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Ball of Fire QUARTERLY EXPRESS NEWSLETTER OF THE 93rd BOMB GROUP 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, Hardwick, England www.93bg.com or www.93rdbombardmentgroup.com Vol. 19 No. 1 Spring 2011 Nebraska native Kuroki will receive Murphy Award by Joe Duggan, Lincoln Journal Star The "Most Honorable Son" will be honored again for his World War II service and efforts to fight racial discrimination. Nebraska native Ben Kuroki, the only Japanese-American to complete bombing missions over the Pacific, will receive the Audie Murphy Award from the American Veterans Center. The award will be presented Nov.6th at the center's annual conference in Washington, D.C. "It really goes to veterans who went above and beyond the call during their service and provided a positive role model for people through the rest of their lives, Tim Holbert, executive director of the center, said Monday. The center is a private non-profit organization that works to honor veterans from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The award is named after the most decorated soldier of World War II. Murphy received the Medal of Honor along with 32 other U.S. and other foreign citations for his service in the European Theater. In 2005, he received the Distinguished Service Medal, the American military's third-highest honor. Two years later, his story was told in "Most Honorable Son," a one-hour documentary file broadcast nationally on PBS. Now 93, Kuroki live in Camarillo, Calif., where he plays golf regularly. He plans to attend the Nov. 6 awards banquet in Washington, said Scott Stewart of Lincoln, a close friend of the Kuroki family. Reach Joe Duggan at 402-473-7329 or jduggan@journalstar.com Text of response by Ben Kuroki for the Augie Murphy Award November 6, 2010. Two years ago, I was honored twice in the same day at the White House and Smithsonian. I thought that was my last hurrah but I was wrong. At the ripe old age of 93, tonight, for sure, will be my last. When Tim Holbert invited to speak, I accepted and enclosed a booklet of my war record. I was honored and did not expect anything more, so I was shocked when he later confirmed the prestigious Audie Murphy Award. Words are inadequate to thank my friends who went to bat for me and bestowed many honors decades later. Without their support, my war record would not have amounted to a hill of beans. I especially thank the late Cal Stewart and his son, Scott. They spent inordinate time and expense on my behalf. Cal battled three years to get my medals upgraded. I urged him to give up and so did our 93rd Bomb Group Association president. But Cal refused to quit and his mission to get me the Distinguished Service Medal was accomplished in 2005. Their booklets also opened doors, including four White House invitations in 3 years. KUIIOKI Docclllkr 13. l>IO Mt.BcaKuoli:. 16110Vi11.ttel6 C■rwi.lo, CA ~3012 On. ~t d $e ~ Vemata C:fflcr. •c "''.Md llkt 1o ooct -,un lbar.k ~ t. btllJ ... ldl llS r« ·- noon a 13•A.l■IJIJC111tc:noa:. 11-•w;:mwdw,tWl:wt IO mf41 )'('II an"r~-~~ tnl>Cb ~ )'O'IU R(lrt)'. v""'.-"'~ ••I'-"' ~h.iQt thot Aud.I! Mu:ph) A .... wd H\ (lilt o(the IN,l:l CJO\'in,, momtnnin llfl lbci )'f8"WC ""' boci bwtaQatbccontemi,ce an• OJ.: dul ~ -•:U .:VCI ror~ £tutc,a«l i.. DVD al~~"'""' Ill' mn(.ffl'R:llt, .... tu,h \lt" JUl roocrn:d r-rom tL: filne:oms-y. atoo1 witb • c.i,,yol chc l.'>too:irt~rrc,sr~ td lll trow ii you tttd -'diuau.1 tOpJ,,,~ ol ibt DVD, and~ •ll1g«thcft to)\)11 rif)1 11•J)• J.tb.-i.nf ,~,111. _, -llll V""f wuchbh. tu oiclak ~u 110') ll ow~. A,..flw.n VuforQ.arttrl) 1t1d wt!lbttnioudi 111lhc:t.1'1111tn&ll'IO'fuM .1,e-~ womoi-aa 1b01 i».IC. YOW'l 15 a •corr 1M ~Uf <\rnlnc:¥1 MoulJ tw,,. d i1 i1 •r bOrortobt'P5JRfdk• \\lddyir.pau:ib.'G. A.tun. tioiie )QI: for M!qgwnh.-. .. J p.we,a:!tldco )U'l(lvnil)' OIi ,,ill.a fc,r • 'R"f'Yha;,pyNe.:, Ytbl'.

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Albeit my war record, the dedication of fellow Americans is the real story of Americanism and democracy at its very best. And it is very gratifying to feel fully vindicated in my fight against surreal odds and ugly discrimination. This award in the name of the most decorated veteran of World War II is truly incredible and very heartwarming. I deemed the Presidential Citation in 2008 as the most awesome moment in my life. Tonight's award is equally awesome because it comes from my military peers. I thank Mr. Holbert for being the catalyst for this huge honor. I thank my better half, Shige Tanabe Kuroki, who has been sleeping with me for 64 years. And our daughter, Julie Cooney, for handling details and escorting us for every occasion. God bless them. God bless the American Veterans Center. And God bless America. Thank you. Table of Contents Presidents Corner ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Historian's Corner ................................................................................................................................................. 6 93rd Website & Documentary Film .................................................................................................................... 7 Ne & Qe ................................................................................................................................................. 9 POW Poems* ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 93rd Bomb Group Reunion ................................................................................................................................ 10 Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 Letters to the Editor ............................................................................................................................................ 12 Membership Corner ........................................................................................................................................... 19 New Members Roll Call ..................................................................................................................................... 21 Recipe Corner ..................................................................................................................................................... 21 Your Post Exchange (PX) ................................................................................................................................. 23 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ................................................. 24 DIRECTORY 2010 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Executive Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary  PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 don.morrison@beis.com Vice President, 2nd Air Division Association  JOHN LEE 930 Preston Trail, Melbourne, FL 32940 321-259-6861; jlee1922@aol.com VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD Fernley Smith Charles Sill Cal Davidson OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Documentary Project  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN (see Secretary) KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253 Webmaster  MICHAEL SELLERS (see Documentary Project)

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Page 3 www.93bg.com Presidents Corner Nothing brightens a cold winter day than the opportunity to make a new friend, especially a 93rd BG friend. Last month, my evening was brightened tremendously by my dinner with Guy Sapiena, the little brother of S/SGT. Joseph L. Sapienza, a veteran of the 409th Squadron who completed 23 bombing missions from Jun  Aug 1944. Guy contacted the 93rd as a result of our web page last July. We talked at length about Joes adventures with the 93rd and agreed to meet when my travels took me to Northern Virginia. Although slow in coming, the meeting finally took place at new restaurant in Lorton, VA. All Guy wanted to talk about was his brother, Joe, and we had a great time discussing his service. As it happened, Joe served in the 409th during the same period as my uncle served in the 446th. In November when my uncle (1LT Robert W. Marx) and his crew were trained as a lead crew and joined the 93rd they were reassigned to the 409th. What did Guy share? Ill give you the condensed version of a fascinating tale of service. Joe was born in 1922 in North Collins, New York completing high school in 1939. For three years, he worked as tomato canning factory superintendent employing 200 men with full hiring and firing authority. He joined the AAF in September 1942 and trained as an Armorer Gunner acting as a tail and waist gunner. He was assigned to the Lt. Robert W. McCulla crew who flew Satans Sister (several planes carried that name). What a change from canning tomatoes to protecting a B-24! Joe was badly burned on July 17 by a piece of flak near Rilly LaMontagne north of Paris while bombing a German supply dump. The 93rds mission report for the 17th states, Moderate, barrage and tracking, accurate gunfire was encountered at bomb release line and at target. One person slightly wounded and 14 a/c received battle damage. Assigned as a gunnery instructor until wars end, Joe was discharged in Sep 1945. Joe returned home, married his childhood sweetheart, raised five children and lived a full life passing away in 2005. Guy provided copies of three photos and a sketch, Battle Stations drawn by Fred Fahnstock for the crew. At a recent reunion I remember seeing some other sketches by Fred but I cant remember who had them or which reunion. If you have other Fred Fahnstock drawings, please let me know. As you can see in the following sketch he was very talented and entertaining. The three photos include the McCulla crew photo and 2 different shots of S/SGT Sapienza. All appear somewhere in this issue space permitting. The Sapienza story is an important part of the 93rds history and deserves our attention and focus. Our organization is dedicated to preserving every account and story we can so we can remember the sacrifice and service of these brave young men for generations to come. We have two reunions this year. First, for the intrepid few, the 93rd will visit Hardwick, England, the Norwich Memorial Library, and participate in the Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony at the American Military Cemetery in Cambridge. Don Morrison and Colin Mann have put together a marvelous itinerary. Reservations are closed for the May trip. Second, Jim Root has the lead for our Tucson Reunion in October. Those plans are shaping up nicely so make your plans to attend! There are more details for your consideration elsewhere in this issue. John Marx, President S/SGT JOSEPH SAPIENZA, 409th BOMB SQUADRON The individual photos of Joe Sapienza were taken sometime in the mid-1943 when he was in pilot training. When that did not work for him, he was re-trained as an armorer and gunner.

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Page 4 www.93bg.com McCulla's Crew on Satan's Sister, 409th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, Based at Hardwick UK June - August 1944 Top L - R Lt. Alfred F.Butler 0697487 Bombardier Lt. Warren C. (Denny) Dennison 0701408 Co-Pilot Lt. Stanley R. Sadler 0712675 Navigator Lt Robert W. (Mac) McCulla 0727509 Pilot Bottom L - R Sgt Donald J. Bucklew 35749686 Tail Gunner Samuel F. Rhinehold 6898371 Waist Gunner S/Sgt Joseph L. Sapienza 12166846 Waist Gunner / Armorer T/Sgt Arthur P. Buckoven 32786923 Top Turret Gunner / Engineer S/Sgt Ray Bascom 19089776 Radioman Sgt Stanley N. Anderson 36741448 Nose Turret Gunner The names and the battle stations of the servicemen above are keyed to the crew photo as noted by S/Sgt Joe Sapienza. This crew appears to be lacking a ball turret gunner, possibly because he was unavailable or not yet assigned. The lack of camouflage paint on the B-24 in the photo suggests the photo was taken in the U.S. sometime in Spring 1944 before deploying to E.T.O. This B-24 could very well have become Satan's Sister once it and its crew joined the 409th Bomb Squadron in the U. K. The names and battle stations of all of the personnel identified in this list are also shown in a cartoon of McCulla's Crew at battle stations drawn by Sgt Fred H. Fahnstock. The cartoon also shows a ball turret gunner, Sgt Morris M. Moosnick. The cartoon identifies the aircraft only s a B-24 which bears what appears to be a partial tail number, 2374. There is no nick name and/or nose art shown on the B-24 in the cartoon.

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Page 6 www.93bg.com Historian's Corner Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! Rare B-24 Rescued!! A Rare 1941 B-24 was rescued from an antique shop by a world renowned B-24 enthusiast. Oh wait, that enthusiast (nut) is me. On a family ski trip to Pennsylvania, I visited the local antique shops as I do not ski. Just as I was getting ready to leave a little shop, I looked up and saw the outline of a B-24 hanging high up in the ceiling rafters by its tail. I took a deep breath to relax and I then ask about it. He said it had been there for many years. I could barely contain my excitement. I knew it was a wartime recognition model but was unsure of condition or manufacturer. As many of you know, the most popular later models were made from a rubber type material due to the scarcity of metal and the weight. These rubber ones are very delicate and prone to breakage and warping. As he handed it to me, I knew immediately that it was the early metal type. It was in great condition and has most of its original black paint. After a long negotiation, he did not even know it was a bomber or a transport, I purchased the model. I guess it does pay to stay awake in history class! Aside from the material, the model has all of the features of a very early B-24. There are; round (not oval) engine nacelles, short nose, narrow tail and a top turret mounted aft of the wing. Based on my internet research, there are no photos of an early type B-24 made by Bronzart (metal type manufacturer) on the web. There is a webpage that estimated the B-24 survivors of this type to be 5 to 10. This is less than the full size B-24. I will cherish this rare artifact and add it to my collection of 93rd BG and B-24 items. England Reunion Update! The reunion plans for May 25 to 30, 2011 are finalized and we have 20 people making the trip back to Norwich, Hardwick Airfield and Cambridge Cemetery. I have been told the Memorial Service at Cambridge is very special. I will be sending the final information to all signed up to attend very soon. See you soon in England!! For all that are unable to attend, we will put photos in the newsletter. Looking for a A-11 (Hack watch) If anyone has a spare or knows the where about of an A-11 (Hack) watch of any manufacturer (Hamilton, Elgin, Bulova,), please let me know ask I would like to buy one for my collection. They are a wartime wrist watch with the most noticeable feature is there is writing on the back with A-11 and a series of number that start with the years, such as 42-, 43-, 44-, or 45-. Condition is not important as it history. Cheers, Don Morrison (don.morrison@beis.com) 93rd BG Association Historian 1375 West Comet Rd Clinton, OH 44216 Cell (330) 819-6409 Home (330) 882-2536

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Page 7 www.93bg.com 93rd Website & Documentary Film 93RD WEBSITE Since the 93rd website redesign in Fall of 2009, we have had 21,795 visitors. Recently we tracked a visitor all the way from Gabrovo, Bulgaria. Look out for links to new videos and photos on the homepage. An updated Featured Video and Featured Photo should be up by the time this article publishes. Also click the Reunion link on the left side bar of the homepage and navigate to the new slideshow posted of the 2010 Savannah reunion. Don't forget to also look through our Guestbook (notebook and pencil icon on the top bar of the homepage) and see if you might be able to help answer or solve questions people from around the world are asking the 93rd BG about. Or post a comment yourself! 93D DOCUMENTARY PROJECT As of right now Michael Sellers has copies in DVD and Bluray (High Definition) of his current project Thoughts for the Future. This film was shown during the 93rd BG Stained Glass Dedication dinner in Savannah last Fall. It's a 15 minute film that reminds you of the contribution the 8th Air Force and it's bomb groups courageously gave towards the war effort and how so many years later, groups like the 93rd are still meeting and remembering. DVDs are $10 and Bluray discs are $13 - included as a bonus is the film Liberators Over Europe. This film is a complete summary of the 8th Air Force operation in Europe and contains footage of many bomb groups in the East Anglia area during the war. It even shows Maj. Gen. William E. Kepner personally donate the initial check to the Lord Mayor of Norwich for the construction of the 2nd Air Division Memorial Wing. This is a very clean transfer from an original print at the National Archives. Also please visit the website www.thoughtsforthefuture.com for more information and a brief preview of the film. You may also download an order form from the 93rd BG website homepage or the Thoughts for the Future website. If enough copies are sold of the film - a donation will go back to the 93rd BG association. Please also look for an order form in this issue of the Ball of Fire. Thank You www.93bg.com www.thoughtsforthefuture.com Michael Sellers, Webmaster FILM REVIEWS: THOUGHTS FOR THE FUTURE BY MICHAEL SELLERS I was very impressed by the comprehensive story you were able to tell using clips from the many interviews you've completed during our reunions. You're craftsmanship resulted in a wonderful summary of the 93rd story. Why we exist and where we are headed was clear and concise. Overall very inspiring! Thanks for your dedicated service to the 93rd. John A. Marx President of the 93rd Bomb Group Association I would like to add to those who have commented on the wonderful DVD prepared by Michael Sellers. What he has captured in this brief 15 minute presentation goes to the heart of all we as a body are striving to do, to bring forth the memories of those who gave their all and to have this legacy carried on by their children and grandchildren and their children. So that the 93rd lives on through them Fernley Smith 93rd Bomb Group Veteran For anyone who has not purchased and watched this DVD you are missing a great treat. This documents not only the reunions we have attended but also interviews with members past and present and members of the second generation. For those of you who attended the reunion of the Second Air Division in 2001 when we went to England it will bring back pleasant memories especially the visit back to Hardwick, If you have not been fortunate to return since then. To see the interviews with Colon Mann and Paul Thrower, plus the footage of the first dedication of the Library and then the re dedication in 2001, is memorable. I have been fortunate to have returned to Norwich on several occasions with my husband and children and the last time to scatter his ashes. I will be returning again this May with my Grandson along with other members of the 93rd. Watching this DVD is the next best thing to actually being there. Alberta DelGuidice Widow of Louis DelGuidice 93rd BG 328thSQ.

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Page 9 www.93bg.com “Notes & Quotes ” This column presents comments by our members who have written to me in my capacity as the Membership Guy and your Treasurer. We hope you will appreciate and enjoy the feedback your fellow members send. Thanks for listening! Jim Guddal Sun catchers Helen C.  Delighted with the attractive sun catcher. Many thanks. Was interested to see in the BOF how I happened to receive one. Doris C.  Thank you for sending the sun catcher of the 93rd Bomb Group Window. Im enjoying it on my window. Veteran and new member Fred A  Thanks very much for the Sun catcher. It will go up on a window as soon as the frost melts. Am deeply impressed by all the work the next generations have put into the Association. Thank you very much. Reunions and Such Wyndham F.  Have enjoyed the 93rd reunions and enjoyed many fine people and life long friends. I owe so much to all who have kept the 93rd alive. Bless you! Becky B.  Thanks! I like this new January to January plan for our dues. Alan B.  My father, sister and I really enjoyed the reunion. The picture donated to the museum was beautiful. Thanks! Bob B.  As a co-pilot and a pilot with the 328th, I flew 45 missions while stationed at Hardwick. To my knowledge this is the most missions flown by any B-24 pilot stationed in the U.K. over enemy territory. Ah ce: I a ifa e f  management team, it was learned that another pilot Ken Gilbert flew 75 missions. If any of our members have eified ifai ab  ii, d e  know. Contact Historian Don Morrison or Jim Guddal. Staff Sgt B. Joe Tiroisi flew 30 missions as waist gunner with over 10 leads. His ship was Duration Baby piloted by Capt. Ross Baker. He writes: On mission 28 we were leading another group onto a target shrouded by two towering cloud clusters and those in front of us werent hitting (the target) too well. The group commander had us adjust a strong left turn out and back between the clouds. We did it and the hit was named best bombing for the 8th AF that week. Vets, please send any anecdotes about your service time that others might enjoy. And veterans wives or girl friends left at home or in service at that time, wed like to hear from you as well. POW Poems* This anonymous poem was copied from one of the solitary confinement cells at Dulag Luft in Frankfort, Germany It's easy to be nice boys, when everything's OK, It's easy to be cheerful when you're having things your way. But can you hold your head up and take it on the chin When your heart is nearly breaking and you feel like giving in? It was easy back in England amongst the friends and folks, But now, you'll miss the friendly hands, the joys and songs and jokes. The road ahead is stony and unless you're strong in mind, You'll find it isn't long before you're lagging far behind. You've got to climb the hill, boys, It's no use turning back. There's only one way home And that's off the beaten track. Remember, you're American And that's when you reach the crest, You'll see a valley cool and green, America--- at her best! You know, there is a saying that sunshine follows rain, And soon enough, you'll realize that joy will follow pain. Let courage be your password, make fortitude your guide, And then instead of grousing, just remember those who died! * The poems were written by American Airmen that were being held captive in the German prison camp known as Stalag Luft 1. They were contained in a journal written and compiled by Walter Boychuk, Captain, U.S. 8th Air Force, Kriegsgefangenen No. 5407. He was wounded and shot down over Le Harve, France on Sunday, August 13, 1944. After his capture, he was taken to Berlin for medical care and then sent to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth near the Baltic Sea. He was there until April, 1945 when the war in Europe ended. Thanks to George McLean for providing the poems - additional poems will be included in future newsletters .

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Page 10 www.93bg.com 93rd Bomb Group Reunion We would like to encourage everyone to plan on attending the 93 Bombardment Group annual reunion to be held in Tucson, Arizona this year! Plans are being finalized for the events, including a day at the Pima Air & Space museum which has a B-24 Liberator on permanent display! We will be having a fun evening of dinner and dancing to the swing band, Big Band Express "underneath" the wings of the B-24! We are looking forward to seeing you there! Make your reservations early, by calling 1-502-225-0810! Jim Root, Convention/Reunion Coordinator October 20– 24, 2011 Radisson Suites Airport, Tucson, AZ 7051 S. Tucson Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85756 Direct Phone: 520-225-0810 Fax: 520-225-0890 email: lisa.neff@radisson.com Thursday, October 20 10:00 AM  2:00 PM Registration / Mtg. room setup 2:00 PM  5:00 PM Registration /Hospitality open 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Reunion Committee & Officers - meeting in Theatre Room 6:00 PM  6:30 PM Reception hotel lobby 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Welcome Dinner hotel 8:00 PM  10:00 PM Memorabilia room open Friday, October 21 6:00 AM - 9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet 8:30 AM  11:00 AM Registration open 9:00 AM  11:00 AM Education session 11:30 AM  12:30 AM To Pima Air & Space museum for lunch 12:30 AM  2:30 PM Tour of PIMA Air & Space Museum 2:30 PM  4:00 PM Bus tour of AMARG, airplane graveyard 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM Return to Hotel 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Dinner at Pima B-24 (Dinner, program, dance to Big Band Express) 9:00 PM 11:00 PM Memorabilia room open Saturday, October 22 6:00 AM  9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Business Meeting 10:30 AM  11:30 AM Joint Ploesti education 11:45 AM  4:00 PM Old Tucson Studios <OR> Sonora Desert Museum 1:00 PM  3:00 PM Ploesti Summit 3:00 PM  4:30 PM Memorabilia room open 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Dinner & program at Davis-Monthan AF Base 9:00 PM  11:00 PM Memorabilia room open Sunday, October 23 6:00 AM  9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet 7:30 AM  9:15 AM Old St. Augustine Mariachi Mass 9:30 AM  3:00 PM Downtown Old Town Artisan shopping (Lunch on your own) 10:00 AM  12:00 PM Ploesti Summit 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Reception 6:00 PM  6:30 PM Memorial Service 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Farewell Dinner hotel 8:00 PM  10:00 PM Memorabilia room open Monday, October 24 6:00 AM - 9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet Depart

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Page 11 www.93bg.com DESTINATION PLOESTI As part of our ongoing Educational Program with the 93rd Bomb Group, we are working on holding a Ploesti Symposium at this year's Reunion in Tucson AZ. October 20-24, 2011. As always the families and friends of the 93rd are invited to take part in this outreach. Our invitations is also extended to our friends in all Five Bomb Groups (the 44th, 93rd, 98th, 376th, 389th) that participated in this mission. Space will be provided for anyone who would like to share pictures and memorabilia as well as their personal experiences. In recent years there has been an increased interest in this HISTORICAL Low Level Mission over the oil fields of Ploesti Romania August 1,1943. What better opportunity to hear and see firsthand accounts of that memorable mission where five Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded. Joe and Phyllis Duran Those interested in participating in this special event please contact: Jim Guddal (763) 694-9058 jguddal@yahoo.com Blaine Duxbury (317) 804-5310 bdux@aol.com Joe and Phyllis Duran (805)525-4681 E-mail dogpatchraider@gmail.com Folded Wings The information written about each veteran is compiled from available resources: Ted's Travelling Circus, emails, letters, obituary, and reunion photos. The amount of information does not imply the value and importance of a veteran. All veterans are equally honored for their role in WWII. JoAnne Sargent, Editor Brown Jr., Dr. Walter E. (February 23, 2011) Dr. Brown was the editor of the Eighth Air Force News for 12 years. He was Vice President of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum Board where he eventually served as the President and CEO of the Museum located in Pooler, GA. Walts long affiliation with the Museum and his tireless efforts on behalf of the Mighty Eighth and the Historical Society will long be remembered. He was a lifetime member of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society. "Dr. Brown was a real friend to the 93rd and was the guest speaker at the 93rd Savannah, GA reunion in 2009." Alberta DelGuidice. Curtis, Signey R., AAC 654429 (Email from Raymond Eck) Signey Curtis was the original engineer on Lt. Eugene Justen's crew. We all knew him as "Bud". Signey was lost flying a makeup mission with another crew in late 1944. Our nose gunner, Joseph Nowak then took over as our engineer. This info verified by our original navigator, Ernest Perez. Eiben, Frank J. (January 2005) (email from son, Jay Eiben) Frank J. Eiben was a pilot on a B-24 Liberator 1944-45, 409th Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. The name of his plane was Obituary Mary. Longino, Allen Cousins (June 21, 1985) (email from niece, Nancy Vandiver) Allen Cousins Longino was part of the crew of The Invader in the 409th squadron. After attending a prayer meeting on June 21, 1985 as he was driving home, a deer jumped an embankment, hit the car, and a hoof came through the windshield and hit him in the head.

