Let Us Pause to Remember

Discussion in 'Admin Notice Board' started by Pat Curran, Jun 6, 2016.

  1. Jan Foster

    Jan Foster Active Member
    Researcher

    Jan 12, 2016
    137
    2
    Female
    Austin, Texas
    Pat,

    No worries. I've been occupied with other work as well.

    Here is the link to Lt. Col. Norris Hartwell's page on the AAMB site:

    http://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/165034

    It includes a photo of, then, Lt. Hatrwell after completing his first combat mission as well as a photograph of what was presumably an aircraft he flew at least one mission in.

    The 7th PRG HQ appears to have been stationed at a farm just south of Oxford, some distance from the Earls Cone Airfield area near Colchester. It owuld have been cutting it tight, but not impossible, to have the photos of the Caen/Ouisterham mission to Earls Colne in time for a 2:30 or 3:00 p.m. briefing. It would be interesting to understand how the PRG missions were slated --- were they, for example, run just prior to a bombing mission for use in briefing the bomber crews?

    After looking at a high resolution 11 by 17 enlargement of the 323rd's briefing session, the Colonel addressing the group definitely has two stacks of photogrphas next to him. He is holding one photograph, and a Captain is looking at it with what appears to be dejection or resignation.

    There are two Captains sitting in the front row of the briefing photo. Nine Captains participated in the mission --- Hodshon-P, Siegel-N, Wolfendon-B, Hunt-P, Adduci-P, Omstead, Patton, Christenat-P, and Seagraves-B. You may recall, Capt. Seagraves was the bombardier on Stach's crew leading Box III shot down near Mezidon MY. Capt. Hunt was leading Box II, with "Tex" flying as a gunner. Based on appearances and ethicity of surnames, it looks like Capt. Adduci, a pilot, is the Captain looking dejected or resigned. It would be interesting to find Maj. Stach in the photgraph, as it was the last photo taken of him alive.

    Jan
    [hr]
    Here is the link to Getty Images. The second photograph is of what appears ot have been the briefing for the 323rd's last mission on D-Day to Caen RJs. Take off was at 3:30 p.m.

    http://www.gettyimages.com/search/photographer?excludenudity=true&mediatype=photography&page=1&phrase=d%20day&photographer=frank%20sch
    [hr]
    http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/crews-of-b-26-marauders-charged-with-laying-smokescreens-news-photo/50492103&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwi77sHLrrfNAhUPQlIKHZFnD0kQwW4IFjAA&usg=AFQjCNEcN_QmDvWQOaEKUkJ9Iiz7wmDJ5g

    Try this link for the photo of the briefing session for afternnon D-Day 323rd. Getty Images makes it difficult to provide a link to the specific photo. Please note that they summary is not completely accurate. The three morning missions attacked Utah Beach. My dad did not fly any of those missions. He flew the afternoon mission. Because he's in the photograph of the briefing session, it stands to reason the session was for the afternoon mission to Caen. Also, it's doubtful the press would have been allowed into the morning briefing because the invasion was still a secret. The breifing for the morning mssions was very early -- Frank's diary notes he had to ge tup shortly after midnight to have breakfast before getting briefed.
     
  2. Pat Curran

    Pat Curran Administrator
    Staff Member

    Oct 20, 2012
    2,547
    11
    Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
    Hi Jan,

    There is a photo of Captain Paul Stach here on the B26.com site; don't see any good matches for him in your briefing photo, but only the foreground guys are anyway clearly identifiable.

    I have now completed uploading your NARA frames from Sortie US7GR/1729 and they are available to download by members with 'Researcher' status from the Green Room Library at the location below:

    Researchers 'Green Room' Area / Resource Files / Medium Resolution Frames - Sortie US7GR/1729

    I will open a new thread in the open Forum in order to find the locations of these eleven frames.

    Thanks again for allowing us access this heretofore unseen sortie.

