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Air
Force reunions
These
are items of interest to military reunions including reunions
that have already happened so others can find their own reunion
groups. If you have military reunion news, e-mail
us. If you are listing your reunion, send the reunion name, date
and place and the name, address, phone and contact person's e-mail
address.
Pilots celebrate 40+ anniversary
Pilots of the 8th Helicopter Company flew assault missions and deployed Vietnamese soldiers into combat zones. They slept together, ate together, laughed together and faced life and death together.
"We spent literally 24 hours a day with each other," said former pilot Jim Walker of Tennessee. "You never forget the guys you experience something like that with."
More than 40 years after their 1962-63 tour, members of the company had a reunion. Host Jerry Manuel, Lacey, Washington, got the idea after having dinner with Jerry Dyer, former executive officer of the 8th Helicopter Company. It was the first time they'd seen each other since the war. Right then Manuel decided to search for the rest of the guys.
After two years of searching on the Internet, Manuel reached enough officers for a reunion. Camaraderie was quickly rekindled after 40 years.
From a story by Kevin Kalhoefer in The Olympian, Olympia, Washington.
Together
forever
Lt. Col. Earle J. Aber Jr. and 2nd Lt. Maurice
J. Harper fought together, were shot down together and are now
buried together. Most of the wreckage of their plane, shot down
nearly 60 years ago, was found in late 1999.
The two were mistaken for a German plane flying a
B-17 over England. They maintained control long enough for the
crew to parachute to safety, but crashed into a river estuary,
and only Aber’s arm was located. Now that their remains are
found, Harper’s identifiable remains are buried in Alabama
and Aber’s in England. The unidentifiable portions are buried
in the Arlington National Cemetery. “They’ve been together
so long, it was appropriate,” said Harper’s sister,
Mary Elizabeth Lamberth. Aber’s nephew, Earle Williams, said
this was an opening rather than closure. “We’ve gotten
to know lots of people who knew my uncle,” he commented.
Science has made much of this possible because it’s
now easier than ever to identify remains. It is sometimes impossible
to separate remains, group burials have become more popular.
From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A unique
way of encouraging attendance
Leave it to our friends in the Beagle
Squadron to find a great way to sway potential attendees who aren’t
sure whether they should make the trip. Their newsletter features
“A word from Grace,” which notes that the 90-year-old
plans to attend the 2002 reunion. The newsletter goes on to say
that all of the youngsters in their 80s have no excuse for not
attending because if Grace can do it, so can they. Health reasons
and family are valid excuses to the Beagles, but they also suggest
that you bring family and friends because they can drive to the
reunion and will have a good time because the veterans have good
manners. The only question is, will it work?
From Prop Wash, the Beagle Squadron’s newsletter.
America’s greatest airlift hub celebrates 50th anniversary
When six F-84 Thunderjets landed
on March 2, 1952, at Landstuhl Air Base (known today as Ramstein
Air Base), few realized the historical importance. The landing
of the Thunderjets marked the beginning of a half-century of US
airpower in Europe. Since then, Ramstein has seen several different
aircraft and missions, ranging from fighter operations to present-day
airlift missions. Ramstein AB commemorated its 50th anniversary
in March and will continue to emphasize its historical heritage
throughout the year.
Most recently, RAB has played a
key part in various humanitarian relief operations. The latest,
Operation Enduring Freedom, helped feed over two million Afghans.
RAB is America’s “911” emergency responder, bringing
virtually anything anywhere anytime. and will highlight these
efforts throughout this anniversary year.
To highlight the last 50 years,
the 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs office is searching for stories,
photos and comments about memorable experiences from former military/family
members, Host Nation employees, DoD civilians and NATO employees
who were assigned to RAB between 1952 and 2001. Contact 86th AW/PA,
Unit 3200, Box 330 APO AE 09094; (49) 06371-47-9197; 86AW.PA@ramstein.af.mil.