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Page 12 www.93bg.com Greenstein, Carl (May 2008) (email from his family friend, Kevin Locke) Carl Greenstein was the Navigator on the Cullham Crew. He and his wife, Helen, are placed at the National Cemetery in Dixon, California. They are survived by their son Jeff and daughter Becca. Sapienza, Joseph L. (January 27, 2005) (email from Guy Sapienza) SSgt Joseph L. Sapienza, 12166948 was the armorer and gunner and he served with the 409th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, based at Hardwick UK. Joseph flew 23 combat missions between 5 June and 15 August 1944 with McCulla's crew on B-24's nicknamed Satan's Sister and Flying Midwife. He was awarded the Purple Heart for a wound suffered in a combat mission over France 17 July 1944. Joseph passed away January 27, 2005 and was buried in his hometown, Bergen NY. Sharp, James H. (March 22, 1977) Born 10/25/19 (see Letters to the Editor) Tessmer, Glenn (Summer 2010) Glenn Tessmer was from Shrewbury, MA.* Wasserman, Joseph (Feb 16, 2002) (email from nephew, Jeff Wasserman) Sgt. Joseph Wasserman was stationed in England during the war. He was from New York City and he became a naturalized citizen in a ceremony at the Embassy in London, April 22, 1944 (page 312*). Sgt. Wasserman was honorably discharged on Mar.18,1946. He was the beloved husband of Florence Wasserman. He is survived by many loving nieces, nephews, and friends. (Please see Jeff Wasserman email in Letters to the Editor). Vest, James (February 14, 2011) (Please see Membership Corner for the article and pictures by Jim Guddal) * Ted's Travelling Circus by Carroll (Cal) Stewart INFORMATION REQUEST Please send me any information related to the 93rd Bomb Group for the people below. I did not find them listed in Ted's Travelling Circus book. Gilbert Davis Carlton Frederick Taylor Thank you, JoAnne Sargent, 93rd BG Editor 1458 Locust St. Denver, CO 80220 home 303-333-0698 email: joyridcp@msn.com Letters to the Editor From: james.murphy@dhhs.nc.gov To: joyridecp@msn.com CC: candjm@btes.tv; jwcarney@tndagc.org Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2010 15:33:33 -0400 Subject: 93rd Bomb Group History - Capt. C. M. Murphy, Jr. My dad, Charles M. Murphy, Jr., was a founding member of the 93rd Bomb Group, and several years ago (2001)on the Pearl Harbor anniversary, I had a chance to ask him about his WWII experiences, which he had never completely disclosed to my brother (Charlie), sister (Sarah) and me while we were growing up. His response was a pause, then he indicated that much of it was things he had not cared to talk about. He mentioned a few things on the phone, and later, I asked him if he would write them down. When he agreed, I sent him several legal notepads and pens for Christmas, 2001. He filled several pads, and afterwards, my brother and I transcribed them digitally. We distributed his account to members of our family, and it sat for most of the past decade as a valuable memo of my Dads personal history. This past year (2010), my family experienced a number of changes, the loss of my Mom (they were married for over 67 years!) and the move of my Dad into a smaller apartment, where he now lives in a small town in central Tennessee. Over the recent years, my brother had discovered the 93rd Bomb Group website, and wrote an email, which was subsequently picked up by others associated with 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2

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Page 13 www.93bg.com the Group, including our peers, sons of pilots in the 93rd. My Dad actually heard from a few, who apparently got his contact information from the Group. One of those who contacted my Dad was John Carney, a District Attorney in Tennessee, whos Dad was a member of the 93rd, and had actually flown with my Dad on a couple of flights when they were in North Africa. John first met my Dad earlier this spring, and through subsequent phone calls agreed to meet my brother and me earlier this summer. We brought rough copies of my Dads writings, plus much of my Dads accumulations of books, pamphlets, and other documentation from his pilot training and subsequent Air Force experience. I now have those books, and subsequently, I will be glad to send a catalog of the material to see if any of it is worth passing along, either as copies or loans. Later, when I have a chance to review the material, Ill also send a few pictures of him taken during the WWII times. I have attached my Dads story, and I do think it adds to the history of the 93rd, and my brother and I gladly pass it along. I have edited it a bit, adding a few section headers, a couple of comments, and taking out some of the more personal anecdotes, but I think I have left quite a bit of his personal perspective. My Dad is quite proud of his experiences, and we are certainly proud to learn through men like John Carney just how important my Dads experiences and memories are. There is quite a bit on his experiences learning to fly the B-24, which may add to that history as well. My Dad is almost 91 (October 15), and he is not in the greatest of health, with various ailments that keep him from too much activity. He had considered coming to the reunion this month, but is scheduled for surgery later in the month for removal of a skin cancer problem, His short-term memory is showing signs of becoming limited, but his long-term memory of the years in the 93rd are still strong. My brother and I hope this contributes to the proud memory and history of the 93rd! All the best, Jim Murphy On Jan 24, 2011, at 3:09 PM, Joe Clement wrote: To: Joanne Sargent From: Joe Clement, III Joanne  my mother, Helen Clement, receives the Ball of Fire newsletter and in the September 2009 issue there was a request from Claude Lowder for pictures or information on my fathers crew. We did not notice Claudes request until recently, and hope you have his contact information so he can get the attached pictures of the crew. Also, Claude asked for information about the crew and their missions, and my mother has volumes of information that he may be interested in talking to her about. If you have his contact information feel free to pass this information along to him and also give him our email addresses. I am also sending a copy of this email to Claude but I am not sure whether or not that is an active email address. Below are some names to go with two of the attached pictures. This is the crew just before a mission in the spring of 1945. There are two additional crew members since they were flying lead. First row, left to right Gale Lowder, Gunner Donald Schwartz, Engineer Bill Bonwick, Gunner George Morris, Radio Chuck Leutwiller, Gunner John Curran, Gunner Second row, left to right Dorsey Twidwell, Mickey Operator (on Lead crew) Dave Carpenter, Co-pilot Joe W. Clement, Jr., Pilot George Johnson, Pilot Navigator (on Lead crew) Joe Kollenberg, Navigator Bill Garrison, Bombardier 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////h

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Page 15 www.93bg.com From: dogpatchraider@gmail.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: King George VI The First visit to US bomber base Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2011 09:58:47 -0800 Joanne, This is a great shot of the King's visit to the 93rds BG base. It was the first close up inspection of a heavy bomber by the King. Usually we see this photo cropped up close and only see Ted Timberlake and the King. The great thing about this one is we can see our own Cal Stewart doing what he did best in the back ground. The story of the King's visit would be reported in the publication "The Liberator" that Cal Stewart helped to start and wrote on Nov 16,1942. Best to all, Joe and Phyllis Duran From: dogpatchraider@gmail.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: 93rd BG pilot Howard Hinchman meets the Queen of England Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2011 10:58:58 -0800 Joanne, One of the visits to an American base. 93rd BG pilot Howard Hinchman on the left greets the Queen of England. Hollywood is visiting this time period with the release of the movie "The King's Speech". Joe and I saw it and thought they did a good job. Learned a few things we weren't aware of. Phyllis and Joe From: dogpatchraider@gmail.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Later visit by the King Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2011 11:27:06 -0800 All, This is a shot of Bill Neumann shaking hands with the King of England. One of my favorite Neumann photos. Talk about a piece of History! You have from left to right: Maj. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle, King of England, George VI, Col. Howard Moore, (Ranking Officer for the 482nd ,Pathfinders Unit) (Pilot) Capt. Howard Hinchman, Lt. Bill Neumann (navigator) and Lt. Donald Dahl, (Co-pilot). Photo was taken in 1944. I've been told by reliable sources that Bill didn't wash his hand for several months,HAHAHA! Thought it would be fun to share this one with you all, Joe and Phyllis 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////h 1///////////////////////////////////////////2 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2

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Page 16 www.93bg.com Robert Lewis from Hardwick, England is the voluntary care taker of a cross honoring the crew of B24, 42-5097 that crashed in the fog during takeoff on December 19, 1944. John Marx's uncle was on this crew and his family raised the money for the cross and participated in the dedication service on the 50th anniversary of the crash in 1994. Mr. Lewis would like to find other relatives of the crew so he can send each family a photograph and a copy of the inscription. His contact information is below: Robert Lewis Church House, The Street Hardwick, Norwich NR 15 2AB, England Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:11:38 -0800 From: sharpasamarble5150@yahoo.com Subject: Folded Wings To: joyridecp@msn.com Hi Joanne, Could you please add my dad's name to the folded wings section of the 93rds web site. He was T/SGT James H Sharp Born 10/25/19 in NJ and passed 3/22/77 in Oregon He was an original member Sept. 1942 His Pilot was 329th flight commander Robert Hoover. They were on the 1st mission to Lille. Thank You James Jr -· "&_I::. ME MBfR. 11-titse_ M_tN :f>E:FO°RR t.iOD WIT~ T~A._t\\K.SG l'J I Nti. T~f. G~Ll--All\f C"Kgw of B24; 4R.~5o697 . or--rw: q~~ -e,otv\E> Gfu)lfP ~~tl\~fE1',f"~M 4-4{:,~1,ot·\£:iG~oLll') 2. ADA I g~ U.$.A_:,'\-F . . W~,c~ CR,_A._54~l:> t N -FOG J)U°f\1~Gi fA.Kt Off A.{ ~A.'R_DW1cK_, (NGLA,_r{D o N 19!!:J)l:C~tvf!:>ER, 1q4+, . 1N A. VA..LU~N'f l\_11£:M_?i 10 :bELI\J~R AJR $1,fP'PO""R.,1 1o f~e'BfLtAGtU~lZ,1:1> 67z_out{!) fuR..C-t:$ IN l:>t:LGIUM J)UR_1NG ,~~ l:>J\11'U~: Of 1~1:: 1:)ULG£. . . r~esl ~12N :D1t2:D , N -r~~ (Ausi::. o-F -FR.Kr:.:J>oM. . • h .. 1 R9BtR-, W. t-'[A.""RX 'PtLo--r -r/G&.1 B6b'A.1'N C-. k)1fGA/\i)> . • 1 Li W1ll1AJ-1 ~-'/ouNG, Co-P1 t.,01 • 5/SGtl -FRJ.l:> J). l>E:1i'lG"R,f'w • 11..;-r :f ottt-.1 :i>. c,v1-P NM1eA10"R. s/G6., R.AL?~ e:. G1f'-fo~r> • 1 L f ij. :DA_v1J:> --FULJV\E:~1:r~)~oMB,i\l)1tlZ, • t(ol:>I:"TZ,1' A-~uGi¾ft:S ~ S/SGf • 2.t..,1 "R.,. I(_ LOGl<'.gR._ 5/G&-f ~~l\_,DL]) Cu Cl(t1f\.N. f/S&.1 F~NI\, ~-W~111f.N1 ~tJ&,~cER • BuR!_1:.:J> Af 11fe: At1~R.!CAN M 1u{A_R'f Gf.t'(E1"i\R.Y Af CAMBRGJ>GE: LEST WE -FoR_G E1

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Page 17 www.93bg.com Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:20:42 -0800 From: sharpasamarble5150@yahoo.com Subject: Re: FW: Folded Wings - T/SGT James H Sharp To: joyridecp@msn.com Hi Joanne, Yes that would be wonderful. I have a lot of info but best is my newest find. Yesterday I found John W Carney Jr the son of my Dad's waist gunner I also have befriended Lt Clinton A Gruber Ret 329th Co Pilot Shot down 1 Dec 1943 repatriated POW He's 90 and lives 1 mile from me. We meet for breakfast weekly. I also have been blessed with some Docs that you and Don M and Mike S might find interesting. I have more too. Dad's primary A/C was "MINERVA" 41-23689 after deemed battle weary she became assembly ship for 392nd but returned to 93rd before war's end He also was on the final combat mission "Ball of Fire" 41-23667 flew and Walter T Stewart was Co Pilot and Lt Weiss ( the Ground Communications Officer who bumped John W Carney as waist gunner so he could go) He got a fighter and a medal) all shot up and 2 engines out they crash landed at an RAF Hurricane base in England Capt Robert Hoover was the Pilot They were billeted in an old castle until a ride from Hardwick came. "Ball of Fire" only flew 3 combat mission before being disarmed and painted crazy to become the 93rds assembly ship On all 3 missions she never made it back to base , but always returned her crews safely to England 93rders thought she was jinxed for combat My dad completed all his missions and stayed around for a bunch more. My mom was British and was my Dad's 2nd British wife. His first wife divorced him after having his daughter and getting to the states. Bonnie was born 1/23/45 He lost contact with them shortly after. He never saw Bonnie again. All I knew was her name and the picture I sent you. I found her in Washington State after some miracle and some prayer and searching Ancestry .com's Passenger ship records from England I could go on and on so... Thank you James Jr PS I'm happy to share all I have with my 93rd family. Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:20:42 -0800 From: sharpasamarble5150@yahoo.com Subject: Re: FW: Folded Wings - T/SGT James H Sharp To: joyridecp@msn.com Yesterday I found John W Carney Jr the son of my Dad's waist gunner I also have befriended Lt Clinton A Gruber Ret 329th Co Pilot Shot down 1 Dec 1943 repatriated POW He's 90 and lives 1 mile from me. We meet for breakfast weekly. I also have been blessed with some Docs that you and Don M and Mike S might find interesting. I have more too. Dad's primary A/C was "MINERVA" 41-23689 after deemed battle weary she became assembly ship for 392nd but returned to 93rd before war's end He also was on the final combat mission "Ball of Fire" 41-23667 flew and Walter T Stewart was Co Pilot and Lt Weiss ( the Ground Communications Officer who bumped John W Carney as waist gunner so he could go) He got a fighter and a medal) all shot up and 2 engines out they crash landed at an RAF Hurricane base in England Capt Robert Hoover was the Pilot They were billeted in an old castle until a ride from Hardwick came. "Ball of Fire" only flew 3 combat mission before being disarmed and painted crazy to become the 93rds assembly ship On all 3 missions she never made it back to base , but always returned her crews safely to England 93rders thought she was jinxed for combat My dad completed all his missions and stayed around for a bunch more. My mom was British and was my Dad's 2nd British wife. His first wife divorced him after having his daughter and getting to the states. Bonnie was born 1/23/45 He lost contact with them shortly after. He never saw Bonnie again. All I knew was her name and the picture I sent you. I found her in Washington State after some miracle and some prayer and searching Ancestry .com's Passenger ship records from England I could go on and on so.. James Jr Subject: snyder Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:18:57 +0100 From: erik.snijder@planet.nl To: webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com CC: joyridecp@msn.com Hello I am Erik Snijder from the Netherlands and 33 years old. I adopted a grave of the soldier WALDRON L SNYDER who is killed in action ww2. His grave is in Lorraine, France. He came from the town Cambridge, Massachusetts. The name of his father was WALDRON L SNYDER SR and he lived on 121 Mt. Auburn Street or the 11 Revere Street in Cambridge. His mother had the 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////h

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Page 18 www.93bg.com name PEARL A SNYDER and she lived in Boston on 119 Peterborough Street. She died in 1946. His sister had the name Shirley Lorraine snyder she lived on the 46 Wheatland Avenue in Dorchester, Massachusetts. WALDRON L SNYDER JR was a member of the 93 bomb group/330 bomb sq. He was flying a B-24 airplane with the serial nr 41-24147 with the nickname Duchess. His rank was 2nd Lt. His serial nr was 0-795658. He was KIA 25-Feb-1944. He was born on 1 March 1918. Have you information about this person please contact me. I would like to have a picture or any other materials about this soldier. School, Papers, picture, personal stuff, what kind of person, school, family, reports,companie records etc. And is there still family of him or history people who now something. I would like to make a website about him and where he was fighting in WW2 and what kind of person he was. Will you pass this message to so many people as possible in your town please. Maybe there is some family of him in your town. Please help me. My address is: Erik snijder Plesmanweg 2 9765 gt paterswolde nederland email: erik.snijder@planet.nl From Samuel Delcambre - In February, 1942, I enlisted into the U.S. Air Corps, Basic Training, Biloxi, Mississippi. There I was assigned to the 93rd Bomb Group, Barksdale and was inducted into the 28th Squadron Crew # 2 - John L. Jerstat, Pilot. Upon completion of my training, I was a left waist gunner. Immediately after gunnery school, I was sent to Pagefield, Florida. There I met the other members of my crew. After being molded into a brave new crew and ready for ETO, we were ordered by headquarters to remain in the area and patrol the Gulf of Mexico for 6 more weeks. In those 6 weeks of patrolling, we attacked two U-Boats. Because of such extensive patrolling, the German Admiral of the U-Boats ordered their exit from the Gulf of Mexico (too many airplanes in the Gulf). That was the 93rd Bomb Group's first great victory of many to come. We, the U.S. won that war of the Gulf of Mexico. The U-Boats had been there for four years, heavily armed and capable of sinking any ship on sight. They were sinking 30 to 40 ships per month. I am so proud of what we did. I have 70 hours air time patrolling the Gulf of Mexico. Next stop - New Hampshire -- I was issued a new plane, a B24D aircraft. Crew #2 received the plane #123711. Pilot John L. Jerstad said 711 on a dice is for luck, 711 is a natural and this was an omen. So the plane was named "Jerk's Natural". My home address was 711 Center Street, New Iberia, Louisiana, 18 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. So as you can see 711 is a number very special to me. On to Newfoundland --- over the Atlantic, to Scotland, then to England. Jerstat was the Pilot, Sims was the Co-Pilot and completed 5 missions. At this time, Jerstat had a total of 5 missions and was transferred to staff. Robert Hudspeth became Co-Pilot and Sims became Pilot. After 30 more missions, that gave Sims 30 missions. He was then sent back to the states. Lt. Hudspeth was given another crew and was shot down over Breast, France, and became a POW. Samuel J. Delcambre, Chicago Lt John L. Jerstad Sgt Robert Harms & Sgt Joe Pisano 1////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////, 1////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////,

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Page 19 www.93bg.com Membership Corner JAMES VEST Margie and James Vest Tom, Margie, and James Vest Jim Guddal, Margie and James Vest PORTER CREW ON EUROCLYDON Standing (L-R) SSgt James R Vest ,gunner, TSgt Bernard R Lucas radio operator, SSgt Charles A Reed gunner, TSgt FrankC Farrel engineer, 1Lt Enoch M Porter,Jr. pilot Front row(L-R) SSgt Earl A Frost gunner, F.O. Joe E Boswell co-pilot, 2Lt Raymond P "Jack" Warner navigator, 1Lt. Jesse D Franks bombardier, SSgt Glen Corn Not in photo 1Lt Howard Dickson (Intelligence Officer) gunner, 2Lt John F Minogue gunner. In the Winter 2010 Ball of Fire, I introduced 328th veteran James Vest, left waist gunner on B-24D Euroclydon (The storm). Jim and wife Margie (married 70 years this year) live in northern Minnesota. In December of 2010, I had the honor and great pleasure of meeting Jim, Margie and son Tom for an afternoon tracing the memories of events from so long ago. Born in 1920 at Bloomfield IN, Jim was drafted in August 1942. After gunnery school he formed up with a crew he would be with until a fateful mission over Ploesti Romania August 1, 1943. The crew picked up a new B-24D (42-40612) in Topeka Ks and stayed with Euroclydon until the Tidal Wave mission. Pilot 1st Lt Enoch Porter and copilot Joe Boswell were in the cockpit along with navigator Ray (Jack) Warner. Back on the right waist 50 caliber was Charles A.(Charlie) Reed. After taking the northern route to Scotland and landing on fumes they were immediately sent to North Africa where they teamed up with the 9th AF. Before the Ploesti mission, Jim flew 8 missions in the Italy and Sicily theaters. On August 1, 1943, coming into the Ploesti target at about 250 feet, Euroclydon was flying behind Lt Col Addison Baker (Hells Wench) in the low left position. Walt Stewart in Utah Man was flying to Bakers high right. Jim operated a 50 caliber in the left waist. Before making it to the target, Euroclydon took hits in the cockpit and in the bombay likely rupturing the fuel bladder and spilling out aviation fuel. (Some historians believe Euroclydon may have been the first 93rd plane to go down that day) The last image Jim remembers is seeing a ball of fire rolling from the bomb bay directly towards him. It was time to go. While falling, he struggled to find the rip cord which was on the opposite side from normal because the chute was on backwards. (Only Charlie Reed and Ray Warner would also get out alive.) Having been knocked unconscious by the fall, Jim woke up staring at angry farmers bearing hoes and pitchforks. (Before coming too, Jim had been relieved of his dog tags and a gold ring.) He then remembers hearing the click of a rifle being chambered and was relieved to see a Romanian soldier coming to

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Page 20 www.93bg.com his rescue. Jim spent the next 13 months as a POW at the Timisul Romania camp. He did meet up with both Charlie and Jack there along with many other yanks. The food cooked up by Russian cooks was pretty good. Occasionally, Jim would put on the chefs hat and do some of the cooking. Medical and dental care were available. They were all rescued via a surprise evacuation by allied planes. The first stop was Italy with a destination back to Hardwick airbase in East Anglia England. Jim would not fly any more missions before going home a few months later. After the war, Margie and Jim would raise five children, two of whom would serve proudly in the air force and national guard. Jim is the sole survivor of the Porter crew. Ray and Charlie have folded their wings. For many years after Ploesti, Jim would suffer from reoccurring nightmares of trying to get out of the blazing inferno that enveloped Euroclydon. While he has reconciled that traumatic day, the memories will never fade. The afternoon spent with Jim, Margie and Tom Vest in their northern Minnesota home was very rewarding. I am very grateful that Jim and Margie were willing to share their wartime memories with me. Thanks to both of you for the privilege. Update February 2011. On February 14, Jim Vest folded his wings and went to join his Euroclydon buddies. This author was honored to attend the services complete with full military honors at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. With wife Margie and family looking on, Jim was given a last farewell. He will not be forgotten. Jim Guddal Book Documents Life of World War II Hero - Ben Kuroki - December 30, 2010 Biography of Nebraska native Kuroki written especially for young readers by Joe Duggan, Lincoln Journal Star If an author treads down a well-worn literary path, she had better add something new to the story. Jean Lukesh has done just that with "Lucky Ears: The True story of Ben Kuroki World War II Hero. Thousands of words have been printed and broadcast about Kuroki, the Nebraskan native who became a Japanese-American war hero after surviving 58 bomber missions in World War II. "Boy from Nebraska," a 1946 biography and "Most Honorable Son", a PBS documentary that aired in 2007, are the most widely known portrayals of his incredible life. Still, that didn't dissuade a former teacher and librarian from rural Grand Island who recently released an authorized Kuroki biography for young readers. Even those highly familiar with Kuroki's story will discover nuggets that did not know. The book's title alludes to the one such nugget. During an interview with Lukesh, Kuroki revealed he has tiny holes near the tops of his ears. Kuroki's father said the holes were a sign, which meant his sixth son would live a long life, filled with good fortune. The winner of the Distinguished Service Medal and the Audie Murphy Award flew more than double the number of bomber missions required by the military, suffering hardly a scratch. He survived a knife attack by an angry squad member who equated Kuroki with Japanese General Hideki Tojo. In more recent years, he survived open-heart surgery that replaced his aortic valve. Now he's 93, lives in Camarillo, Calif., and still plays 36 holes of golf per week. Sounds like his father got it right. But get this: Kuroki's wife Shige, sat in on that 2007 interview. Until that day, she had never heard the story about the ears from her husband in six decades. "I never put much credence into that (legend)," Kuroki explained this week. "But more and more this past decade, as all these incredible honors have come to me, there might be something to it. For Lukesh, telling Kuroki's story of military service and his lifelong crusade against racism was a goal she set years ago, as she worked on her book. "The Nebraska Adventure." The award-winning history textbook, now used in most Nebraska fourth-grade classrooms, includes mention of Kuroki. The former Hershey farm boy wrote her a thank you note. In turn, Lukesh pitched her book idea. Written to appeal to readers in grades 4-7, the book is based on interviews and research. Kuroki consulted at every step. She self-published the book through her Field Mouse Productions and sent it off to a printer. It retails at $9.99 and is available at book websites such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble. To make Kuroki's story accessible to young readers, Lukesh included more personal anecdotes about her subject. For example, she wrote how his mother nearly died at his birth and he initially was raised by an older sister and a neighbor woman. And she described the fear he felt in racially charged California after returning from the war, when even the decorations on his Army uniform couldn't prevent the epithets. She also included the hard lessons of his life - the bigotry he fought just to serve his country, the violence of war and the injustice the United States meted out to Japanese-Americans, who were locked in

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Page 21 www.93bg.com internment camps because of suspicions of their loyalties. "He is such a hero, but he is so humble at the same time," Lukesh said. She would like to write an adult biography on Kuroki and already is working on additional Nebraska biographies for what she intends to turn into a series for young readers. Kuroki said he is very pleased with the book. He was eager to participate because it fit perfectly with what he always had called his 59 mission: a crusade against racial intolerance. "I wanted to get that message across to the younger generation. They respond more to racial understanding than the adults," he said. "The adults are already set in their ways and in their thinking. Reach Joe Duggan at 402-473-7329 or jduggan@journalstar.com New Members Roll Call We welcome the following new members into the 93rd Bomb Group Association Family!!! Member (Vets are in Bold & **) Connection to 93rd BG Fred Arnold ** Navigator on Mas Worry and Sleepy Time Gal Carol Meehan Buran Lt. William Meehan, Lady Jane Joyce Goodfriend Frank Goodfriend  328th Pilot Rick & Rory Goodfriend Frank Goodfriend  328th Pilot Brett Johnson Fred Strombom  329th Pilot George Jung 2nd Lt. George Jung, 329, Snow White Beth King Kenneth Root  All squadron ranking engineer officer Julia McGinty Pending Joan Kelly Mulry Capt. Francis Kelly  409th navigator (pilot was Spencer) Gary Neidenthal S/Sgt Kenneth Neidenthal, 328th Eager Beaver & Boomerang K. Wallace Neidenthal S/Sgt Kenneth Neidenthal,328th Eager Beaver & Boomerang Randy Neidenthal S/Sgt Kenneth Neidenthal,328th Eager Beaver & Boomerang Ernest Perez ** 2nd Lt & Navigator  Pilots were Lt Justin & Cp Shipon Donald Porter ** lst Lt Pilot 409th  Flew 32 missions Stanley Savinski ** G-4 Ground Operations Jim & Peggy Sellers John Sullivan  330th McCosh Thayer lst Lt Don Porter  Pilot 409th Sarah Timberlake Gen. Ted Timberlake Bruce Uchitel Interested in the 93rd Jeffrey Wasserman Pending Mary Yamamoto Lt. Paul Steichen, 409, Silver Eagle If you have joined the 93rd in the past 4 months and your name is not listed above, let Jim Guddal know at jguddal@yahoo.com or send me a note at P O Box 47336 Plymouth, MN 55447. Recipe Corner Recipe by Joannie Smith Creamy Fettuccini Alfredo 8 oz. cream cheese 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup milk 8 oz. fettuccini, cooked and drained 8 oz. cooked shrimp In large saucepan combine all ingredients, except pasta and shrimp. Stir over low heat until smooth. Add pasta, toss lightly. Add shrimp and toss. Serve. This recipe is SO easy. You can also substitute cooked chicken for the Shrimp. Recipe in an old Grit from Bob Stahl Recipe for Marriage 1 lifetime commitment 16 toilet seat lessons 1/2 hour daily cuddling 5 annual anniversary reminders 21,000 home cooked meals 30,000 sheets folded 19 hints about bad breath 2 1/2 pieces lingerie 3 sets self-help books Blend all ingredients, keeping expectations at low . Let simmer 50 years . Bring to a boil when necessary. Individual results may vary.