    Regards,

    Pat
     
  3. Jan Foster

    Jan Foster Active Member
    Researcher

    Jan 12, 2016
    137
    2
    Female
    Austin, Texas
    Pat,

    Great find. Take a look at the officer on the far right in the first row sitting next to JD Heltonn. Same color blonde hair, very similar features and frame. However, that individual has Captain's bars, if my memory is right. I thought Stach was a Major. Will pull out the enlargement and the loading list to verify Stach's rank on D-Day, to the extent the loading list is accurate.

    At first glance, it looks like Stach. It's striking how the combat crews could be sitting next to each other in a briefing, and a few hours later one or more of them would be gone just randomly.

    You are most welcome on the PRG photographs. Hope they will be of some interest. If I get to NA, I will go through all for Sortie 1729 to see if there are others that would add something to the collection.

    Jan
     
  4. ddayHorsa

    ddayHorsa Active Member
    Researcher

    Dec 20, 2013
    220
    0
    Hi all,

    73rd Anniversary of D-Day.

    So it is time once again to remember those in the Allied forces who gave so much in support of freedom for so many.
     
  5. ddayHorsa

    ddayHorsa Active Member
    Researcher

    Dec 20, 2013
    220
    0
    Hi all,

    73rd Anniversary of D-Day!

    So it is time once again to remember those in the Allied forces who gave so much in support of freedom for so many. I always wish that my father had said more about his experiences. But through this forum and research I have learned much.

    The earlier posts are wonderful and speak for themselves.


    Charles
     
  6. Ellen Duinker

    Ellen Duinker Active Member
    Researcher

    Jan 6, 2015
    59
    2
    Greetings all,

    My 96 year old mother (widow of Charlie Trainor of the “Charlie’s Church” thread) and I wish to thank Whitebeam Battlefield Forum researchers. We celebrate the diligence, passion and integrity with which you illustrate Normandy 1944 history.

    Today we remember the sacrifices of our fallen service men and women. As well, we send our appreciation to those who ensure our heroes’ stories are not forgotten.

    Thank you.

    Mel Trainor & her daughter, Ellen Duinker
     
    Jpz4 likes this.
  7. Pat Curran

    Pat Curran Administrator
    Staff Member

    Oct 20, 2012
    2,547
    11
    Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
    Hi Ellen,

    Great to hear from you and that your Mam is doing well.

    Despite the very different Armistice Day this year, it was heartening to see so many young people out paying their respects to the fallen, including, I am glad to say, here in Ireland.

    Apologies for the lack of further work here on the Forum but other matters had my time tied up over the past year or so. I have once again returned to an even keel time wise and hope to be able to get back to doing more research on the Normandy Campaign.

    Best Regards to you and your Mam.

    Pat
     
    Jpz4 likes this.
  8. Ellen Duinker

    Ellen Duinker Active Member
    Researcher

    Jan 6, 2015
    59
    2
     
  9. Ellen Duinker

    Ellen Duinker Active Member
    Researcher

    Jan 6, 2015
    59
    2
    Hi Pat,

    Am just seeing this now; I too must have been distracted. Am glad to hear you are back in the Whitebeam business and trust all is well with you and your family.

    We stay in touch with the couple we met 3 years ago when visiting Charlie’s Church in Boissey. They are keen on their local history and I expect I could ask them to look into anything that might be of benefit to Whitebeam. I would be happy to make a request on the Forum’s behalf on any subject of interest.

    We are well with an anticipated vaccine date in the next two weeks. My mother's had her COVID shots so we are anxious to get together as soon as we get ours. It has been a long winter for her!

    Happy Easter,
    Warmest regards,
    Ellen
     
  10. Jan Foster

    Jan Foster Active Member
    Researcher

    Jan 12, 2016
    137
    2
    Female
    Austin, Texas
    Tomorrow will be the 77th Anniversary of D-Day.

    As some of you know, I began my research into my father's service during the Second World War after he had brain surgery in 2004. Following the surgery, his ability to place things in context was pretty badly impaired, although his memories were vivid. A few years later, he began having flashbacks, which take any veteran to a place they'd rather forget.

