The Newsletter of the 58th Bomb Wing Memorial WWII Veterans Meet
Transcription
The Newsletter of the 58th Bomb Wing Memorial WWII Veterans Meet
March 2015 The Newsletter of the 58th Bomb Wing Memorial at the New England Air Museum WWII Veterans Meet 58th Bomb Wing veteran Lt. Col. Donald E. Lundberg (USAF Ret) visited the Museum in December and met Harold D. Andrew, Jr., veteran of the 416th Bomb Group. Both groups have exhibits in the Museum. 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2015 Message from the Director New England Air Museum by Jerry Roberts Dear Veterans, Family and Friends As we begin the work of taking the New England Air Museum to the next level, I am inspired by our incredible collection of artifacts and aircraft and the human stories behind them. Of course the B-29 looms large in all of these plans. The 58th Bomb Wing has been an amazing partner in restoring and displaying this incredible aircraft and telling the human story of the 58th to the public. We now plan to expand and enhance this experience by activating the mezzanine level of the hangar so that we can tell some of the other amazing B-29 stories including how this aircraft served on into the Cold War and Korean War and helped establish the concept of the Strategic Air Command. We will be working hard to raise the funds needed to install a handicapped elevator so that wheelchair bound veterans and their families, as well as physically challenged school children, can get the amazing view of Jack‟s Hack from the mezzanine level and experience new exhibits from this elevated perspective. We hope that you will stay involved as we reinvent the museum‟s visitor experience to keep us relevant and dynamic as we move into the future and attract a new generation of potential aviation enthusiasts. Jerry P. Roberts Executive Director ANNOUNCING THE 2015 REUNION! The next Reunion of the 58th Bomb Wing will take place at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Conn., home of the 58th Bomb Wing Memorial. The dates are May 15-17, 2015. We have made arrangements with Courtyard Marriott in Windsor, Conn. for $95 plus taxes per night. A shuttle service is available from Bradley Int‟l Airport. Registration packets are available by contacting Debbie Reed, Assistant Director of the New England Air Museum at 860-623-3305 ext. 314 or debbier@neam.org or on our website www.neam.org. The only plan this year will be at the Memorial here at the Air Museum on Saturday, May 16th. We will spend the day around the B-29 with memorabilia and visits to the archives followed by dinner and a memorial service. We are looking forward to seeing you! 2 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2015 Report of the 58th Bomb Wing (VH) Archives By Patrick Sidley The first task after assuming the responsibility for the archive last summer was to develop an inventory of the artifacts in the collection, and to physically organize the collection in the archive room. There are four major types of artifacts; books and magazines, photographs, objects, and items related to the past reunions. I decided to start with the books and magazines since that was an area I was familiar with. Now I‟m pleased to report that almost all the books and most of the magazines have been inventoried and are shelved, by author, in the archive room. At present we have about 450 books. In addition we have a complete set of ex-CBI Roundup magazines from July 1953 (Vol. 7, No. 4). The next task is inventorying and organizing the photographs and objects. Since photos have a way of appearing in unlikely places, it‟s hard accurately state how much progress has been made, however I‟ve found and filed a great many in the last few months. The bulk of our photos are either crew photos, nose art, or daily life on and off base. I would particularly like to increase the number of identified crew photos as well as photos of the men serving in support roles. I‟ve deferred addressing