New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Meet the PWD online community

Moderator: Moderator

janetbw
Private
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 6:24 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by janetbw »

I am an elementary school teacher who also does research for a military museum in Mass. I live near Woods Hole Mass., which is actively involved with ROV's used in Naval archaeology. I have a degree in biblical archaeology and museum conservation. I am new to this site, but it looks great for anyone researching the Air Corps. I was hoping there was an equipment or techno wish list from those making the adventurous trips into the jungle. I like adventure, but New Guinea may be too adventurous!!


My dad was in New Guinea for the 2 campaigns. He was with the 114th Army Corp of Engineers (C) 32nd APO and enlisted as a Tech 5. It was a National Guard unit from Medford Mass. I have many negatives of airfields, dock building, equipment stuck in mud, BUT no narrative to go with the pictures. My dad would not say what he did other than he was with the Seabees and had a guard. He may have been a radio operator or involved with the land radar on NG. I have the 114th's diary from the National Archives, documents from the 32nd Red Arrow and the Ghost Mountain Boys book to try to piece the story together. He was sent home in May of "44" when he discovered he had myopia. Some of the photos say they were developed by a friend in the Air Corps. I am sure he would have met and known many of these fellows that went on missions and never returned.

Thank you for the hard work and the effort you have put into this site
Janet

doublet_kc
Private
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:34 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by doublet_kc »

Hello to all, My uncle, Lt. Charles Konkle was a Bombardier in B-24's with the 13th AAF, 5th Bomb Group, 72nd Bomb Squadron. His plane, a B-24D named "My Baby Bubb" was shot down by Japanese Zero fighters near Bougainville Island on October 10, 1943. The plane and crew were never found. I have a very high level of interest in this aspect of WWII and will appreciate any information that can be provided about the 13th AAF during this period of the war.

Justin Taylan
Administrator
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 11:29 pm
Contact:

Details on B-24D 42-40210

Post by Justin Taylan »

Doublet KC,

Here are details on your uncle's MIA B-24. Please let me know if you have any other details on this loss, or photos of your uncle or this bomber. I was not aware that this plane had the nickname "My Baby Bubb", do you have a photo of the noseart?

Here are details on this plane:

B-24D 42-40210
http://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/42-40210.html
- Justin Taylan
Founder & Director
http://www.PacificWrecks.com

radiogus
Private
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by radiogus »

My name is Fred DuBose. I was radio operator/gunner on a B-24 during the Central Pacific campaigns. We bombed Wake, Truk, and others from Kwajalein, then moved up to Guam from where we flew the remainder of our forty missions over Chichi Jima, HaHa Jima, Yap, and twenty six runs over Iwo Jima, one over the northern plateau after the Marines landed.
The other day a nephew informed me of Pacific Wrecks, and when I tapped into the site I saw the item: "Shot Down Over HaHa Jima." I was surprised that it described a mission when we (The crew of Glenna Bee II) were flying off the right wing of Pilot Brashear's plane when they took a hit in the bomb bay, lifted up over us and out to the right of the formation flaming badly. I watched from my right waist gun position as three or four men bailed out with only one chute opening, and seconds later the plane exploded. My pilot, Lt. R. E. Smith, ordered me up front to my radio station. I checked in to Guam, and was told to contact Dumbo (a PBY hanging by our target to execute rescue). contacted them by voice as they were being attacked by enemy fighters from Iwo Jima. I reported an airman in the water east of HaHa Jima, and they managed to pick him up.
I appreciate Pacific Wrecks providing a connection with one of my experiences in the Pacific. We were in the 26th. Squadron, 11th. Bombardment Group of the 7th. Air Corps. The pilot was R.E. Smith, co-pilot, Bob Oldewage, Navigator Ben Capps, Bombardier Dewey Williams, Radio Fred DuBose, Engineer Kirk Stark, Armorer John Hawkins, Belly Gunner Rich Richards, gunners Chuck Maisel and Phil Barg. I've searched other sites and have had no luck in locating people or relatives from my outfit.
Radiogus

radiogus
Private
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by radiogus »

My name is Fred DuBose, I am an 87 year old former air corps T/Sgt. radio operator/gunner on a B-24 (Glenna Bee II). Our crew flew
40 combat missions incl. Wake, Truk, HaHa Jima, Chichi Jima, Iwo Jima and others. 26th. Squadron, 11th. Bombardment Group, 7th. Air Corps. I am a retired principal of an ad agency, a painter of portraits and landscapes, and the author of a novel, Adios America, that includes some of my combat missions. I am very interested in contacting sources connected with 1944-45 7th. Air Corps operations on Kwajalein and Guam - especially action over Iwo Jima. Currently I am writing a memoir that includes my WWII experiences, and my times spent in France and Mexico as an artist. I now reside in Houston, Texas where I have spent most of my life.

Bagger76
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2011 2:42 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by Bagger76 »

I am a retired naval aviator who found this site by chance while looking for information on the fall of the Phillipines at the beging of WWII. Looking forward to learning more. Thanks.
Bagger

mjc342
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 9:31 am
Location: Palm Desert, CA, USA
Contact:

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by mjc342 »

Hello! I've been viewing Pacific Wrecks for some time now, and thought it was time to sign up.

I live in Palm Desert, California where on the weekends, I enjoy flying my home built Rutan Long EZ. I've been flying 30 years and used to fly helo's doing studio camera ship work and L.A. tour packages. I'm a reited police officer, but went to work afterwards for a military vendor that sells lighting equipment. We have a law enforcement division that I oversee.

I love aviation history and had the opportunity to work for Warner Bros. Studios as an advisor many years ago on "Memphis Belle" and got to ride in David Tallichet's B-17 from the movie. Great thrill meeting 8 of the original crew and the actors who portrayed them. I even was able to spend time in the original "Belle". I ended up getting to work on 15+ other films for Warner Bros. back in the early 90's, but none came close to the first.

