Personnel

Per a January 1944 Press Release:
“This is war number two for Sergeant Robert J. Machart, 43, of Pittsburg, PA, a flying photographic technician in this Group and the Sarg in all out to wind up the unfinished business that was left over from the last one.
Sgt. Machart, whose wife Mrs. Florence Machart, lives at 208 East Ohio St, N.S., Pittsburg, PA, was a member of the Fourteenth Field Artillery and was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma World War 1.
The sergeant is on call whenever his Heavy Bombardment Group requires his services as an aerial photographer. So far he has only been called upon to take pictures of formations and has never been given an opportunity to make an “operational mission.” This is not to the Sergeant’s liking. He wants to get into the action that goes on in the air battles upstairs over Germany and Occupied Europe and is hoping he will get a call to go along on a combat mission soon.
In civilian life the Sgt is a bartender and in this capacity he is also a member of Local 188 of the Bar Tenders Union of the AFofL in Pittsburg. The Sgt is one of the three elected trustees of his Union.
Sgt Machart was bartender and Steward of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Club and for many years before and up to his entry into the Air Forces in September 1943.
Asked which he liked best the Air Forces or the Field Artillery, the Sergeant by-passed the question pointing out that both were vital branches of service…he agreed that it is easier to sweep up after a Flying Fortress. As a matter of fact, the Sergeant does not sweep. His weapon is a camera but since he is on “flying status” he also knows how to operate the heavy caliber machine guns of the Fort, just in case. His ambition is to get a good picture of Berlin, Germany, with the flames coming up and the bombs going down—straight down on top of the Nazi Dictator...