Smith
looked death in the eyes
Friday the 13th, in October 1944 is one day Captain Luther Smith
of the Tuskegee Airmen will never forget. Smith's all-Black 332nd
Fighter Group, based in Italy, was protecting bombers returning
from Blechhammer, Germany, until they crossed the Danube River near
Budapest, Hungary.
After
returning the group to the Danube, the fighters sought targets of
opportunity. They flew over an air force base full of parked aircraft
near Budapest. Smith, who destroyed 10 enemy aircraft in 132 previous
combat missions, quickly destroyed two German bombers before sensing
danger. He dove his P-51 close to the ground to begin a tight turn
when he saw tracer bullets narrowly missing his wing tip. He waited
for the impending fall of his aircraft, but made it through the
protection of ground smoke.
Smith
then spotted a freight yard of oil tank cars, followed another aircraft
in and watched as his gunfire struck car after car. A fireball erupted
in front of his plane, blowing out his cockpit windows, buckling
the wing surfaces and destroying much of the tail assembly. As flames
enveloped him 600 miles from his base, he abandoned his aircraft.
Before
Smith could exit, the aircraft went into a tailspin causing him
to fall partially out of the cockpit. His right foot was wedged
between the rudder pedal and brake so he couldn't get into or out
of the plane. After losing and regaining consciousness, he remembers
seeing a badly torn parachute canopy. He had pulled the parachute
rip-cord while still trapped in the aircraft. The parachute pulled
him from the plane, but also fractured his right hip.
Falling
headfirst, connected at the hip to the parachute by one strap, he
awoke from unconsciousness crashing through trees. His canopy caught
the top branches of the tree, preventing him from smashing into
the ground.
He
was suspended in a tall tree, unable to move with a fractured hip
but alive after cheating death four times in an hour. He spent the
last seven months of the war in German hospitals and prison camps.
His injuries required 18 operations and three years of hospitalization.
Smith
is a member of the World War II Memorial Architect-Engineer Evaluation
Board which hopes to honor the 400,000 Americans who died in the
war, the 16 million in uniform and a nation that united to defend
democracy.
For
information or to donate contact: American Battle Monuments Commission,
World War II Memorial Campaign, 2300 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite
501, Arlington, VA 22201 or 1-800-639-4WW2.
from
World War II Memorial Newsletter
Australians
commemorate an American tragedy
On 4 June, 2000 in the seaside city of Mackay, Queensland, Australia,
the Australian Returned and Service League(similar to the American
Legion) held its annual B-17C 40-2072 Memorial service near the
aircraft's fatal resting ground. Only the Australians have remembered
this US Army Air Force (USAAF) aircraft all these years whereas
it has been forgotten in the US until now.
The
service was attended by American representatives from the 5th Air
Force, the USAF Air Attache to Australia, USN and USMC whose ships
are in dock marched in the ceremony, US military retirees and one
of the survivors of this aircraft.
This
memorial is dedicated to the B-17C that crashed at Bakers Creek,
outside of Mackay, on June 14, 1943 killing 40 of the 41 passengers
and crews. It remains the worst Australian air disaster; it was
the worst US military air disaster at that time and the worst single
disaster of any of the 12,731 B-17s built. Sgt Robert Foye was the
only survivor and his recollection of the crash had been limited
due to injuries received; he now lives in Witchita Falls, Texas.
reported
by Eugene D. Rossel
Lifesavers
The 1st Emergency Rescue Squadron (ERS) was formed in the summer
of 1943, after intensive water rescue training and transferred to
the Mediterranean to coordinate with Air Force bomber and fighter
sorties. The following year they rescued 350-400 survivors from
the USAF, RAF, allies and even German crews, often under extreme
weather conditions, frequent fighter enemy action and shore battery
shellings.
In
late 1944 bomber bases moved north and there were fewer overwater
flights. The 1st ERS was split, the 1st remained in Europe while
the newly designated 7th ERS transferred to India, then Okinawa
until war's end. Back in the US, the squadrons were deactivated.
