Collision over the North Sea
Bizarre B-17 Collision over the North Sea by Teresa K. Flatley At dawn on December 31, 1944, while the Battle of the Bulge raged, two young airmen took off from Thorpe Abbots, England, and flew their Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress in formation with hundreds of other in what was to be a “maxim effort” over […]
Harold Wildrick Obituary
Master Sergeant Harold D. Wildrick Crew Chief 351st Bomb Squadron 100th Bomb Group November 1, 1915 – August 22, 1996 Harold Wildrick will be remembered as dedicated, serious, soft spoken and extremely competent hard working aircraft mechanic. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his “meritorious conduct and outstanding service” on May 26, 1944 by command […]
B17 – Crew Number 13
by John Massol THESE PAGES ABOUT B-17 CREW NUMBER 13 WERE PUT TOGETHER IN 1991. THERE WELL MAY BE ERRORS SINCE THE ACTUAL EVENTS WERE IN 1943 AND 1944.. JOHN MASSOL The crew was put together during July and August 1943 at Moses Lake, Washington. Training included bombing with practice bombs, night flying, air to […]
War Brides
by Doreen Shears I was actually an “After the War” Bride. My home of Exeter, in Devonshire County, is a beautiful city in the southwest of England – about 50 miles form Plymouth. During the years of WWII we endured 19 air raids. The most devastating raid came on the night of May 3rd, 1942. […]
All Saint’s Church – Thorpe Abbotts
100th BG Photo Archives Situated on the north side of the Waveney valley and on the A143 Bury to Yarmouth road, part of this church has stood since the 10th Century, as dated by a Saxon arch in the north wall. Bryant, in his “Norfolk Churches,” tell us that the Manor at Thorpe Abbotts in King […]
C. E. Wilson – Tail Gunner’s Tale
Charles E. Wilson – The Tail Gunner’s Tail The Quachita County Historical Quarterly Fall 1995 Retired mailman Charles Wilson had delivered lots of postal surprises in his time. earlier this year, he found himself the recipient if strange and wonderful news – and a photograph of the aftermath of a World War II plane crash […]
303rd Bomb Group – Luckiest Man Alive
Reprinted from Flying Fortress Newsletter, Spring 1997 On January 3rd, 1943, in the midst of a bombing raid on German torpedoes stores at St. Nazaire, France, a miracle took place that is remembered 50 plus years after. S/Sgt. Alan Magee, from the 360th Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group , a gunner in B-17 #41-24620 , aptly named Snap! […]
Letter to Mrs. Rosa Hunter from Mrs. Marie Flood
813 Johnson Street Sault Ste Marie, Michigan October 3rd, 1944 Mrs. Rosa Hunter: My dear Mrs. Hunter, you will not doubt be surprised to hear from a person you most likely never knew existed. Both you and I are God’s suffering children. My son S/Sgt Elmer E. Flood, who was missing over Germany July 29th […]
John B. Kidd – About the UN
The United Nations: A Fifty-Year-Old Infant by Major General John B. Kidd Tomorrow in San Francisco there will be a ceremony to mark the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations. Fifty years ago it was with great expectations that the representatives of fifty-one founding nations met there to sign the Charter. Still in the throes […]
Crew History of Fever Beaver
by John Massol THESE PAGES ABOUT B-17 CREW NUMBER 13 WERE PUT TOGETHER IN 1991. THERE WELL MAY BE ERRORS SINCE THE ACTUAL EVENTS WERE IN 1943 AND 1944.. JOHN MASSOL The crew was put together during July and August 1943 at Moses Lake, Washington. Training included bombing with practice bombs, night flying, air to […]