Photographs found on microfilmed documents of
55th Bomb Wing from WWII, that included the
460th., 464th., 465th., and 485th. Bomb Groups.
Comments, when available, are attached and noted with each
image, but the majority of images were just stapled to the
Mission Reports of that day without any notations.
The images themselves however, give great insight into
the routine of life for the “support crews” on the ground
that kept the planes flying the Bombing Missions to new targets
on a daily basis in the “Theater of War”.
The overall resolution of these images were not great due to the
probability that they were created on small format cameras, however,
some images were included in these albums, that were made from larger
negatives that give greater detail, and were probably made with a
larger formatted cameras use by the base's Photographic Dept.
#5000 “V-Grand” above flying with escort from the 464th Bomb Group just below.
The 5,000th.B-24 built for the war effort. Location and Base unknown.
Possible Crew Members. Note the Marston Mats (with holes) used for runways and parking areas.
Formation Flying. Unknown location or Bomb Group.
Preflight meeting at Panatela, Italy
“Mail Call” in the mud. Unknown Location in winter.
“Dolly Tower”, Spinazzola, Italy, home of the 464th Bomb Group.
Tower Operator for the 464th Bomb Group. (remember the old telephones?)
U.S.O. Show, but the Base and Date is unknown.
April 15, 1945. Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial Service given
by Group Chaplain, Clayton M. Stowe.
From Twining 141546B
TO 5TH Wing
47TH WING
49TH WING
55TH WING
304TH WIN
15TH FIGHTER COMMAND
5TH PHOTO RECON GR
2641 SPECIAL GR
XB AFSC
435TH SIGNAL CONSTR BN
7TH MOTION PICTURE UNIT
GR BT
XVAF GEORGE - 30
FOLLOWING IS QUOTE OF AGWAC CABLE ONE THREE APRIL WHICH IS GENERAL ORDER TWO
NINE WAR DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCING DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT PD QUOTE GEORGE OBOE TWO
NINE WAR DEPARTMENT CMA WASHINGTON CMA ONE THREE APRIL ONE NINE FOUR FIVE PD
ONE THE FOLLOWING ORDER OF THE HONORABLE HENRY L STIMSON CMA SECRETARY OF WAR
CMA ANNOUNCES TO THE ARMY THE DEATH OF FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT CMA PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES CMA IT IS MY DUTY AS SECRETARY OF WAR TO ANNOUNCE TO THE
ARMY THE DEATH OF FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT CMA PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
CMA WHICH OCCURRED AT WARM SPRINGS CMA GEORGIA CMA AT ONE SIX THREE FIVE HOURS
CMA ONE TWO APRIL ONE NINE FOUR FIVE PD THE ARM IS DEEPLY GRIEVED AT THE
UNTIMELY DEATH OF OUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF PD HE PREPARED US TO MEET THE SAVAGE
ONSLAUGHT OF OUR ENEMIES CMA AND HE LED US THROUGH THE BITTERNESS OF OUR EARLY
REVERSALS PD HIS UNWAVERING COURAGE IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS CMA HIS
ABIDING FAITH IN THE FINAL TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRATIC IDEALS CMA AND HIS CLEAR
VISION OF THE PATHS TO BE FOLLOWED WERE A SOURCE OF CONSTANT INSPIRATION PD HE
GAVE THE ARMY UNSTINTEDLY OF HIS STRENGTH AND WISDOM CMA AND HIS UNREMITTING
LABORS HASTENED HIS DEATH PD ALTHOUGH HE LEAVES US WHILE THERE IS STILL MUCH
HARD FIGHTING AHEAD CMA THE ULTIMATE VICTORY HAS BEEN FASHIONED OF THIS HEART
AND SPIRIT PD MEMORIAL SERVICES SHALL BE HELD ON THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL ONE
FIVE APRIL AT ALL POSTS CAMPS AND STATIONS CMA WAR OPERATIONS PERMITTING CMA
AT WHICH TIME THIS ORDER WILL BE READ PD THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES HARRY S TRUMAN HAS TAKEN THE OATH OF OFFICE AND ASSUMED THE DUTY
OF PRESIDENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION PD TWO THE
NATIONAL FLAG WILL BE DISPLAYED AT HALF STAFF AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF ALL
MILITARY COMMANDS AND VESSELS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT FROM
NAUGHT EIGHT NAUGHT NAUGHT HOURS LOCAL TIME ONE THREE APRIL ONE NINE FOUR FIVE
UNTIL SUNSET ONE TWO MAY ONE NINE FOUR FIVE WEST LONGITUDE DATES CAM WAR
OPERATIONS PERMITTING PD THE WEARING OF MOURNING BANDS CMA THE DRAPING OF
COLORS AND STANDARDS CMA AND THE FIRING OF SALUTES WILL BE DISPENSED WITH
BECAUSE OF WAR CONDITIONS PD THREE THE BODY OF THE LATE COMMANDER IN CHIEF
WILL BE INTERRED AT HYDE PARK CMA NEW YORK CMA ON ONE FIVE APRIL ONE NINE FOUR
FIVE PD BY THE ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR CLN G. C. MARSHALL CMA CHIEF OF
STAFF PD OFFICIAL J A ULIO CMA THE ADJUTANT GENERAL UNQUOTE THIS SUPPLEMENTS
OUR CABLE OF ONE FOUR APRIL REFERENCE NUMBER GEORGE THREE ZERO
THIS IS A TRUE COPY:
DONALD W. RIDDLE, Lt Col, Air Corps. A-2
Cablegram: April 13, 1945 to all units of the U.S. Army Air Corps.