Three
years ago, the 1st and 7th met in Peoria, Illinois, for their first
reunion in over 50 years. The event continues annually. Rescue dinghies
made way for steamboat cruises, golf, antiquing and most especially
three days of bull sessions – savoring enduring friendships.
reported
by Chuck Dill, Peoria, Illinois
A
wife views World War II reunions
by Charlotte Krepismann
I remember my shock when my husband said, "Those were the most
important years of my life." referring to time spent as a navigator
in the 100th Bomb Group in England during World War II. How could
they be more important than the 38-plus years of marriage and our
three sons?
Those
words really hurt. I'd say, "You were an inexperienced kid
caught up in all the hoopla about the war. How can you compare that
to everything we've meant to each other and all we've built over
the years?"
I
began to understand my husband's feelings at the three Air Force
reunions I attended with him. At the first reunion, I felt very
much the outsider. I was confused by names: What was a group? A
Squadron? A tour of duty? I enjoyed the spoofing, the camaraderie
and special events, but was it so different from a convention of
middle-aged businessmen? The answer came when I overheard an airman
from another group say, "Yeah, that's the Bloody 100 - they
had a lot of casualties."
I
had nothing to say. I spent the war only slightly inconvenienced
by rationing and brownouts. No one I knew well was killed. How could
I relate to stories my husband told about waving to a friend in
a nearby place during a raid as they watched a plane spiral to the
ground engulfed in flames?
After
the first reunion, we learned that one of the most popular fliers
had died of a heart attack. My husband, who hadn't known him well,
was nevertheless inconsolable. One of the "boys" was gone.
I, too, was touched because I had a clear picture of him regaling
us with wild stories of flying a B-17 over the rooftops of a Scottish
town, waggling the wings in farewell to the shocked townspeople
below. What crazy kids, I thought. It's amazing we won the war.
At
my second reunion, I was more comfortable and even managed to remember
a few we had met before. We had a good time because we became part
of a group within a larger group. The old stories were pulled out
again and I started to really listen. Could these aging warriors
remember the exploits and bombing raids of World War II? Indeed
they did in full technicolor: flak mushrooming all around them,
fighter pilots desperately trying to keep the enemy planes away
from the vulnerable big bombers and the sad tales of the men who
were shot down or parachuted into enemy territory only to be pitchforked
to death by farmers.
I
listened enthralled to the oft-told story of how "Rosie,"
the amazing group hero and former command pilot, had duped the German
Air Force into believing he was surrendering and then caught them
by surprise by evading his escort and flying to safety. To me, this
was better than war movies I'd seen. Looking through my husband's
eyes, I no longer saw a middle-aged man with wavy gray hair who
stood up to wild applause when they called his name. For a while,
I was part of the loving circle and "Rosie" was my leader
too.
But
I still bristled when my husband continued his talk of those "happiest
years" of his life. I granted him the deep love he felt for
the men who 45 years before depended on him to get them to the target
and safely home. I could even dimly realize that though these 19-
and 20-year olds faced death every time they flew a mission, they
didn't reject the war as obscene or crazy. They were held together
by an almost mystical bond. They had seen awful destruction, played
their parts and survived to meet again at these raucous four-day
celebrations of victory over the enemy.
The
third reunion for me was held only two years later. Only two years
between reunions was tacit recognition that the years were going
far too quickly now. There were again the hugs and backslappings,
meetings and picture-taking and banquets celebrating old friends
and admirers from overseas who knew these men as boys or Yanks.
Finally I felt part of their history, though again my husband deferred
to his buddies when I would have been happy to dance to the band
playing the songs of the forties.
I
sat with other wives as five navigators spun their tales of hair-raising
adventures that to them had happened only yesterday. Years dropped
away along with thinning or gray hair and stockier builds. Their
voices rose; one pounded the table; another drew pictures to illustrate
a point; and they all brought back the happiest days of their lives.
