Here’s an advertisement for Robinson Aviation / Robinson Airlines, from 1945, featuring a sketch of a Fairchild F24.
The airline was founded in 1945 by C.S. Robinson, and was based out of Ithaca Municipal Airport, at Ithaca, New York, servicing routes in the Mohawk Valley of New York State. Renamed Mohawk Airlines in 1952, the company survived until the early 1970s, when it merged with Allegheny Airlines.
Reference
Mohawk Airlines (Wikipedia), at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohawk_Airlines.
A late-WW II advertisement for Northwest Airlines (decades before its absorption by Delta) incorporating sketches of two Douglas DC-4s, one headed “west” and the other “east”.
New York Telephone, circa 1945: Putting a human face and a human voice in communications. (Hey, it’s better than voicemail.)
An advertisement for Motorola Radio, from 1945.
The Galvin Manufacturing Corporation (listed at the bottom of the advertisement) the actual progenitor of Motorola, was founded in 1928 in Chicago by brothers Paul V. and Joseph E. Galvin. They originated the name “Motorola” in 1930 by “…linking “motor” (for motorcar) with “ola” (from Victrola)”, selling their first Motorola brand name radio that year.
The text of the advertisement?…
“Funny-looking gadget, that old-time radio set. Big, bulky born…dials and more dials…squeaky and noisy as all get out. Not much like the radio now in your living-room or car. And yet the radio you buy not too long after the war may make your present-day set look and sound as antiquated as that early Electronic instrument looks now. Today Electronics is fighting for America and its Allies brilliantly and successfully. In battle it warns of approaching danger so can can destroy the enemy; in the electric eye it searches for and exposes flaws in heavy castings; in resistance-welding it doubles and triples production. These and countless others are Electronic achievements of vast importance now and for the future. The first Electronic instrument to benefit will be radio.
Your First Post-War Electronic Purchase Should be a Motorola Radio
Motorola Engineers are making full use of the newest Electronic knowledge in the production and development of Radar and Communications Equipment now being used by American fighting men on every battle front. Soon after Victory gives the green light to civilian production, the “know-how” of Motorola Engineers will be switched to the production of civilian radios for home and car with the same all-out efficiency and perfection. Expect the finest in radio from Motorola.
Take good care of your radio. It is a vital wartime necessity. For service, consult your local classified telephone directory for a nearby Motorola Dealer.”
Reference
Motorola (wikipedia), at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola#cite_note-16
Here are dueling advertisements from 1945 for Coca-Cola, and, Pepsi (Cola), the former from The New York Times, and the latter from that same newspaper or (hmmm…?) The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Though Coca-Cola used the image of a fighter pilot to promote their product, the advertisement carries no mention of – and implies no endorsement by – the Army Air Force. It’s the visual symbolism that counts.
Interestingly, given that the pilot is seated in a Razorback version of the P-47D Thunderbolt fighter plane and wearing “early” style two-piece goggles, perhaps the Coca-Cola company created this ad by using a stock publicity photo from earlier in the, war as a basis for the advertisement.
The Pepsi ad? Simple, and to-the-point.
They’re both still around. Many things change, but a few remain the same!
Here are two advertisements in one: Pfanstiehl phonograph needles, and, Davega Department Stores.
The Davega stores were a New York metropolitan area chain that sold consumer durables, appliances, sporting goods, and apparel. The company was founded in 1879, expanded to 27 stores by 1954, and survived until April of 1963, when it declared bankruptcy.
The advertisement lists nine stores at the following locations: New York: The Hotel Commodore (111 East 42nd Street); Times Square; the Empire State Building; “Downtown”; Brooklyn, and the Bronx. New Jersey: Newark, Paterson, and Jersey City.
The phrase “phonograph needles” conjures an era that may have little resonance today (ahem…unintended pun there….) given the advent and pervasiveness of digital technology, but which is an example of the rapidity of technological and cultural change.
I don’t know if the company still exists as an independent entity, but its products are still available through retailers of specialized electronic and audio gear, such as Turntable Needles.com, and, Jackstuff.com, the latter having an especially detailed descriptive web page covering Pfanstiehl’s phonograph needles.
So, what comes next in the world of audio technology?
