Pithonu Censored

"On the morning of September 13, 1944, 2nd Lt. Botteen and his crew boarded B-24H 42-52283, a distinguished combat veteran of the 455th BG, affectionately known as "PITHONU CENSORED." The aircraft joined 29 others in formation and proceeded towards Germany with the mission to bomb the Odertal Oil Refinery.
Approximately thirty minutes from the target, #283 experienced a mechanical failure, resulting in the loss of its first engine. The crew was forced to jettison their bomb load in an attempt to stay with the formation, however any hopes of that were gone when a second engine failed shortly after. With engines one and three feathered, the crew turned for home, and eventually abandoned the aircraft at approximately 6,500'. Out of the ten crew members on board, eight evaded capture and successfully returned to Allied lines. Unfortunately, Sgt. Harry Eddy, the crew's radio operator, was killed when he fell from his parachute harness. Sgt. Benedict Raczka, the left waist gunner, was captured and became a POW. PITHONU found her final resting place near Sobotište, Slovakia."