I'm
glad I went. I'm glad I feel part of the group now. After all, those
were my years too, dancing to Glen Miller and Benny Goodman bands,
singing at the war-bond rallies and listening with nervous tension
to all the news from the war front. Now I feel I can travel into
the past at the next reunion with more knowledge and a sense of
relief. After all, we won the war and I was married to a hero.
About
the 100th Bomb Group
After training the 100th Bomb Group joined the 8th Air Force in
England in May 1943. The unit soon became notorious as the hard-luck
bomber outfit of World War II.
It
lost it's first crew to enemy aircraft on a practice mission before
it went on operations. In Germany, it lost six crews over Bremen,
a whole squadron over Frankfurt. Only three planes arrived at their
destination in Africa after the shuttle mission to Regensburg and
only one plane came home from Muenster. In March 1944, 15 of its
35 bombers did not return from the bombing of Berlin.
Because
of its unusually heavy losses in Europe, the group became known
at the Bloody 100th. The group established one of the finest records
for aerial bombardment during World War II and its crew are some
of the most frequently decorated.
The
group's notoriety and good records are celebrated in such books
as Twelve O'Clock High and Flying Fortresses.
Excerpted
from a text about the 100th Bomb Group by Harry Crosby.
About the author
Charlotte Krepismann taught high school English and retired early
to pursue a writing career. Her stories and articles have been published
in 40 magazines and newspapers. For the past four years, she has
been Supervisor of Student-Teachers at Stanford University.
Epilogue
The author's husband, Lt. Col. Julius Krepismann died shortly after
she wrote this article, as have several of his buddies. She suggests
that "perhaps there really is a place where old fliers meet
when they have flown their last flight."
Originally
appeared in The Retired Officer.
Comment
on an earlier article
Lee Bergfeld, Steeleville, Illinois, editor of the Corcaroli
Courier, asked to reprint an article ("A wife's view of
World War II reunions," spring 1998, V8N3) as a tribute to
their "wives ... for their patient understanding of our emotions
..." He said the article author, Charlotte Krepismann, "compassionately
describes feelings of wives accompanying ex-military husbands to
reunions with mates during those most important years of their lives."
When
enemies are friends
More than 56 years ago Lou Lovesky was on a bomb run over Berlin
when his B-24, "Terry and the Pirates," was fatally damaged
by flak. Then he collided with another B-24 and both aircraft crashed
over Berlin with 13 crew members KIA. Seven were taken prisoner
and liberated by General Patton on April 2, 1945, over a year later.
Harry
Schuster who was a 16 year-old in a Berlin Anti-Aircraft battery
on March 22, 1944 allegedly shot down Lovesky's B-24. Schuster said
the "Terry" came down so close to the Flak Battery, they
all had to duck. He then left his post to take pictures of the nearby
wreckage.
On
a vacation in Florida, Schuster made inquiries about survivors of
the "Terry." A friend of a friend contacted "Barky"
Hovespian, former President of the 466th Bomb Group Association,
of which Lovesky was a member. The two "enemies" met in
June, 2000.
from
the Ex-POW Bulletin
Reunion
of the century
by Colin D. Heaton
Fifty-four years after the guns fell silent, the last Luftwaffe
reunion of the last century was held at Geisenheim, Germany. The
bi-annual gathering of the Gemeinschaft der Jagdflieger (Community
of Fighter Pilots) was joined by the American Fighter Pilots Association,
members of the modern German Luftwaffe and official contingents
from Italy, Belgium, Russia, Czech Republic, Canada, South Africa,
the United Kingdom and France.
All
politics and past grievances were set aside. Only comradeship and
goodwill was felt among the members as old friends met and established
new friendships.
Reunion
days
The first day of the Treffen (meeting) guests enjoyed a semi-formal
dinner. The second day there was a guided tour of Geisenheim's historic
sites including the Jagdflieger Denkmal (Fighter Pilots Monument)
dedicated to those fallen in war and peace. A ceremony included
reading names of those who died since the previous Treffen. As the
reading began, the sky clouded over and the wind billowed flags
mounted at the base of the monument as if saluting the deceased.