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Page 24 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE – STARTING WITH 2010, MEMBERSHIP & NEWSLETTER WILL BE CHANGING TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS - FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2011 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Membership Dues & newsletter ($25) $________ 2012 Dues ($25) $________ Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. Grand Total $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please EMAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) _________________________________________________________________________ The PX: We have in stock, coffee mugs, tan & blue caps with B-24 image, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Suncatcher replicas of memorial window. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Guddal jguddal@yahoo.com

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Table of Contents Presidents Corner ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Treasurer's Notes ................................................................................................................................................. 4 *** Ploesti Summit *** .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Notes & Quotes ................................................................................................................................................. 5 93rd Website & Documentary Project ............................................................................................................... 6 93rd Bomb Group Reunion Schedule ................................................................................................................ 8 93rd Bomb Group Reunion 2011 ........................................................................................................................ 9 Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 Letters to the Editor ............................................................................................................................................ 16 New Members Roll Call ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Recipe Corner ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Your Post Exchange (PX) ................................................................................................................................. 23 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ................................................. 24 DIRECTORY 2010 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Executive Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary  PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 don.morrison@beis.com Vice President, 2nd Air Division Association  JOHN LEE 930 Preston Trail, Melbourne, FL 32940 321-259-6861; jlee1922@aol.com VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD Fernley Smith Charles Sill Cal Davidson OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Documentary Project  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN (see Secretary) KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253 Webmaster  MICHAEL SELLERS (see Documentary Project)

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Page 3 www.93bg.com Peide Ce Our friends in England greeted us warmly as the 93rd Bomb Group arrived in East Anglia for our reunion last month. Although our group was smaller than in previous years, their enthusiasm was evident. Don Morrison and Colin Mann developed an excellent plan and proved to be gracious and thoughtful hosts. I commend them for organizing a first class agenda and reunion. The formal reunion, May 28  30 began on Saturday when we assembled for breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express, our Norwich residence throughout. With Alberta DelGuidice, Ray and June Eck, and Vernon Swain, in attendance, our WW II generation was well represented. We also owe a debt of gratitude to Alberta for suggesting the 93rd return to England again. We will always remember our gracious hosts and the beautiful and peaceful country. Day 1  Saturday: We departed for a day in Norwich beginning with a stop at the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library. For most of us this was our first time in the new library. The space is inviting and friendly with extensive 2ADA memorabilia and documentation. Libby Morgan, our librarian, eplained the librars goal and purpose and described the impact this living memorial is having on the local community. We were very impressed with the facility and spent our time exploring their holdings and specifically the 93rds information and display. Coincidentally, the British D-Day in Normandy veterans were using the librars conference room to coordinate their fund raising efforts to help send D-Day veterans back to Normandy for the 67th anniversary on June 6th. We met a veteran of a British Armor unit, who landed with his tank on the British beaches. He was very grateful for all of the excellent air support the forces enjoyed on D-Day and throughout their campaign to the Rhine River. We also visited the castle museum and cathedral. We ended our day at a traditional English countr pub near Colins home for some darts and dinner. Day 2  Sunday: Up bright and early, our group eagerly anticipated a day at Hardwick reliving the 93rds experience in the countryside among the farmers and tradesman living in Topcroft and surrounding villages. Our first event was to join with the congregation of the St. Margarets Church, Topcroft in their morning worship service. A choir was visiting from another community adding exceptional music to the worship experience. After the final Amen, we were treated to several additional popular songs including Old McDonald Had a Farm. Each ear, the local gardeners open their gardens on one Sunday afternoon. We were able to enjoy one garden with a 500-year-old Mulberry tree reputed to be the place where a young girl created the first ever valentine card for her boyfriend more than 400 ears ago. At Hardwick, we enjoed a ploughmans lunch in the old Sergeants mess hall, visited our Memorial, toured the airfield sites by bus with Don explaining what took place where and pointing out the remains of the field. Don used his excellent guide book with then and now photographs to help us understand what we were seeing. Paul Thrower had the 93rds museum in tip-top shape. There are so many great displays to examine. David and Jean Woodrow, as always, were gracious hosts making each one of us a part of their family. For those of us making a return journey, we felt like we had come home again. The day ended with an all American barbecue in the modern hanger where several vintage airplanes are stored including a beautiful P-51. A group photo was taken with everyone sporting their new 93rd Bomb Group tees (designed by Don Morrison especially for those attending the reunion). We were treated to a take-off, fly by and landing by the P-51. We enjoyed spending the day with our English friends! Day 3  Monday  Memorial Day: Another early start with a bus ride to the American Military Cemetery in Maddingly, near Cambridge where 3811 American dead are buried: 59 members of the 93rd, and 103 missing are memorialized on the granite wall. Each year military and civilian organizations lay wreaths in memory of the valiant men and women whose names adorn the crosses, stars and walls. The United States Air Force from nearby RAF Mildenhall provided hundreds of young airmen to assist in the ceremony. The events included welcomes from Mr. Hugh Duberl, Her Majests Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Ms. Barbara Stephenson, the Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the United States, London, and Lieutenant General John Gardner, US Army, Deputy Commander, US European Command,. The wreaths were laid along the Memorial wall by representatives of each organization. Ray Eck laid the 93rds wreath. Four Air Force planes conducted a fly over, a MC-130H from 352d Special Operations Group; a KC 135R from 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall; and two F-15C fighters in tandem from the 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath. A 21-gun salute was fired and taps were played. Before and after the ceremony, we had time to visit the graves of some of our fallen 93rd heroes. When the ceremony was concluded, we enjoyed a box lunch back at the bus while we allowed the traffic to clear. Colin Mann, was outfitted in a traditional Scottish kilt with full regalia in honor of our fallen comrades and consistent with his heritage. After the ceremony, Rayann, Emma, Faith and I said our farewells to the group as they returned to Norwich, we headed to London to be in position to catch our early morning flight from Heathrow back to the U.S. The reunion was a great success and should become a regular event. Now, we turn our sights to our annual reunion scheduled for Oct 20  24 in Tucson, AZ. Jim Root has done a great job getting our reunion organized. All the details are included elsewhere in this issue. The only thing now needed is for you to decide to be there. We promise a great time! So be in Tucson in October!

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Page 4 www.93bg.com 93rd Bomb Group Reunion - Norwich, England (Note: Picture 2 of 2) Thank you, Emma Marx - great picture (from her camera)! Row 1: Emma Marx, Faith Marx, June Eck Row 2: Bill & JoAnne Sargent, Robyn (Swaim) Phillips, Rayann Marx, Ryan Yamamoto, Michele Timmer, Vernon Swain Row 3: Don Morrison, John Marx, Mary Steichen Yamamoto, Christopher Dady, Nick Timmer, Girard Steichen Treasurer's Notes Dear friends, there are two key subjects I am reporting on for this BOF: 1) Current member issues and 2) our current charitable donation project. We thank you members who responded to the second notice for dues pament. We also thank families of vets who have folded their wings for letting us know of any change in status of their memberships. The post card notification process worked very well this first time out, so, we will continue that process for the future. In the December issue of the Ball of Fire, President Marx told you about  ga f educating future generations of Americans about the acifice f he 93rd dig WWII. Our current project is to assist the 8th Air Form Museum of Savannah GA in its Ploesti Exhibit. As explained in the December BOF, the 44th BG has made a major contribution in its spectacular diorama of the Ploesti facilit complete with fire, smoke and B-24s fling thru hell. To further expand the exhibit, the 93rd has also contributed an original painting and a piece of B-24 fuselage from the crash site. Additional crash site artifacts are pledged for the future. To bring ou up to date in the Ehibits progress, I met with Vivian Rogers-Price at the Museum this past month. She is in charge of this important project. They are in the process of creating audio domes and artifact display cases for the exhibit. The audio domes will provide an on-going narrative of the mission as museum goers pass by the exhibit. Like all such important endeavors, besides the planning, what is needed most now is money to purchase suitable equipment and in the case of the audios, talent to produce the best narratives. Based upon my discussions with the museum staff, I believe the planning is in place and now we need to assist on the funding. Our goal for this project is to raise $5,000 from members and then your Association will

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Page 5 www.93bg.com match an additional $5,000. Many of you have been very generous so far, but, it takes a lot of $10 and $25 donations to reach $5,000. Since the 93rd BG Association is organized as a 501(c)(3), for most members, your contributions are 100% deductible for income tax purposes. In your gift planning this year, be sure to remember the 93rd and its effort to memorialize one of the key historical events of the 93rd. It is legacy worth preserving and telling others. Your donations can be made by check payable to the 93rd Bomb Group Association and sent to me as Treasurer or use Paypal found on the 93rd website under the Membership tab. Thanks for listening! Jim Guddal, Treasurer *** Ploesti Summit *** The planning for the October 2011 Ploesti Mission Symposium is in full swing. The 93rd BG is looking forward to hosting the five bomb groups that flew that historic 8-1-1943 bombing mission to knock out Hitlers Gold. The were the 44th, 93rd, 98th, 376th & 389th. The planners believed this strategic mission would shorten the war. Unfortunately, the mission did not succeed and the losses were great. Join veterans who survived this very dangerous assignment and hear their stories at the two day event beginning Saturday October 22 at the 93rds annual gathering being held in Tucson, AZ. Also on hand will be crash site artifacts such as a gas load adjuster, a groscope and fuselage parts. Besides our speakers and veteran led Panel Discussions, on hand for your review will be pictures, films, and other mission information. Please make your interest in attending known by contacting us through the 93rd Reunion Committee or contact: Jim Guddal (763) 694-9058 jguddal@yahoo.com Joe Duran (805) 525-4681 dogpatchraider@gmail.com Blaine Duxbury (317) 697-0414 bdux@aol.com Notes & Qotes  In Ma 2011, I recd a call from a person at the Pentagon who had found my name on the 93rd website. To make a long story short, with the information I had obtained from 328th Veteran James Vest (Decd 2/2011) I was able to help the Correction of Militar Records group at the Pentagon award 409th Veteran Cornelius K. Gregory (posthumously) the Distinguished Flying Cross for the August 1, 1943 Ploesti Mission. For any of you Veterans or families of our Vets who are seeking help in correcting an records there is the expected paperwork in the form of DD Form 149, June 2010 Rev. If you will provide a fax number to me, I will send you copies of the form. Or, contact them directly. Here is the contact information I was given by the Pentagon: Board for Correction of Air Force Records SAF/MRBR 550-C Street West, Suite 40 Randolph AFB Texas 78150 Respectfully Submitted, Jim Guddal ( jguddal@yahoo.com ) Hee a  with a heartwarming twist that was made possible by Sons from Apache Junction, AZ Sq 27. It all started when some folks at a barber shop in town realized the rough looking man who walked into town each day to buy water was actually a Vietnam veteran who was living in a tent in the dessert. Thanks to some footwork by the Sons, the vet was able to get medical assistance through the VA. Unfortunately, the man was found to have terminal cancer, so the guys at Squadron 27 helped secure hospice care and even a burial plot in the Phoenix Veterans Cemetery. While awaiting the inevitable, it was learned the vet had famil in Indiana that hed lost track of man ears before. With the help of an Indiana newspaper story, several members of the veterans famil were located. His mother said the vet had disappeared 18 years ago and none of his family know what had happened to him. Within a few days of the newspaper story, there was a tearful reunion at the Phoenix airport. Writers comment: This story came from the April 2011 National Update which is the official publication of the Sons of the American Legion of which I am a proud member. If there are any sons out there who are interested in membership in this great organization, be sure to contact your local American Legion Chapter. The Sons raise mone for Bos and Girls state, legion baseball and several other worthwhile community services. Submitted by member, Jim Guddal

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Page 6 www.93bg.com 93rd Website & Documentary Project 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article, 25,976 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. We recently logged a visitor all the way from Montevideo, Uruguay. See where other visitors are from this month on the included map: Before the next reunion, plans are underway to update sections of the 93rd website. These sections are the links to MUSEUMS, EDUCATION and HISTORY. Another major area is the PX. We want to provide a one stop shop on the website to purchase all items related to the 93rd BG. Items like books, hats, mugs, etc. are always available at the annual reunions but we want you to have access online as well. We've been figuring out the kinks with our online transaction service to bring this option to members and their families. Cross your fingers that we will have this up and running soon! Until then - please use the provided forms provided by Jim Guddal located in the Ball of Fire newsletter. 93rd Documentary Project / DVDs and Blu-rays Still Available The film entitled "Thoughts for the Future", which was featured at the 2010 93rd BG reunion, is still available for purchase. You can chose from either DVD in standard definition ($10) or Blu-ray in high definition ($13). If you purchase a Blu-ray disc, make sure you have a Blu-ray player to view the disc. This film was a thank you to the 93rd for their bravery during the war and the many sacrifices they made. Look for an order form in this issue of the Ball of Fire or go to www.thoughtsforthefuture.com Please note: This DVD also includes an 8th AAF Combat Crew documentary called "Liberators over Europe". This film chronicles the B-24's efforts in Europe and has many scenes of the 93rd BG in action. This was produced by the United States government in 1945. Project Baby!!! My wife Suzanne and I are having a baby!! She is due November 26th. My plans to attend the 2011 reunion in Tucson are still up in the air but I'd like to ask the boss at some point if I can go. We will find out boy or girl next month - updates to come!! Michael Sellers, Webmaster www.93bg.com www.thoughtsforthefuture.com

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Page 8 www.93bg.com 93rd Bomb Group Reunion Schedule October 20 24, 2011 Radisson Suites Airport, Tucson, AZ 7051 S. Tucson Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85756 Direct Phone: 520-225-0810 Fax: 520-225-0890 email: lisa.neff@radisson.com Thursday, October 20 10:00 AM  2:00 PM Registration / Mtg. room setup 2:00 PM  5:00 PM Registration /Hospitality open 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Reunion Committee & Officers - meeting in Theatre Room 6:00 PM  6:30 PM Reception hotel lobby 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Welcome Dinner hotel 8:00 PM  10:00 PM Memorabilia room open Friday, October 21 6:00 AM - 9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet 8:30 AM  11:00 AM Registration open 9:00 AM  11:00 AM Education session 11:30 AM  12:30 AM To Pima Air & Space museum for lunch 12:30 AM  2:30 PM Tour of PIMA Air & Space Museum 2:30 PM  4:00 PM Bus tour of AMARG, airplane graveard 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM Return to Hotel 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Dinner at Pima B-24 (Dinner, program, dance to Big Band Express) 9:00 PM 11:00 PM Memorabilia room open Saturday, October 22 6:00 AM  9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Business Meeting 10:30 AM  11:30 AM Joint Ploesti education 11:45 AM  4:00 PM Old Tucson Studios <OR> Sonora Desert Museum 1:00 PM  3:00 PM Ploesti Summit 3:00 PM  4:30 PM Memorabilia room open 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Dinner & program at Davis-Monthan AF Base 9:00 PM  11:00 PM Memorabilia room open Sunday, October 23 6:00 AM  9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet 7:30 AM  9:15 AM Old St. Augustine Mariachi Mass 9:30 AM  3:00 PM Downtown Old Town Artisan shopping (Lunch on our own) 10:00 AM  12:00 PM Ploesti Summit 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Reception 6:00 PM  6:30 PM Memorial Service 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Farewell Dinner hotel 8:00 PM  10:00 PM Memorabilia room open Monday, October 24 6:00 AM - 9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet Depart

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Page 9 www.93bg.com 93rd Bomb Group Reunion 2011 October 20 - 24 Tucson, AZ Step #1 - Make hotel reservations now, but not later than September 15th to obtain the group rate. For registration call: 1-800-333-3333 or 1-520-225-0810 The hotels address and phone number are: Radisson Suites Hotel Tucson Airport 7051-S. Tucson Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85756 (520) 225-0810 direct Please give the following group name/group code to the reservation agent when making reservation: 93BOM. State and local taxes of 13.05% + $1.00 fee are additional. Total cost including taxes is shown in the table below: Room Style Daily Rate Tax (13.05%) Per Day Total Suite with 1 King Bed With Sleeper Sofa (up to 4 guests) $89 $12.62 $101.62 Suite with 2 Queen Beds (up to 4 guests) $89 $12.62 $101.62 Rates are available for 3 days prior and 3 days after the meeting dates beginning on October 17th and ending on October 27th. Room rates include: Standard King or 2 Queen Bed suites Fully equipped with refrigerator, microwave and DirecTV. Complimentary wired or wireless high speed internet access Fully cooked to order breakfast every morning Evening Managers Reception Fitness Center and gorgeous outdoor Pool Complimentary Shuttle to and from the Tucson Airport (only 200 yards away!) Step #2 - Tell us that you are coming to the reunion and how many will be in your group. Select a one of two possible Saturday activities. Simply mail, call or email Joe and Phyllis so we can estimate how many people will be attending. You can change your mind at any time before the formal registration concludes on September 15th. Joe and Phyllis Duran 309 E. Santa Paula St Santa Paula, CA 93060 Phone: (805) 525-4681 Email: dogpatchraider@gmail.com Step #3 - Make travel arrangements to arrive in time for registration at 2:00 - 5:00 PM on Thursday October 20st. Dinner reception at 6:00 PM. The hotel provides shuttle service to and from the airport and within a five mile radius of the hotel. Step #4 - Complete Registration Form and submit with your check not later than September 15th. Make check payable to 93rd Bombardment Group. Step #5 - Mail completed form to: Joe and Phyllis Duran 309 E. Santa Paula St Santa Paula, CA 93060 Step #6 - Plan to join us for a great time of Fling High, Fling Low in Tucson, AZ! Bring a friend or famil too!!! NOTE: Your TOTAL reunion cost is lower than 2010! Even though registration is higher, negotiated room rates are much lower in 2011!

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Page 11 www.93bg.com REUNION FEE REFUND POLICY Last minute cancellations can cause significant loss to the 93rd Bomb Group. This loss results because we must guarantee your attendance to the hotel relative to all meals and other related costs. When you don't show, we still get charged for meals and other charges related to those meals. We recognize that there will always be unforeseen events beyond your control, and we truly regret your personal inconvenience. However, your executive committee has decided that we must stay with our policy of "pay as you go" for reunion costs. We have reviewed the choices: we can either add an extra amount to everyone's fees to cover last minute cancellations, or we can set a deadline date for cancellations after which the fees paid cannot be refunded. In order to keep our reunion fees as low as possible, your executive committee has chosen the deadline date choice. Therefore, a deadline date, based on hotel contract requirements for each reunion will be provided to you at the time you make your reservations, and included in our reunion announcements in the Ball of Fire. The Final Inspection The Soldier stood and faced God, which must always come to pass. He hopes his shoes were shining, just as brightly as his brass. . . Step forward now, Soldier, how shall I deal with ou? Have you alwas turned the other cheek? To m church have ou been true? The soldier squared his shoulder and said, No Lord, I guess I aint. Because those of us who carr guns, cant alwas be a saint. Ive had to work most Sundas, and at times m talk was tough. And sometimes Ive been violent, because the world is awfull rough. But, I never took a penn, that wasnt mine to keep . . . Though I worked a lot of overtime, when the bills got just too steep. And I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear. . . And sometimes, God, forgive me, Ive wept unmanl tears. I know I dont deserve a place, among the people here, They never wanted me around, except to calm their fears. If ouve a place for me here, Lord, it neednt be so grand, I never expected or had too much, but if ou dont, Ill understand. There was silence all around the throne, where the saints had often trod. As the soldier waited quietly, for the judgement of his God. Step forward now, ou soldier, ouve borne our burdens well. Walk peacefull on Heavens streets, ouve done our time in Hell. Reprinted from OUR TOWN, Collier County FL Edition May 15, 2011

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Page 12 www.93bg.com Folded Wings The information written about each veteran is compiled from available resources: Ted's Travelling Circus, emails, letters, obituary, and reunion photos. The amount of information does not imply the value and importance of a veteran. All veterans are equally honored for their role in WWII. JoAnne Sargent, Editor Baker, M/Sgt Albert, June 2004 (Email from son, Al Baker) M/Sgt Albert Baker 329th Sq. 93rd BG passed away June, 2004 at the age of 85. Hal Bilyeu, May 26 2011 (from obituary website: http://www.tributes.com/show/Hal-Bilyeu-91574215) He entered the Army Air Corps n 1941and as a navigator, flew 25 combat missions over Europe including the historical low-level raids on the oil refineries of Ploesti Romania on August 1, 1943. He also served during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam, serving as Asst. Secretary to General Westmoreland from 1965 until 1966. Col. Bilyeu received military awards for his service including the Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Services Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and a Purple Heart. (Email from Pat Schenk) Let me know if there is anything else you would like as I have compiled a whole book on him. It is with much sadness that I must report the sudden passing of Hal Bilyeu on May 26. Hal lived life on his own terms and died at his home in Shreveport. I had the privilege of visiting Hal in 2005 and had many great conversations with him in the ensuing years. He would have turned 91 in November. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Blue skies Hal (Email from Phyllis Duran) Unfortunately another of our Veterans has folded his wings. Hal Bilyeu was one of our early 93rd men. Originally Hal flew with Leon Packer's crew. He also flew with Capt. Joe Avendano and Col. John (Pack) Roche on the Ploesti Mission. He will be deeply missed. What a gentleman! Joe and I visited him at his home the last time we were in Shreveport. Had a wonderful visit and he related some funny stories about he and Uncle Joe. One being that every time Uncle Joe saw him he would slap Hal on the back. Hal finally told Uncle Joe to take it easy being that Hal was a much smaller framed man. As we were getting ready to leave I gave Hal a hug and thanked him for all his hospitality and after, Hal reached around and slapped the tar out of my Joe on the back. We all just busted up! That one was for Uncle Joe. Ha ha ha You are absolutely right they don't make them like they use to. What a honor and privilege to have known so many of these wonderful veterans. I all ways remember one of the last conversation Joe and I had with Kenny McFarland. Kenny made the comment that it was too bad we hadn't met sooner than we did. Joe told Kenny "You know what would have been sad is if we had never met". I am so grateful for the time we have. Blateric, Paul L., June 5, 2011 (Note from his son, Stephen Blateric) When you spend months and years caring for a parent then you have a week to plan a military funeral, it does not give you much time to really express you really felt about your father. I was a really lucky son. My dad, Paul Blateric truly was one of the good guys. A loving and loyal husband, a good and true friend and a great and giving dad. All of you knew him will have your personal memories. Several have told me that he was like a second dad to you. He was always willing to talk with you about anything and at any time. And so it was with me. We talked around the dinner table about everything and sometimes it got a little heated. But at the end of dinner, we were laughing and still loving each other. There were basically two things of importance in my dad's life, my mother and me. We always came first. There was

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Page 13 www.93bg.com always one valuable lesson I got from both my mother and father, having money will not make your marriage, but not knowing and agreeing on what to do with it certainly can tear one apart. (List of names written on the back of the picture; cannot match most of the names to the faces) Wilkinson - ball gunner Novak - engineer Balzer - radio man unknown Doyle - tail gunner Edwards - nose gunner Whitford - co-pilot Paul Blateric - waist gunner (back row 4th from left) Thompson - navigator Irving H. Fruchter - pilot (front row, 1st from left) Sam Bargamian, bombardier June 12 (D-Day Plus 6, three missions Number1--Eight from the Circus took off a 0500 and attacked the Ille and Vilaine river rail bridges, near Rennes, with disappointing results. However, one Circus ship hooked onto the 389th Group and successfully planted bombs on Chartres Aerodrome while another dropped on the Chartres marshalling yards. One Circus squadron, tabbed for Vezin, make a college try against the invisible target without much success. Pilot, Irving H. Fruchter of Philadelphia was hit by intense flak. Returning from Rennes, one of his engines went crazy and almost tore itself from the mountings. Because the engine was coming apart "bolt-by-bolt" and fearing fire, Fruchter ordered bailout. The crew descended at Newport, Essex, near London, where the bomber crashed in the center of the small village. The civilians were safely evacuated. One 2.000-pounder exploded. Besides Fruchter, who sustained a bootless broken leg upon hitting the ground, the wounded were Lt. Sam Bargamian of New York City (co-pilot), a back injury, and Sgt. Martin W. Ward of Toogootee, Ind. (waist-gunner). Nurses at a nearby RAF station hospital witnessed the 'chutes descending and stood by. Fruchter, Bargamian and Ward were the first significant Circus personnel injuries since May 20-- 16 missions ago. (*p 340). Braund, James H. (Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963); Mar 25,1945; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Chicago Tribune (1849-1987) pg SW2 from son, William Braund) Rounds Out 20 Years in Air Forces Completion of 20 years of service in the army air forces recently was celebrated by Capt. James H. Braund, husband of Mrs. Cleata Braund, 5542 W. 64th Pl. He was assigned to the 93rd bombardment group as a technical inspector of aircraft and maintenance facilities at an 8th air force Liberator station in England. Braund joined the air service (now the army air forces) in Pittsburg, a few minutes after seeing a sign which read: "Join the Army--Earn, Learn, and Travel." He added four years to 17, his real age. During his first 16 years of service he was a aircraft mechanic and worked on every army plane from the DH-4B, a DeHavilland biplane with a Liberty engine, to the newly developed four engine Liberator bomber. When the 93rd bombardment squadron was formed at Barksdale field, La., Capt. Braund was a master sergeant and a line chief in charge of repair and maintenance. The squadron was the first Liberator unit to arrive in the European theater and has bombed German held areas from Oslo, Norway, to the Ploesti oil fields in Romania.

