Cpl Leonard M. Kaplan flew in a North American Aviation B-24G-16-NT 'Liberator' in the 15th Air Force, 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy), 725th Bomb Squadron (Heavy) out of Castelluccio Airfield, Umbria, Italy (41°19′11.69″N 015°32′40.71″E).

On Wednesday 7 February 1945, 680 US aircraft made a successful bomb run against various oil refineries near Vienna, including Moosbierbaum, Schwechat, Lobau, Florisdorf, Korneuburg and Kagran. Carson's bomber (AAF SN 42-78463, RCL number C/61 "The Rover Boys" or "463", callsign 67, engines R-1830-65 AAF SN CP-326627 and AAF SN BP-441974 and AAF SN CP-439164 and AAF SN CP-309384) was one of them. It ran out of fuel 1425L CEST at 44°14′N 16°11′E (modern Zadar county (Zadarska županija) Republic of Croatia 20 miles north of Knin) and was last seen at 1430L CEST.

2LT Kerres tried to land on the Adriatic island of Vis 43°02′N 16°09′E (now Croatian territory) the emergency landing place of choice for Allied crews. They didn't make it so the eleven men aboard bailed out northwest of Petrovi? (probably a garble for Petrovac/????????/Petrovac na Mlavi/Piatra Mlavei, modern Serbia), thereby earning membership in the (unofficial) USAAF (Combat) Rip Cord Club.

The 11 crewmen were:

1. Cpl Bernard Bernstein aka Bernie Bernstein (?-?), Engineer/Top Turret Gunner (6910441), HoR: 1120 College Avenue, Bronx, New York 10456, NoK: Bertha Bernstein (mother) (?-?);

2. Sgt George V. Bivins aka George Bivins (1924-2000), enlisted Fort Benjamin Harrison 1942, Photographer (15382769), HoR: 719 Breckenridge Street, Owensboro, Kentucky 42303, NoK: Olivia Abel (mother) (?-?);

3. F/O Virgil LeRoy Carson aka Virgil L. Carson aka Virgil Carson (1924-2008), Bombardier (T-133053), HoR: 318 South Main Street, Osceola, Iowa 50213, NoK: Alberta Viola Carson née Woods (mother) (1904-?)

4. Cpl Francis M. Hunt aka Francis Hunt aka Frank Hunt (1915-?), enlisted Indianapolis 19 November 1943, Tail Turret Gunner (35899159), HoR: 200 East Dartmouth, Muncie, Indiana 47303, NoK: Ruby D. Hunt (wife) (?-?);

5. F/O Paul S. Jacobs aka Paul Jacobs (?-?), Navigator (T-124715), HoR: 117 East 77th Street, New York, New York 10075, NoK: Sidney Jacobs (father) (?-?);

6. Cpl Leonard M. Kaplan aka Leonard Kaplan aka Lenny Kaplan (1925-?), Left Waist Gunner (32978091), enlisted New York City 2 July 1943, HoR: 902 Avenue N, Brooklyn, New York 11203, NoK: Gertrude G. Kaplan (mother) (?-?);

7. 1LT Glenn Alfred Kerres aka Glenn A. Kerres aka Glenn Kerres (4 April 1921-19 November 1997), enlisted 5 December 1943, pilot (O-702290), HoR: 1549 D Avenue, N.E., Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402. NoK: Neva Mae Kerres née Lawson, wife (1920-1992), Discharged 29 July 1945;

8. 2LT Clayton M. Lyon aka Clayton Lyon aka Clay Lyon (?-?), Copilot (O-721813), HoR: 313 Mobile Street, Waterloo, Iowa 50703, NoK: Mabel V. Lyon (mother) (?-?);

9. Cpl William H. McCrary aka William McCrary aka Bill McCrary (1925-?), enlisted Medical Administrative Corps (MAC) Officer Shelby, Mississippi 1943, Ball Turret Gunner (34920319), HoR: Post Office Box 216, Philadelphia, Tennessee 37846, NoK: Blanche F. McCrary (mother) (?-?);

10. Cpl Orris Anthony Winters aka Orris A. Winters aka Orris Winters (1925-2001), enlisted Medical Administrative Corps (MAC) Officer Fort Douglas, Utah 21 December 1943, Nose Turret Gunner (39923459), HoR: Fountain Green, Utah 84632, NoK: Gladys Iona Winters née Hansen (mother) (1902-1988);

11. Cpl Henry St. Clair Wurthmann Jr. aka H.C. Wurthmann aka Henry Wurthmann aka Buddy Wurthmann aka Hank Wurthmann (1925-2011), right waist gunner (32965590), HoR: 550 West 174th Street, New York, New York 10033-8202: Assembly District 23, Manhattan, New York City, New York, New York, Enumeration District 31-2094. NoK: Mae Wurthmann née Collins (mother) (1893-1964).

The Rover Boys were missing in action until late March 1945. Elements of Josip Broz Tito's (1892-1980) National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments (Narodnooslobodila?ka vojska i partizanski odredi Jugoslavije (NOV i POJ), ???????????????????? ?????? ? ??????????? ?????? ??????????? (??? ? ???)) exfiltrated "The Rover Boys" to the Adriatic coast for eventual return to Italy (Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 12084 of 10 February 1945). By returning to Italy successfully, Kaplan had the honored status of SUCCESSFUL EVADER entered in his personnel file.

Leonard M Kaplan