Reference
Davega Stores (wikipedia), at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davega_Stores.
In an earlier post – The Missing Photos: Photographic Images in Missing Air Crew Reports – I described the 58 Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs) which include photographs.
This post – covering two such MACRs – brings you an example of one of these images. (One image for two MACRs? I’ll explain…)
The MACRs in question are numbers “5033” and “5032”, covering two 416th Bomb Group A-20G Havoc light bombers. Respectively, the Reports cover A-20G 43-10203 (5H * R), piloted by First Lieutenant Lucian J. Siracusa, and, 43-10206 (2A * F), piloted by First Lieutenant Allen W. Gullion, of the 668th and 669th Bomb Squadrons. Both planes were lost during a mission to Amiens, France, on May 27, 1944.
Fortunately, all six crewmen aboard the two planes parachuted safely, to spend the remainder of the war as POWs.
The circumstances under which the two planes were lost were identical. Both Havocs were shot down by flak which struck their right engines – at an altitude between 11,300 and 11,500 feet – shortly after 1800 hours (local time), during the 416th’s bomb run.
The witnesses to the planes’ loss – 1 Lt. Gustave Ebenstein, S/Sgt. Holley Perkins, and Sgt. S.P. Newell – the crew of A-20G 43-9907 of the 668th BS – were the same for both MACRs.
The maps filed with the two MACRs show the last location of the Havocs as having been north of the Somme River.
Specifically, Lt. Gullion’s aircraft was north-northeast of Amiens / west-northwest of Albert, as seen in the map from MACR 5032:
Lt. Siracusa’s plane was last seen between Amiens and Albert. In his postwar Casualty Questionnaire (the only such document in either MACR), he mentions that his plane crashed “10 miles west of Amiens”. The last position of his bomber is depicted in the map below, from MACR 5033:
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On the “contemporary” side of things, Google maps of this region are shown below. The first map shows northern France, specifically the locations of Amiens and Albert…
…while the map below shows the area between Amiens and Albert in more detail.
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But, what about the airmen themselves? They were:
A-20G 43-10203 (MACR 5033 / KU 809A)
Pilot: 1 Lt. Lucian J. Siracusa POW (camp location unknown)
Mrs. Philomena Siracusa (mother), 325 13th St., Palisades Park, N.J.
Gunner: S/Sgt. James N. Hume POW at Stalag Luft 4 (Gross-Tychow)
Mrs. Edith R. Hume (mother), South Side Road, York Village, Me.
Gunner: S/Sgt. Floyd E. Brown POW at Stalag Luft 4 (Gross-Tychow)
Mrs. Evelyn G. Brown (wife), 9 Linden Ave., Moundsville, W.V.
A-20G 43-10206 (MACR 5032 / KU 807A)
Pilot: 1 Lt. Allen W. Gullion, Jr. POW at Stalag Luft III (Sagan)
Mrs. Allen W. Gullion (wife), 3333 Rittenhouse St., Northwest, Washington, D.C.
c/o Mrs. Thomas Moorman
Gunner: S/Sgt. Gerald L. Coffey POW at Stalag Luft III (Sagan)
Mr. George L. Coffey (father), Route Number Two, Dardanelle, Ak.
Gunner: S/Sgt. Grady F. Cope POW at Stalag Luft 4 (Gross-Tychow)
Mrs. Myrtle V. Cope (mother), Route Number Two, Gould, Ok.
The Germans filed Luftgaukommando Reports for both crews, which – at least as Luftgaukommando Reports go! – contain only nominal information about the planes and crewmen. Report KU 807A indicates that the crew of 43-10206 was captured at Vignacourt, while Report KU 809A, for 43-10203, mentions that Siracusa and Hume were captured at Bertangles, and Brown at Amiens.
The somme-aviation-39-45 website reveals that 43-10206 crashed 1 kilometer west of Vignacourt, at Boise de Parisiens. The website includes a remarkable series of images of the recovery of the plane’s wreckage (in 2006) with added commentary, which is quoted below:
As described:
“L’excavation de Vignacourt a eu lieu le samedi 28 octobre 2006. Les prévisions météorologiques laissaient craindre des averses mais finalement le travail pourra s’effectuer convenablement. L’agriculteur a eu la gentillesse de différer ses semis à l’emplacement du crash afin de nous permettre d’effectuer les recherches.