Wreaths of honor were laid in solemn tribute. A wine reception at
the Rathaus (town hall) was hosted by the Burgermeister (Mayor).
The second evening's formal festivities included some four hundred
persons. Traditional offerings of friendship and speeches of mutual
respect were made.
A
current hero
A special award was presented to Hauptmann (Captain) Stefan Strittner,
a young Tornado photo reconnaissance pilot, who recently flew dangerous
low level intelligence gathering missions over parts of the former
Yugoslavia and Balkans, Bosnia, Serbia and Kosovo. These missions
gathered critical data necessary to ensure the safety of other air
crews entering potentially hostile skies. One of Strittner's most
important results was evidence of the mass exodus and purge of ethnic
Albanians, corroborative information supporting and justifying NATO's
position to the world.
Strittner,
an example of the new generation of Luftwaffe pilots, met the first
time with his forefathers; pilots who, six decades earlier, laid
the groundwork for the future of aviation and aerial combat. When
asked if he would like to meet some of the famous World War II veterans,
Strittner said, "Do you think they would mind? They are important
men, and I don't want to bother them."
The
lessons
There was lots of opportunity for pilots and historians to share
information for research and casual discussions of mutual interest.
Perhaps the most poignant moment was when former enemies, American,
British, South African, Belgian and German, now old and grey, met,
some for the first time. They compared combat accounts and remembered
that as young men they tried their best to eliminate each other.
It is witnessing this singular event that makes reunions unforgettable.
About
the author
Colin D. Heaton, a PhD Candidate at the University of Strathclyde-Glasgow,
Scotland, is from Wilmington, North Carolina. He has written two
books and is a regular contributor to World War II and
Military History magazines both published by Primedia Enthusiast
Publications History Group.
P-47
Thunderbolt's Pilots Association
by Jim Gustafson
The Jug, nicknamed for its milk bottle appearance, had more victories
than any other fighter - its war record was never equaled. WWII
Air Force combat data lists awesome achievements. Unlike most modern
fighters, the P-47 was a single seater. One pilot did it all - flew
the plane, operated the radio, fired the guns, released the rockets,
navigated and bombarded. From such responsibility came great pride.
Despite the aircraft's forbidding size, it was a real pilot's airplane;
honest, stable and a pleasure to fly. Nearly all the leading aces
flew the P-47 and many were aces many times over the five air-combat
victories needed to qualify for the title. The P-47, the only US
fighter with an air-cooled engine, was able to absorb enormous battle
damage, still fly and bring pilots back alive. Thunderbolt pilots
loved the Jug for its sheer survivability.
On
May 2, 1961, the Jug's manufacturer, Republic Aviation Corporation,
convened a reunion of 873 Thunderbolt pilots to celebrate the 20th
anniversary of the plane's first flight. The following year Jug
alumni chartered the P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots Association to further
camaraderie and perpetuate the memory of the plane. The Association
represents a love affair between an airplane and the men and women
who flew it. Some Women's Aviation Service Pilots – WASPs –
flew the Jug both overseas and stateside.
Psychologists
cannot explain how the pride felt by boys in their late teens and
early 20s can still be felt by men in their 70s. Out of this feeling
the P-47 Association was born and grows in defiance of the grim
reaper calling many past members home.
The
P-47 did not lend itself to peacetime, it gulped fuel and was phased
out by 1956. No cheap plaything - just six Thunderbolts still fly.
The
Association is augmented by an auxiliary, the P-47 Advocates. While
Advocates have not flown the plane in battle, their considerable
support includes research, model building and data collection. As
Association members age and die, the Advocates continue to perpetuate
and venerate the memory of the P-47.
Contact
P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots Association, Ltd., c/o The Wings Club, 52
Vanderbilt Avenue, New York NY 10017. Their 1998 reunion will be
in Dallas, Texas.
