was later reformed. In hindsight, Captain Stanhope said the aircraft assigned to the 492ed Bomb Group were the very first B-24’s in England that weren’t painted their distinctive olive green color by the factory. He felt that the Luftwaffe and the German high command thought these planes had some special equipment or secret function and they were singled out for attack whenever they flew even if they were mixed in with the older painted aircraft. On May 13, 1944 Captain Stanhope and crew 710 flew the “Tequila Daisy” on its first raid to Tudlow, Germany and bombed a Nazi air base. This was the 3rd mission flown by the newly formed 492ed Bomb Group. Captain Stanhope was only able to fly the Tequila Daisy on 6 missions before he was transferred to the already famous 44th Bomb Group in Shipdham, England as a Squadron leader. From May 13 to July 11, 1944, the “Tequila Daisy” was to fly under 10 different crews on a total of 17 missions before being lost to enemy action. Crew 715 was originally led by 1st Lieutenant Gaines. For reasons unknown to the historians of the 492nd Bomb Group, he switched crews with 1st Lieutenant Tracey. Lieutenant Tracey flew missions 45, 46 and 48 with this crew aboard the “Tequila Daisy”. The Tracey 715 crew was on mission 48 on July 11, 1944, a massive 1000 plane raid to Munich. After dropping its bomb load, the “Tequila Daisy” was hit by anti aircraft flak in one engine. The “Tequila Daisy” started to loose altitude and radioed that they couldn’t make it back to safety in England. They left the formation and made a run for the Swiss border. Since Switzerland was a neutral non belligerent country, the crew wouldn’t have to sit out the remainder of the war in a German prisoner of war camp. Lieutenant Tracey was able to make it to a landing strip in Dubendorf, Switzerland along with another crippled 492 Bomb Group B 24 aircraft, “Lillian Ann II”. The “Tequila Daisy” landed but it also suffered hydraulic fluid system damage and the nose landing gear failed to lock and she skidded to a stop on its nose. The Tracey crew sat out the rest of the war as an “interred crew and aircraft”. For the most part, interred crews were kept in hotels in Switzerland, confined after dark, they otherwise could visit the town and countryside during daylight hours. The Tequila Daisy itself was parked off the runway with the other damaged aircraft. After the war it was scrapped with one exception. The distinctive nose art was cut off the right side of the plane and today is on display in the Swiss World War II Museum. The 710 crew members were Captain Harold D. Stanhope, Command Pilot; 2ed Lt. Thomas A. Graven, Co-Pilot; 2ed Lt. William H. Whitsitt, Navigator; 2ed Lt. Archie A. Lee, Bombardier; TSgt. Thomas J. Muldoon, Flight Engineer; SSgt. Louis J. Muldoon, Radioman; Sgt. Edward H. Petelle, Tail Gunner; Sgt., William C. Veazeay, Ball Gunner; Sgt. Hugh B. White and Sgt. John R. Bell Waist Gunners. All information is compiled from the archives of the 8th Air Force Historical Society, the 492ed Bomb Group Historical Society, the Swiss World War II museum, and from conversations with my father Lieutenant Colonel Harold D. Stanhope, (retired) and Staff Sergeant Edward H. Petelle, (retired), tail gunner, crew 710.
The paint on the tail told what bomb group the craft was attached to. In this case the 392nd BG. My Dad went to England attached to this group. He had the "Tequila Daisy" painted and her art work hangs in the Swiss WW II museum. He flew the "TQ" on 6 missions before he was transferred to the 44th BG. The "TQ" was on it's 17th mission over Munich when she had major damage and flew to Switzerland and was interred.
From Bob Stanhope, Son from Captain Harold D. Stanhope
Second Air Division Association Journal September 1984