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Page 14 www.93bg.com Braund was commissioned shortly after going overseas and has accompanied the squadron on two of its three trips to North Africa. As a 20 year service man, he refers to ground crews composed of newly recruited men as "ex-civilians", but says their work in maintaining fleets of bombers and fighters all over the world has been "almost miraculous, altho they've had comparatively little training by peace time standards." (Note from son, William Braund) A few days ago I was getting ready to scan a few documents and respond to you then I thought of the attached .pdf file that Id purchased from the Chicago Tribune archives. It prett much summaries m fathers service in WWII. He went to England with the 93rd and returned with them. M fathers service numbers (since he served as both enlisted and an officer) were A0885823 and 6077733. His SSAN was 532-34-2344 and he died on the 15th of November 1982. He was born on 6 May 1902 according to his service records but as the newspaper story says he lied about his age in order to enlist. He was actually born on 13 May 1906. There is one other interesting thing that I would like to add. When he was promoted to the officer ranks it was to 1st Lt. He skipped 2nd Lt. He was promoted to Captain as the article sas and thats as far as his commissioned status went. He said that he would have easily made Lt. Col. but he was far too rough around the edges. After the war he returned to his previous rank as a MSgt and retired in 1953. Anyway, when he was commissioned the papers were signed by Addison E. Baker, Major, AC Commanding. I thought that Id drop a name that will certainly mean something to all of you. I also attached a photo taken circa 1945. If you need anything else to corroborate m fathers service, Ill be happ to send it. William Braund San Antonio, Texas Caver, Lawrence H., November 28, 1996 (Email from: son, N. Preston Caver) My father was Lawrence H. Caver, born 1/7/23 flew as tailgunner with the 330th squadron, 93rd bomb group (h). His missions started with Willebruck (8/25/44) and ended with Munster (3/23/45). Friedman, Major Murray, December 25, 2010 Griggs, Carl, April 22,2011 (From the Shelby Star on April 24, 2011)Carl Griggs served in the United States Army Air Corps attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. He served as a tail gunner in a B-24 Bomber that flew over 30 missions over Nazi Germany. He was awarded the European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with two Bronze Stars; One Overseas Service Bar; a Good Conduct Medal; the AR 600-68 44 Air Medal and the 78HQ 8th AF 44 Distinguished Medal. (Note from Phyllis Duran) To all, It is with a saddened heart I write to let all of you know that I just got off the phone with Wilma Griggs. She had called to let us know that Carl had folded his wings on April 22,2011. Carl was the tail gunner of Fred Fescharek Crew, 93rd BG 409th Sq. His plane was the Southwind. Carl always seemed to enjoy our time together at the 93rd Reunions. It was a great pleasure and honor to have had the opportunity to get know him and his wife. My best wishes to all, Phyllis Gruber, Lt. Col Clinton A., March 12, 2011 (From obituary website: http://obits.oregonlive.com/obituaries/oregon/obituary.aspx?n=clinton-a-gruber&pid=149499187&fhid) Lt. Col. Clinton A. Gruber attended Pacific University on a scholarship in 1938 and concurrently enrolled in the university's Civilian Pilot Training Program at Hillsboro Airport. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor plunged America into the Second World War, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet, graduating as a Second Lieutenant in the class of 43-C. Assigned to a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber crew as a copilot, he went to England to join the 93rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, based at Norwich. Temporarily posted to North Africa, he and his crew flew combat missions out of desert bases near Benghazi and Tunis, striking enemy targets in Italy and Austria. Back in England, he flew more missions to strategic targets in Germany. On December 1, 1943, on approach to a target near Solingen, Germany, Nazi fighters attacked, knocking out two of the four

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Page 15 www.93bg.com engines on his plane and killing the tail gunner. Clint and surviving crew members bailed out at 18,000 feet. He landed in a snowy field, injuring his leg. Nevertheless, he evaded capture for two days. He was interrogated and sent to Stalag Luft I prison camp on the Baltic Sea, where he remained a prisoner of war until liberated by Russian forces shortly before the German surrender in May 1945. He continued service in the Air Force Reserve and the Oregon National Guard until his retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1972. In his memoirs he recalled, "I am forever grateful to have been of an age to actively experience the war years, and to have been allowed to serve my country in World War II as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Force. I am proud of that service, and thankful that I was spared to see the fruits of our victory. Jacobs, Col (ret) Robert A., March 14th 2011 (Email from his son, Peter R Jacobs) I regret to inform you of the passing of my father, Col (ret) Robert A. Jacobs, on March 14th 2011. My father will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery on June 8th at 1:00PM, next to his wife who died on August 8th, 2010. Johnson TSgt AAF, Frederick M., November 20, 2004 Flight Mechanic/Gunner 329th Bomb Squadron 93rd BG B-24/Oberschmid Crew (Please see Letters to the Editor for more information) Stover, Jack (Smokey), June 16, 1983 (Email from his daughter, Cathy Stover Jorden) Jack (Smokey) Stover was a member of the 329th I still have his traveling circus patch. He passed many years ago. June 16, 1983. But I wanted to add him to the list. It was such a part of his life. Dad was a tail gunner on the Thunderbird. He also was working on the ground. I was lucky enough to contact several of his good friends who I kept in touch with until they passed. Mike DeBrino was one of them who knew my dad well. Tiller, Lt Anton (Tony) J., 1992 (Email from his son Steve Tiller) My Dad's heritage with the USAAF, the B-24, the 93rd, and World War II in general were a big part of my growing up in the 1950's. I remember the stories, good and bad, he told many times of his exploits in the "Big One," and then later of the Korean War. Obviously they had an impact on my becoming an Air Force pilot, but my own experiences as a fighter pilot and officer pale in comparison to the effort my father's generation faced in that war. My Dad's participation in WWII was by itself a heroic endeavor. I remember many times upon hearing him repeat the same stories, especially with other WWII veterans, listeners would wonder why he still spoke of the War long after its conclusion. His simple answer was that "World War II was the defining period of my whole life--it was who I am...." (Note: also see Letters to the Editor) Weiss, Lt. Charles J., USAF (ret.), November 19, 2000 (see Letters to the Editor from wife, Elsie B. "Peg" Weiss) Woollen, Robert, 2011 The Bulge / 1944 December 16: A Circus force became airborne but was recalled. Allied high command ordered the Air Force to sweep up quotas of non-essential personnel and consign them forthwith to forward Army depots. There was also an appeal for volunteers. In the latter category was the rangy, well-liked 329th first sergeant, Robert Woollen, who dismayed everyone. Like the red-headed Woollen, an Oklahoman, other volunteers were transferred in grade. These included Corporals Robert

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Page 16 www.93bg.com K. Lavanway, Frank N. Leatherwood, James F. Bolster and Private First-class Cecil T. Ingram. (*page 433) * Ted's Travelling Circus by Carroll (Cal) Stewart INFORMATION REQUEST Please send me any information related to the 93rd Bomb Group for the people below. I did not find them listed in Ted's Travelling Circus book. Gilbert Davis Carlton Frederick Taylor Thank you, JoAnne Sargent, 93rd BG Editor 1458 Locust St. Denver, CO 80220 home 303-333-0698 email: joyridcp@msn.com Letters to the Editor Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:05:20 -0400 Subject: 93rd BG Association From: pukingpup@gmail.com To: jguddal@yahoo.com CC: joyridecp@msn.com Hey Jim, Just a brief note--I joined the association recently and noticed that you have a list of new people in the back of the newsletter. I may have missed my name earlier, but it was not there, and the note said to e-mail you to get on the list. I am a retired USAF Lt Col and F-4 fighter pilot. My dad was Lt Anton (Tony) J. Tiller, and was in the 93rd at Hardwick and Benghazzi. He was shot down over Ploesti, but made it back OK. My interest in the 93rd Association is to possibly tag up with anyone who knew my dad, or had any information on which B-24s he flew. He died in 1992 and I have been trying to recover any information on his war years beyond his personal accounts. Could you spread the word, perhaps? Thanks VERY much. Dr. Steve Tiller LtCol, USAF (ret.) 919-201-2307 (Note: also see Folded Wings) Subject: search for 409th bomb. sq member From: John.Finch@gulfstream.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:04:50 -0400 Hello- I am looking for any information Joseph(Joe) Monocello attached to 409th bombardment squadron. If you have any information or might know where else I may be able to look, anything will be greatly appreciated. regards, John Finch From: joyridecp@msn.com To: don.morrison@beis.com; dogpatchraider@gmail.com; k8qgc@aol.com; fernleybud@yahoo.com; qajk38@bendbroadband.com; 109clearview@verizon.net; marxj@genco.com Subject: Information Requested on Colonel Wills E. Beightol Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2011 20:32:16 -0600 Herb Harper, 98th BG former Historian, 423-336-2768 asked about contact information for Willis Beightol. Mr. Beightol flew with Packy Roche on the low level Ploesti raid. Mr. Beightol is not in our database (not a member). Does anyone has anyone information or know who to ask? Thanks, JoAnne Sargent From: gerhard.kaschuba@prmg.de To: joyridecp@msn.com Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2011 08:57:13 +0200 Subject: 93rd Bomb Group on 12 May 1944 Dear Sir, I am very interested in the American air attack of 12 May 1944. 93rd BG was involved on that day. Do you have the mission report of 93rd Bomb Group? What was the position (lead, high or low group) of 93rd BG on that day? There was an attack of German twin-engine fighters on the flight back. Do you have information about Me 410 attacks on 94th Bomb Group? Many thanks and best wishes Gerhard Kaschuba Carl-von-Linde-Straße 7

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Page 17 www.93bg.com 85716 Unterschleißheim Germany May 5, 2011 - Pictures and letter from Elsie B. "Peg" Weiss 1) Lt. Charles J. Weiss & Elsie B. "Peg" Weiss, July 10 1943, Soham, Cambridge, England 2) Elsie B. "Peg" Weiss & Lt. Charles J. Weiss, USAF Rtd., July 10, 1993, Waldorf, Maryland, 50th Wedding Anniversary Dear Joanne, I am the British born widow of Charles J. Weiss- the Lt. mentioned in T/Sgt James H. Sharp's letter, about finding the son of his father's waist gunner John Carney Jr. (Page 17 of the March 2011 Ball of Fire Express). He writes in part "Walter T Stewart was co-pilot and Lt. Weiss (the ground communication officer who bumped John W. Carney as waist gunner so he could go). He got a fighter and a Medal... Crash landed in Southern England and were billeted overnight in an old castle... Yes Charles got a Focke wolf fighter, but no medal because he was ineligible as ground crew. I met Charles a few weeks earlier and had a "date" to receive his phone call in the village phone kiosk (few people had home phones then). Somehow he managed to call at the appointed hour and the conversation went like this "we got shot down and I'm in a cass-le" "You're in a WHAT? (I had visions of a rubber dinghy in the North Sea!!) "A Cass-le--Castle". Oh a Carsle!" He loved to tell this story!! Anyway, we were married fifty-eight wonderful years - two children, Carol born in Norwich, a retired Opera singer -- Rod, a retired Airborne Ranger. Charles folded his wings Nov 19 2000 and rest with many of his buddies at Arlington. He was active in the 93rd - V.P. at one point and dif most of the work- fund raising, etc. for the Memorial at Topcroft (Hardwick). The last mission of the "Ball of Fire", I believe was on the Submarine Pens at St. Nazaire France and was written up in LIFE magazine (I have a copy). Anyway, I thought this might be of interest to the Sharpe and Carney families and anyone else who remembers Charles. Not many left -- Charles would have been 90 (I am almost 89!) Regards, Elsie B. "Peg" Weiss From: unclebudd.ka@verizon.net To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Re: Folded Wings - Frederick M. Johnson TSgt AAF Date: Mon, 16 May 2011 18:33:05 -0400 I see in the newsletter you printed some other pictures. For your records, I would also like to add the picture of the crew my Dad flew with: Front Row, left to right: Lt. Elwood L. Faulhaber Bombardier Edon, OH Capt. Robert E. Obershmid Pilot Spooner WI (Lt. in this early photo) Lt. Gerald D. Baughman Navigator Murphysboro TN Lt. Armando A. Antonio Copilot Wilmington DE Back Row, left to right: SSgt. Allen H. Sorenson Tail Gunner Salt Lake City UT SSgt. Nick Flueras Nose Gunner (unknown at this time)

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Page 18 www.93bg.com SSgt. Glenn D. Thompson Top Turret Gunner Oklahoma City OK TSgt. Eugene H. Clement Radio Operator Bala Cynwyd PA SSgt. James F. Duprey Ball Turret Gunner Syracuse NY TSgt Frederick M. Johnson Engineer Trucksville PA Not shown in this photo was: Lt. Elmer W Pearson Radar Navigator Solvang CA We used the attached picture for my Dad's Memorial Service, in a slide show of his life, so that is why it has the big arrow pointing to him. I spoke to Obie (his pilot) today and he is the only remaining crew member alive. I asked about an aircraft nickname and he said they didn't have one specific airframe, that they were flying the newer B-24's. However, he did note that they flew the B-24 that is in the American Air Museum at Duxford England, #493, on four missions. I'm sorry now that I never attended any of their crew reunions and met the crew members, as I was in the Air Force at the time and never available at the same times. Now maybe I can help others piece together the history of the 93rd. Thank You W. Budd Johnson MSgt USAF Retired 416BMW 8th AF Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2011 21:12:50 -0500 Subject: 93rd Bomb Group Inquiry From: jamie2534@gmail.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Hi, My name is Jamie and I am looking for information on my Great Uncle. He has a lot of information written down: crew members, missions, bomb group, etc. His journal says that he was in the 93rd bomb group on the Naughty Nan and best I can tell it would have been in the 328th squadron. However, I am not finding his name or any of the names of his crew on the 93 bomb group website. My Great Uncle's name was Royce Jack Powell. He was not KIA or injured and I am not sure if he received awards or not. Any information you can give would be much appreciated. Thank you, Jamie From: ektra79@verizon.net To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Photo taken at Hardwick of 4FG Mustangs Date: Thu, 26 May 2011 00:07:40 -0400 Hi, I recently came across a photograph taken of four 4th Fighter Group P-51s parked on the ramp at Hardwick, likely in late 1944. This section of Mustangs was forced down at Hardwick due to severe weather. This photo appeared un-credited in an Eagle Eye (the newsletter of the Association of the 4th Fighter group) from the late 90s. Because of the methods used to produce the newsletter back then, the image is grainy and unclear. We would like to get a scan or copy of this photo, as it is not one currently in our archives. I have enclosed a copy of the image for reference, but as you can see it is of poor quality. If anyone in your association has a decent resolution copy of this photo and would like to share it, or knows of its origin, please have them contact me at ektra79@verizon.net. Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2011 15:25:28 -0500 From: geomcl@cox.net To: 109clearview@verizon.net; originalwindude@yahoo.com Subject: Old Memories This morning an old memory popped into my head which I always found amusing and thought I'd share it with you. I went overseas as part of the 491st Bomb group, one of the last few to arrive in England. Their base was at Metfield. We were surprised to find that our toilet paper was British Army issue, not at all like we were used to. It 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////h'. 1////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////, 33-' Sl1trndro11 plnncs forl°cd down 111 ll:mh, icl< -hOIIH' or lhc 93rd llomb Group

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Page 19 www.93bg.com was brown, similar to wrapping paper though not quite as stiff but what struck as most amusing was the fact that each square was stamped with the words "HIS MAJESTY'S PROPERTY" Nice of him to let us Yanks use it. C'est le guerre! George McLean Pictures from Stanley Savinski Hello, My name is Howard E. Thompson and I was born in 1919. I joined the 93rd Bomb Group 328 Bomb SQD in March 1942. In May of 1942, we went to Fort Myers, Florida. In August 1942, we went to Fort Dix, New Jersey and a short time later we boarded the Queen Elizabeth and five days later we landed in Scotland and then on to Alconbury, England. Three months later we moved to Hardwick England Air Base. While I was there I was an aircraft mechanic. I worked with different crews on different airplanes. Their names were Catie Bug, Victory Belle, Hanger Queen, Miss America, "Q" for Queene, and others without names. When the war ended in Europe, we came back home on the Queen Mary and we landed in New York. We took the troop train to Fort Levenworth, Kansas. Then I went home once again. But they classified us a "essential" so I ended up in Peyote, Texas. The war in Japan soon ended and I got back home again. After a few months I went back to work for the United States Air Force as a civilian employee for the next 20 years. Howard E. Thompson, 505-298-9553 The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back In the summer of 1942, the 93rd Bomb Group stationed in Fort Myers, Florida finished their transition training and were declared ready to be deployed to the ETO (European Theatre of Operation). Orders were cancelled and the 93rd was ordered to stay at Fort Myers for 6 more weeks. The job was patrolling the Gulf of Mexico for German submarines. The 93rd training planes (old LB 30s) were retired and each of the 4 squadrons were issued 3 new B24 models. Three planes per squadron: 1. 328th 2. 330th 3. 409th 4. 329th. This made a total of 12 new planes patrolling the Gulf of Mexico from Caribbean Seas to the shores of Louisiana. During that 6 week time frame, two submarines were attacked, one by the 328th and the other by 409th squadron. I have enclosed a list of all the pictures to confirm this fact. The Admiral of the German Navy ordered all subs out of the Gulf of Mexico and sent them into safer waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Hooray--we won! Although confirmation of the actual technicality of the sinking of the submarine was neither denied or confirmed, anyone can see that there is substantial proof that we sure as hell ran them out of the Gulf of Mexico. This was greatly due to the fact that brave soldiers, including the 409th squadron, fought for our country to give Americans what they have today. They did not deny our country her liberty. And I believe any patriotic American would agree that it is no one's place to deny these men their justice. Riding Shotgun in a B24, Samuel J. Delcambre

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Page 20 www.93bg.com New Members Roll Call We welcome the following new members into the 93rd Bomb Group Association Family!!! Member (Vets are in Bold & **) Connection to 93rd BG Albert W. Baker III ** M/Sgt Crew Chief 329th 41-45 Andy Cloninger John Cloninger Bruce Fry Interested in the 93rd Maj. Robert T. Rice, USAF (Ret)** 330th 4-44 to Jul44; Recalled 1948 to 93rd BG Castle AFB, flew 13 missions over Korea in B-29 w 19th BW. George B. Wilkinson Pending LtCol Steve Tiller USAF (Ret) F-4 Pilot Son of Lt Anton (Tony) Tiller Pilot 9th AF and 93rd at Hardwick & Bengazzi. (Shot down Ploesti 1944) - Family desires info from anyone Kerry Tiller Son of Anton (Tony) Tiller Robert Sullivan Pending If you have joined the 93rd in the past 4 months and your name is not listed above, let Jim Guddal know at jguddal@yahoo.com or send me a note at P O Box 47336 Plymouth, MN 55447. Recipe Corner Recipe by Mary Steichen Yamamoto English Scones This is my favorite scone recipe and I use it often. Living in Michigan I always use dried cherries instead of raisins or currants. Serve with strawberry jam and whipped (or Devon) cream and of course a nice cup of PG Tips English Breakfast Tea. 2 cups flour 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup butter 1/2 cup cream 1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Currants or raisins For glaze (optional): 1 egg and 2 teaspoons milk If you have a food processor, slice cold butter into half inch pieces and add to processor with flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Process by pulsing on and off until the mixture resembles cornmeal. If doing by hand, cut the butter into the flour mixture with two knives. Add cream, slightly beaten egg and vanilla. Mix briefly by hand or pulse until mixed together (do not over mix). Place on floured surface, sprinkle with currants or whatever dried fruit you are using, and knead a couple of times until mixed in and shape into a large round about an inch thick. Slice across round to make 8 scones and place on cookie sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper. If you are really ambitious and want a nice looking scone, beat egg and 2t milk and brush top of scones for glaze. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (about 12-15 minutes). Recipes by Mary Ann Swanson-Neumann Turkey Corn Chowder SERVES 4-6 1 1/2 cup cubed cooked turkey or chicken 1 cup sliced cooked carrots 4 oz. American Cheese ( 5 singles) 2 cup milk 12 oz can Green Giant Mexicorn 1 can Cream of Potato soup (10 3/4 oz) 1 can Cream of Celery soup 1 Tbsp minced onion salt & pepper to taste Mix all ingredients. Cook on low heat stirring occasionally until heated through. (DO NOT BOIL)

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Page 21 www.93bg.com Italian Pie Brown together --- 1 lb ground beef 1 Tbsp chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery Pour off grease and stir in: 1 can of Tomato Soup 1/2 can drained mushrooms 2 tsp parsley flakes 1/2 tsp oregano 1 envelope/package Spaghetti sauce mix seasoning and mix. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Fit 1 package Crescent Rolls into a pie plate. Pour meat mixture and top with 1 cup of Cottage Cheese. Sprinkle 1 package/1 cup of grated Mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Recipes by Alberta DelGuidice Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars Prep Time: 10 min Inactive Prep Time: 1 hr 0 min Cook Time: 45 min Level: Intermediate Serves: 24 bars Ingredients 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter (recommended: Skippy) 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/2 cups (18 ounces) raspberry jam or other jam 2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined. Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares. Recipe by Joannie Smith SUPER "Supper" Pork Chops For Four portions: Four 1 inch pork chops For each chop, top with: 1 Large green pepper ring 1 Slice of lemon 1 Slice of onion 1 Tbls. Ketchup 1 Tbls. Brown Sugar Arrange chops in an oven proof dish with a tight fitting cover. Bake at 375 F for 45 minutes or until done. Serve with pan juices.. Recipe by Becky Burch Brisket One brisket One large Lipton Onion Soup Mix One half bottle Burgundy Brown n' Bag Use Brown n' Bag as directed; pour wine over brisket. Pat dry soup on top after that. Seal. Bake about 45 minutes per pound at 325 degrees.

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Page 23 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) Qty 1 Qty 2 CAPS & VISORS 1) Navy Blue w embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Teds Travelling Circus on adjustable strap $24 $45 2) Stone white & Khaki with Ball of Fire III B-24 $19 $35 plus 93rd BG & Teds Travelling Circus on strap 3) Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three battle stars  choose white or navy blue $16 28 COFFEE MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 PUZZLES 5) Jigsaw pules w colorful Ball of Fire III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes w stand. $24 $45 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 6) 93rd BG Memorial stain glass window Suncatcher Replica  w suction cup $14 $27 BOOKS Ted Taeig Circus by Cal Stewart ** $69.95 $134.95 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $25.95 $47.95 Lucky Ears The True Story of BEN KUROKI ($9.99 available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble) (see article in Membership Corner) ** Member Price All product prices include handling and shipping charges. Pay by check or money order with Coupon below to the 93rd BG. Pay by Paypal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership Section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total __________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX, P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or, Fax your order to: 763.694.9065 I I I I I I I I I I I

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Page 24 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE  STARTING WITH 2010, MEMBERSHIP & NEWSLETTER WILL BE CHANGING TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS - FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2011 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Membership Dues & newsletter ($25) $________ 2012 Dues ($25) $________ Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. Grand Total $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please EMAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) _________________________________________________________________________ The PX: We have in stock, coffee mugs, tan & blue caps with B-24 image, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Suncatcher replicas of memorial window. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Guddal jguddal@yahoo.com

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Table of Contents 93rd Bomb Group Reunion Schedule ................................................................................................................ 3!2011 93rd Bomb Group Reunion Registration Form....................................................................................... 5!President’s Corner ............................................................................................................................................... 6!*** PLOESTI SUMMIT *** ................................................................................................................................... 6!PLOESTI SUMMIT REGISTRATION FORM.................................................................................................. 8!Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian!............................................................................................................... 9!Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 10!93rd Website & Documentary Projects........................................................................................................... 10!Membership Corner ........................................................................................................................................... 12!Membership Report ........................................................................................................................................... 13!New Members Roll Call..................................................................................................................................... 13!Letters to the Editor............................................................................................................................................ 13!POST EXCHANGE (PX).................................................................................................................................. 14!93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ........................................... 16! DIRECTORY 2010 OFFICERS President – JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus – PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Executive Vice President – JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary – PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr – JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Editor of the Ball of Fire – JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator – JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian – DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 don.morrison@beis.com Vice President, 2nd Air Division Association – JOHN LEE 930 Preston Trail, Melbourne, FL 32940 321-259-6861; jlee1922@aol.com VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD Fernley Smith Charles Sill Cal Davidson OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media – KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Documentary Project – MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer – BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN (see Secretary) KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253 Webmaster – MICHAEL SELLERS (see Documentary Project)

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Page 3 www.93bg.com 93rd Bomb Group Reunion Schedule October 20 – 24, 2011 Radisson Suites Airport, Tucson, AZ 7051 S. Tucson Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85756 Direct Phone: 520-225-0810 Fax: 520-225-0890 email: christina.silva@radisson.com Thursday, October 20 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Registration / Mtg. room setup 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Registration /Hospitality open – hotel lobby 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Reunion Committee & Officers - meeting in Theatre Royale 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Reception – hotel lobby 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Welcome Dinner hotel – Courtyard Royale 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM Memorabilia room open – Fountain Royale Friday, October 21 6:00 AM - 9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM Registration open – hotel lobby 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Education session – Theatre Royale 11:30 AM – 12:30 AM To Pima Air & Space museum for lunch 12:30 AM – 2:30 PM Tour of PIMA Air & Space Museum 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Bus tour of AMARG, airplane “graveyard” 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM Return to Hotel 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Dinner & program at Davis-Monthan AF Base 9:00 PM– 11:00 PM Memorabilia room open – Fountain Royale Saturday, October 22 6:00 AM – 9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Business Meeting - Theatre Royale 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM Old Tucson Studios <OR> Sonora Desert Museum 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Ploesti Summit – Terrace Royale 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM Memorabilia room open 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Dinner at Pima B-24 (Dinner, program, dance to Big Band Express) 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM Memorabilia room open – Fountain Royale Sunday, October 23 6:00 AM – 9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet 7:30 AM – 9:15 AM “Old” St. Augustine Mariachi Mass 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM Downtown “Old Town Artisan” shopping (Lunch on your own) 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Ploesti Summit – Terrace Royale 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Reception – hotel lobby 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Memorial Service – Courtyard Royale 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Closing Dinner hotel – Courtyard Royale 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM Memorabilia room open – Fountain Royale Monday, October 24 6:00 AM - 9:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast Buffet Depart

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Page 4 www.93bg.com 93rd Bomb Group Reunion 2011 October 20 - 24 Tucson, AZ Step #1 - Make hotel reservations now, but not later than September 24th to obtain the group rate. For registration call: 1-800-333-3333 or 1-520-225-0810 The hotel’s address and phone number are: Radisson Suites Hotel Tucson Airport 7051-S. Tucson Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85756 (520) 225-0810 direct Please give the following group name/group code to the reservation agent when making reservation: “93BOM”. State and local taxes of 13.05% + $1.00 fee are additional. Total cost including taxes is shown in the table below: Room Style Daily Rate Tax (13.05%) Per Day Total Suite with 1 King Bed With Sleeper Sofa (up to 4 guests) $89 $12.62 $101.62 Suite with 2 Queen Beds (up to 4 guests) $89 $12.62 $101.62 Rates are available for 3 days prior and 3 days after the meeting dates beginning on October 17th and ending on October 27th. Room rates include: Standard King or 2 Queen Bed suites Fully equipped with refrigerator, microwave and DirecTV. Complimentary wired or wireless high speed internet access Fully cooked to order breakfast every morning Evening Manager’s Reception Fitness Center and gorgeous outdoor Pool Complimentary Shuttle to and from the Tucson Airport (only 200 yards away!) Step #2 - Tell us that you are coming to the reunion and how many will be in your group. Select a one of two possible Saturday activities. Simply mail, call or email Joe and Phyllis so we can estimate how many people will be attending. You can change your mind at any time before the formal registration concludes on September 24th. Joe and Phyllis Duran 309 E. Santa Paula St Santa Paula, CA 93060 Phone: (805) 525-4681 Email: dogpatchraider@gmail.com Step #3 - Make travel arrangements to arrive in time for registration at 2:00 - 5:00 PM on Thursday October 20th. Dinner reception at 6:00 PM. The hotel provides shuttle service to and from the airport and within a five mile radius of the hotel. Step #4 - Complete Registration Form and submit with your check not later than September 24th. Make check payable to 93rd Bombardment Group. Step #5 - Mail completed form to: Joe and Phyllis Duran 309 E. Santa Paula St Santa Paula, CA 93060 Step #6 - Plan to join us for a great time of “Flying High, Flying Low” in Tucson, AZ! Bring a friend or family too!!! NOTE: Your TOTAL reunion cost is lower than 2010! Even though registration is higher, negotiated room rates are much lower in 2011!