L. to R. Major Rayford S. Whitley, Lt. Colonel James C. Watkins and
Major General Nathan F. Twining. (No location or date noted.)
460th. Bomb Group celebrates the First Combat Anniversary of
Lt. Edward J. Denney. Pilot
Officers Club. (no indication of location or Bomb Group w/ picture).
“The Panthers Lair”
4/28/44 Interior of an enlisted man's tent. Pantenella Air field
465th. Bomb Group.
Editors note: Double Bunked, Mosquito Netting
along the top edge, and “Ditty Bag” at right for toiletries.
Note also the gap at tent flaps. (no date or location given).
Nearing completion Enlisted Men's Mess Hall 4/28/44
Pantenella Air Field 465th Bomb Group.
14 April 1944, San Giovanni, Italy
741st. Bombardment Squadron (H)
455th. Bombardment Group (H).
Watching a U.S.O. Show. Unknown Location.
Checking the Starboard landing assy. Unknown location or date.
Note the Marston Mats in the parking area.
Welder Deluxe
An all-important individual at air field. Individual and date unknown.
Yep, this baby is ready to fly! (no date or location)
Pratt and Whitney
“Twin Wasp Radial Engine” 14 cylinders (800-1350 H.P.).
173,000 produced for the war effort. The B-24s and B-17s
had four engines but could fly with three. (no location or date).
Sgt. Raymond C. Gladwin, 42, 780th. Bomb Squadron, Mechanic, from
Dunellen, New Jersey, makes final engine repairs, before re-installation.
No date noted.
Sgt. Wilson W. Hepler, 25, 780th. Bomb Squadron Mechanic,
Installing an B-24 Engine Mount. No date noted.
M/Sgt. Henry L. Kaprolat, 42, Airplane Crew Chief, 781st. Bomb Sq. fm. Council Bluffs, Iowa, repairs
a flack-riddled engine immediately after landing. No date noted.
Sgt. William R. Smith, 780th. Sqdn. examines flak hole in Agony Wagon, veteran Liberator which had 77 missions to it's credit.
damage was sustained on a mission over Bolzano, Italy on 4 January 1945.
The Anti - A.C. shell made a direct hit on the left underside of the plane and passed out below the right waist window above without exploding.
Kneeling before Agony Wagon, which has 77 Missions to its credit, 44 of them without an early return, are, left to right:
T/Sgt. Wesley H. Schuly, Cpl., Abe Rosenblum, Cpl., William McDermid, Sgt., Wilson Hepler, Pfc., and Charles A. Lrat,
all of the 750th Sqdn. No date or location noted.
Sgt. John Brages, 782nd. Sqdn., Aircraft Mechanic. No date noted.
Sgt. Charles Igielski, 782nd. Sqdn., Refueling Operator, fills a heavy.
No date or location noted.
Engine on Dolly. No date or location noted.
Sgt. Antonio Motto, 780th. Sqdn., Radio Mechanic, making repairs to the antenna.
No date or location noted.
T/Sgt. Wilburn Carter, 781st/ Sqdn. Crew Chief fills B-24 tire on Marston
Mats. No date or location. Inflation: (depending on aircraft weight.),
Landing Tires: 42-70 Lbs. per Sq. In. Nose Tires: 35-65 Lbs.
Pvt. Richard Goodman, 781st Sqdn., a sheet metalist, repairs the leading edge
of a tail stabilizer that had been damaged by AA fire during a mission over Vienna.
No date or location noted.
Possible cleaning of 50 Cal AA gun on a work bench on the back of a jeep
in the parking area next to a B-24. (note position of a possible tire @ bottom?)
No date or location noted.
Repairs to a telephone wire distribution board.
No date or location noted.
S/Sgt. Arthur E. Crandall, Utility Supply Sgt. in the headquarters detachment takes inventory of his stock.
(Note stacked wood crates used as shelving.)
No date or location noted.
Returning Home. No date or location noted.
On the flight line with a flock of sheep.
No date or location noted.