“Le Boston IV A20 G du 416ème Bomber Group de la 9ème Air Force des USA a ainsi été retrouvé.
“Les deux moteurs, de type radial WRIGHT R-2600, ont été retrouvés à un peu plus de 2 mètres de profondeur, ce qui laisse à penser que le bimoteur, s’il n’est pas arrivé en vol rasant, a tout de même heurté le sol avec un angle faible. Ces moteurs ont tous deux été brûlés et l’un des deux est d’un volume moindre car il a certainement été atteint par un obus de la DCA [Défense Contre Avions]. Nous avons également retrouvé quelques cylindres, également brûlés, dont nous pourrons extraire quelques soupapes qui semblent en bon état.
“Eu égard à l’emplacement des deux moteurs dans la terre, cet avion arrivait probablement du Sud / Sud-Est (trajectoire courbe à partir d’Amiens s’orientant vers Vignacourt se trouvant au Nord-Ouest d’Amiens).
“D’autres pièces ont également été retrouvées : les deux moyeux d’hélice tripale, 3 pales plus ou moins endommagées et très corrodées, des douilles de 12,7 mm brûlées.
“Quasiment toutes les pièces ont été brûlées et sont corrodées à cause de l’incendie de l’appareil.
Translation?
“The excavation of Vignacourt took place on Saturday, October 28, 2006. The weather forecasts threatened showers but eventually the work could be done properly. The farmer was kind enough to postpone his seeding at the crash site to allow us to do research.
“Boston IV A-20G of the 416th Bomb Group of the 9th Air Force of the United States has been recovered.
“The two engines, Wright R-2600 radials, were found at a depth of a little more than 2 meters, which suggests that the twin-engined [aircraft], if it has not [landed] in flight, nevertheless struck the ground at a low angle. These engines were both burned and one of the two is of lesser volume as it was certainly hit by an anti-aircraft defense shell. We also found some cylinders, also burnt, from which we could extract some valves that seemed in good condition.
“In view of the location of the two engines in the ground, this aircraft probably came from the South / South-East (curved trajectory from Amiens to Vignacourt, northwest of Amiens).
“Other parts have also been found: the two three-bladed propeller hubs, 3 blades more or less damaged and very corroded, burned 12.7 mm shells.
“Almost all the parts had been burned and are corroded because of the fire.”
All well and good, and genuinely good: All six men returned.
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Other 9th Air Force A-20 losses that day, with relevant MACR and Luftgaukommando Report numbers, comprise the following:
409th Bomb Group
43-9694, 640th BS, piloted by 2 Lt. Raymond L. Gregg (3 crew; no survivors) – MACR 5086; KU 1997
43-9446, 640th BS, piloted by Capt. Leland F. Norton (4 crew; 2 survivors) – MACR 5087; KU 1992
410th Bomb Group
43-9665, 646th BS, piloted by 1 Lt. Richard K. Robinson (3 crew; 2 survivors) – MACR 5046; KU 1993
43-10218, 647th BS, piloted by 2 Lt. Warren A. Thompson (3 crew; all survived) – MACR 5037; KU 1996
416th Bomb Group
43-9983, “2A * J”, 669th BS, piloted by 2 Lt. Harry E. Hewes (3 crew; all survived) – MACR 5035; KU 1977
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But, what about the photos…?
That’s where things become interesting.
Both MACRs include a photograph of the two damaged planes falling below and behind the 416th’s formation. A comparison of both pictures (not possible via Fold3) shows that the images are actually identical, having been printed from the same negative. The only difference is that the photographic print in MACR 5032 – notably darker than that in MACR 5033 – was presumably developed (by the 416th BG photo lab?*) longer. The notations at the bottom of the image in MACR 5033, such as focal length of 6 3/8”, probably argue for this being the “original” print.
But, what about the photos…?
That’s where things remain interesting.
For a photograph taken under combat conditions – very likely by an automatic camera, at that – it’s actually a very good photo. By sheer luck, the “focus” of interest – the two mortally damaged A-20s – are situated within the center of the image. From the towns, forests, and farms on the earth below, to the 23 (ugh!) flak bursts in the upper left, to the four A-20s in flight, the resolution and clarity are excellent.