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Page 6 www.93bg.com REUNION FEE REFUND POLICY Last minute cancellations can cause significant loss to the 93rd Bomb Group. This loss results because we must guarantee your attendance to the hotel relative to all meals and other related costs. When you don't show, we still get charged for meals and other charges related to those meals. We recognize that there will always be unforeseen events beyond your control, and we truly regret your personal inconvenience. However, your executive committee has decided that we must stay with our policy of "pay as you go" for reunion costs. We have reviewed the choices: we can either add an extra amount to everyone's fees to cover last minute cancellations, or we can set a deadline date for cancellations after which the fees paid cannot be refunded. In order to keep our reunion fees as low as possible, your executive committee has chosen the deadline date choice. Therefore, a deadline date, based on hotel contract requirements for each reunion will be provided to you at the time you make your reservations, and included in our reunion announcements in the Ball of Fire. President’s Corner As Rayann will tell you, I am a voracious (I read a lot) reader. I’ll admit to a bias to books with great WW II era themes. One of the best I’ve read in a long time is Unbroken, A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. Unbroken is a fascinating account of a B-24 bombardier, Louis Zamperini, who was assigned to Hawaii in the Pacific theater of war. Laura Hillenbrand’s first book, Seabiscuit, an American Legend, is the best selling sports book of all time! She provides an exceptional account of the Zamperini’s life story. Born in January 1917, he was a wild young boy living in Torrance, CA who became an outstanding runner competing in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany where he finished 8th in the 5000 meter race watched by Adolf Hitler. He joined the US Army Air Corps in September 1941 anticipating the beginning of the war by a few months. Deployed to Hawaii, he and his crew flew a B-24 named Super Man. This plane was severely damaged by Japanese Zeros and washed out. The crew inherited a worn out plane, The Green Hornet, which crashed on May 27, 1943. Three crew members, the pilot, tail gunner and bombardier survived the crash and made it to life rafts. After 47 days and 2,000 miles the raft with two of the three men still aboard was captured by Japanese patrols in the sight of land. Louis and the pilot were sent to a POW camp where they were held until the war’s end. Louis Zamperini is a remarkable man with a remarkable story but no more remarkable than the thousands of other young men who served. I recommend Unbroken and Seabiscuit to all. Many of you have come to know our outstanding cameraman/film producer and editor, Michael Sellers, grandson of John Sullivan, a former 328th bombardier/navigator. Michael won’t be able to make the reunion this year due to a personal conflict. His wife, Susanne, who we first met at our 2007 Twin Cities reunion, is expecting their first child due a week or two after the reunion. We are excited to welcome a new 4th generation baby to our 93rd family. The pending birth won’t keep the great grand parents, John & Bea, or the prospective grandparents, Jim and Peggy away from Tucson. I’m confident they will have a full report. We will miss Michael’s comprehensive coverage of all reunion events. Now, we turn our sights to our annual reunion scheduled for Oct 20 – 24 in Tucson, AZ. At this writing we have 60 people registered to attend. The registration deadline was extended to Sep 24th. If you are interested in attending, please contact Phyllis Duran. Jim Root and Jim Guddal have done a great job getting our reunion organized. This issue has all of the reunion details. We anticipate a great time will be had by all! *** PLOESTI SUMMIT *** The planning for the October 2011 Ploesti Mission Symposium is in full swing. The 93rd BG is looking forward to hosting the five bomb groups that flew that historic 8-1-1943 bombing mission to knock out “Hitler’s Gold”. They were the 44th, 93rd, 98th, 376th & 389th. The planners believed this strategic mission would shorten the war. Unfortunately, the mission did not succeed and the losses were great. Join veterans who survived this very dangerous assignment and hear their stories at the two day event beginning Saturday October 22 at the 93rd’s annual gathering being held in Tucson, AZ. Also on hand will be crash site artifacts such as a “gas load adjuster”, a gyroscope and fuselage parts. Besides our speakers and veteran led Panel Discussions, on hand for your review will be pictures, films, and other mission information. Please make your interest in attending known by contacting us through the 93rd Reunion Committee or contact: Jim Guddal (763) 694-9058 jguddal@yahoo.com Joe Duran (805) 525-4681 dogpatchraider@gmail.com Blaine Duxbury (317) 697-0414 bdux@aol.com

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Page 7 www.93bg.com 93RD BOMBARDMENT GROUP ASSOCIATION A 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization PLOESTI SUMMIT- OCTOBER 22ND & 23RD 2011 TUCSON, AZ August 2011 Dear Ploesti Mission Veteran and Families, We cordially invite you to attend the “Ploesti Mission Summit” to be held in conjunction with the 93rd Bomb Group’s Reunion. We are meeting in Tucson AZ from Thursday October 20 to Sunday October 23, 2011. The Reunion will be held at the Radisson Suites Airport close to the Pima County Air Museum and the Davis-Monthan Air Base and “boneyard”. All five of the bomb groups which flew the August 1, 1943 mission are invited to attend. Saturday 10/22 10:30 to 11:30 AM A film on Ploesti, B-24 air worthiness and crew issues. 1-3 PM Dee Friesen, Lt Col USAF (Ret) will present the history of the mission followed by a panel discussion with veterans who were there. Sunday 10/23 1-3 PM Presentation of the POW experience followed by a panel discussion by veterans who were at Timisul, Bucharest and the 1944 rescue. You are welcome to participate with the 93rd in its entire reunion itinerary which will include meals and other activities. A registration form is enclosed. For more reunion info, go to the 93rd Bomb Group website at “93rdbg”. We have a lot of fun! If you do not want to participate in the 93rd Reunion activities, meals will be on your own and there will be a $50 fee to cover registration costs. The hotel has restaurant facilities. We would welcome you to be a panel discussion participant to share your experiences. Let us know if you are willing. If you have any memorabilia or pictures from the mission, your airplane and crew, please bring them along and we will find a way to display them. THANK YOU FOR TELLING US IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND BY CALLING US, SENDING AN E MAIL OR COMPLETING THE ENCLOSED REGISTRATION FORM. KEEP YOUR HISTORY ALIVE!!! Sincerely, Jim Guddal, Summit Coordinator (866) 694-9058 P O Box 47336 E-mail: jguddal@yahoo.com Plymouth MN 55447 Coordinators: Blaine Duxbury (317) 697-0414 bdux@aol.com Joe Duran (805) 207-5443 dogpatchraider@gmail.com

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Page 8 www.93bg.com PLOESTI SUMMIT REGISTRATION FORM Hosted by the 93rd Bombardment Group Association at Tucson, Arizona October 22nd and 23rd, 2011 at the Radisson Suites Airport. (Call hotel directly by 9/24/2011 for 93rd BG rate –Telephone (520) 225-0810) Name __________________________________ Bomb Group _________ Squadron __________ Address __________________________________ ______________________ _____ ________ . Street City State Zip Telephone _________________________ E mail ________________________________________ Pilot ___________________________ Name on B-24 if any ______________________________ POW ________ Prison Camp- Timisul, Bucharest, or other_______________________ Do you have any memorabilia you would like to bring for display Yes No Would you be willing to be part of a question and answer period after the presentation of the mission? Yes No We are especially interested in what was going on in your airplane or what you could see of the other B-24s and crew around your plane during the mission. For the POW segment on Sunday, we are interested in the everyday life at the camp, funny stories and what happened when you were rescued. All bits of information are important. Please send this form and $50 registration fee payable to the 93rd BG to: Jim Guddal - P O Box 47336 Plymouth, MN 55447 (763)-694-9058 Other contact persons: Blaine Duxbury (317) 697-0414 bdux@aol.com Joe Duran (805) 207-5443 dogpatchraider@gmail.com See you there to keep your history alive! (See also the registration & event info for the 93rd Reunion)

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Page 9 www.93bg.com Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! Emergency Landing Photo Identity Solved On April 7, 1945; 1st Lt Guenther Christiansen of the 328th BS makes an emergency landing. The airplane (42-109989 Letter “J”) was borrowed from the 330th Bomb Squadron. The damage consisted of the loss of approximately 6 feet of the left wing tip due to the intentional ramming called “Ramstaffel”. The FW-190 was lost when the pilot bailed just before impact with the wing. Later in the fight, #3 engine died and was feathered. This was the Luftwaffe last ditch effort to control the skies over Europe. As seen in the photo the B-24 and the crew returned home to Hardwick safety. Proof of a skilled crew and the strength of a B-24! The aircraft (989J) was later repaired and flown back to the USA at the end of the war. I have been in touch with Mr. Roure and Mr. Balga. If you have any information on the other crew, please let me know as I would like to send them copies of the photo. Looking for any paperwork (Mission Documents, awards, transfers, travel order or Diaries) If you have any paperwork, I would like to get a copy of it. I will reimburse for copy charges and postage. If there are items of a personal nature, they can be blackout. I am looking for the historical facts of the men, missions and aircraft (serial # & name/artwork) Looking for info on Jan 17, 1945 Mission I am looking for any information about the mission to Harburg refinery (Germany) on January 17, 1945. Details from the briefing and/or the mission are greatly appreciated. I am especially looking for the route (IP to target) and any recollection of the loss of 42-51078. Looking for info Loss and search for Big Job July 1943 On July 9, 1943; B-24 D (serial # 42-40627) of the 330th BS was lost in the Sahara Desert. After an extensive search, some of the crew and the wreckage were located by Walt Stewart. I would like to learn as much as possible about the crew, mission, loss and subsequent search of this aircraft. No detail is too small!! Looking for any original 93rd BG Squadron patches 328, 329, 330 and 409 BS If anyone has a spare or knows the where about of any 93rd Bomb squadron patches, please let me know as I would like to buy them for my collection. Looking for info/photos of Nose Art I am looking for any information, photos or recollection of the following aircraft names. Lucille, Ole Mort, Miss America, Nancy Lee, Flying Cock II, Big Noise II, Jitters from Bitters, Barfly, False Alarm, El Toro, Hells Angels, Sterile Errol, Return Engagement, Gone Forever, Home Run, Jo Jo’s Special Delivery II and Bad Penny. If you have any nose art or aircraft photos from the 93rd BG, I would like to talk with you. Please contact me at the address below. Cheers, Don Morrison (don.morrison@beis.com) 93rd BG Association Historian 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Cell (330) 819-6409 Home (330) 882-2536 ' . --'--" c.-------------~ .....-... - .. ,_ ..._ ' . _ _,. .,..,~ 3hip :/J: fat Lt. ~d Lt, ~d Lt. :r/sgt. -i/Sgt. :!gt. ei,1. Cpl. Cpl. (330th 989-J) Time 7: 0 0 Guenther Christim1se11 Robert R. Randolph Climpson B. Clapp Wi.Uiam D • Mould:1 Ferdinand G. Pan:.k John F • Powe 11 Joseph D. Roure • Edward A. Balga Ray D. Durde lla

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Page 10 www.93bg.com Folded Wings Martin, Roy Grady, November 19, 2010 Roy Martin was ordered to active duty on July 15, 1941 and assigned to Goodfellow Field in San Angelo, Texas. He entered pilot training thereafter and was assigned to B-24 combat crew training. After completion he was assigned to Lincoln, Nebraska for overseas training. The aircraft that his crew was to fly to England soon arrived. However instead of B-24s a logistical error provided B-17s. The crews checked out in B-17s and then ferried them to England via Newfoundland. His crew was shipped to Hardwick airdrome for assignment to the 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, Second Air Division, Eighth Air Force. From July 2, 1943 to May 19,1944 he completed 26 missions included the famous low level raid on the oil refineries of Ploesti of August 1, 1943. He flew the "Bomerang" which was the first B-24 to reach 50 missions in the war. On his last mission on May 19, 1944 he was decorated for assuming the command of the entire formation of B-24 bombers and made the formation maneuver three times over a cloudy target before dropping their bombs with devastating results on a German military target in Brunswick. By order of Lt. General Doolittle, Roy was awarded the Silver Star. He was promoted to Group Operations officer and Base Executive Officer and at the age of 24 was made a Lt. Col. Sedlack, James, July 16, 2011 James Sedlack was a member of the 389th as a Radio Operator on the B-24 "Liberator". He flew four missions and was shot down twice. On August 1, 1943 his squadron was included for the Ploesti Raid to bomb the Romanian oil fields. There were terrible casualties and after his plane went down in Romania, he became a prisoner of war there for thirteen months. While a prisoner of war in Romania, Mr. Sedlack organized and directed a musical group entertaining other POW's. Once liberated, he was awarded a Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross among other awards. In his later years, he was an active member of the veterans of the 8th Air Force. His swing band, the Nostalgics performed for several of the reunions. Taylor, Charles, October 2010 Note from daughter, Bernadine N Mikkelson that her father Charles Taylor of Lewistown MT died in October 2010 at age 90. He flew as a waist gunner with Carlos Vasquez crew on Maulin Mallard. 37 missions over Europe. 93rd Website & Documentary Projects 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article, 29,245 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Bucharest, Romania. Please look on the website for all Tucson Reunion 2011 info. Just click the REUNIONS tab on the left side of the 93rd BG homepage. Also just added is information on the Ploesti Summit 2011. A flashing bar on the homepage will send you to info on the summit and provide instructions to register.New Film to be released!! Our 93rd family raised $15,000 dollars to create and install a stained glass in the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum Chapel. This film documents the 93rd during its Savannah 2010 / "One More Mission" reunion and the memorial service dedicating the stained glass. The film is entitled "The Memorial Project - 93rd Bombardment Group, Savannah, GA 2010". DVDs of this film will be available for purchase in the Hospitality Room at the Tucson 2011 reunion, October 20th-24th. "Thoughts for the Future" film still available This film reminds you of the contribution the 8th Air Force and it's bomb groups courageously gave towards the war effort and how so many years later, groups like the 93rd are still meeting and remembering. DVDs are $10 and Blu-ray discs are $13 - included as a bonus is the film Liberators Over Europe. This film is a complete summary of the 8th Air Force operation in Europe and contains footage of many bomb groups in the East Anglia area during the war. It even shows Maj. Gen. William E. Kepner personally donating the initial check to the Lord Mayor of Norwich for the construction of the 2nd Air Division Memorial Wing. This is a very clean transfer from an original print at the National Archives. Also please visit the website www.thoughtsforthefuture.com for more information. You may also download an order form from the 93rd BG website homepage, visit the Thoughts for the Future website or look for an order form in this newsletter. If enough copies are sold of the film - a donation will go back to the 93rd BG association. Thank You, Michael Sellers, Webmaster www.93bg.com www.thoughtsforthefuture.com

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Page 12 www.93bg.com Membership Corner Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stahl! Lucky Ears: The True Story of Ben Kuroki, World War II Hero ATTENTION!! A limited number of "Lucky Ears," the Junior Biography book of Ben Kuroki, will be available for purchase $10.00 each) at the PX of the forthcoming 93rd Reunion in Tucson. AZ . The books are 1st edition and autographed by both Jean Lukesh, the author, and Ben Kuroki. The arrangement was made possible by Joe Duran. Ben is donating the books and all proceeds will go to the 93rd's Association. Kuroki said "This is a gesture of gratitude for my favorite bomb group that made my story possible and authentic." On May 23,2011, the Independent Publisher Book Awards held an awards gala in New York and "Lucky Ear's" author Jean Lukesh received the "IPPY" Bronze Medal for Multicultural Non-Fiction Juvenile-Teen Young Adult category. There were more than 3,000 entries, 69 categories, from U.S., Canada, 7 European countries, New Zealand and Australia. Dr. Lukesh and her husband, Ron, a professional illustrator, are currently working on an adult version biography book of Kuroki. Lukesh confirms the adult version will be different and hard-hitting, which she felt young readers may not have comprehended. Note from Phyllis Duran: This book is so well written my 3rd grade grandson Chris read it in 2 days. He couldn't put it down and found it fascinating. When he'd finished he had lot lots of questions for his Grandpa and I. Not only about our dear friend Ben Kuroki but about what role the 93rd Bomb Group had during WWII. Some great life lessons in this book. My Daughter Hope, purchased two, one for the class room she works in the other for her school's Library in Ventura, Mr. & ¼-s. Stahl THEK June 29, 1946 Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. and Dorthy L. (Sigler) Stahl, ·u celebrate their 65th eddingAnniv rsary on June 29, 2011. Bob worked for the Ohio Power Company for 20 years after serving in two wars in the United States Air Force. During his tenure at the Power Company he went to night school for several year to get an Education Degree. He then taught school for 25 years. He then joined the Red Cross and worked Bloodmobile , Disaster, and over 18 years as a volunteer at the Van Wert County Hospital. Dottie retired from the Central Mutual Insurance Company after 25 years and then became active in the merican Red ross. She became the Hospital Red Cross Volunteer Coordinator for over 20 additional years. She just recently : 'tired from this position. othing special is planned at this time.

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Page 13 www.93bg.com California. I plan on doing the same, one for the area elementary school and one for our Public Library in Santa Paula. They would also make wonderful gift for your grand-kids. Christmas is just right around the corner. Please remember those books purchased after the Reunion will be subject to a shipping and handling fee of $3.50. Membership Report We continue to receive inquiries about membership and connections to our veterans, even those who have taken that final flight. It is very exciting to receive new “gift” membership for family members from existing members. Every so often, one of our members also buys a membership for a vet who may be down a little. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! What a really great membership we have in the 93rd! Going forward, we will offer “gift” memberships for veteran’s children, grand or great-grand children, nieces and nephews for just $20 for the initial year. Memberships purchased beginning 10/1/2011 will be a 2012 membership. If you send me the membership application by the end of October, we will include the final 2011 Ball Of Fire newsletter. SIGN UP YOUR FAMILY OR A FRIEND. KEEP YOUR LEGACY ALIVE ABOUT THE SACRIFICES MADE FOR THIS GREAT COUNTRY SO WE DO NOT FORGET. New Members Roll Call We welcome the following new members into the 93rd Bomb Group Association Family!!! Member (Vets are in Bold & **) Connection to 93rd BG R. Jon West Uncle Capt Robert Shannon on “Hot Stuff”, 25 missions, KIA when B-24 hit mountain in Iceland carrying Gen. Frank Andrews. Channing “Bud” Winnett** and Charla Winnett S/sgt 330th BS of 93rd Bomb Wing 1951-54 at Castle AFB, Eng. Mech., Flew with Col. English Dee Friesen, Lt. Col. USAF retired A former F-4 Phantom pilot If you have joined the 93rd in the past 4 months and your name is not listed above, let Jim Guddal know at jguddal@yahoo.com or send me a note at P O Box 47336 Plymouth, MN 55447. Letters to the Editor Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2011 17:19:59 -0500 Subject: 93 BG Request From: tanya.lippincott@gmail.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Good Afternoon, I am looking for information on my Great Uncle CWO Steve Stanowich who was a commander in 1946. I also found the related government links so I will additionally try those links as well. Thank-you for your assistance! Tanya Lippincott From: emlofgren@comcast.net Subject: Capt. Maurice Lofgren Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:23:35 -0700 To: joyridecp@msn.com My uncle, Capt. Maurice Lofgren, was assigned to the 330th squadron. I am looking for a plane crew photo,1942-1943. Thanks for your response. Eric Lofgren emlofgren@comcast.net From: jillj@arvig.net To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: 93 BG Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:59:24 -0500 Hello, I am looking for information on SSGT. Arthur M. Holden (Holen), from Louisburg, Minnesota, who served with the 93rd BG and was KIA 8-1-43. I would like to know where he was killed and any other information about his unit. Thank you. Sincerely, Jill Johnson, Park Rapids, Minnesota

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Page 16 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE – STARTING WITH 2010, MEMBERSHIP & NEWSLETTER WILL BE CHANGING TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS - FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER Name_____________________________ Spouse _______________ Address__________________________________ Year 2011 City ________________________ State _______ Zip Code _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron (circle: 328 329 330 409) Time period in Service: From ______ 19___ To ______ 19___ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (Use back side for more info) Membership Dues & newsletter ($25) $________ Catch up 2010 Dues $________ Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. Grand Total $________ *** Check One: ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please E-MAIL newsletter *** Make check or money order payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (You may also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) _________________________________________________________________________ The PX: We have in stock, coffee mugs, tan & blue caps with B-24 image, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Sun catcher replicas of memorial window. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering info or contact Jim Guddal Tel:763-694-9058 E-mail: jguddal@yahoo.com

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................. 2 Presidents Corner ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Annual Meeting ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 2012 Reunion Summary/Highlights from Tucson, Arizona ............................................................................ 5 Update on 2012 93rd Bombardment Group Reunion – Seattle, WA ........................................................... 5 The Ploesti Summit In The Rear View Mirror ................................................................................................ 5 Treasurer's Notes ................................................................................................................................................. 7 Holiday Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! ................................................................................................ 9 Report to 93rd Bomb Group .............................................................................................................................. 11 93rd Website & Documentary Films ................................................................................................................ 11 News From Across the Pond (England) ......................................................................................................... 14 Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 The Greatest Generation Foundation ............................................................................................................. 17 Membership Corner ........................................................................................................................................... 18 New Members Roll Call ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Letters to the Editor ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Recipe Corner ..................................................................................................................................................... 21 Your Post Exchange (PX) ................................................................................................................................. 23 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ........................................... 24 DIRECTORY 2011 OFFICERS President – JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus – PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Executive Vice President – JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary – PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr – JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Editor of the Ball of Fire – JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator – JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian – DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 don.morrison@beis.com Vice President, 2nd Air Division Association – JOHN LEE 930 Preston Trail, Melbourne, FL 32940 321-259-6861; jlee1922@aol.com VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD Fernley Smith Charles Sill Cal Davidson OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media – KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Documentary Project – MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer – BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN (see Secretary) KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253 Webmaster – MICHAEL SELLERS (see Documentary Project)

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Page 3 www.93bg.com Presidens Corner Once again, the Christmas season is upon us seemingly within days of the conclusion of our reunion. The rush of holidays, Halloween, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving lead us into the shopping frenzy and holiday party season without a moment to pause and reflect. Jim Root did a fabulous job leading the reunion planning and coordination effort. He was ably assisted by his brother, Bob and sister, Beth. The Durans, Guddals, Sargents, and many others played critical roles in presenting another outstanding 93rd BG Reunion. Our team is a team of champions and it is a pleasure to work with them from year to year. In addition to the regular agenda, a Ploesti Summit was added with invitations extended to the four other Bomb Groups who participated in the raid. This symposium took place within the context of the larger reunion, providing an excellent review and many eye witness accounts of the events surrounding the Ploesti raid. Jim Guddal, Joe Duran and Jim Root collaborated extensively to make sure both events were smoothly integrated. Men from the other bomb groups told us that their groups have decided to stop holding reunions altogether. Because of the great experience we had with our new friends from the other groups, we have decided to invite other bomb groups who no longer conduct separate reunions to join us at our reunions. For those who decide to join us, we will welcome them with open arms and do all we can to make them feel comfortable among new friends. For me the highlight of the reunion was our banquet and dance under the wings of the B-24, Bungay Buckeroo. The Pima Air Museum hosted the event and gave our group special permission to have a dinner in the hanger with the B-24. Due to significant challenges, their caterers have asked not to serve meals there. We were the last group to be granted permission. The 446th Bomb Group sponsors the aircraft and has their Roll of Honor mounted on the wall near the airplane which is marked with the 446th groups colors. My uncle, 1LT Robert L. Marx flew the majority of his missions with the 446th transferring to the 93rd only three weeks before he and his crew were killed during takeoff on December 19th 1944. As a part of the program, I told Uncle Bobs story and pointed out that all of his crews names appear on the 446th Roll of Honor as well as on the 93rds. I dont know how many crews appear on two different groups Honor Rolls, but I count the double recognition as a double honor. Congratulations to the Mike and Suzanne Sellers on the birth of their daughter, Charlotte, on November 27th. I heard a rumor that there is an upcoming video due out soon titled, Charlottes First Month filmed, edited and produced by Michael. Congratulations to Jim and Peggy Sellers, proud grandparents and John and Bea Sullivan, proud great grandparents. We plan to groom Charlotte to take over her Dads filming in a few years. The planning is underway for our 12th 93rd BG Reunion to be held in Seattle, WA next fall. More detail is provided elsewhere in this BOFQE. Anyone living in the Seattle/Tacoma area is welcome to help us finalize the details. John Cadle has already provided valuable assistance and is willing to continue, but would welcome additional help. Contact Jim Root if you are interested. His number is 616-218-0787. He lives in the Eastern Time zone. His email is JamesDavidRoot@aol.com. John Marx 93rd Bombardment Group Association Annual Meeting October 23, 2011 Call to order (10:00 AM) John Marx, President a. Greeting and opening remarks b. Discussed membership c. Discussed the groups interface with other organization such as Mighty 8th, 2nd Air Division, Heritage League. d. Covered 2010 minutes and asked to have them approved. They were approved as presented. Financial Report Jim Guddal / Reading and explanation of the report. a. Covered how Reunion Fund is separate from the General Fund. b. Reviewed Profit/Loss Statement. (See attached) c. Discussed PX d. Matching Fund to Mighty 8th Air Force Museum for Ploesti Exhibit. e. Report was approved. f. The Audit Committee consisting of Ray Eck and Nick Timmer found records in order. Their report was presented to President John Marx and Group.

