Warbird Information Exchange

Share your favorite wartime portraits. Dig'em out and scan them along with a short biography if possible.
My dad, John D. Bell, flew C-47's and C-46's
with the 374th Troop Carrier Group in the Pacific. Biak, New Guinea to Japan. The first picture appears to be a BT-13 the other is definetly a C-47 taken at Indianapolis. Dad died 2yrs ago at age 82. Miss you dad!
Your turn guys and gals.............John

I have some of my father who was a Huey gunner in Vietnam, my uncle who was a ball turret gunner in the B-17, and my wife's uncle who was at D-Day on an LST. I will try to get them up soon.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

T-6? Looks like it has a bulge for a gun port in the upper cowl.

mustangdriver,

I'd love to see I pic of your uncle next to his ball turret (if you have one).

John

I will ask him. The only pic tat I have of him from the war is of him in his crew photo by the nose. He got the DFC for being in on the first mission to Berlin. He was in the lead group.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I've noticed there are very few pics out there of air gunners posed next to their turrets. I've seen waist gunners, tail gunners, and even top turrets gunners but very few ball turret gunners. Over the past 3 years I've only managed to find one picture of a ball turret gunner posed next to his turret (ground crew don't count ).

John

This is a shot of my cousin Don in his FG-1D on the USS Bennington in April 1945 shortly before he was killed. He flew with VMF-112 and earlier with VMF-212 with Joe Foss and had 5 kills.

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Don't touch my junk!!

Wow! Awsome pic Jack. How did he get the wing damage? As for my Uncle, I have the pic, and will scan it tomorrow. Funny story is that he was in the 324th BS, 91stBG, 8th AF. The same as the Belle. His first B-17 was an "F" model. he stated that the memphis Belle crew had left for the states, and left the Belle at the base. The plane was not retired right away(due to a mishap in communications from the brass). Little known fact is that the Belle flew a few more missions as a back up before finally getting retired and flown to the states to go with the crew on the warbond tour.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Flak while leading multiple straffing and rocket runs in on a Japanese airfield for which he was awarded his 3rd DFC.

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Don't touch my junk!!

Wow! That is an awsome story.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

fabulous!! keep em coming!!! a great new thread!!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

My step-dad Don gave me my first warbird ride in the NAS Whiting Aero Club's T-34A and showed up unexpected at my bootcamp graduation.

My dear friend Nat Whisenhant RIP taught me how to fly RC and shared his love of Corsairs.

My closetest friend Cy Gladen RIP also gave great advice for all problems while fishing for Chinnock Salmon.

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Don't touch my junk!!

Great pics Jack.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Here's my Uncle, Captain G. N. Jones receiving his DFC in Italy, 1945.

He said he was smiling because the General had asked him to sign up for another tour...he told him "H*ll no........Sir"

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Zane Adams
There I was at 20,000 ft, upside down and out of ammunition.
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Zane, love the picture and the story! Thanks for posting.

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"It is the greatest shot of adrenaline to be doing what you have wanted to do so badly. You almost feel like you could fly without the plane." Charles Lindbergh