Beyond this, the picture imparts an impression of depth (well, there was over 11,000 feet of “depth” beneath the planes), as if the viewer is not only looking at the four A-20s, but looking through and beyond them, as well.
And ultimately, in this year of 2017, we are not only looking through space, but into the past.
And with that discussion – oh, yes! – here are the pictures….
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The MACR for Lt. Siracusa’s bomber, first…
Here’s how the image looks in the actual MACR. Both the photographic print and the original documents comprising the MACR are in excellent condition.
Here’s the photograph itself, scanned at 1200 dpi. Notice information at the bottom of the image covering date of mission, focal length of camera, and target.
The image once more, scanned at 2400 dpi, and cropped. The arrow is pointing to Lt. Siracusa’s plane. The fire enveloping his starboard nacelle is striking, even from a distance.
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And now, the MACR for Lt. Gullion’s plane…
As before, here’s the print as it appears in the MACR.
And, the image itself, at 1200 dpi. Notice the obvious differences from the image in the previous MACR. No information has been recorded on the print. The photographic developing process brought out background details richly and deeply.
Zooming in at 2400 dpi. The arrow points to Lt. Gullion’s Havoc This cropped view shows both their smoking (and burning!) starboard engines quite clearly, with the canopy and dorsal turret of Lt. Gullion’s plane being readily visible.
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I hope to bring you more MACR photos in the future.
Acknowledgements and References
Further information about the 416th Bomb Group can be found at the extraordinarily comprehensive 416th Bomb Group website, which covers the Group’s history and activities in a depth and breadth rarely found among most other websites covering Army Air Force Combat Groups. (Examples: The 416th BG website includes detailed information about men wounded or injured. Similarly, it includes combat mission loading lists. Such details are unusual, and moreso, unusually valuable.)
416th Bomb Group Mission of 27 05 1944 to Amiens, at http://www.416th.com/missions/mission58.html
France-Crashes 1939-1945 website, (Daniel Carville), at http://francecrashes39-45.net/index.php
A-20G 43-10206 (at France-Crashes website), at http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1848
Somme Aviation website, at http://www.somme-aviation-39-45.fr/index_.html
Recovery of wreckage of A-20G 43-10206, at http://www.somme-aviation-39-45.fr/pages-dossiers-decouverte/boston-iv-a20-g-vignacourt-27-mai-1944/boston-a-20g-vignacourt-27-mai-1944.html
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*Photo lab? Hey, what’s a photo lab?
Aviation – particularly military aviation – is fascinating for several reasons: The technologies that enable and support manned aerial flight; the myriad forms of insignia and markings (national, commercial, and personal) carried by aircraft; the effect of aircraft, aerial transportation, and aerial warfare upon economics, foreign policy, and ultimately the pace and nature of human thought.
Most books (and I suppose, most websites…) covering aviation focus upon these topics, emphasizing – particularly for military planes – camouflage, insignia, and nose art, or, the application of technology to warfare.
Somewhat less attention is accorded to another aspect of military flying: Leadership. The melding of men – individuals and groups – into an effective flying force, in a geographic setting that is very much a “new world” to most.
The document presented in this post – a Pilot’s Information File (a “P.I.F.”) issued to new members of the 96th Bomb Squadron (2nd Bomb Group, 15th Air Force) upon their arrival at the 2nd BG’s base at Amendola, Italy, in 1944 and 1945 – exemplifies this aspect of military flying.
Twenty-five pages long, the File includes the following sections:
Chaplain’s Welcoming Message
Introduction and Statement of Purpose by the Commanding Officer of the Squadron
Discussion of “S-2” (Military Intelligence)
Map showing layout of Amendola Airfield (shared between the 2nd and 97th Bomb Groups) showing location of areas assigned to the 2nd’s component squadrons (20th BS, 49th BS, 96th BS, and 429th BS).
Radio Navigation Aids for the 15th Air Force, with listing of locations of radio beacons and their associated call sings, frequencies, and associated information.