464th
Wing celebrates fine tradition
by Boyd L. McLean, SMSgt, USAF retired
The 464th Wing was activated by Tactical Air Command in February
1953 and sent as airlift support to Air Force and Army units in
operations from the Carolinas to Southeast Asia. In 1957 the base
and wing were reassigned to Tactical Air Command's Ninth Air Force.
The primary mission aircraft C-123 and C-130E proved their capabilities
during the Vietnam era.
The
first 464th Wing Reunion as in 1996 but small groups were meeting
periodically throughout the US. Charles B. West, Colonel, USAF retired,
was instrumental in the 'first' C-123 reunion held in Fayetteville,
North Carolina. Clarence B. Slaughter, Jr., former 464th Wing Commander,
Billy C. Mullinax, SMSgt USAF retired and I met annually in Biloxi,
Mississippi, for informal 'staff meetings.' Charles West and Joe
Stilwell met weekly in Fayetteville and we joined hands and went
to work. For most reunion members attending from out-of-state it
had been twenty- to twenty-five years since their departure. Membership
voted to hold reunions in Fayetteville every two years so that old
reunion members could come back home and reminisce. A large number
of our 464th Wing personnel retired or were discharged in the Fayetteville
area.
The
330 formal members total military service exceeds 6,900 years with
five years average time served with the 464th at Pope Air Force
Base, North Carolina. The average age of our reunion members is
seventy years young.
A
favorite of reunion members is the "Reunion Brochure," containing addresses of all known members, old photos from their
career at Pope and other memorabilia. A special treat for our 1999
Reunion Brochure will be profiles of members in their second or
third careers. One of the most interesting and unusual is the career
of Jerald O'Brien, a former C-123 pilot with the 464th Wing between
1961-64. His second career was with Delta (Western) Airlines and
his third as owner and winemaker of Silver Mountain Vineyards, Santa
Cruz Mountains, California.
This
year's reunion will be the "really big one." There will
be a tour of Pope AFB, with a visit to the flight line where reunion
members can enter the cockpit of their favorite aircraft. A golf
tournament at Pope AFB Willow Lakes follows, with local dignitaries
participating. Door prizes are awarded to those traveling farthest,
and the youngest and oldest members present. A wide range of "table
topics" about the good old days will be exchanged. We look
forward to renewing old acquaintances, enjoying the 464th camaraderie
we are blessed with and swapping tales of what we did and what we
have been doing. On Sunday our "Farewell Breakfast" will
bid goodbye until the 464th Wing Reunion in April 2001. There is
something special about a military reunion. There is nothing like
this comradeship.
About
the Author
Boyd L McLean, SMSgt, USAF Retired, served as Administrative
Assistant to three 464th Wing Commanders. After his retirement from
the USAF he was selected Magistrate, 12th Judicial District, Cumberland
County, Fayetteville, North Carolina, and later served in Gaffney,
South Carolina, as Cherokee County Veterans Affairs Officer. He
retired in 1992 and serves as Secretary, Treasurer and reunion coordinator
for the 464th Wing Reunion.
Air
Commandos enjoy 27th triumph
"Reunions are like fine wine, they get better with age,"
said John Connors of the 27th Air Commando Reunion in Hurlburt/Fort
Walton Beach, Florida.
Members
brought memories, warmth, comradery, sadness and joy. They included
their regular ACA Golf Tournament held at Elgin's Eagle Course.
A $10,000 prize for anyone who got a hole-in-one on hole number
five went unclaimed.
Friday
sizzled with a Fish Fry. The Commandos "Country Store,"
open all four days in three different locations for the convenience
of reunion attendees, sold t-shirts and other Commando memorabilia.
Their
new Air Commando Building headquarters was the focal point of the
reunion theme "Home Sweet Home." They unveiled a Vermont
marble dedication stone with the inscription "Dedicated to
the Spirit of All Air Commandos, Past, Present and Future –
Any Time, Any Place." In keeping with the reunion theme, twenty-two
members were recognized for their outstanding support of the ACA
Building Fund. Each of these Commandos or widows contributed from
$1,000 to $5,000 to help bring the ACA building from dream to reality.