the reunion pictures until I‟ve created some work space to spread things out. In 2014 we received several donations of items from 58th veterans or their families as well as from friends of the Museum. Notable among the donations were the papers and artifacts of John Roman, the former Treasurer (?) of the Association. A friend from upstate New York drove to the Museum and gave us a casing from an M-47 incendiary bomb which is currently being repainted in the correct markings and will be hung in the front bomb bay of “Jack‟s Hack”. Gifts of any 58th or B-29 items are always welcome but published or unpublished memoirs improve our ability preserve the memories of the men who served in the 58th. In December another NEAM Volunteer, Joe Fox, offered to assist in the archive. In 2015 Joe and I plan to continue the process of organizing and inventorying the collection. Along with the NEAM‟s new Executive Director we will be looking for new ways to tell the visitors the story of the 58th Bomb Wing and the B-29. Thanks to you all for the opportunity to assist with this treasure trove of information about the 58 th Bomb Wing. I am genuinely enjoying my work here. Your support makes this archive and memorial possible, and the entire team of staff and volunteers at NEAM is honored to be charged with this responsibility. If you plan a visit to New England, please let me know and I‟d be glad to give you a personal tour of the archive and “Jack‟s Hack”. I can be reached by email at fifty8th@neam.org or you can leave me a phone message at (860) 623-3305. Or just send me a good old-fashioned letter! Do You Know This Man? This sketch was found in the 58th Bomb Wing Archive with some other artifacts donated by 40th Bomb Group veteran Bob Lyons. It appears to be sighed by “Squire Casseler” and dated 1948. However, Bob‟s note indicated he didn‟t know who this was. If you can identify this person, or know who it might be, please contact Pat Sidley at fifty8th@neam.org or by writing him at the Museum. 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2015 3 Military Life Then one morning the pilot approached me and told me to pack my gear because we were leaving in the morning. -He had volunteered us to replace a crew that had been shot Submitted By John R. Dragoni, Sr., 1PRS down over Singapore. I said, “How about my commisTime has dimmed my memory regarding dates, times and sion?” He said, “It‟s all arranged, you will be commissioned in India.” THE LIE OF THE CENTURY. names of locations; therefore I will do my best. We had heard stories (rumors) about the big demand overseas for liquor. We went into town and bought all the whiskey we could afford. The B-29 had a padded interior so When World War II broke out I could not wait to enlist; so we stashed all the bottles behind the padding. All the way to I left high school in my senior year and drove into Boston India we talked about how wealthy we were going to be to enlist in the army air corps cadet program. I aced the when we sold our whiskey. written exam. We flew to Natal, Brazil. We left Natal at 5:00 o‟clock on Christmas Eve. Half way across the ocean during the night After basic training at Greensboro, N.C., I was driven to we entered a severe storm and were hit by lightning. The Davidson, N.C. and enrolled in Davidson College. navigator could not get a celestial fix and I could not contact The subject matter was difficult but I did fairly well. One land by radar because we were too far away. About dawn day the commanding officer sent for me. He asked how I my radar contacted land and we were way off course, north ever got into the program because it was only for men of our destination which was Accra, Africa. We flew down with at least two years of college. I didn‟t even graduate the coast and landed about 2:00 P.M. Christmas Day; we from high school. My answer was simple: “No one ever were very hungry. When we got to the food tent, the mess asked.” He wrote to my high