Diagram of instrument letdown procedure using Amendola and Lesina radio beacons
Aeromedical information, covering basic human anatomy, pressure points in case of injuries or wounds, and medical effects of altitude changes
Basic description of the 2nd Bomb Group as a combat organization
Activity before, during, and after a typical combat mission
Flying Clothing
Advice from the Squadron Flight Surgeon
Radio
Rank and Crew Position in the 96th BS
~ and finally ~
Miscellaneous Information (Rest Camps, Passes, Mail, Quarters, Relations between flying and ground personnel, laundry, and (inevitably!) PX.)
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Some images and graphics from the PIF are shown below.
If you’re interested, I’ve created a PDF version of the document (available here) which combines the graphics, diagrams, and cartoons in the original document, with digitized text.
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But, what about the source of this book?… Some years ago, I spent an afternoon with the late William Randall Bedgood, Jr. Mr. Bedgood served as a B-17 pilot in the 2nd Bomb Group, where rising to the rank of Colonel, he flew 41 missions and earned – among other awards – the Silver Star. Mr. Bedgood kindly loaned me his mimeographed copy (remember mimeographs?!) of the PIF, and as a result, I’m able to present you with a digital version of the document, 73 years after its creation.
Here is an excellent photograph of (then) Colonel Bedgood, from the website of the 2nd Bombardment Association, the caption reading “WWII 2nd Bomb Group 300th Mission Lead Plane, Jerry Hofmann, Bombardier Col Randall Bedgood, Pilot Jim Merritt, Navigator Amendola Foggia Italy.” (To be specific, Colonel Bedgood is second from left in the photo.)
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Front page
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A WELCOME FROM THE CHAPLAIN
As chaplain of the 2nd Bomb Group I extend to you a most hearty welcome to our organization. And I urge upon you from the start a realization of the value of habitual church attendance.
Following is the schedule of services for the three faiths:
Protestant: Sundays at 10:30 and 19:00 Weekdays as announced.
Catholic: Sundays at 09:00 and at 18:30 (this PM service at the 97th Bomb Group.) Thursdays at 18:30 (Our Chapel)
Jewish: Friday evening at 19:00
Overseas offers many temptations to forsake the high standard which ruled our lives and gave us happiness at home. Through the services and whatever personal service we can render, my Catholic colleague, Fr. Musch of the 97th., and I stand ready to aid you in keeping the faith. Use us.
Donald E. Paije
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Map of Amendola Airfield
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I N T R O D U C T I O N
You are now in a Combat Organization. You are in the oldest Squadron and Group still in existence, dating back to the First World War. You have a fine tradition to live up to.
We realize the change from conditions existing in the United States to those in combat. Rather than let you learn haphazardly, this booklet has been prepared to carry you over the, period of false first impressions.
Use this only as a sampler. Important details are for you to read for yourself in the memorandums and other material placed at your disposal. Learn the right way now.
We assume that at least your first night and day have passed, that you have been billeted, and that your papers have been processed by the Orderly Room. Squadron Operations will now be the center of most of your activity. Read the bulletin board carefully, and any orders posted there are to be treated as Battle Orders. All training and flying schedules are posted there.
For the first week your time will be spent in Orientation lecture periods, scheduled both morning and afternoon . They will include the primary Orientation Lecture, and then Group History, Theatre Orientation, Security and Censorship, Engineering and Personnel Equipment, Evasion and Escape, Armament, Communications, Briefing and Interrogation, Prisoner of War Procedure, and a Medical Lecture. This training will be centered about S-2, Squadron Intelligence and the Line. Each lecture will be a vital contribution to the element of safety in YOUR missions. Listen and Learn.
During this Orientation week you will have learned the location of the various Squadron Units, the ranking personnel, and the one very important fact: along with Combat missions, an intensified ground and air training program is in effect. Thus may in time become a drudgery, but a man must constantly be learning and practicing to be efficient in combat. An inefficient man is as dangerous to YOU as is the enemy. This training will include each of you until the time you finish your coir of duty.
An orientation flight will be scheduled for a new crew in order to familiarize them with the general area and to give them confidence after not having flown for several weeks.