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Page 4 www.93bg.com g. Discussed dues and the change from anniversary dues to annual dues. Ball of Fire BOFQE Editor/JoAnne Sargent a. Discussed concerns of privacy issues on Web Page and elimination of personal information being posted. Historian Report Don Morrison/Read by John Marx a. Discuss the success of mini Reunion in Hardwick, England, Co- Chaired by Colin Mann. b. Discussed increase of requests for information on research of family members of the 93rd. 2nd ADA Report John Lee/Read by John Marx a. Update on 2nd ADA and their Reunion held in Sept. 2011. b. The 2ADA 2012 Reunion will be held in Chicago. c. John Lee will continue to represent the 93rd as Vice President to the 2nd ADA. Reunion Chairman Report Jim Root, Executive Vice President a. Reunion Report costs and attendees. b. Explanation on how we plan for the Reunions. Hardwick Reunion Report Alberta DelGuidice a. Discussed how memorable the event was and how grateful we are to our friends at Hardwick. New Business a. Discussion of return visit to Hardwick, England in 2013 or 2014. /John Marx b. Discussion of the concept of possible sponsorship with the Commemorative Air Force in the restoration and refurbishing of their B-24, Old 927. /Jim Root c. Motion was passed to continue looking into cost and possibilities of the 93rd involvement. d. More information on subject to be reported on at the next Reunion. 20012 Reunion Jim Root/Coordinator a. Seattle/Tacoma, WA Oct. 18th to 22nd 2012 b. Theme: Never Forget 2013 Reunion Location Proposals John Marx The following sites were presented for consideration: a. Hartford, Ct -17 votes- selected for 2013! b. Salt Lake City, UT c. Washington, DC -9 votes d. Orlando, FL e. Dayton, OH f. Detroit, MI -12 votes Motion and 2nd to Adjourn Meeting at 10:40 AM Where Wee Been and Where We are Going! Since 2001, the 93rd Bomb Group Association has held separate reunions around the country. Prior to 2001, the 93rd like many other groups, held their reunions in conjunction with the 2nd Air Division Association. In the interest of having more time for group activities, the decision was made to split from the 2ADA. Many of our members attend the 2ADA reunion as well as the 93rds reunion. We have held 11 separate reunions as reflected in the table. The 2012 and 2013 locations are also included in the table. We vote at the annual business meeting for the location two years hence providing ample time to develop the schedule, select the hotel, and make the arrangements. Each year six candidate cities are nominated. This year our six candidates were Hartford, CT, Salt Lake City, UT, National Capital Region, Orlando, FL, Dayton, OH, and Detroit, MI – Hartford was chosen. 93rd BG Reunions Year Location 2001 Savannah, GA 2002 Colorado Springs, CO 2003 New Orleans, LA 2004 Dayton, OH 2005 San Diego, CA 2006 Savannah, GA 2007 Twin Cities, MN 2008 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX 2009 Shreveport, LA 2010 Savannah, GA 2011 Tucson, AZ 2012 Seattle, WA 2013 Hartford, CT

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Page 5 www.93bg.com 2012 Reunion Summary/Highlights from Tucson, Arizona WOW, what a terrific reunion in Tucson, Arizona in October for the 93rd Bombardment Group Association!!! There were so many successes; it is hard to name them all. First, a big thank you to everyone who helped with the planning, organizing, and then working at the reunion itself! I could not have done it without you! Next, a huge thank you  to all of the participants!! We always tentatively plan for 50 to 60 attendees, however, we had a final count throughout the weekend of 107! This included veterans, family members, guests, and extras. Fabulous turnout! And we truly are one big, extended family! The food was delicious, all of our events went very smoothly, the education sessions of our veterans speaking to us about their experiences, the separate Ploesti Summit, the memorabilia room, and the Tom Patrick swing band playing with us at dinner under the B-24 at Pima, were all highlights of the weekend! What a gorgeous setting in Tucson, and the weather was perfect. It was a joy to meet new members, and to reunite with our veterans and their families once again. If you missed it, check out the photos or videos! You can still go to www.edgetonphoto.com, to purchase professional photos taken at the Pima dinner under the B-24 by Michael Edgeton. Pricing is discounted, and there are a lot to choose from. Financially, we received a total of $24,993 in registrations, revenue, and donations, and expenses totaled $24,102. So once again, we were able to come in slightly under budget, without having to supplement any funds from the 93rd BG Association general fund. However, even as good as this reunion turned out, if you have suggestions for improvements, or how to make the schedule even more flexible, please contact me at 616-218-0787, jamesdavidroot@aol.com, or 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, Mi 49460. Thanks again, and we will see all of you in Seattle in 2012! Jim Root, 93rd BG Vice President & Reunion Coordinator Update on 2012 93rd Bombardment Group Reunion  Seattle, WA Plans are under way for the 2012 93rd BG annual reunion in Seattle, Washington. When: Thursday, October 18th – Monday, October 22nd, 2012 Hotel: Embassy Suites Seattle Tacoma International Airport Potential Events under review: Museum of Flight, Boeing Plant tour, Bremerton Historic Ships & Naval Museum, Naval Undersea Museum, Flying Heritage Collection, Seattle Veterans Museum, Fort Lewis Military Museum, Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Joint Lewis McChord Base, Westfield Southcenter shopping, or historic downtown Seattle. We are also considering an optional – a la cart style of events (pick & choose) from the above, and another in-hotel special mission education session again! It will be tons of fun and another great reunion!!! See you in Seattle! More information to follow soon, and watch for updates on our website, www.93bg.com. Jim Root 93rd Musical Members Invitation At past reunions Emma Marx has serenaded us with wonderful violin music. Kent Jacquith and Emma are working on music for the next reunion in Seattle. Are there other members "In the Mood" to be part of the entertainment? "Musicians wanted, old or otherwise, for some fun by getting together for some music. If you still have your old trumpet, clarinet, saxophone, flute or the like, get it out, dust it off, oil it up and see what comes out the other end! We are not looking to start up another Glen Miller band, but just to see what might work for a tune or two at a reunion. Think about it." Kent Jacquith 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com The Ploesti Summit In The Rear View Mirror The Chapter has closed on the 2011 Reunion and what a time it was! Our education component was a study of the August 1, 1943 low level bombing mission over the Ploesti, Romania oil fields called Tidal Wae. The audiences interest was piqued by excellent presentations by Lt. Col. Dee Friesen, USAF (Ret) and Col. Bill Gunn USAF (Ret). A well researched presentation by Dee on the background and mission facts started things rolling on Day One and Bill provided the facts of the events of August 1944 when 38 modified B-17s rescued over 1,100 men from the POW camp at Bucharest, Romania. Included were 110 fliers from the 1943 low level raid who had been interred at the Vele Cage, the name given the camp at Timisul Del Sol. Of special significance re Bills report was the fact that his father, Col James Gunn was the responsible officer who organized and executed the POW rescue named Operaion Renion. We were very fortunate to have

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Page 6 www.93bg.com Dee and Bill be part of the Summit and we wholeheartedly thank them! Our panel of veterans was superb, keeping our audience on the edge of their seats! Just listening to the guys tell their stories, one couldnt help being propelled into the very airplane positions of the pilots, gunners, bombardiers, radio men and navigators as they flew over the target at less than 250 feet. Our most sincere thanks to panelists: 93rd BGs Lew Brown (returned to base) and Leo Sharp (POW); 389th vets Earl Zimmerman (interred in Turkey) and James McClain (returned to base); 97th BG Lewis Sleeper (1944 POW in Bucharest). To expand our panel of men who were there, we utilized conference calling to hook up with 98th BG Bob Sternfels, pilot of that famous B-24 The Sandman as she emerged from a cloud of smoke having just dodged a smoke stack while in harms way. Our conversation with Bob was very significant as he was able to talk about key players in this ill fated mission before those men left us. Col. Jacob Smart and Col. Keith Compton were both in the middle of much controversy concerning both the planning and execution of the mission. On Day Two, we teleconferenced Ernie Poulson and Al Romano, both of the 389th BG and survivors of crashed Chatanooga Choo Choo. This B-24 landed on the Estate of Romanian Princess Caradja who saved the survivors from capture by the Germans. ( I recommend the book The Princess and he POW by navigator Richard Britt as a first hand history of POW life at Timisul and the important role played by the Princess during their thirteen months in captivity.) Of great interest was the testimony of guest Lewis Sleeper who flew with the 15th AF 97th BG. Lewis was shot down April 1944 while flying high level over Ploesti in a B-17. Lewis commented on his experience at the Bucharest POW camp and also about the rescue in August 1944. During the course of tracking down veterans for our panel, I had the opportunity to talk to Col. Charles McGee of the 332 FG. On the days of the rescue in 1944, Col. McGee was flying a P-51 Mustang with a Red Tail. The Tuskegee Airman were flying escort to make sure these brave airman made it back to Italy safely. Our special thanks goes out to all of our panelists in residence and those over the airwaves. Your contribution to the Summit was very much appreciated! Not to be overlooked are two airmen from the 44th BG that I talked with about the mission. Thanks to vets Frank Suponic and Bill Reese for providing some of the history while POWs at Timisul for 13 months. They were roommates with our own 93rd vet Mack Fitzgerald. Thanks guys! Sorry you couldnt be with us! For you folks wanting to learn more about this historic mission, here is a partial book list. Ploesti is one of the most written about missions of WWII. Title Author(s) RESCUE FROM PLOESTI –The Harry Fritz Story William G. Williams INTO THE FIRE Duane Shultz BURNING HITLERS BLACK GOLD Frank Way and Major Robert Sternfels PLOESTI – The Great Ground Battle of 1 August 1943 ** James Dugan and Carroll (Cal) Stewart PLOESTI RAID – Through The Lens Roger A. Freeman TARGET PLOESTI Leroy W. Newby TEDS TRAVELLING CIRCUS ** Carroll (Cal) Stewart ** Available from the 93rd BG website: www.93bg.com Jim Guddal, Summit Coordinator (Special Thanks to Joe Duran, my Summit Co-coordinator, and to Phyllis Duran and Corinne Guddal who were behind the scene handling book and DVD sales.) ***YOUR PX IN PREVIEW*** EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA! COMING TO YOUR PX SOON! A 4 DVD set of the 93rd Bombardment Group PLOESTI SUMMIT held Tucson, AZ 10/22/11 – 10/23/11. Disc 1 replays the pre-recorded historical videos of the mission, real films, interviews, and the Col. Gunn Project Operation Reunion from August 1944. Disc 2 - 4 has actual panel discussions and conference calls with Ploesti Mission veterans who lived it! Q & A's in person. Coming soon! Availability expected the end of January, 2012! Price per set: $$TBD. This will be a terrific historical keepsake that you can pass on to others!!! Reserve your copy now! Send to Jim Guddal P O Box 47336 Plymouth, MN 55447 or email at jguddal@yahoo.com.

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Page 7 www.93bg.com Treasurer's Notes Dear friends, there are four subjects I am reporting on for this BOF. 1) PX operations; 2) Net Disbursements; and 3) 2012 Dues option: 4) Donation to the Mighty 8th Museum. We continue to receive dues payments, including many prepaid for 2012. The postcard reminder has really helped folks stay current. Thanks everyone for keeping up! Item 1) The Financial Statements as shown in this BOF, show that the PX spent more than it took in. This outcome occurs when we have purchased inventory that was not sold by the end of the year. Next year, we could sell all of our inventory and not spend as much in buying replacements. Therefore, we would show more in PX sales than in purchases. Item 2) Net Disbursements of $-1,679 simply means that we spent more than we took in. In 2010, we took in a lot of 2011 prepaid dues. Therefore, the Sept. 30, 2010 shows a surplus. We would have a surplus in 2011 if the prepaid dues received in 2010 were added to 2011. Item 3) Some members have asked about lifetime memberships or paying ahead. A few years ago, we considered Lifetime, but, declined to set it up. However, to provide accommodation to those of our members who would like to pay two years at a time, beginning January 1, 2012, we will offer members an option to pay for 2012 and 2013 at a discounted amount of $45. Each member not already paid for 2012 will receive a postcard in January 2012 with payment information. Those members who have prepaid 2012, will have an opportunity for a dues discount in 2013. Thanks in advance for your help on this new dues payment option! Item 4) Finally, I am very pleased to report that the $2,000 your association sent to the Mighty 8th AF Museum in Savannah, GA made it possible for them to finish the Ploesti Exhibit including painting a mural, building a display case and funding completion of an audio dome to tell visitors the story of the August 1, 1943 low level mission. The Museum gave the 93rd proper acknowledgement. Thanks to everyone who gave!!! Thanks for listening! Jim Guddal, December 2011 93rd Bombardment Group Association STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND FUND BALANCE 10/18/2011 Cash Basis As of September 30, 2010 and 2011 Sep 30,10 Sep 30,11 ASSETS Current Assets Checking/ Savings Center National Bank Cert. Dep. 14,000 5,000 Center National Bank Savings 13,349 18,383 Center National Bank Checking 3,550 4,689 Donation Fund 0 0 Reunion Fund 1,000 1,401 PayPal Balance 217 24 Total Checking/Savings 32,116 29,497 Post Exchange Inventory (PX) 268 1,357 Total Current Assets 32,116 30,854 LIABILITIES 0 0 TOTAL ASSETS & FUND BALANCE 32,384 30,854

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Page 11 www.93bg.com Report to 93rd Bomb Group John Lee VP 2nd ADA The 63rd reunion of the 2nd ADA was held aboard the Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas. The fourteen year old ship had been refurbished with a beautiful Centrum area. There people could gather to listen to music, jazz to classical or dance and take photos. It was here that the Veterans gathered for the annual Group photo. There were 105 people at the reunion. The total membership of the 2nd ADA as of September 2011 is 1586. The Business meeting was held and it was decided to continue one more year. The next reunion will be in Chicago where the 2nd ADA had its start. Richard Robert was elected President for 2012. Matthew Martin, 2nd ADA Memorial Trust Governor reported that the Trust is in good shape even though the market has been having problems. Donations continue to come in to the Library and the Library is one of the busiest in England. Libby Morgan, Trust Librarian, reported the number of visitors to the Library was a bit lower than past year but our book issue figures continue to rise and the total number of hits on the website has increased by 10,675. I am happy to report that I have also received a letter from Libby since returning home listing two books (see below) which have been purchased in memory of all who served in the 93rd Bomb Group during World War ll. During my term of office I have encourage more active participation of the 2nd Generation. It was apparent the need for this during each meeting as our acting Secretary Irene Herner took notes and actively helped to ensure Roberts Rules were followed as various discussions were held. Our own 93rd Jim Guddal is now acting treasurer and will be a big assist to Earl Zimmerman in the coming year Im sure. Before this reunion I had had some concerns about my health and decided not to continue in the role of Group Relations Officer for the 2nd ADA. Those health issues have been resolved and I will be willing to continue to serve as VP for the 93rd if you continue to want to appoint that position. Since returning home we have had a great deal of family activity surrounding a special birthday for Betty. For this reason we felt the trip to our 93rd reunion would be a bit too much. We will sincerely miss being there with all of you and will look forward to 2012. Meanwhile I urge any of you who are able to think about a visit to Norwich to see the Library and go back to Hardwick. Both of these locations offer a great deal of history about the role the 93rd played during WW ll. Books in memory of all who served in the 93rd Baisden, Chuck Flying Tiger to Air Commando (Enlisted mans stor of oer tent ears of serice to his country). Gorn, Elliott J. The Manly Art: Bare-Knuckle Fighting in America 93rd Website & Documentary Films 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article 33,283 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia. Please look on the homepage for new information in the FEATURED VETERAN and FEATURED PHOTO sections. The Memorial Project - DVD for sale At the reunion last year in Savannah, GA the 93rd BG dedicated a stained glass window at the Mighty Eighth Air Force museum for its fallen heroes. The entire reunion and memorial service was documented and is now available on DVD for $10. Please look for an order form in this issue of the Ball of Fire or download an order form from the www.93bg.com homepage. "Thoughts for the Future" DVD still available This film reminds you of the contribution the 8th Air Force and it's bomb groups courageously gave towards the war effort and how so many years later, groups like the 93rd are still meeting and remembering. DVDs are $10 and Bluray discs are $13 - included as a bonus is the film Liberators Over Europe. This film is a complete summary of the 8th Air Force's operation in Europe and contains footage of many bomb groups in the East Anglia area during the war. It even shows Maj. Gen. William E. Kepner personally donate the initial check to the Lord Mayor of Norwich for the construction of the 2nd Air Division Memorial Wing. This is a very clean transfer from an original print at the National Archives. Also please visit the website www.thoughtsforthefuture.com for more information. You may also download an order form from the 93rd BG website homepage, visit the Thoughts for the Future website or look for an order form in this newsletter. If enough copies are sold of the film - a donation will go back to the 93rd BG association. Thank You, www.93bg.com www.thoughtsforthefuture.com Michael Sellers, 93rd BG Webmaster

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Page 14 www.93bg.com News From Across the Pond (England) Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:02:52 +0000 From: crowitch@btinternet.com To: joyridecp@msn.com; bricamera@mindspring.com; " starrynights1"@comcast.net; don.morrison@beis.com; rhammans@gmail.com; joyridecp@msn.com; paulwilson389@yahoo.co.uk; skrisley@aol.com; trevorbond@live.co.uk; user4723@comcast.net Subject: The friend of the Second Air Division The friend of the Second Air Division Hi my friends, I'm just dropping you a unofficial line to keep you in the picture. At the last AGM it was decided to wind the Friends of the Second Air Division Memorial up. We could not get members to become an Officer on the committee, and the Officers serving had all been on the committee ten years plus and it was becoming harder to get anything done with less people helping and the same few getting all the work load. At the AGM, a vote was taken and it was decided that closing was the only option as we had tried to recruit new office and members over the last five year with no luck. The funds of the Friends has been handed over to the Governors of the memorial library as stated in the Friends constitution and the Charity Commission informed of our closure. It was a sad night after 29 years to take and see the vote with only one member voting against closure. I was called back out of retirement to chair the meeting (I had stood down at the start of the year due to ill health ) as they had no Chairman or VC and could get no one to take the positions. Okay, here's the good news! We are all here still and we will still be helping returning veterans and their families. We will be run under a new name at some point doing much the same things but without the charity status so less paper work, and we won't be taking funding or sending newsletters. It will be a group of friends helping the old bases and our friends from the USA. So. that's about all I can tell you all at this time. This is not a statement from the Friends, this is me just keeping my friends in the picture as I don't think anyone from the Friends is left to send out a letter. Your Friend, Colin Mann While visiting the Hardwick airfield searching for the crash site of Bill Sargent's father, 1st Lt. William G. Rueckert, pilot, who was killed along with four other airmen, May 1, 1944, Bill met Jean and David Woodrow, owners of the farm and airfield at Topcroft. During the 2005 93rd BG reunion Bill and JoAnne attended the service at the Topcroft Church. They were inadvertently left stranded at the church (the bus left for the farm). But fate intervened and they were given a ride to the farm by then pregnant Allison (Jean and David's daughter-in-law). Allison and Stuart Woodrow decided to name their first born, William. Bill has continued to keep in close contact with the Woodrow family. Below is an excerpt from Jean's last letter 11-19-2011: We had a very memorable Remembrance Sunday this year. The weather dawned, very sunny the Autumn leaves hung with beautiful Autumn colours. The church was full, and as you see from the photos, your father's purple heart* was shown under the memorial plaque. The sermon by our wonderful parson, told the congregation the moving story of how it came to Topcroft Church, there was complete silence as she spoke, not a sound, in the stillness of the congregation, the sacrifice your father gave, we were all greatly moved, the bugler played the last post and we stood in silence to revere all these brave boys who gave their all, our own little William, spent the morning painting on his own the picture of the poppies you see him holding, he then laid it in front of the memorial, and bowed, we were very proud of him. I had told him the reason why this was an important day, he said he wanted to do this especially for his American "Uncle Bill", he remembers his bus ride with you. I took these photos in the church for you to have and to let you see how proud William was to show you, even at his young age that he wants to continue to preserve the history of the 93rd base at Hardwick the home of so many young men at such a historical time in their lives. After the service we then had a short service, up the farm around the memorial where the two minute silence was observed, while a plane flew overhead dropped 10,000 poppies over the people standing heads bowed, it was a perfect drop, sometimes the wind can be a problem, this year the weather was almost like summer, we then all went inside the hall and had a lunch, this was memorial day (November 13th). *Bill donated a replica of his father's purple heart during the 93rd reunion in May 2011. 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////4

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Page 15 www.93bg.com Parson Liz and young William holding the purple heart under the 93rd BG memorial plaque at Topcroft Church. William holding his painting of the poppies for Remembrance Day, Nov. 13, 2011. Folded Wings Black, George G., April 15, 1966 (email from son, Michael) 1st Lt. George G. Black flew with 328th BS, 93rd BG, 8th AF. He passed away on 04/15/1966. By the time he left the AF he was a Captain. Grimes, Donald, December 11, 2011 It is with deep sadness that I share the news that another of our very special friends and original 93rd Veterans has folded his wings on December 11,2011 in Sheridan, Wyoming. Don Grimes served with the 329th SQ.1940 to 1945. Don was Chuck Merrill's radio operator on Thar She Blows for most of his tour in the European Theatre. He was also a Ploesti Veteran and was on the 1st bomber to land in Switzerland and interred there for 22 months when his plane Death Dealer was shot down. Don was very special to us . One of the most generous and kind men we have had the pleasure to know. His help while we were researching Uncle Joe Avendano's Military History can never be repaid. Joe had the chance to speak with Don after our 93rd Reunion in Tucson, AZ. He was so excited that his daughter Nancy Stranger was able to be there with us. Don had hoped to make the Reunion this year but was unable to due to health reasons. One of the last things Don said to Joe was to keep up the good work. We will deeply miss him. Phyllis and Joe Duran Heller, Robert H., October 20, 2011 Robert H. Heller, 88, of 2318 West Lake Road, Penn Yan, NY passed away on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital. He was born August 30, 1923 to Fred E. and Zylpha M. Straw Heller in Elmira, New York. Bob was a World War II veteran and served as a B24 pilot in the Army Air Force. He attended Cornell University on the G. I. Bill and received a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked as an engineer for Barnard & Maybeck Engineers in Rochester, NY. Bob was a member of the Penn Yan First Presbyterian Church. He was a member of the Penn Yan Municipal Board and Penn Yan Kiwanis Club. He was a 65 year member of the American Legion. Surviving are his wife of 17 years, Daisy B. Heller; daughter, Laurie Gillette; son, Stephen (Susan) Heller; step-children, BJ (Elizabeth) Morgan of Belmont, MA, Paul Morgan of Victor, and Jennifer (Stephen) Payne of Falls Church, VA; grandchildren, Krista Gillette, Jared ••J.o• •If r~ •C.~~• .. ~' . '"' . • ,.,. l'o&: 11.,i '•·. :~.-~: .. , •• I

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Page 16 www.93bg.com (Laci) Heller, and Megan Heller; step-grandchildren, Vanessa and Grace Morgan and Mary and Simon Payne; great-granddaughter, Bailey Heller; and brother, Fred Heller of Warsaw. Bob was predeceased by his first wife, Joyce S. Heller; brother and sister-in-law, Frank (Fran) Heller; and sister-in-law, Loretta Heller. Kingston, Joseph R., March 25, 1955 (Note from grandson, Joseph R. Kingston Jr.) Joseph R. Kingston entered active service Jan. 23 1943 and was trained as a bombardier. He became an instructor for bombardiers in B-24s and B-29 aircraft at Chattam Field in Georgia. Joseph flew on missions in the ETO from Sept. 15, 1943- March 29,1944, serving in the 93rd BG 330 BS. He completed 25 missions in the ETO and finish the war in the US. He continued to serve in the Air Force and Air Force Reserves until his death in 1955. He and his crew were returning from a training flight in a B-47 when his plane crashed and killed all 3 on board. Joseph flew on Flying wolves, Heavenly Days, Doity Bold, Bucket of Bolts, Buck Fifty Job, Sweater Gal, Tail numbers 309 & 116. Pilots Arthur Williamson, Henry Segars, Richard Sundstrom and Robert Depke. Kraeger, Donald N. (email from nephew, Hans Kraeger) T/Sgt. Donald N. Kraeger "Uncle Pat" was my father's uncle and a great man. He was born April 30, 1921 and passed away on November 2, 1993 at 72 years of age. Two pictures are attached for your review. I believe Uncle Pat is the guy in the middle of the front row. The other picture is of a certificate of an award for successfully completing 21 bombing missions from July, 20, 1944 to April 16, 1945 in squadron 409 a few weeks ago. If you cannot read it, I can transcribe and email the details of each mission. I do know a few things Uncle Pat shared with my father. First, I know that Uncle Pat was involved in at least one mission to bomb Hitler. The mission was successful in eliminating Hitler's bunker, but unfortunately Hitler was not in that bunker at the time. Second, Uncle Pat's plane was hit by enemy fire and they turned toward Great Britain. He and some others survived the emergency landing. Lenhart, Burton, December 5, 2011 It is with a heavy and saddened heart that I write to let everyone one know that our dear friend Burt Lenhart folded his wings on Monday night, December 5,2011. Burt was the Radio Operator on William Brown's crew serving from July 1944 to April !945. He had 35 missions with the 93rd Bombardment Group,328th Squadron. Burt was a regular at the 93rd Reunions, up until the last couple of years when his health prevented him from traveling. Joe and I will always remember his big smile and his warm gentle manner. I don't think Burt ever met a stranger and that wonderful smile was shared with all. Phyllis Duran McCann, Eugene, September20, 2011 It is with a sadden heart that I covey this message, another of our beloved Veterans has folded his wings. Eugene M. McCann passed this morning at 3:00AM,September 20, 2011.