school principal and sent sergeant held up his hands and said, I don‟t have any food him my grades at Davidson. The high school principal left.” He also said that he didn‟t know when a plane might contacted my father and asked him to be in the audience come with food. He directed us to an area where natives on graduation day and receive my high school diploma. were selling their goods. We bought what we could. Our Christmas Dinner was bananas, mangos, etc. While at Davidson College, along with my regular studies, I was taught to fly small airplanes. I graduated in The next day we took off and stopped in Kano, Africa. Then a class of about 70. That same night they woke us up at Kartoum, Egypt and Aden, Arabia. As we left Aden we approximately 2:00 A.M. and assembled us in the blew a cylinder in one engine and had to return. Several gymnasium. They informed us that they didn‟t need any days later, after repairs, we landed in Kharichi, India. We more pilots, so we would all be sent to gunnery school in received our orders to proceed to Paradoba, India, and share Fort Myers, Florida. What a sad disappointment. I a base with the Royal Air Force. We were told to gather our graduated from gunnery school and received my gunner‟s gear and as soon as the plane came to a stop to get out. They wings. Not the wings that I had hoped for. Soon after a started to tow our plane away. We yelled where are you graduation dinner the commanding officer sent for me. taking our plane? We were told that it was no longer our He said, “I understand that you didn‟t want to be a plane, we were getting an old plane. That was the end of our gunner.” I answered, “Yes, I enlisted to be a pilot.” He fortune. said, “You are over qualified anyway.” He went on, “There is a new bomber called the B-29; I can‟t tell you much about it because I don‟t know much about it, but they need picked men to fly on this „Hi Tech‟ plane – I‟m ear-marking you for B-29 training; report to Pyote, Texas, take a 14 day delay en-route.” My military life was irregular and a bit confusing. At Pyote, Texas I was told that I would be taught to bomb and navigate by means of Radar. My first question was, “What is Radar.” It was explained to me and I was also told that upon completion of my training I would be commissioned. After a few weeks of training a crew was formed and training was continued as a crew. 4 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2015 Ravens in India? Radar counter-measures in the 58th While the term Radar Counter-measures (RCM) conjures up images of Air Force EF-111s or Navy EA-6Bs, in fact RCM was a part of life for the crews of the 58th from the time they arrived in India. Each squadron was assigned one “Raven” officer and five enlisted technicians. Since not every aircraft carried RCM gear, the Raven was not part of an assigned crew, but flew missions with various crews when the equipment was installed on their Aircraft. The techs were responsible for the maintenance of the equipment and moving it between aircraft. They worked in the RADAR AND RAVEN building. The actual Radar technicians used a separate part of the building from the RCM. Within the aircraft the Raven was given a position just forward of the Radar Operator in the rear compartment. The information and photos were provided by Melvin Rosenfeld, the Raven for the 770th Bomb Squadron of the 462nd Group. He went overseas with the 462nd in April, 1944, and flew combat and hump missions until November when he was ordered back to the States. Unfortunately there is little other information in the Archive regarding this function or the installation of RCM equipment on the B-29. More information would be very welcome. The Raven Officers and Technicians of the 462nd Bomb Group Back Row Faulker, Sullivan, Hohen, Kragle & Harmon Middle Row Walbridge, Kershner, Ardito, Roberto & Spanik Front Row Lindberg, Zetterquist, Smith, Blum & Rosenfeld Piardoba, India 1944 The Radar and Raven