As soon as possible, the first pilot will be scheduled for a combat mission as Co-Pilot, and will fly as such for about five missions, or until he is deemed satisfactory for combat. The rest of the crew will also be checked out with experienced crews before they will fly together again as a team. You must realize the value of experience, and do not hesitate to learn when flying with men who have many missions.
You will soon learn the varied differences between combat flying, and flying in the United States. There is less red tape, but the rules, though fewer, are more clearly defined and must be followed, as more than one life is at stake. A Tight formation is the primary MUST, as there will be more planes in the air then you have ever seen, and each plane has been designated to be exactly a certain place at a certain time. You will hear what happens to stragglers.
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THE MISSION
You now have a rough idea of the set-up. And now what happens on the first mission? What will it be like?
It starts the day before, with the Squadron being notified through channels by Air Force of what, will be demanded. The Battle Order is made out by the Operations Officer and his assistants, and posted early in the evening. The lead bombardier and navigator go to a pre-briefing at Group that night to receive general information about the target.
The C.O. awakens the men approximately one hour before briefing time to allow for breakfast. Briefing time varies, but is usually between 0500 and 0600. It is imperative that you are there at the scheduled time, as latecomers are fined. Only the Pilot, Navigator, and Bombardier go to the main briefing. The Radio Operator goes to a special briefing at Group. The rest of the crew _____ and get the shop ready for the mission. The Co-Pilot is in charge of supervising chocking the ship prior to the mission and is responsible for briefing the gunners on “Search and Fire Control”. The engineer will pick up rations for the entire crew at the moss hall before leaving the area.
All pertinent information is given at briefing. Mimeographed sheets are given out containing items that you could not trust to your memory. These sheets are classified Secret and must be returned at interrogation. The Navigator will pick up the Escape Kits before briefing, and distribute them to the crow at the airplane.
Pilots leave after the general briefing, and bombardiers and navigators stay for special target information.
You will have had bins assigned in Personnel Equipment for your flying clothes. Those you will draw along with electric suits and be taken; by truck to the ships. The engineer will draw electric gloves for the entire crew. Every man will be in position ten minutes before briefed taxi time, and each man should take it upon himself to see that his position has been checked and is dressed before that time.
When the bombardier and navigator arrive, the enlisted men will be briefed and given all pertinent information about the mission. Do not neglect this. Teamwork is essential and this can be accomplished only by having each member of the crew know what will happen during the flight. Special emphasis should be placed on that days special escape procedure. This crew briefing will be given out of hearing of anyone except your crew. This is not a reflection on the integrity of the ground crews, but security must be maintained and ABSOLUTELY NO ONE WILL BE TOLD ABOUT THE MISSION UNTIL IT HAS BEEN COMPLETED. In case of a scrubbed mission, nothing will be told about the briefed target.
Engines will be started before taxi time as seen as you see the lead ship starting up. Starting at this point radio silence will be maintained unless in an emergency. Listen closely to all radio calls, and follow instructions.
Your turn to taxi will come when you see the ship scheduled ahead of you taxi. Do not waste time — follow him closely, but safely. Prepare for take-off before you turn on the runway, and move up with the ships ahead to make room for the ships behind. Take-Off will be at a MAXIMUM 30-second interval. The longer the take-off interval, the longer it takes to join formation in the air.
After take-off the squadron lead ship will fly at 145 I.A.S., and will follow a specified pattern. There is no need to build up on excessive airspeed, as cutting corners will bring you up much faster. Attain safe altitude after take-off, and maintain it before joining.
After the Squadron has assembled, the Squadron lead will then be free to maneuver into position in Group Formation. The Group Assembly will have a specified time and altitude over the field, and then altitude is gained for Wave rendezvous. This will usually be near the Adriatic Coast, and the next and most important item to meet is Key Point. Key Point is similar to a three-dimensional traffic crossing. Wave traffic must be controlled here to give a clear route to the target.
From, rendezvous to Key Point the flight will be crossing into enemy territory, so all crew members will be at their position and on the alert. Oxygen checks must be called regularly. Guns will be test fired on orders from the Group Lead.
The route to the target is planned to avoid flak areas. Mobile flak may be encountered with the changing war situation. Enemy fighters may intercept at almost any point, so your tight position in formation should be gained at first and held constantly because of this threat. A moment’s relaxation in the air may moan your life and others.