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Page 17 www.93bg.com Many of you will remember Gene from our Reunion in Savannah GA in 2006 and again in the Twin Cities in 2007. I remember how excited Gene was in Savannah, being that it was his very first Reunion and what a wonderful time he had. His family had surprised him with the trip to the Reunion. Eugene McCann, enlisted 10 March 1942 in Portland Oregon. He became a part of Dave Forsmans Crew and was shipped to England in 1944, 93rd Bombardment Group 409th squadron. Gene served as the Radio Operator/ Gunner on the Flying Mouse. He flew 35 missions. Gene received the Good Conduct Medal, European-Africa-Middle Eastern Service Medal, Air Medal, with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart for a wound received on March 18, 1945. Joe and I will remember Gene as a kind and generous man with a wonderful sense of humor. Phyllis Duran Strombom, Frederick A., November 11, 2011 Fred enlisted the Army Air Force on December 14, 1942, at 19 years of age and was called to active duty on March 12, 1943. He received his military training in Texas, California, Arizona, and Colorado and was then commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. He boarded the Queen Elizabeth on June 19, 1944, and sailed to England, arriving there on June 25, 1944. He flew 30 combat missions in the European Theater as a B-24 co-pilot with the 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, 93rd Bomb Group, 330th Bomb Squadron, based at Hardwick Air Force Base in Norwich, England where he was stationed from June 25, 1944, until May 25, 1945. He flew his first mission one day after his 21st birthday. He was awarded three air medals and 3 battle stars in 1944, received two air medals and two battle stars in 1945, and holds an EAME Theater Medal. He participated in the campaigns in Normandy, Ardennes, Northern France, and Central Europe. He was discharged on December 8, 1945 as a 1st Lieutenant. He then served in the Army Reserves and the Air National Guard where he became a helicopter pilot, retiring as a Captain in 1968. The Greatest Generation Foundation The Greatest Generations Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to honoring veterans by offering them closure and by preserving their stories through the avenue of youth education. TGGF does this by conducting a number of programs such as Connecting Generations, a program that pairs veterans with college-age students and takes them to the airfields of East England and the battlefields of Normandy to offer the veterans closure and give the students the opportunity to meet them men who fought to preserve their freedoms nearly seven decades ago. Other programs, like American Hero Day, are more domestic and take veterans into elementary and high schools in the greater Denver area to give the students the chance to hear from the veterans, and to gain a better understanding on what the veterans experienced during war. Through these programs and others like them, TGGF works to preserve the stories and legacy of those who fought to defend the freedoms we enjoy today. To learn more about The Greatest Generations Foundation, visit our website at www.tggf.org, or call us at (303) 331-1944. D-Day, 2011 West J. Roberts Vice President of Programs The Greatest Generations Foundation 210 University Blvd., Suite 500 Denver, CO 80206 303-331-1944 www.tggf.us

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Page 18 www.93bg.com Membership Corner Membership Guy Jim Guddal met recently with S/Sgt Bert Karels of Henderson MN and 1st Lt. Glen Brandenburg at Glens residence in Eden Prairie, MN for some Christmas Cheer and wonderful conversation about their days with the 328th. Bert flew as nose gunner on Sleepy Time Gal and Mas Worry. His pilot was Emmet Monroe. As bombardier/navigator Glen also flew Mas Worry with Pilot Leon Bernard. Both men survived 35 missions over Europe. Wives Margaret Brandenburg and Arlene Karels also attended and provided some history. (Glen is seated on the right in the picture) Footnote: According to 93rd Historian Don Morrison, Sleepy Time Gal crashed in Scotland on route to the USA. Mas Worry returned to the US and was scrapped. New Members Roll Call We welcome the following new members into the 93rd Bomb Group Association Family!!! Member (Vets are in Bold & **) Connection to 93rd BG George G. Black Jr Pending Bernadine Taylor Mikkelson Pending Robyn Phillips Daughter of Vernon Swaim William and Elaine Hudnell Lloyd E. Hudnell Joseph R. Kingston Jr. Grandson of 2nd Lt. Joseph R. Kingston, 330th- died in plane crash 1955 while in USAF Reserves. Flew on Flying wolves, Heavenly Days, Doity Bold, Bucket of Bolts, Buck Fifty Job, Sweater Gal, Tail numbers 309 & 116. Pilots Arthur Williamson, Henry Segars, Richard Sundstrom and Robert Depke. IF YOU BECAME A MEMBER IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 2011 AND ARE NOT LISTED ABOVE, LET US KNOW. jguddal@yahoo.com 12/2011 Noes & Qoes Reunions and Such Jim M – Thank you for a very enjoyable, informative and entertaining weekend. You and your associates did a great job putting this event together. It was the best Bomb Group event of its kind Ive attended. Dennis C – Thank you for the wonderful reunion we attended in Tucson. The hospitality shown us was exemplary and we enjoyed not only the programs but meeting so many great people. Thanks again! George M – I wish to thank you and all the others who spent so much time and effort in making the reunion a success. Having 94 non-vets there speaks volumes. Quotes Will Rogers – I never met a man I didnt like Looking for a crew George Tkachuk of Rocky River, OH is searching for his twin brothers crew. T.sgt John Tkachuk flew with the 329th from July 42 to Dec 43 when he was KIA. If you have any info, please call George at (440) 333-5578. The question everyone is asking How many bicycles were there at Hardwick at any given time? If you have the ball park answer, do let us know. Ploesti POW RescueTrivia The Tuskegee Airman who flew P-51 escort for the 38 B-17s that flew 1100 men out of Bucharest Romania in August 1944 did not know the mission they were on until many decades later. They flew out of Fogia and the rescue planes flew out of a different base in Italy. This according to one of the original P-51 pilots. Vets, please send any anecdotes about your service time that others might enjoy hearing about. And eerans ies or girl friends lef a home or in serice a ha ime, ed like o hear from you as well. Submitted by Jim Guddal ( jguddal@yahoo.com)

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Page 19 www.93bg.com Letters to the Editor From: vmwalzel@att.net To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Alfred Holen Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:58:47 -0500 I saw your request for information about Alfred M. Holen in the 93rd BG newsletter and can give you a limited amount of information that might help you. Alfred was a gunner on the crew of Lt. Roy C. Harms on 1 August 1943 when they were shot down on a mission to bomb oil refineries in Ploesti, Rumania. This was an infamous low-level raid that resulted in the loss of many planes and crews and didn't achieve satisfactory results in shutting down these facilities. I do not have the name or serial number of the plane but you might try to get a copy of the MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) These reports are free of charge. Contact Lynn.Gamma@MAXWELL.AF.MIL. Give her the names of Harms and Holen and she will be able to find the report. This was fairly early in the war and MACRs were not always generated, but I have seen them from this time period. The crew that day were all KIA except the engineer-top turret gunner, Sgt Jack W. Reed, who became a POW. Roy C. Harms (P) Earl F. Ferguson (CP) William H. Harth (N) Albert W. Stahl (B) Ralph E. Richardson (gunner) Winfield V. Long (gunner) John Shufritz (gunner) Michael Doka (gunner) Arnold M. Holen (gunner) Jack W. Reed (top turret-engineer) POW Maybe you will get some help from others with the 93rd BG, but there is not much I can add. I encourage you to get the MACR, but be patient as it sometimes takes a little time to receive it. There may not be much information in it and it will be from observations of other crews that witnessed the downing and possibly that of Jack Reed could have been added after he was released from the POW camp. Wish I could help more but hope you will find some answers from some source. Regards, Vic Walzel Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2011 13:31:47 -0700 From: kszabo1@yahoo.com Subject: 93 BG Request To: joyridecp@msn.com Hello! I was looking for more info on my grandfather's service and was told you may be able to help. Here is what we have so far. Charles T. Cleaton (went by Tommy or C.T. Cleaton) Cleveland, OH 93rd Bomb Group, 329th Sqdn. Bombardier and Radio Operator Went to Hardwick in July, 1943 Goff was the pilot. I have a picture labeled Goff's Crew. He flew the following missions with the 392nd before we believe being transferred to the 93rd BG. OCT 1943: 8 (#529), 18 (#500) NOV 1943: 3 (#529), 16 (#529), 18 (#529), 26 (#529) DEC 1943: 11 (#599), 24 (#529), 30 (#529) Any additional info you have would be greatly appreciated! Kristen To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: mailing list question From: thorbyn@aol.com Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 19:43:49 -0500 Hello, my name is Joseph Kingston Jr. I have recently joined the 93rd as a second generation of a 93rd vet. My grandfather, Joseph R. Kingston flew with the 93rd as a part of the 330. It was suggested to me to ask you to see if any of the members of my grandfathers crew might still be on your mailing lists. I have the following names as members of his crew. I checked the folded wings section of the website, and saw none of these names on it. I was hoping that it might be possible to try and get in touch with any possible surviving members of his crew. -Williamson, Arthur - not on 93rd mailing list -Spaulding, John R. - not on 93rd mailing list -Noethiger, Thomas F. - not on 93rd mailing list -McAnsh, John W. - not on 93rd mailing list -Tercezkevicz, Nicholas - not on 93rd mailing list -Byrd, Hardy W. - not on 93rd mailing list -Muirhead, Robert A. - not on 93rd mailing list -Dawson, Donald L. - not on 93rd mailing list - Mahoney, John M. - not on 93rd mailing list -Segars, Henry K. - not on 93rd mailing list -Sundstrom, Richard C. - not on 93rd mailing list -Depke, Robert, - not on 93rd mailing list -Hlavaty, Jody B. - not on 93rd mailing list Thank you for your time and help. Joseph R. Kingston Jr. (grandson) (Also see info in Folded Wings section) 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////h

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Page 20 www.93bg.com From: wgeigle@valleytel.net Subject: 93 BG Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:24:26 -0600 To: joyridecp@msn.com Looking for information on my father's crew. They bailed out over Switzerland/German border March 15, 1944 following a mission to Friedrichshaven. Captured near Dornbirn/Lustanau. Spent time in Stalag Luft 4 and 6. Fathers name Wayne Moeller. Crew members: Julius Rosenfeld, Stewart VanderVeen, Secar Harris (pilot) John O'Neill, Marshall Ward, Leask Herman, Joseph Helms, Clyce Forrester Waynette Geigle wgeigle@valleytel.net W-605-889-2831 From: jlux@austin.rr.com To: ; Subject: Fw: Great News! Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:23:50 -0600 Subject: Great News! Friends, I have some great news! The Museum of the USAF will unveil a new display when the B-17 Memphis Belle restoration project is complete. The theme of the display is: "Bombers who completed 25 missions in World War II." The Memphis Belle will be the center piece but two other bombers will also be represented. One will be the B-17 Hells Angel and the other will be the 93rd Bomb Group's HOT STUFF. Yes, I said HOT STUFF! I received an email from museum Director, Lt. Gen. Jack Hudson (USAF retired) confirming that HOT STUFF will be included in the display. I want to thank all of you who helped me with photos and documents in what turned out to be a two year effort to get recognition for HOT STUFF, her crew (including my friend Bob Jacobson) and the 93rd BG. I attached the story of Hot Stuff written by my friend, Brig. Gen. (USAF, retired) Dick Baughn for those of you who haven't read it. It was published in the USAF magazine, "The Wright Stuff" I will keep you posted on any updates as planning for the display progresses. Thanks again for your help. Jim Hot Stuff and her crew were the first heavy bomber to complete 25 missions in WWII. 1////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////, 11//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////~

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Page 23 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) CAPS & VISORS Qty 1 Qty 2 1) Navy Blue w embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Teds Travelling Circus on adjustable strap $24 $45 2) Khaki with Ball of Fire III B-24 plus 93rd BG $19 $35 & Teds Travelling Circus on adjustable strap 3) Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three gold victory stars – choose white or navy blue $16 $30 COFFEE & THERMAL TRAVEL MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 5) Stainless Steel Travel Mugs with B-24 medallion $22 $42 (NEW and very nice!) PUZZLES 6) Jigsaw puzzles w colorful Ball of Fire III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes w stand. $22 $42 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 7) 93rd BG Replica of Memorial stain glass window at Mighty 8th Museum Chapel – w suction cup $14 $25 BOOKS by 93rd BG Authors Teds Traelling Circs by Cal Stewart (member price) $69.95 $134.00 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $24.95 $47.50 Lucky Ears The True Story of Ben Kuroki($9.99 avail at Amazon & Barnes & Noble) NEW!!-Forever Twenty by Nicholas Timmer $21.95 $42.00 ***All product prices include handling and shipping charges *** Pay by check or money order with Coupon below to the 93rd BG. Pay by PayPal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership Section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total ______________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX, P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or, Fax your order to: 763.694.9065

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Page 24 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE  STARTING IN 2010, MEMBERSHIP WAS CHANGED TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2012 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Annual Membership (2012 only) $25 $________ 2 year discount rate (2012 & 2013) $45 Child or grandchild special(2012 only) $20 $________ Tax deductible Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. GRAND TOTAL $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please E-MAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) _________________________________________________________________________ The PX: We have in stock, coffee & travel mugs, caps with B-24 image, visors, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Sun catcher replicas of memorial window & books. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Guddal jguddal@ahoo.com

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Ball of Fire QUARTERLY EXPRESS NEWSLETTER OF THE 93rd BOMB GROUP 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, Hardwick, England www.93bg.com or www.93rdbombardmentgroup.com Vol. 20 No. 1 Spring 2012 Preiden Corner In January, my work took me to the Hartford, CT area for the first time. Only a few short months before, the 93rd decided to hold our 13th Reunion in the Hartford area. The air connections through New York were frequent and convenient, while the airport was easy to navigate through. Featured in the airport lobby is a giant model of Mark Twains home constructed out of red and green legos. Measuring 6 by 3 by 3, the local pride in a home town boy made good was evident. Pratt & Whitney have already agreed to host our group at their facilities. We think they will treat us even better than they treated Mark Twain. Alberta DelGuidice, our local contact, and her family are eager to show off their state, too. Although a year-and-a-half from now its not too soon to make your plans for 2013. We have introduced a new tool to assist our coordination among the officers and reunion coordination team. We held our first teleconference on Feb 18th to discuss a number of topics: membership, 2nd Air Division & Heritage League Status, the Reunion, and where our veterans should donate their papers and memorabilia. We planned a 30 minute call and talked for nearly 90 minutes. We used a free teleconference service called, FreeConferenceCall.com. Participants are required to pay their long distance charges but there is no fee for the service itself. Our first call was very interesting, and we shared a number of great ideas. Our next call is scheduled at 5:00 PM, Eastern, on March 31st. If you would like to join let me know. The most exciting idea during the call came from Michael Sellers. He suggested we conduct a webcast of parts of our reunion for those who cant attend. Member ho can be a he renion can ake par remotely! We already record many sessions particularly the education program so there is not a great deal of extra effort. Michael is investigating the technology to see what is required to make the webcast a reality. We will provide more detail as we determine if we can make this a reality or not. This idea supports our goal to perpetuate the memory of the 93rd BG in a format appealing to todays young people. Jim Root and our reunion committee are moving forward with the planning for our 12th 93rd BG Reunion to be held in Seattle, WA in October. More detail is provided elsewhere in this BOFQE. Anyone living in the Seattle/Tacoma area is welcome to help us finalize the details. John Cadle has already provided valuable assistance and is willing to continue, but would welcome additional help. Contact Jim Root if you are interested. His number is 616-218-0787. He lives in the Eastern Time zone. His email is JamesDavidRoot@aol.com. Finally, I am looking for volunteers to serve on this years nominating committee. Comprised of two members appointed by the President, the Nominating Committee is responsible to recommend a slate of candidates to fill the officer positions for 2012-2014. Officers serve a two year term and may be reelected to additional terms. The current officers terms expire in October. If you are interested in serving as a member of the Nominating Committee, please contact me: 412-327-1909 and 109clearview@verizon.net. John Marx

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Table of Contents Presidents Corner .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Treasurer's Notes............................................................................................................................................ 3 2012 93rd Bombardment Group Association Reunion ................................................................................. 4 Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! ........................................................................................................... 7 POW Poems* .................................................................................................................................................. 7 93rd Website & Documentary Films.............................................................................................................. 8 Folded Wings ................................................................................................................................................ 11 Membership Corner ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Letters to the Editor ...................................................................................................................................... 17 WORLD WAR II AIRCRAFT FACTS .......................................................................................................... 23 New Members Roll Call ................................................................................................................................ 25 NEWS FROM THE POST EXCHANGE (PX) ........................................................................................... 26 Your Post Exchange (PX) ............................................................................................................................ 27 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM .......................................... 28 DIRECTORY 2011 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Executive Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary  PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 don.morrison@beis.com Vice President, 2nd Air Division Association  JOHN LEE 930 Preston Trail, Melbourne, FL 32940 321-259-6861; jlee1922@aol.com VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD Fernley Smith Charles Sill Cal Davidson OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Documentary Project  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN (see Secretary) KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253 Webmaster  MICHAEL SELLERS (see Documentary Project)

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Page 3 www.93bg.com 93rd BG By Laws and The Constitution of the United States Dear Friends, Recently, I was reading our By Laws and was struck by the words of the 2nd paragraph found in Article II-PURPOSE. It reads: The 93rd Bomb Group will continue to advocate and to support an adequate, effective and efficient Army, Navy, Marine Corp and Air Force at all times. It reminds me of a part of The Constitution of the United States found in the 2nd Amendment which says: Amendment II A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Did you know? The first ten Amendments (Bill of Rights) were ratified effective December 15, 1791. And what about the First and Second Amendments? Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Amendment III No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. Jim Guddal, Member Treasurer's Notes In Article II-Purpose of our By Laws it states: The purpose of this organiation shall be: Paragraph 4: To ppor he program and effor of the Memorial Trust of the 2ADA Memorial Library, located with the Norwich Center Library, England, the Museum at Hardwick, the Might Eighth Air Force Museum at Savannah, Georgia, and any like organization that exists to perpetuate the memory of those who served in WWII. As we have publicized in a previous Ball of Fire, the Ploesti project at the Mighty Eighth Museum was successfully completed thanks to the generosity of our membership. The 93rd sponsored an audio dome and display case near the location of a Ploesti diorama which had been previously donated by the 44th BG. Looking to the future, your 93rd leadership is considering various options for our next project. Recently, we received a member donation designated for use at Hardwick. Your Treasurer has now established a fund to receive donations and will reserve those funds for projects at Hardwick. We are working to identify those projects and priorities which will keep this unique museum thriving well into the future. Wed also like to hear from our members with ideas. If you have been considering a donation to your Association, you can do it two ways. Send your check to this office or go to the updated 93rd website and make your contribution thru the PayPal button found in the Membership Department. Jim Guddal, Treasurer ALL ABOARD! The Ball of Fire Express to Seattle Many of our vets rode trains to assigned induction centers, to training bases and eventually back home after the war. Amtrak has a direct route from Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC to Seattle. Thats where our 2012 reunion will be. Amtrak also has a direct route from San Diego to Seattle. Some of our members took the train to Shreveport in 2009 and to Savannah in 2010. Just picture it! Some of you get on in Boston. A few more board in New York and so forth. We pick up more of you in Chicago, Minneapolis and off we go. It is a four day trip for those boarding in Boston and two days from Mpls. Same thing goes for San Diego. Along the way we see some of the best scenery in the USA. Getting excited yet? By the time the Ball of Fire arrives in Seattle, you are already warmed up for the party. What fun!! Sound a little cray? Maybe, but wouldnt it be a blast! Some of us talked about it in Savannah and the consensus was YES, LETS DO IT! If you think this train is one you would like to be on, send me an e-mail jguddal@yahoo.com or send me a note. Jim Guddal , P O Box 47336 Plymouth, MN 55447. A number of Vet members in the Midwest have expressed interest. Do you think Amtrak would paint some nose art on its lead engine? Watch for more information in the next Ball Of Fire. Also, check out an Amtrak nearest you. This was originally printed in the Ball of Fire December 2010.

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Page 4 www.93bg.com 2012 93rd Bombardment Group Association Reunion Update as of 3/20/12 Planning for our annual reunion in October is coming along very nicely! It will be another fabulous, family-oriented, educational and fun time for all attendees! I have attached a tentative schedule of events for the reunion, and will send more information, including final cost by the next BOF update. You can check our website as well for updates at www.93bg.com. This year we will offer more optional events for those who may not want to travel out as much, plus it will offer a more reasonable cost package for the reunion. We will be having more educational sessions, a visit to the Museum of Flight, the Boeing Factory and Museum, the Joint Military Base (Lewis-McChord), and a scenic tour of downtown Seattle with shopping and free time! A few surprises and a few special guests will be included as well! Contact me with questions/comments! Jim Root: 616-218-0787 (Eastern Time zone). Make your reservation soon! Please use the reservation group code: 93B. You may call toll free at 1-800-362-2779 or 1-425-227-8844 with that group code and make your reservation. Embassy Suites Seattle - Tacoma International Airport Room Rates are: $109.00 per night Plus sales tax( rate is 9.5%), and hotel occupancy (tax rate is 12.4%) Plus $10.00 per night for additional adult Our Sales Manager is: Dorothy Hitchcock 15920 West Valley Highway Seattle, Washington 98188 Direct Line: (206) 219-2148 Fax: (425) 227-9567 E-Mail: Dorothy.Hitchcock@hilton.com Embassy Suites Seattle-Tacoma Intl. Airport Brochure & Website

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Page 6 www.93bg.com Summary / Schedule of Activities Day 1  Thursday, Oct 18 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Registration / Hospitality Room Setup at hotel 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Registration /Hospitality open at hotel 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Reunion Committee/Officers Meeting at hotel 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Reception at hotel - Atrium 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Welcome Dinner at hotel Special Guest: Tukwila Mayor Day 2  Friday, Oct 19 Breakfast at hotel Registration /Hospitality open daily at hotel 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM 93rd BG Education Session at hotel Life at Hardick and England 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Museum of Flight : lunch & tour 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM Tour Joint Base – McChord-Lewis 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Dinner – Club McChord Special Guest: Base Commander Col. Paul Eberhart Entertainment: 56th Army Swinging Band of Courage Day 3  Saturday, Oct 20 Breakfast at hotel 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Business Meeting (40 people) at hotel 11:30 AM – 4:30 PM Boeing Manufacturing/Museum Tour (Optional) 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Lunch & Learn at hotel – MOF Speaker - TBD 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Education Session at hotel Life in the US homefront 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Reception at hotel - Atrium 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Dinner/program at hotel Special Guest & Program: TBD Day 4  Sunday, Oct 21 Breakfast at hotel 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Education Session at hotel 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM Seattle City Tour (Optional) 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Education Session at hotel B-24 Aircraft and Nose Art 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Reception at hotel – Atrium Entertainment: Teds Traelling Combo Band 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Closing/Memorial Dinner at hotel Honor Guard Day 5  Monday, Oct 22 Breakfast and Depart hotel

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Page 7 www.93bg.com 93rd Musical Members Invitation - Jam(b) Session Music Seattle Reunion Dear Group - We are still looking for participants to take part in a little vintage music at the reunion in Seattle. Presently we have two saxophones, an alto and a tenor, and a bass guitar. We would like to find some brass, i.e., a trumpet, cornet, trombone, even a tuba, how about a clarinet, or perhaps a violin. We could also use a keyboard player as well. Contact Jim Root if you are interested. His number is 616-218-0787. He lives in the Eastern Time zone. His email is JamesDavidRoot@aol.com. Any questions, like 'who was it that got Doris Day her start in singing', contact Kent Jacquith at: dejacque04@bendbroadband.com or 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 or 541-923-4319. Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! I am working several mini research projects relating to the 93rd BG. If you can shed any light on them, please contact me. No detail is too small to help in the research!! Looking for McBride Crew lost Aug 1, 1943 I am looking for anyone who has information/photos, next of kin or knew this crew. Their names are: McBride, Jarvis, Huston, Gill, Ellison, Domke, Krugel, Key, Burton, Riddle, and Clifford. I have found a photo which I believe is this crew shortly before Ploesti. They were part of the 329th Bomb Squadron. Loss of 42-95034 on June 12, 1944 flown by the 409th BS I am looking for anyone who has information/photos, next of kin or knew this crew. Their names are: Irving Fruchter, Sam Bargamian, Davenport Karow, Alfred Thompson, Joseph Novak, Henry Balzer, Harland Wilkinson, Paul Blateric, Donald White, and Joseph Doyle. The aircraft suffered a major mechanical issue and the crew bailed out near Newport Essex, England. The unmanned aircraft crashed in a field and burned. Mission of Sept 18, 1944 On the mission of Sept 18, 1944 there were extra crewmen on each plane. The mission of Sept 18 was a supply drop to the airborne troops near Arnhem. Their names do not appear in the list of 93rd BG personnel. The mystery crew position was called SOS. I am looking to determine what the SOS position was and what organization they were assigned to. Any recollection is greatly appreciated. Crew of Secar Harris lost March 15, 1944 They bailed out over Switzerland/German border March 15, 1944 following a mission to Friedrichshaven. The crew was Wayne Moeller, Julius Rosenfeld, Stewart VanderVeen, Secar Harris (pilot), John O'neill, Marshall Ward, Leask Herman, Joseph Helms, Clyce Forrester. Looking for anyone who knew T/Sgt. Donald N. (Pat) Kraeger He was in the 409Th BS and flew 21 missions from July, 20, 1944 to April 16, 1945. Glenn Miller concert Sept 2, 1944 If you have any photos, diary notes or recollection of this concert please contact me. Cheers, Don Morrison 93rd BG Association Historian 1375 West Comet Rd Clinton, OH 44216 Cell (330) 819-6409 Home (330) 882-2536 Doniac1967@sbcglobal.net POW Poems* CAPTURED AIRMEN We are the men who no longer fly mid the threat of fire and flak, We are the ones who are forced to standby, to the fight we can never go back. Our small domain is encircled by wire, not even the ground can we roam to wait quietly by the war does require, please God, why can't we go home? On the days when the weather is very clear and we gaze up into the sky, Sometimes we see what our captors fear, our own planes flying by. Then we on the ground see the scorching flak so we send up a silent prayer to ask God to guide them safely back.

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Page 8 www.93bg.com LITTLE BROTHERS When the bombers wing on to the target our escort is standing by, we cannot see them for they are way up high, When the enemy plans to attack us it's then that he does appear, we call them "Little Brothers". To us they're very dear. When we leave the target to the deck they fall, those P-47's, P-38's and P-51's are surely on the ball They hunt down Jerry's freight trains down there on the deck, when they find one rolling they leave it in a wreck. They protect us on our missions up there in the blue, we envy our "Little Brothers", we praise them through and through. When this war is over, thrilling tales they'll tell Up there close to heaven yet so close to hell. Keep 'em flying, "Little Brothers" way up in the blue, The bomb raids aren't over, they still depend on you. * The poems were written by American Airmen that were being held captive in the German prison camp known as Stalag Luft 1. They were contained in a journal written and compiled by Walter Boychuk, Captain, U.S. 8th Air Force, Kriegsgefangenen No. 5407. He was wounded and shot down over Le Harve, France on Sunday, August 13, 1944. After his capture, he was taken to Berlin for medical care and then sent to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth near the Baltic Sea. He was there until April, 1945 when the war in Europe ended. Thanks to George McLean for providing the poems - other poems will be included in future newsletters. 93rd Website & Documentary Films 93rd Website Update . At the time of writing this article 37,821 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Buenos Aires, Argentina. NEW!! We have updated the PX and now have a smooth and easy way for people to order 93rd memorabilia, souvenirs, and more!! Please check it out when you have time: http://93bg.com/postexchange_itemslist1.html Two Films Produced by the 93rd BG Still Available!! The Memorial Project / DVD-$10 each This film was produced by the 93rd BG and documents the dedication of a stained glass window at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, GA. Please look for an order form in this issue of the Ball of Fire or go to the PX webpage to order by credit card. Thoughts for the future / DVD-$10 & Blu-ray-$13 each This film reminds you of the contribution the 8th Air Force and it's bomb groups courageously gave towards the war effort and how so many years later, groups like the 93rd are still meeting and remembering. DVDs are $10 and Blu-ray discs are $13 - included as a bonus is the film Liberators Over Europe. This film is a complete summary of the 8th Air Force's operation in Europe and contains footage of many bomb groups in the East Anglia area during the war. It even shows Maj. Gen. William E. Kepner personally donate the initial check to the Lord Mayor of Norwich for the construction of the 2nd Air Division Memorial Wing. This is a very clean transfer from an original print at the National Archives. Also please visit the website www.thoughtsforthefuture.com for more information. Please look for an order form in this issue of the Ball of Fire or go to the PX webpage to order by credit card. If enough copies of the film are sold - a donation will go back to the 93rd BG association. www.93bg.com Michael Sellers, 93rd BG Webmaster

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Page 11 www.93bg.com Folded Wings Ahman, Jr, S/Sgt Frank P., December 21, 1984 (email from his son, Tom Ahman, see Letters to the Editor for more info) S/Sgt Frank P. Ahman, Jr was the left waist gunner on the Gambling Lady, 329 Sq, 93rd BG. Allatt, Major Peter J.D., December 26, 2011 Major Allatt was born in England on June 30, 1924, the son of John Dobson and Ada Lawrence Allatt. Upon the death of his mother, he came to the United States with his father and grandmother when he was four years old. They lived in New York City and he attended New York City schools. Upon graduation from DeWitt Clinton High School, he enlisted in the United States Army where he completed pilot training and, as a member of the Army Air Corps, flew 17 missions over Germany with the 93rd Bomb Group. April 5, 1945 - The Finale* Lieutenant John H. Van Zandt, in a nearby ship, made the following report upon reaching Base. I was flying as F/O Allatt's co-pilot in ship 157-L. We had broken formation under adverse weather conditions and at altitude of 900 feet and were flying home alone. As we crossed the coast line, I remarked about the anti-invasion defenses along the beaches. At that moment, we felt the ship jumping around and wondered what it could be. I looked out the window to my right and saw tracers coming over our tail from the left. I noticed a 93rd aircraft below us. He was being boxed in by anti-aircraft fire, probably .20- and .40-mm stuff. The aircraft (Sample) started a steep bank to the left as though he were trying to evade the flak. I followed the ship out of my vision. Our engineer, Sergeant Ernest E. Fleming, reported the plane (Sampler) completed a 180-degree turn. At the end, he was flying on his back. (pages 474-475) After the war, he attended Harvard College, Class of 1951, and graduated with a degree in history. He then spent many years in the reinsurance business. He also continued in the United States Air Force Reserve, both active and inactive, until he retired in 1984. In 1968, he was recalled to active duty as a result of the Pueblo Affair in Vietnam. He served for 18 months. In addition to his wife, Elizabeth, Allatt is survived by one son, two daughters, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. A private graveside service was held at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C Brandenburg, Glen, January 19, 2012 Glen Brandenburg (lower right) volunteered in the US Army Air Corps during WWII where he served as a bombardier/navigator in the 8th Air Force, surviving 35 missions over Europe. Comment: Glen Brandenburg of Eden Prairie MN went to join his crewmates. He was bombardier and navigator on the Leon Bernard crew. (Ma's Worry) Please see the article in the last BOF. I was privileged to have met with Glen in December for a meeting with another 93rd vet, Burt Karels (also Ma's Worry). God Bless Glen! Glen, we thank you for your service. Respectfully, Jim Guddal Keever, John L., February 26, 2011 (email from son, Tom Keever) John L. Keever was born March 17, 1924 and was a radio operator on a B-24 in the 8th Air Force based in England. He flew 30 combat missions as lead crew radio operator and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with Five Oak Leaf Clusters. He always enjoyed receiving your news letter and loved to recount his years of service to the US Air Force and his country.