building at Piardoba 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2015 5 03/15 Gone West Robert Arko Robert E. Bancroft John R. Birch Jerome (Jerry) Boxer Robert C. Brady Leonard A. Busch Marvin E. Carmichael William O. Diaz Walden W. Elliott, Sr. Clarence Evans James D. Gray Harley Healy William A. Jensen LeRoy Johnson Jack W. Landon Milton R. Keen Robert F. Manning Ernest A. Naso Donald W. Petit M.D. Denny Pidhayny John E. Portegys Herman Press Thomas F. Randle Russell T. Rank Arvin Rivers William R. Schaal Albert J. Schutte Henry J. “Hank” Tatro Seymour Trager Gustave J. Vanderlooven Harold A. Wilde 444th 468th / 793rd 444th 462nd / 770th 468th / 793rd 40th / 25th 40th 462nd / 770th 444th 40th 468th / 792nd 40th 462nd 444th 462nd / 770th 58th 40th / 444th / 468th 444th 40th 468th / 792nd 40th 444th 462nd 462nd / 769th 462nd / 768th 40th 468th / 794th 462nd / 770th 468th / 793rd 40th 40th Missing Members (Mail Returned without forwarding address March 2015) Richard H. Goddard Albert F. Hockel John E. Hurlfey Robert Marzicola Daniel Sadowski William F. Seith Richard A. Veach 6 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2014 462nd 40th 40th 40th 468th / 792nd 40th 40th 10/07/14 02/09/15 09/13/13 12/19/14 10/04/14 09/24/14 0/15/14 09/18/14 02/28/14 09/19/14 09/13/14 01/04 10/16/14 11/14/14 02/04/14 11/23/14 12/02/14 10/17/14 01/17/15 12/01/14 10/24/14 01/10/15 12/15/14 10/02/14 10/07/14 04/09/11 03/29/14 01/28/15 11/09/14 11/26/14 11/29/03 2014 CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE 58TH BOMB WING MEMORIAL We wish to recognize the following individuals and organizations for their contributions in support of the 58th Bomb Wing Memorial at the New England Air Museum. These contributions help to defray the expenses for the 58th Memorial Hangar including maintenance, insurance, repairs and utilities; to pay for the printing and mailing of the Super-Fort; for restoration supplies and materials for “Jack‟s Hack”; for any required archival and/or storage supplies and equipment; and for the continued construction of exhibits within the Memorial. For your information, there are 1,105 veterans and family members on the 58th mailing list and they all receive copies of the Super-Fort and annual reunion notices. $50,000 - Up Marjorie Morris, in memory of I.A. (Drew) Morris and in honor of Michael P. Speciale upon his retirement $5,000 - $9,999 Col. James L. and Helen G. Pattillo $1,000 - $1,999 Joan Antaya Becker Dale and Gwen Orred Dr. Yates C. Smith, in memory of Denny Pidhayny, Albert Schutte, our son Curtis L. Smith and in honor of Debbie Reed, John Sterne, Al Schutte and Mike Speciale‟s commitment to the 58th BW John H. Sterne Greg Thompson, in memory of my father Col. K.D. Thompson Col. E. N. Tyndall $400 - $999 58th Bomb Wing Reunion Nelson S. Burbank Kathie Conroy, in memory of my parents Robert and Helen Wheeler Howard S. Heydon, in honor of Dave Santos and NEAM Martin F. Mertz M/Gen. Francis W. Nye, USAF (Ret.), in memory James V. Edmundson Maj. Helmut G. Quiram, Jr., USAF (Ret.) Edward T. Ryan, in honor of Donald E. Ryan Michael and Marilyn Grillo-Springer, in memory of Seymour "Sy" Trager $250 - $399 From your daughters Mary Klotz, Marcia Evans, LuAnne Cummins, Megan Cafourek and Amy Sleeter in honor of Hap Horner's 90th birthday Darwin M. Gregory, in memory of the Crew of "Windy City II" William and Virginia James A. Lorraine Jurgensen, in memory of Robert W. Jurgensen Robert L. Maddox Malen Powell Howard Schneider John A. Traczyk, in memory of Chester H. Freeman, crew commander Seymour Trager, in memory of my wife Joan Trager 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2015 7 $200 - $249 Keith R. Allison Roger E. Burt, in memory of Capt. Eddie Burt Wilhelmina E. Hall, in honor of Ray Hall Dr. James F. Marchman, III, in memory of Capt. James F. Marchman, Jr. Mrs. Bjorg Meador, in memory of C/MSGT Wendell M. Meador Amantha Moore, in memory of Russell Stacy Abner