Honor
to Tuskegee Airmen
The National Park Service is developing a park to honor the Tuskegee
Airmen, a group of black fighter pilots who gained fame for their
daring during World War II. The airmen trained at Moton Field near
Tuskegee, Alabama. The new national historic site will include period
aircraft and exhibits about the airmen and integration of the US
military, a very inspiring story. The airmen completed 1,578 missions
during the war, destroying more than 260 aircraft in North Africa,
Sicily and Europe. The crews were feared by the Germans, who called
them Schwartze Vogelmenschen – black birdmen.
Learn
about the airmen at the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
at Tuskegee University; 334-727-3200; www.nps.gov/tuin.
from
the Knight Ridder Tribune
Solving
the mystery of USAAF B-17C #40-2072
by Colin Benson
For almost 50 years, the crash of USAAF B-17C, serial number 40-2072,
was known only to people living in Mackay, Queensland, Australia.
Apart from a civil police report, there are no records about the
crash in Australia, and scant information in US military archives.
Statistics show it was Australia's worst air disaster and the worst
air crash in the South West Pacific during WWII.
In
late 1991, a small committee met to design and construct a memorial
tribute to American allies who died. Many came to Mackay on leave
where they were billeted and made to feel at home by Australians.
Many older locals still fondly remember those men and when Eleanor
Roosevelt visited in September 1943. The Captain and crew from the
USS Reuben James were at the Memorial unveiling in 1992.
I
have researched the crash that took the lives of 40 American servicemen.
The sole survivor, Foye K. Roberts, was left with a lifelong legacy
of his injuries. I keep in contact with his wife, Vera, an ex-patriot
Australian. A few American ex-servicemen who served in Mackay helped
with research. Most recently, I organised a commemorative parade,
on May 12, 1999, in which a contingent of sailors and Marines from
USS Harpers Ferry took part.
The
aims of myself and fellow researcher, former USAF Chief Master Sergeant
Teddy Hanks, now in his 80's with failing health, of Wichita Falls,
Texas, is helping tell the world and the victim's families about
the crash, its aftermath, and to locate their final resting places.
Through Teddy's research, we have a list of 41 casualties recognised/confirmed
by the US Army Mortuary Affairs Department as having been aboard
the plane. We traced and photographed about 20 of the final resting
places in Hawaii and on the US mainland. Tributes from Mackay have
been placed on graves by friends and families of the deceased.
A
few years ago, an elementary school about a mile from the crash
site incorporated the Bakers Creek Memorial into its logo. Although
the school band played the Australian National Anthem for the last
two ceremonies, their music teacher hopes in time to also have them
play the American National Anthem.
There
is a remarkable story of a high school graduation ring found by
a young girl at the crash site, around Christmas 1943. Her mother
told her never to give it to anyone but the family of the man who
owned it. It remained unidentified until January 1993, when within
10 days of seeing it, I helped identify it. The lady still has the
ring – but I have never been able to raise the airfare to have
her return it to the family of the deceased airman who came from
Altoona, Pennsylvania.
The
tragedy that took the lives of young men who could not be broadcast
because of restrictions of war, and few families ever learned about
the circumstances.
About
the Author
Col. Colin Benson is a member and honorary historian of the Veterans'
organization the Mackay Sub Branch of the Returned and Services
League of Australia – commonly known as the "RSL."
Through his involvement and research, he is a defacto custodian
of history relating to the Bakers Creek Crash of 14 June 1943. Contact
Col. Colin Benson col@sri.org.au.
How
many more reunions will there be?
Nobody knows how many reunions there will be, and George Krynovich,
1997-1998 president of the 464th Bomb Group Reunion, asked in a
recent newsletter that no one miss any reunions. He cites the steady
attrition of his original crew, which is down to five living members
from 13. "We must deduce that the number of reunions will be
diminishing as passing years take their toll and chances for renewing
old acquaintances become less and less." With that he urged
his compadres to make reunions an important part of their lives.
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