Bombing altitude will be reached before the Initial Point, and airspeed, altitude,, and course of the lead ship must be held constant on the bomb run regardless of the flak or fighters. It is at this crucial period that a tight formation is of the utmost importance. A good bombing pattern is the result. A target that is knocked out brings you one step further towards home.
There will be a turn after bomb away to Rally Point, and a slow let-down will be started. However, altitude may be maintained to take advantage of tail winds.
Before reaching the Italian Coast, the pilot will give the order to clear all guns.
A good pool-off and landing is essential, as there are many ships that must land in a short time. Ships in trouble have the highest priority, and formations have priority over single ships.
Interrogation is the next step, at Group Briefing Room. All crew members will be present, and any gun that has not been cleaned before leaving the line will be cleaned after interrogation. The navigator is responsible to see that all escape kits have been turned in. The pilot will be responsible for the mimeographed briefing forms.
An intelligence officer will be the interrogator, and accurate reports are necessary for safe and well informed future operations. The navigator will give weather information, and all crew members will give their reports on bomb strikes if seen. All observations in the air should have been given to the navigator and noted in his log.
Your mission has been completed, coffee and doughnuts are there for you, and two ounces of whiskey awaits you at the dispensary.
Thirty-five missions is the present number to be flown on a tour of duty.
Do what is required the way it is required; do not under-estimate the enemy-rand above all, fly good formation and you will finish all thirty-five.
Not all your flying time will be obtained on combat missions. An intensified air training program makes it necessary that every crow member knows the area for all training flights, and that al pilots know the facilities at hand for weather flying.
An orientation flight will be given for all new crews, giving them a picture of the area, and an idea of the radio facilities available. On Combat missions, learn all good chock points in the Adriatic Area.
On practice flights, such as air-to-ground gunnery, or bombing, study your route beforehand, and ask questions until you KNOW what will take place, when-where-and how.
Study the following maps, which are also posted in Operations. Carry a copy of the instrument let-down procedure on all local flights.
Practice flights include the following:
1. Formation – Squadron and Group.
2. Instruments and Instrument Calibration.
3. Navigation.
4. Practice Bombing and Camera Bombing.
5. Slow Time on Engines.
6. Ferry hops.
7. Acceptance checks and test flights.
8. Night Flying.
Make use of the time available to you, as it will improve your combat flying.
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References
2nd Bombardment Association, at http://www.2ndbombgroup.org/
Rust, Kenn C., Fifteenth Air Force Story, Historical Aviation Album, Temple City, Ca., 1976
The “flavor” of an era is found in all manner of words and images.
Case in point, the following advertisement – seeking candidates for pilot, navigator, and bombardier positions in the Army Air Force – which appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer on September 9, 1943.
The text of the ad – presented below, verbatim – evokes purpose and achievement, within a context of teamwork. Patriotism is certainly implied, but that’s secondary to both challenge and adventure.
Following the verbal “hook” (a well-written and meaningful hook, at that!) forming the core of the advertisement, information is presented about the practical steps of entering the Army Air Corps for qualification as a Pilot, Bombardier, or Navigator.
The artwork, depicting a B-17 pilot, is by Robert L. Benney, who, during his very lengthy career as a professional artist, served as a civilian correspondent with the armed forces during the Second World War, focusing on military activity at Saipan and the Marianas Islands. Several powerful examples of Benney’s work – which has a very distinctive, clearly recognizable style, in terms of visual texture, and the use of light and shadow – can be found at the website of the Naval History and Heritage Command.
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THIS IS WHERE I BELONG…
We’re almost there…
Only four minutes to go – and the plane up ahead will drop the first flare.
Only four minutes to go – and Joe will give us our speed, the doors will open and we’ll start our run…and the ship will quiver like a thoroughbred who’s been given her head…
And Bob will center the target and we’ll come in – and the ten seconds or fifteen will seem like a year before we hear him call “Bombs Away”…
And then – they’ll go out of the bay, nose over and fall, and begin their march over the land with the stamp of a giant’s tread.
This is where I belong.
Not down there but up here…with my ship and my crew…in a world of our own.
Up here, where the clean, sharp air bites to the bone, I can see things clear. I can see the kids we were, and the team we’ve become and the men we’ll be.