G. Musser, Jr. David E. Wilkerson, in memory of Marjorie Wilkerson $100 - $199 Lt. Col. Robert L. Almond, Sr. Vivian L. Anaya, in memory of Alfred Anaya Dearon Bailey, in honor of 25th BS / 40th BG Geri Benseman, in memory of Claude E. Benseman John A. Bracha, in memory of Helen W. Bracha Virginia Bray, in memory of my "dad" William J. Bray Evelyn M. Carter, in memory of Edward G. "Nick" Carter Thomas H. Clark, in memory of uncle Mansel Roy Clark, Jr. lost on the Yokata raid, 5/29/45 Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas T. Constandelis, in honor of crew #70, Clovis, NM 1943 Charles J. "Jack" Darkins, in memory of those Lost in Action Elton Denner Roland F. Eisenbeis Earl M. Fabik Mrs. Charles M. Fleenor, in memory of Lt. Col. Charles Fleenor Dave and Linda Frede, in memory of William and Mildred Frede Lt. Col. Vernon W. Garner, USAF (Ret.) Linda Gray-Slovis, in memory of James Don Gray Ace Hall, in memory of Captain Harold Lane and Crew Hank and Debbie Hall Ray I. Harris, in honor of Cal Routh and Arvin Rivers, fellow crew members John H. Hug, USAF (Ret.), in honor of Crew #33 "Miss Donna Lee" Charles S. Jones Ellen L. Kelley, in memory of my dad William F. Seiber Mrs. Otto S. Kerstner, in memory of my husband Otto Kerstner 10/06/16-2/28/14 William H. Kolbe Stephen D. Lemson, in memory of Jack Lemson Col. John Misterly, in memory of my wife Jean Rosemary Mitchell, in memory of Sgt. Robert V. Mitchell Maureen W. Morrison, in memory of Lt. Col. Edwin Morrison, USAF (Ret.) Stanton R. Morrison Ken and Laurie Nagin, in honor of Robert Lyons, Sr. Lewis H. Pardon Richard J. Pax Mary Pless, in memory of Col. Ralph J. Pearson Deacon Allan A. Ramey Lois W. Rhebergen, in memory of Frederick B. Rhebergen 8 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2015 The Satrom Family, in memory of Major Donald R. Satrom, USAF (Ret.) Nancy Selna, in memory of William R. Egan Michael C. Sirosky Charles and Katherine Smith, in memory of Hibbard A. Smith Bernard F. Uebelhoer Yvonne Vaucher, in honor of my father Lt. Col. Thomas Robert Vaucher David A. Weber, in honor of Dean H. Weber, 444th BG CM/Sgt. John M. Williams, (Ret.), in memory of the flight crew of "Tali Ho" $50 - $99 Mary and Debbie Apgar, in memory of George N. Apgar, Sr. Robert E. Baker Charles Kenneth Crotsley Violet T. Doherty, in memory of Joseph F. Doherty M/Gen. George D. Eggert, USAF (Ret.) Cheryl and Jay Feldman, in memory of “Sy” Trager Edmund S. Gilman Arlene C. Goding, in memory of Carl V. Goding Wilma R. Graff-Jordan, in memory of William F. Jordan Helen D. Gregg, in memory of Donald E. Gregg H. Edwin and F. Margaret Guthrie Neil A. Haglund, in memory of Roy K. Haglund Paul F. Havey Shirley B. Hoffman, in memory of Jack Hoffman J. Keith and Sarah Houff, in honor of Milton James Maj. and Mrs. Elmer G. Hughes, in memory of all of the 1940-42 enlisted bombardiers of the 40th BG Pauline T. Kelley, in memory of Douglas T. Kelley Jo-Ellen Knutson, in memory of Calvin Knutson Bruce Allen Lowman, in memory of C.P. "Pete" Lowman Cletus M. Nelson, in memory of Corporal Bob Liscet - my engineering clerk Pauline A. Nicholson, in memory of Philip W. Nicholson 462nd /768th SQ Robert J. Puppo Jack Rodin, in honor of the 330th BG - Guam Ms. Donna Bixler Russell, in memory of Leroy D. Bixler Donald E. Ryan, in memory of Eugene Lewis and Capt. Homer Hinkle, KIA Kirsten Sandhofer, in memory of S. Clay Sandhofer Stanley H. Siegel Michael D. Smith William N. Thomas Mary Tufts, in memory of my dad William W. Tufts, 505th BG Edwin H. Vickery, in memory of Thomas F. Dillon Samuel P. Winborne $26 - $49 Doris Beseda, in memory of G.M. (Bud) Etherington Tomas Chan, in honor of Donald Fong Carlton F. Fairchild, in honor of the 25th SQ Armament Kim Nelson Jeff and Suzi Oliver, in memory of Denny Pidhayny Ai B. Smith, II 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2015 9 Up to $25 Terry Adams, in memory of Lewis Adams Howard F. Andrews, in honor of Howard