    To help him reframe his service, I decided to put together a scrapbook of his photos and moments from the war. When I got started, I didn't know which aircraft he flew in, what bomb group or squadron he was assigned to, or what his job was. All I knew was that he' had dogs like mine in England and that he shared a tent with his best friend, Frank, when they lived in France. He always made it sound like a fantastic camping adventure, and my sister and I could never get him to talk about it enough.

    He protected us from most of it. When pressed, he'd "go there" for a few minutes, clinching as he recalled the flak. He told us about the time he went out on a mission and almost didn't come back. He said that when he finally got back to base, all of his things were gone. No body thought he was coming back. He was barely 22 when it happened.

    We avoided that part of the war.

    May mother told me that he was in the 456th Bomb Squadron, 323rd Bomb Group, and that he was a navigator on a B-26 crew stationed at EarlsColne Airfield in England. It was a start. After searching online, I found a book by Lou Rehr, a pilot in the 456th, and ordered it. It turned out that Frank had flown with Lou, and worth the first chapter of the book. The Appendix included a where are they now section, and it showed where Frank lived at the time of publication. I found an old email address and sent him a message. He hadn't spoken to my father in over 60 years, but immediately recognized his name in the subject line.

    With Frank's help, an a copy of his war diary, I was able to organize my father's scrapbook and present it to him. Frank wrote him a few letters, and they reconnected, not understanding how they'd lost touch, particularly since they both attended Syracuse University after the war, at the same time.

    He loved the scrapbook, and we talked about how he felt at times during the war when we were sitting together alone. It was then that I began to understand why he and most other veterans don't want to be called heroes. The things he said cut though the platitudes and the way people normally talk about the SecondWorld War. He took it down to a human level. "There were people there just doing their jobs," he said, looking at me quietly in response to a quote I read from Stephen Ambrose's book about the role of the B-26 Marauders in executing Eisenhower's Transportation Plan.

    The scrapbook and the research I did under Frank's direction raised more questions than they answered. Two photographs, in particular, haunted me, if that's the right word for it. One was taken just after my father signed up for the Army Air Corps. It showed a happy go lucky kid. The other was taken around December 16, 1944 in Laon, France just before he left his close buddies for home. He'd completed his tour of duty - 66 combat missions - two weeks earlier. He'd just turned 23 and was an old man.

    Something terrible had happened. If I could figure out what it was, maybe I could help. Trouble shared is trouble halved. Unfortunately, my father died before I figure it out out with the generous help of Pat and Hans and other members of the forum.

    During the first few months of the lock down, I got around to typing up about 75 pages of notes my mother took about my father's life when she was able to get him to to talk about it. She was a genealogy enthusiast, and wanted information about the parts of his life that she wasn't there for. Her handwriting was fairly excruciating to transcribe, so I'd been putting it off. After about four weeks, I got to the bottom of the stack. It was the top third of a page from a legal pad, torn off. On it she wrote -

    Turbulent Times

    Older generation

    Strict code of conduct and discipline

    Frugality

    Expectation that after teenage years, the serious grown up years would begin deeply rooted in the harsh realities of life during depression.

    Part of generation that expanded larger _____ rights of women and ethnic minorities

    WWII – a “just war” – never any fear of whether or not we were on the right side. Was a war that had to be won.

    ___

    In the _______ else c___ there is something reassuring and eloquent about a single voice speaking – direct and beautiful about the passage of time when time was measured day by day.

    The image of bombing small towns (Caen, example) always has that in his mind.

    Honesty, integrity, hard work, personal responsibility, perseverance.

    Served in Army Air Corps, US Air Corps, US Air Force.

    The motive was infused with a sense of purpose and patriotism.

    Returned from war mature beyond our years and eager to have a life of renewal rather than restriction.

    I’m not impressed with what people have. But I’m impressed with what they achieve.

    The ones who achieve do by experiencing and conquering obstacles.

    ___

    The relevant part of her notes is about the bombing of Caen, but thought some of you might enjoy the rest. As relevant today as it was then.

    In remembrance,

    Jan
     
    Colin Henderson and sirjahn like this.

Share This Page