Message Board For The 463rd Bombardment Group (H)

PLOESTI 43/44 Bombings Book

arrow1 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:35:54 GMT

All:

I am about to complete my book I've started 18 years ago on the Rumanian
campaigns of Halpro, 9th and 15th Air Forces and have collected a wide data
base on the 26 BG's and FG's which participated on these bloody
campaigns assisted by the vets , their families and the concerned BG's
associations and the US Airmen POW Association. 463rd lost 16 planes
in Rumania and I would appreciate any help in obtaining bios and photos
to be published in my my book from anyone linked to the airmen KIA
in Rumania and those held captive at POW's Lagarul 13 in Bucharest.

I am not certain if the 463rd has an history book published, if it does I
would like to get info on where and how to buy this. I am also reachable
at ArmyAirforces Forum " ARROW1" and also at :
plt767e@yahoo.com

Thanks in advance
Alex K

Forum: 772nd

question for jj463rd / Lassie and Her Lads

corsair — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:35:57 GMT

I am newbie in this forum, so let me introduce myself, my name is Peter Valica, I am interested in WWII planes and I am also an modeler. I live in small town in the south of Slovakia /former Czechoslovakia/ in Nove Zamky. I am also interested in history of our town, at WWII Nove Zamky were bombed three times by 15th USAAF and one of the BG which took a part of missions was also 463BG. I found that "Lassie and Her Lads" definitely took a part of bombing at 7th October 1944. My question is, do you have any pics of "Lassie"?
I have some of them from 2nd Pictorial of 463BG but unfortunately just a rear part of the plane. I am going to build it in 1/72 scale and pics of front part would help me a lot.
It is difficulty identify the plane because by the s/n plane was made by Lockeed Vega as B-17G-20-VE version with old style tail turret.
But how the front part looked like? Was it B-17G style or late B-17F style ? Thats the question ? Had the plane any nose-art also on the front part ?

I know it is too many question but you are the last person who could help me.

thank you
Peter

Forum: B-17's

''Swoose'' question

chobi — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:22:23 GMT

Hello,

B-17G 42-31844 ''The Swoose 1944 Model'' from the 772nd BS

- how many missions this ship flew during its combat career in the 772nd?
- did Col. Kurtz piloted it on every each mission, or no?

Any help is appreciated!

Forum: 772nd

Roland L. Greene 774th

Kaarin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:27:48 GMT

My brother and I are looking for stories and/or photos about our dad, Roland L. Greene (deceased 1994). He arrived at Foggia as the co-pilot of the "Pysonya" (#42-31795) and flew with Parks, Eagan, McQuerter, Haggard, Shook, Tatum, Bennett, Markle, and Snell for his first 25 or so missions. He completed his missions with a new crew on another A/C. We don't have any info on the second crew or plane.

We believe Joe Mathias was a member of his ground crew at some point.

We'd like to identify the second plane and crew. We are interested in stories of his time in training, time based at Celone, and his time after returning stateside (Aug. 1944). We'd be equally interested in any photos from this time in his life.

I would consider it a special privilege to be able to chat by phone with anyone who knew dad or any relatives of the men who flew with him or served in the ground crews for one of these planes.

Thank you,

Forum: Looking For......

Any Info on John Patrick Cassidy

dsc29a — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:18:52 GMT

I am trying to find out information on my grandfather John Patrick Cassidy. Any information including rank, aircraft S/N and name flown, crew names or anything you have.

Forum: Looking For......

Goddess on a Fortress name on plane?

martyjhawk — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:36:16 GMT

Does anyone know if the plane called Goddess on a Fortress actually had the name painted on it? The only photos I have seen are of the art on the tail but there is no name by the art.

Thanks,

Marty

Forum: B-17's

missions/aircraft info

chobi — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:54:56 GMT

Hello,

I'm trying to determine all the 463rd aircrafts that flew the following missions:
(need serials & names)

#10, 16 April 1944, Belgrade YU, 35 a/c
#11, 17 April 1944, Belgrade YU, 35 a/c
#37, 6 June 1944, Belgrade YU, 28 a/c
#95, 3 September 1944, Belgrade YU, 27 a/c

I hope this is possible?

Forum: Looking For......

Janie's nose art

chobi — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:28:47 GMT

Hello to all,

I'm trying to determine the exact colors of 44-6336 Janie's nose art:

I suppose that the base triangle was black, but what about the girl's clothes?
I hope there is someone here who can help me with this, perhaps some of the surviving crewmembers or their relatives..

Thanks in advance.