Up here in the night, I remember nights with the books – when numbers and formulas jumbled and blurred and I couldn’t get them into my head. But I swore that if other men had done it before – I could, and I would. And all at once they came clear and I understood.
And I remember the time when I took over the stick and the ship lost speed and she stalled out and spun…and my mouth went dry and my hand shook. And then, my instructor’s voice was quiet in my ear and the fear left me – for good.
And, now up here, alone, and all of us closer together than we’ve ever been, I hear once again the words of a pilot I knew: “I can’t tell what it means to fly with a bomber crew,” he said, “that’s like telling a blind man what you mean by the color red.”
As the target comes nearer, and the fighters slide up, and the guns start their chatter, I know this is where I belong…this is what matters…
This is my air.
This is my future.
This is what I was born for…to fly with the Army Air Corps!
If you can qualify – you, too, belong in the Army Air Forces as a Bombardier, Navigator or Pilot. And here’s what you can do about it right now. Go to your nearest Aviation Cadet Examining Board – or see the commanding officer of the Army Air Force College Training Detachment neatest you.
If you are under 18…see your local Civil Air Patrol officers about taking C.A.P. Cadet Training – also see your High School adviser about taking H.S. Victory Corps prescribed courses. Both will afford you valuable pre-aviation training.
If you are 17 but not yet 18…go to your nearest Aviation Cadet Examining Board to take your preliminary examinations to see if you can qualify as a Junior Cadet in the Air Corps Enlisted Reserve. If you qualify, you will receive your Enlisted Reserve insignia but will not be called for training until you are over 18.
If you are 18 but under 27…go to your nearest Aviation Cadet Exam, using Board…see if you can qualify as an Aviation Cadet. If you are in the Army, you may apply through your commanding officer. When called, you’ll be given 5 months’ training (after a brief conditioning period) in one of America’s finest colleges…a you’ll get dual-control flying instruction…then go on to eight months of full night training during which you will receive as $10,000 life insurance policy paid for by the Government. When you graduate as a Bombardier, Navigator or Pilot – you will receive an extra $250 uniform allowance and your pay will be $246 to $327 per month.
And after the war you will be qualified for leadership in the world’s greatest industry – aviation!
(Essential workers in War Industry or Agriculture – do not apply)
U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES
THIS ADVERTISEMENT HAS THE APPROVAL OF THE JOINT ARMY NAVY PERSONNEL BOARD
“NOTHING CAN STOP THE ARMY AIR CORPS”
Reference
Obituary for Robert L. Benney, at New York Times wesbite. (June 3, 2001)
Here is another sign of – well, actually from, “The Times”. (The New York Times, that is, from 1946.) An advertisement for DuMont Televisions.
Now, this was new. I’d heard of, seen, and viewed programs on, sets by RCA, Zenith, and Motorola. But, DuMont? What was DuMont? Who was Hildegarde? A little searching (see the excerpts below, from Wikipedia) reveals the answers….
From Wikipedia: “The DuMont Television Network … was one of the world’s pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC and CBS for the distinction of being first overall in the United States. It began operation in 1946. It was owned by DuMont Laboratories, a television equipment and set manufacturer. The network was hindered by the prohibitive cost of broadcasting, by regulations imposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which restricted the company’s growth, and even by the company’s partner, Paramount Pictures. Despite several innovations in broadcasting and the creation of one of television’s biggest stars of the 1950s (Jackie Gleason), the network never found itself on solid financial ground. Forced to expand on UHF channels during an era when UHF tuning was not yet a standard feature on television sets, DuMont fought an uphill battle for program clearances outside of their three owned-and-operated stations in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh, finally ending network operations in 1956.”
“DuMont Laboratories was an American television equipment manufacturer. The company was founded in 1931, in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, by inventor Allen B. DuMont. Among the company’s developments were durable cathode ray tubes that would be used for TV. Another product was a DuMont invention, the magic eye tube.”
Hildegarde?: “Hildegard Frieda Albertine Knef (28 December 1925 – 1 February 2002) was a German actress, singer, and writer. She was billed in some English language films as Hildegard Neff or Hildegarde Neff.”