I look forward to many more years of looking at this site for historical information and updates on our past heros.

Thanks and Best Regards,
Michael Carra
Michael Carra
Director of Sales and Marketing,
Law Enforcement Division

Lumenyte International Corporation
74 Icon
Foothill Ranch Road, California 82610
Tel: 949.279.7708
mcarra@lumenyte.com

Edward
Administrator
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2003 8:42 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by Edward »

[quote="Bagger76"]I am a retired naval aviator who found this site by chance while looking for information on the fall of the Philippines at the beginning of WWII.

Hi Bagger

The authoritative source on the fall of the Philippines is Louis Morton's study for the US Army in WWII. It can be found at most libraries as well as on-line at the website for the hyperwar project.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA ... dex.html#2

With regard to references on the airwar over the Philippines I would recommend the following three books.

In the Hands of Fate: The Story of Patrol Wing Ten, 8 December 1941 - 11 May 1942 (Naval Institute Press 1985)
Dwight R. Messimer

December 8, 1941: MacArthur's Pearl Harbor (Texas A&M University Military History Series, 87 - 2003)
William H. Bartsch

Doomed at the Start: American Pursuit Pilots in the Philippines, 1941-1942 (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series 1992)
William H. Bartsch

Edward

Edward
Administrator
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2003 8:42 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by Edward »

radiogus wrote:My name is Fred DuBose, I am an 87 year old former air corps T/Sgt. radio operator/gunner on a B-24 (Glenna Bee II). Our crew flew 40 combat missions incl. Wake, Truk, HaHa Jima, Chichi Jima, Iwo Jima and others. 26th. Squadron, 11th. Bombardment Group, 7th. Air Corps. I am a retired principal of an ad agency, a painter of portraits and landscapes, and the author of a novel, Adios America, that includes some of my combat missions. I am very interested in contacting sources connected with 1944-45 7th. Air Corps operations on Kwajalein and Guam - especially action over Iwo Jima. Currently I am writing a memoir that includes my WWII experiences, and my times spent in France and Mexico as an artist. I now reside in Houston, Texas where I have spent most of my life.
Mr. DuBose,

Thank you for posting at Pacific wrecks. We are certainly glad that you are writing a memoir of your WWII experiences and hope that it will be published in the near future.

Is any of your artwork available for viewing on the internet? Does your artwork include paintings of the South Pacific?

Edward

LCskibird
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:56 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by LCskibird »

Sirs,
I have come into the posession of a P40N-40CU dataplate, serial number 44-47795. I am trying to find the history of this aircraft and if it was assigned to the Pacific Theater. Its possible it could be a lend lease aircraft to the RAAF/RNZAF or a USAAF aircraft. If anyone would have a resource to find this information please reply.
Thank you
Lt Col John Panoski
USAF/ANG

Justin Taylan
Administrator
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 11:29 pm
Contact:

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by Justin Taylan »

Sir,
Your dataplate, P-40N 44-47795 was assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during February 1945. This plane was given RAAF Serial Number A29-1206
Sadly, that is all i know about it without further research. Probably, it was not damaged, shot down or lost in combat. Likely, it served in Australia only or was scrapped postwar.
- Justin Taylan
Founder & Director
http://www.PacificWrecks.com

islandsearcher
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:25 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by islandsearcher »

Hi Everyone,

I am simply looking for any information regarding the Sky Witch. Did it survive the war? What happened to it? Who were the crewmen, and is there something they have to say?

I found the Jolly Rogers website here - http://www.jollyrogersweb.com and from there a link to this forum.

So far, I see jc_rouse had posted something in April 2010 about the Sky Witch and it's co-pilot, so I'll just keep looking around.

Thanks!

doublet_kc
Private
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:34 pm

Re: Details on B-24D 42-40210

Post by doublet_kc »

Justin Taylan wrote:Doublet KC,

Here are details on your uncle's MIA B-24. Please let me know if you have any other details on this loss, or photos of your uncle or this bomber. I was not aware that this plane had the nickname "My Baby Bubb", do you have a photo of the noseart?

Here are details on this plane:

B-24D 42-40210
http://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/42-40210.html
Justin, I am sorry that I just now found your response to my post from late last year. I do have a picture of my uncle, but none of the bomber. I have had the privilege of meeting Beth Houser, author of "Scootin' Thunder." Her dad was a co-pilot on a B-24 of that name and was on the same mission and witnessed the shoot down of my uncle's plane. Her dad was a newspaper man by trade and kept a detailed diary during his time in the Pacific. Beth has turned that diary into the book named for her dad's B-24. The book contains a detailed account of the shoot down. Here is the link to my uncle's information we submitted to the National WWII Memorial: http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/se ... 2&tcount=4

Thanks for the wonderful work you do.

Charles E. Russell
Nephew of Lt. Charles E. Konkle, MIA 10/10/1943

trac1
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:42 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by trac1 »

Hello to all. A friend and myself are on a mission to locate another friend from years past. The search has led us to this site and we hope maybe we can tie up some loose ends in the process. The friend is Keith Hopper, and we find his name mentioned in several posts on the Pacific Wrecks site. As a bonus, we get to read some enjoyable and very interesting posts on the plane crashes of the WWII era in the South Pacific. I might not be able to contribute much to this forum, but I will defintely enjoy the reading and pictures. Thank-you for the opportunity to express ourselves here, and the reasoning for registering.

Michael Mason

BurtsGD
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:04 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by BurtsGD »

Hi there,

I joined as part of my research into my grandfather's POW history.

Hope to see you around! :-)

Post Reply