Forum: Pictures / Memorabilia

463gp, 722sq info

dsptrooper — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:25:00 GMT

I am new to this site after doing some research. I am looking for information about my grandfather, Stephen J. Hanich. He was an aerial gunner in the 722nd sq. and 463rd gp. His plane was shot down on 07/31/44 after a successful mission over Ploesti, Romania. He was MIA for over a month before being located after parachuting out. I would like to know more about his plane, his crewmates, his history with the unit, anything and everything. I have already contacted the site historian, Joel, who has graciously agreed to assist me.

David Hanich
email - david.hanich@state.de.us

Forum: 772nd

Volume 3 463rd Pictorial History completed

Swindy — Thur, 28 May 2009 03:16:20 GMT

Volume 3 of the 463rd Pictorial History is now complete or rather as complete as I can get it with the photos, documents and diaries that I had at hand.

The CD will have the usual individual topics such as Bomb Strikes, Bombers, Personnel, etc. I have added a couple new topics such as At Home and Tuskegee Airmen.

The CD will be in its usual format with individual folders containing .jpg format pictures that can be viewed individually. There is also a video format of the same pictues accompanied by background music, hopefully mellow enough for everyone's taste.

I have also included diaries of some of the airmen who have submitted them. They are in .pdf format and will require Adobe Acrobat Reader. I thought this best as not everyone will have MS Word on their computer.

If you wish to order the CD, the cost to cover expenses is $5 each. BE SURE TO SPECIFY WHICH VOLUME OF THE CD'S YOU WISH TO ORDER. You can order them by writing to this address:

463rd Bomb Group
1233 Flanders Road
La Canada, CA 91011

And I will still be collecting photos for the next CD (electronic format) or I can scan them for you.

Forum: General Questions / Comments

Ernest Peters of my dad's crew just passed away

jj463rd — Thur, 07 May 2009 23:15:35 GMT

I was informed by my mother that Ernest (Ernie) Peters (Sgt Radio Operator/Gunner) of the 772nd squadron in my father's crew (James Jarmon) sadly has just recently passed away.I have notified Swindy of this already but I am posting this to anyone who might have known him.

Forum: General Questions / Comments

Navigation log 24 May 1944

Steve_Fossey — Thur, 23 Apr 2009 16:41:14 GMT

Does anyone have or know where I might look for a Navigation Log for 24 May 1944? I am trying to estimate wind speed and direction over Schoenstein Yugoslavia (now Sostanj Slovenia) on that day. I am hoping that information will be in the Navigation Log.

I am trying to guesstimate where various crew members of A/C 42-31841, shot down that day, may have landed. The MACR provides the order in which they bailed out, the next step is to try and account for wind drift.

Thanks,
Steve

Forum: Looking For......

Photo of Tish from the 463rd

martyjhawk — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:41:05 GMT

In case any of you are interested, I found a store on ebay that sells photos and art prints, including a few photos of WWII aircraft nose art. One of the prints they have is a color photo of Tish, serial no 44-6779. Appearantly this nose art panel was cut off the plane before it was scrapped, and I believe the panel is in a museum in Midland, Texas.

If you are an ebayer, the photo is available but they have the name incorrectly listed as "Fish" not Tish. I e-mailed them about this so they may correct the name in future listings.

Just thought I would pass this along.

Marty

Forum: Pictures / Memorabilia

Seeking Chicago-area B-17 veteran for newspaper story

PatrickWR — Thur, 09 Apr 2009 16:31:52 GMT

Hello, I'm a reporter with the Chicago Tribune. The Liberty Belle, a fully restored B-17, is coming to Chicago in late June. I'd like to make contact with a Chicago-area B-17 veteran who might want to share some stories with meand maybe even go up for a free flight in the Liberty Belle.

Anyone who could help out with my story, please drop me an email: prollens@tribune.com.

Thank you,

Patrick

Forum: Looking For......

Picture of G.I. Delivery exploding on the Pictoral CD

jj463rd — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:14:41 GMT

I can't quite remember how I figured this out but the picture is on

Pictoral CD 1 under the Bombers 2 Folder and Slide 28 donated by Tom Stevenson.

Oh now I remember the same picture is featured in the 772nd Squadron Book although the picture in that book is only a photocopy of this picture.

There was also another picture in the book showing her falling to Earth but the quality of that photocopied picture was nearly impossible to make out.

Actually it is a rediscovery since the photocopied copy of the photograph in the 772nd squadron book mentions that this was G.I. Delivery.The caption in the book was probably by Tom Stevenson.The photo was hard to make out in the 772nd book.

This was the July 31,1944 mission over the Xenia Oil Refineries near Ploesti

Forum: Pictures / Memorabilia