Anderson, 45th SQ / 40th BG Homer E. Bates, in memory of Helen I. Bates Alice G. Benton, in memory of Edwin Parker Gourley Kenneth F. Bentz, Jr. Jeffry Burden, in honor of James H. Burden Millie Chandler, in memory of Charles Chandler Conway Crane, in memory of Yeaul Beasley Neal S. Crist Ed and Christiane D'Aguanno, in honor of Air & Ground Crews of "Baby Sandy" 793rd BS John R. Dragoni, Sr. Dorothy Drensek, in memory of Michael Drensek Helen Ehnat, in honor of Donald Lundberg John W. Esper Lee E. Evans, in memory of 2nd Lt. Stanley M. Evans, 794th SQ / 468th GR, 20th Bombardment Asa Joe Foreman Robert J. Fox S/Sgt. Hyman Hyman Garbowitz, 678th SQ, 444th BG, Inagitator and Agitator II India & China in memory of my pilot Sherman Wilkins Van Dorn Hooker William W. Johnson, in memory of Richard E. Windler 468th / 793rd Mary F. Keck Seymour Landau Jane Routh Le, in honor of my dad, Calvin Routh's 91st birthday In Memory of Jerry Boxer Zelda Lipnick, in memory of Samuel Lipnick Jerome Alper Lt. Col. Donald E. Lundberg, USAF (Ret.) Belinda Boxer Brice E. Lytle Janet and Barry Boxer Joseph Manteria, in memory of All That Served Jeffrey S. Boxer Ken and Janice McDonald, in honor of my father George W. Allen, Jr. Mark Boxer Shirley K. McMeechan, in memory of George McMeechan Walter H. Boxer Alison H. Moore, in memory of Maj. Gen. Thomas E. Moore Stephen Braverman Doris E. Pellecchia, in memory of Patrick E. Pellecchia John and Gloria Dove Dolores Peszek, in memory of Edwin F. Peszek Alice M. Lowenthal Lorraine E. Schwegler, in memory of my husband Gustav Schwegler Bonnie Proudian Francene Sharp, in honor of Richard Klock Bernard and Judith Robinson Richard O. Sirois Catherine and Lewis Siegel Mary Terrell, in memory of John Lovis Nelson Dr. and Mrs. Yates C. Smith Marjorie Tucker, in memory of Sgt. Harry E. Tucker Sidney and Joan Sussman Stanley C. Tucker, MD, in memory of Sgt. Harry E. Tucker, 40th BG Geraldine L. Uhlfelder Judy Iacovelli Tyler, in memory of Anthony F. Iacovelli Marilyn Yablon Mrs. Edward Urbanic, in memory of Edward J. Urbanic Elmer H. Witte, Jr. Jack Zackery, in memory of Dale Zackery 462nd / 58th 10 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2015 Ron Winegar, is the son of Lt. Gilbert W. Winegar, co-pilot of “Devilish Snooks”, Graham Bleiler’s crew in the 40th B.G. / 44th B.S. We welcome all B-29 veterans and their families visit the Museum. The Annual Flights and Fantasies Quilt show was held this past September at the Museum. There was an entry dedicated to Homer Bates, honoring his Honor Flight in October 2013. Homer is from the 40th / 25th and this quilt was submitted by C. Sue Harris from Bluffton, IN. → NEAM visitors appreciating the 58th Bomb Wing. 58th Bomb Wing Memorial Newsletter March 2014 11 New England Air Museum/58th Bomb Wing Memorial Staff ●Jerry Roberts– New England Air Museum Executive Director. E-Mail Contact: jroberts@neam.org ●Debbie Reed– New England Air Museum Assistant Director. Point of Contact for the General Inquiries, Changes of Address, Reunion Information, Submission of Newsletter Articles & Obituary Notices. E-mail Contact: debbier@neam.org ● Gina Maria Alimberti- Director of Visitor Services Point of contact for mail order sales of 58th & NEAM Memorabilia & responsible for the layout and design of the Super-Fort. E-mail Contact: gina-maria@neam.org ●Gary Gudinkas- Maintenance and Update of the 58th Bomb Wing Database and Information. E-mail contact: ggudinkas@neam.org ●Al Schutte– 58th Bomb Wing Historian, Webmaster for 468th BG, 462nd BG and liaison with 444th BG and 40th BG webmasters; Will update Veteran’s Databases. E-mail contact: aschutte@cinci.rr.com ●Pat Sidley– 58th Bomb Wing Curator, Acquisition, Care and Display of 58th Bomb Wing Memorial archival materials; expansion of veteran interviews. E-mail contact: PSidley@neam.org ●Dave Santos– B-29 “Jack’s Hack” Restoration Crew Chief. E-mail contact: dsantos14@cox.net 860-623-3305 www.neam.org