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Page 12 www.93bg.com Neumann, Clarence William, January 20, 2012 All, This is a shot of Bill Neumann shaking hands with the King of England. One of my favorite Neumann photos. Talk about a piece of history! You have from left to right: Maj. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle, King of England, George VI, Col. Howard Moore, (Ranking Officer for the 482nd ,Pathfinders Unit) (Pilot) Capt. Howard Hinchman, Lt. Bill Neumann (navigator) and Lt. Donald Dahl, (Co-pilot). Photo was taken in 1944. I've been told by reliable sources that Bill didn't wash his hand for several months, HAHAHA! Thought it would be fun to share this one with you all, Joe and Phyllis (Originally published in BOFQE Spring 2011) Bill Neumann, 91, of DeBary, FL passed away after a short illness on January 20, 2012 at the Central Florida Regional Hospital. Born November 7, 1920 in Detroit, MI, he was the youngest son of Harry and Minnie Dreyer Neumann. Bill enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1942, served in Africa and England with the 93rd BG of the 8th AF, and flew 25 combat missions over Europe as a B-24 navigator. Following the war, he was trained as a meteorologist by the Air Force and flew 50 B-26 missions over Korea as a weather observer. He retired from the USAF as a Lt. Col. In 1964, having served as a weather forecaster on assignments in Japan, France, Germany, and 5 stations in the US. Bill then served an additional 22 years as a forecaster for the DOD at Pease AFB in Portsmouth, NH. He retired from civil service in 1986 and lived in NH until moving to Debary in 1999 following the death of his first wife Dolores. Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Swanson-Neumann of DeBary, his only son Jeffrey R. (Patricia) Neumann of Edisto Island, SC, and his brother Edward Neumann of Taylor, MI. Interment was at Arlington National Cemetery. Comments from 93rd group: The 93rd has given up a very loyal and supportive member and a very good friend. God Bless you Bill! We thank you for your service. Respectfully, Jim Guddal Dear Corinne, Jim, and 93rd, My family and I are extremely saddened by Bill's passing. I last saw him and Mary Ann in Savannah. He was so full of life. I was always amazed at how youthful a 90 yr old he was. What a wonderful guy!!! I will cherish my memories of him. May God Bless his soul and be kind to Mary Ann. Paul Levine & Family Thanks Jim for letting me know about Bill's passing. I just talked to my grandparents and let them know. Bill will be missed very much. Michael Sellers Jim (Guddal), Thanks for the notice. Very sad - Bill was the best and will be missed. Here is one of my last pics with them, before leaving Tucson. Jim Root *Teds Travelling Circus by Carroll Stewart

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Page 14 www.93bg.com RAYMOND ECK (Continued) More pictures in England, May 2011 Ray and June Eck Topcroft Church Vernon Swaim & Ray Eck (Hardwick Airfield) was m 10 ill1amsport in 1 23 and graduatoo from Williamsport High School in June 1941. He attended drafting classef! at Williamsport Technical In t.it.ute for sev-eral months, !hen, on Dec. J, 1941, he went to work for Gener!ll ,t;:lect.ric i.n Philadelphia. Eck wanted to fly and, w • in Philadelphia, tried to coli as a Navy flier but failed his phyiticnl du to allt•r gies. He was draftod int.o tho Ann}' in Spring 1943 and was s nl to ·c train-ing in Clearwater, Fla H w sent to radio operator school et ' Arr Force Base, Ill, and gunnery ·hool m Yuma, Ariz. While shooting skeet with a shotgun on tho gunnery range, Eak was tiood by au officer who saw Eck shoo both right,. and left.handed. 'Ille offioer asked Eck, who is right. handed, why he chose to Hhoot, ith Iha othe.rhancl ~1 told him I wanted to m a kill," Eck said. The officer, ~Icing to make an exam-ple of him, closed down the to veryone bul Eck, who alternating between shooting right- and leflr handed, hit 49 of 50 targets. "lie told me, 'Shoot any damn way you want; • Eck !:\!lid. Aft.er gunnery school, Eck w sent to C119per, Wyo., where be m and ITT\ined with his bomber crew. "I was just going along with the eyatem," he said. "In the servi . you do as you're told." After flight training, Eck. and his crew were sent to Fort Dix, N.J., then shipped out from New York in a convoy that t.ook 13 days to s the Atlantic Ocean to England. Eck was sent to Ireland for combat training, then rejoined his crew, which WBB Bllaigned to the 93rd Bomb Group of the 8th Arr Force et Hardwick Air Force Base, England. F.ck &I.id ~•o WU • ts -were 1giiiil t.o th 6omb group. MO!il of lhti bomll(' in the group hnd piclW't!H typically, ,pin-up style - pnintorl on their ·noses, but not Eck's. "They liked to paint pretty girls QJl thPm," Eck said. 'The ma in cbargo of our piano wouldn't let ua p int nn bing on it. hccouso t•ry ont• pnintro oofo WBH l01t in conilNlt .. ' Jo~ck snicl his first mi ion was on pt 29, 1944; hi WIit, on April 15, 194.'>. ~ mil!llions, Eck wBl! situ-ated behind the co-pilot of the air-plane. During the flight to the tar• get, Eck said he did "pretty mw:h thing• no . "We maintained radio silonoe during the mwion end following the bomb drop, the radio operator in the lead plane sent a strike • messnga to the 8th Air Forro : headquarters that we dropped ow· bombs," he said. Eck's crew became the lead crow after only five i.nissions, he of 10. The type ofbombllthe airplant' CI\T· ried de()('nded on th t l')«)l, he ~aid. ~•- of the tall,>et, mu,-sions were dangerous alfeirs in which planes could moot a fiery dt'm. 8J! R rt"RUlt, or anti-eircrnft; rm c)r lltl ckJ4 by fighter plane&, Erk Hllld. "W had no protoction.~ he said. "'l'hc B-24 wu known as the 'fly-ing coffin.' • On ooo occasion, a fighter plane attempting to ram F.cl{s airplane i1 w so close to it that Eck could sc,c ~c whites of{the pilot's) yes." AB the war dragged in, Eck noticed the frequency of fighter attacks increasod, while tho dura-tion of the attacks decrensed. Earlier in the war, fighters already were airborne end wait-ing for !he bombers, he said. They came toward the bombers from out of the sun so it would be hard to aee them. As the war p.l'Ogl'e68ed and fuel became t1Carce for the Germans, their lighters relll8.ined on the ground until a bomber attack occurred. "They'd have enough fuel to go up, make one pass at you and then they had to land." Eck said. The war in Flurope ended at about the time F,ck fl his 27th mission, "'We w aobeduled to go to the ~ Pacific because w<! were still at war with Jn.J>ll:Il," Eck aid, "Then they dropped the a tom bomb. Atte charg in 194 daugh the war, Eck Wall dlH-He mamed Juno Bloom The couple had four Eck t t.o Parks Arr College of St. Louis University on the G.I. Bill graduating in 1960, Eck w commissioned a 2nd lieu-tenant the Air Force. He rtmed in 1972 as a lieu-tenant eolonel after 27 years in these . "I c d up as a commander of a Minutemen II mis;ilc squadron in Grc Falls, Mont.,» Eck said. After Jetiring, Eck went back to school get a masror's ~-He tau t at South Hills 8wuness School State College for two years, then I.aught a year at the Misso Military Academy before taking job 9J) 8S!Wltant superin-tenden at Castle Heights Mill Academy in Lebanon, Tenn. Eck ietumed to Williamsport. in 1987. "It's qiy roots (and) my mother was still alive," he said. Eck • d. his wife died in 2006. Hem • June Evans ahem 3 years PHOTOS PIIOIIIOED WIiiiamsport resident Ray Eck, above left, served ea a radio operator on 8-24 bomber In Europe ,during World War II. Also shown, clockwise from upper left, an Inside v of a B-24, a document certifying the 27 missions Eck flew during the war, Eck'a plane prior to a b drop near the Swiss Alps, Eck'• bomber crew (ti!! Is In the beck row, far left), alnnen In Engi. on cleaning day, and Eck, right, with a comrade In Ireland. In the bottom photograph, Eck la et right feeding pigeons In, Trafalgar Square, England.

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Page 15 www.93bg.com BEN KUROKI INDUCTED INTO NEBRASKA AVIATION HALL OF FAME Ben Kuroki, a Japanese American, was born in the Gothenburg/Cozad area in 1917 but was raised near Hershey. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Ben volunteered to join the American Army but was turned down because of his heritage. He was later allowed to join the newly formed Army Air Corps, which thrilled Kuroki because he had been taking flying lessons before the war. He wanted to fly aerial warfare against Japan but knew he would never be the pilot, but hoped to be a gunner. Kuroki found his biggest enemy was racial prejudice. The military could not see beyond his Japanese heritage, but fortunately his crew members did. They even named two of their planes for him and walked en masse with him so that someone would not mistake him for the enemy. Kuroki was fighting two battles, one against Americas enemies and the other against racial bigotry. During World War II, he flew as a top gunner on B-24's in Europe and North Africa. Twenty-five missions meant a ticket home but Kuroki signed up for an additional five missions. He took part in one of the deadliest single air combat missions in the war, the low-level raid on the Ploesti oil refineries in Romania. After his thirty missions, he was sent back to the States to recruit Nisei men from the Japanese internment camps to join the 442nd Regiment, which became the most decorated American Army unit during the war. After that brief assignment, Kuroki requested and was granted the assignment he always wanted. He was cleared by Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, to fly as an aerial gunner in B-29's over Japan. He became the only Japanese-American aviator to fly missions directly against Japan and the first Japanese-American war hero. By the end of the war, Kuroki had completed twenty-eight air missions in the Pacific theater of war. With a total of 58 missions, he greatly surpassed the average air crew members, which was only ten to twenty-five. But Kurokis war was not over. He decided his 59th mission was to eliminate racial bigotry and to promote American patriotism. Almost all of his numerous speeches over the years have begun or ended with "I am the luckiest dude on this planet, because I was born in America and Nebraska." Kuroki served as an aviator in three theaters of war and four American Air Forces. During this time, he received three Distinguished Flying Crosses, an Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the Distinguished Service Medal. He has been invited to the White House on four occasions between 2006-2008. At one of these visits he received a Presidential Citation. Cal Stewart(now deceased), a former crew member and his son, Scott, wrote and published a small booklet entitled The Most Honorable Son, Ben Kuroki, WWII Gunner - 4 Air Forces: 8th, 12th, 9th, 20th to tell Kurokis story. Ben has been honored several times by the Nebraska State Historical Society and Nebraskas Governors. He was also the subject of a PBS documentary called Most Honorable Son. In November of 2010, Kuroki was invited back to Washington D.C. for the 13th annual American Veterans Center Conference where he received the Audie Murphy Award. Now at the age of 94, Ben Kuroki has been inducted into the Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame. http://www.aero.state.ne.us/bkuroki.htm "Noe & Qoe Vets, please send any anecdotes about your service time that others might enjoy hearing about. And veterans wives or girl friends left at home or in service at that time, wed like to hear from you as well. Submitted by Jim Guddal ( jguddal@yahoo.com) No matter how old some people get, they never seem to lose their attractiveness. They merely move it from their faces to their hearts. Author unknown The young and the old have all the answers. Those in between are stuck with the questions. Author unknown For all of us who will fail at one thing or another, take heart in one fact. In baseball, you can fail two out of three times at the plate and still make a few million dollars a year. Author unknown Military The late General Emmet Rosey ODonnell used to tell this story about an incident early in his career. He was a lieutenant at a U S Air Force base near Denver, Colorado, when the commanding general of the base ordered ODonnell to do something. Lt. ODonnell, with what could be called foolish courage, suggested a better way. ODonnell, said the commanding officer, are you proposing to countermand an order? General, sir, replied ODonnel, Im sure you didnt reach your present rank by being a yes man. No, said the general, but thats how I made colonel. From Bits & Pieces®

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Page 16 www.93bg.com The Barksdale Warrior Submitted by James Adams James Adams crew (arrow is pointing to Jim) James Adams, John Marx, and George McLean Friday October 21 201 Ploesti Raiders to commemorate actions on BAFB By Airman 1st Class Samuel O'Brien 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs Team Barksdale will ho ta heroic group of World War II heroes here eginning today. In 1943 the Ploesti Raiders et out to destroy oil refin~ries around Ploesti, Romania in hope of cutting fuel supplies to the Axis power during the war. Today their live are a little less dangerous. "It's a lot of guys sitting around telling each oth-er war stories," said retired Col. Bill Seals, 98th Bomb Group/Wing Veterans As ociation president. "We'll take a tour and spend a day n the ba e. We also have a whole day devoted to talking about the Ploesti Raiders, so all the guys will have a chance to tell us their story." The visit will off er a chance for Barksdale mem-bers to ask questions and chat with the raiders. Today, the Raiders will attend a banquet in their honor, with special guests including Lt. Gen. James Kowal-ski, Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, a well as man}' other active and retired enior officers. The reunion marks a chance for the WWII heroes to remini ce about the mi ions and hare ··es with tho e who might be u -f • • • r with the • "ds. It'~ also a chance for the Raider to se some friends they may not have een in a while. "They're World War II veteran , '' aid Dennis Posey, 98th Bomb Group/ • Veterans As-'We'll take a tour and spend a day on the base. Wealsoltave a whole day de oted to talking about 0 ti aid.e1~-....C1L.1-K~"~ the guys will have a c iance to tell u their story." RETIRED COL. BlLL SEALS 98th Bomb Group/Wing Veter-ans Association presiden soc1a on reumon coo dinato •. "It' important for them to et together while they still can. What if tomorrow never comes?" While the event marks a chance for many to re-connect with former squadron mates, it's also an opportunity for some to see friends made during previous reunions. Retired Tech. gt. Bob Rans is the la t member of the group that made the fir ·t Ploesti run a low-altitude attack that resulted in the capture of Rans and 209 other Raiders. "I can expect to see friends I've made at an the reunions, but I'm the last of my crew," Ran aid. "I won't see anyone I served with." Rans spent four months in a Romanian hospital before he was a moved to a prison camp. He was under enemy control for 15 months. During that time, several more raids were carried out a part of a Ploesti opera ·on that included over 30 mis-sion . The P es i Raiders earned the most decoration • in an" m0 e artime assault. E, eryone ho flew rece • e D" "ngui hed Sen ice Cro and fiye Me o • Ho . er a. arded. a record for anv sin lt' a • au~ . • It doe~ at er hich mis i n ·ou f e . 'Rans aid. chan ed all of together. e a it a ge the e thing . That s union."

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Page 17 www.93bg.com Letters to the Editor To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Thank you From: thorbyn@aol.com Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2012 02:02:05 -0500 Joanne, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was a great Christmas this year for my family and you and the 93rd BG were a big part of it. I have been sharing my research on my grandfathers service with my family as it has been progressing. Getting my first copy of the 93rd news letter was great. Seeing Joseph Kingston come back to life in print was wonderful. Even better was to find he had been listed as the featured veteran on the site's home page. I found that on New Years Eve. I showed my father that night, as I was visiting him at his home. The next morning, I rushed off to see my Grandmother. After fixing her computer so it would connect to the internet again (she had kicked the cable out of the back of the computer), I was able to show her. Last but not least, I was able to show my Aunt who was up later for a family gathering. The smiles from all were well worth all of our efforts. Thank you so much. BTW, do you have any idea how long Rolly will be listed as the featured vet, or how to find the write up after he is taken down as I would like to be able to share the links with family who live further away when the time is right. Thank you and the 93 BG for everything you do. You have helped make this project possible. Joseph R. Kingston Jr. From: TAHMAN@WOH.RR.COM Subject: Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2012 22:16:46 -0500 To: joyridecp@msn.com Hello Joanne, I recently discovered your website and really enjoyed sharing it with my mother. My father, S/Sgt Frank P. Ahman, Jr, died on December 21, 1984. He was left waist gunner on the Gambling Lady, 329 Sq, 93rd BG. I have a number of photos of the crew and can identify all of the members of the crew on the photos. I do not have a good photo of the nose art, but I do have a couple of photos of his plane. I also have a poem, penned on Randolph Field stationery, titled, "The Gunner". Do have a copy of this, or do know anything about it? Thanks, Tom Ahman From: joyridecp@msn.com To: tahman@woh.rr.com; don.morrison@beis.com; mtsellers@mac.com Subject: RE: S/Sgt Frank P. Ahman, Jr Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2012 09:26:37 -0700 Hello Tom, Thank you for telling me about your father, S/Sgt Frank P. Ahman, Jr. I am directing your question to our Historian, Don Morrison. Our website was created and is maintained by our talented webmaster, Michael Sellers. He will add your father's name to the Folded Wings section on the website. As Editor I would like to include your father in the Folded Wings section of our next newsletter. If you have more information about his service I would be happy to include it as well. How fortunate for you and your mother to have the crew picture and to be able to identify all the crew members. Would you mind sending me the picture along with the names of the members? The picture will be part of your father's article. If you decide to have your father's information and picture included the next newsletter, please send it to me by Wednesday, March 21st. I will send you a complimentary copy when it is published. On another note, I encourage you to join our group. We are planning our next annual reunion in Seattle in October and we would enjoy meeting you and your mother. Other members of your family are welcome as well. I have attached our last newsletter that highlights our reunion in Tucson. The newsletter is in PDF format. If you are unable to open/read it I can send you the other version in Microsoft Word. I appreciate your father's service and sacrifices he made as part of the Greatest Generation. Take care, JoAnne Sargent ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Steve Zimmerly <zimms49@yahoo.com> To: "jguddal@yahoo.com" <jguddal@yahoo.com> Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2012 4:06 PM Subject: Submitting A Photo Jim Hello. My name is Stephen Zimmerly and I had sent an email to the webmaster of the 93rd Bomb Group website in November 1////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

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Page 18 www.93bg.com of 2011. As of today I have received no response from the webmaster. Below is a copy of the email sent to the webmaster. I am submitting this email on behalf of Richard R. Trousdale who was with the 93rd Bomb Group 328th Squadron. Richard (Dick) has asked me to contact you and find out what the procedure is for submitting an old photo of the John Kerler Crew. Dick was the Top Turret Gunner/Radio Operator on a B-24 Liberator on 35 missions over Germany. This photo once submitted can be posted on your website under Crew Photos. Please reply to this email with the proper procedure for submitting a photo of the John Kerler crew. Thank you. Stephen Zimmerly zimms49@yahoo.com From: John Thornbrugh [mailto:notification+zrdoocpcczl1@facebookmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 11:08 PM To: 93rd Bombardment Group Subject: [93rd Bombardment Group] Willard R. Thornbrugh ( top right) -Pilot of the... John Thornbrugh posted in 93rd Bombardment Group. John Thornbrugh 3:02pm Mar 13 Willard R. Thornbrugh ( top right) - Pilot of the Maulin' Mallard. From: libpilot@hawaii.rr.com To: g+40fzttc000zg3kp1xjp02ryd65nma4l00004avl7jxg20n46@groups.facebook.com CC: dogpatchraider@msn.com; joyridecp@msn.com Subject: RE: [93rd Bombardment Group] Willard R. Thornbrugh ( top right) - Pilot of the... Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:56:24 -1000 Hello John, I flew my 11th 22nd and 24th missions in Maulin Mallard. The 11th was to Hannover which had 120 o4 150 mm flak, grey smoke rather than black, the second the eye could detect it the smoke cloud was bigger than the airplane. 88 mm was about 10 feet in the comparison. Bursts broke up our formation. Nov. 5 44. No. 22, Jan 28 1944, was a Coke plant in Dortmund. I never made the target, Hit crossing the coast and barely made it to an English shoreline landing strip. No 24,Feb 24, was a fouled up mission to a rail line near Leipzig. Maulin Mallard was old and tired by then. After we climbed from 6000 to 24000 in central Germany to attack the secondary, my engineer said We are critically low on fuel. We dropped out, lined up on a target of opportunity and headed down hill. We barely made B53 in Belgium, the nearest, strip where we spent the night. Three exciting missions but she brought us back Walter Hughes Pilot 93rd From: libpilot@hawaii.rr.com To: joyridecp@msn.com CC: hamsterbear@comcast.net Subject: Maullin Mallard Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:33:28 -1000 Joanne, Please forward this to John Thornbrug, it is a continuation of a note sent via facebook in reply to his facebook note. Mission 22, Jan 28 45, was to a coke plant in Dortmund. We never made it to the target. Hit by costal batteries on the way in and barely made it to a British strip near Great Yarmouth. Mission 24. Feb 23 1945, was a fouled up mission to a rail line near Leipzig, 22000 in, drop down and bomb at 6000 feet visual target was covered. Secondary bomb from 20000. Maulin Mallard was old and tired. When we got to 20 000 Engineer said we were critically short on fuel. We dropped out, dropped on a target of opportunity and headed down hill. Barely made it to B53, a Manson mat runway just over the lines. Stayed overnight/ They gave us 400 Gal, just enough to get home. Walter Hughes Pilot 93rd 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////1/. 11///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////,

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Page 19 www.93bg.com From: Beer van Vermeer <beervanvermeer@kpnmail.nl> To: 'jim guddal' <jguddal@yahoo.com> Sent: Sunday, February 5, 2012 2:37 PM Subject: RE: 93rd BG Membership Hi Jim, I am Jaap Vermeer an Airwar researcher from Holland. My connection with the 93rd is The B-24J, 42-73507  SUNDAY GIRL the Killian crew. Tailgunner S/Sgt.Duthiel Dutch Borcherding visit us twice with his wife Delores. The Sunday Girl crashed 30th January 1944, 6 miles from my house, all crew safe 6 evd, 4 POW included Dutch. In 2010 I wrote my book with the title From Dutch to Dutch. 16 aircraft crashes in my vicinity. I am a member of the 93rd on Facebook and made new friends. Even my Willy's Jeep of 1942 has the marks of the 328th BS / 93rd BG. This year there will be flowers on the Wall of Missing for the 93rd members who are still MIA. The 2nd May I will visit Margraten US Cemetery with my American guest and take the flowers with us. I hope that I can help Americans who need information about their love ones. That we remember and commemorate those who fought far from home and family for what we may call FREEDOM. Kind regards, Jaap Vermeer ( Member of the Dutch Empire  MDE ) Karel Doormanstraat 3 3861 GA, Nijkerk The Netherlands beervanvermeer@kpnmail.nl http://www.groenegroep.nl Dhiel Dch Borcherding (on left) From: glenn_strong@hsb.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:17:15 -0500 Subject: B-24D Pudgy/ 93rd BG Jeffery Bassett, the son of Wilmer Bassett provided me with this photo of AC PUDGY # 42-40613 . A few years ago, 2004, a fellow from Roumania was trying to obtain a photo. He had posted on the AAF ArmyAirForces.com and mentioned he had been in touch with Calvin Davidson the Newsletter editor. Is Calvin reachable?? If so does he know how to contact he g in Romania?? I don kno hi name. The fellow lives in Bucharest and not far from Ogrezeni where the plane went down and wanted the photo and apparently had some pieces of the AC too. Please let me know if Calvin can help with this. Regards, Glenn M. Strong / Associate Historian 459th Bomb Group From: glenn_strong@hsb.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:06:49 -0500 Subject: RE: B-24D Pudgy/ 93rd BG Thanks, I can forward the photo if you like. My dad was a pilot in the 459th BG and a POW at SL III and I have been the Associate historian for them. Glenn M Strong 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////4

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Page 20 www.93bg.com From: JOANNE and WILLIAM SARGENT [mailto:joyridecp@msn.com] Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 2:10 PM To: glenn_strong@hsb.com; Morrison, Don Subject: RE: B-24D Pudgy/ 93rd BG Glenn, Thank you for telling me about your father. Perhaps, our Historian, Don Morrison would be interested in seeing your photo, too. I have included him in this email. Also, Don has more personal contact with Cal Davidson, in case he does not reply soon. I am not sure how often Cal checks his emails. JoAnne Sargent From: Morrison, Don [mailto:don.morrison@beis.com] Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 2:17 PM To: Strong Glenn Cc: JOANNE and WILLIAM SARGENT; Morrison, Don Subject: RE: B-24D Pudgy/ 93rd BG Hi Glenn, I will get a hold of Cal. I am not sure how he is doing now. I will see if I have any correspondences from Romania. Can you send me a high resolution scan of the photo or put me in touch with Mr. Bassett? Thanks, Don M From: K8QGC@aol.com Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 09:13:35 -0500 Subject: Re: B-24D Pudgy/ 93rd BG To: joyridecp@msn.com Hi Joanne, Sorry but I have nothing that I can remember to help Glenn. Cal From: SaltonWestCoast@aol.com Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 19:48:09 -0500 Subject: Roy C. Harms Crew To: dogpatchraider@gmail.com; wingedprop@windstream.net; vmwalzel@att.net; joyridecp@msn.com Dear Joe: I noticed the e-mail about Alfred M. Holen in the latest 93rd newsletter. He's listed as "Arnold M. Holden" in the Crew Index of Dugan + Stewart's "Ploesti." I see him listed as "Arnold Holen" in Chris Gregg's Ploesti Crew Spreadsheet, usually the most accurate reference. I don't know which of these names/spellings is correct. Chris's list shows that Albert Stahl, Jack J. Reed, and Ralph E. Richardson all survived to become Romania POWs. However, the brief newspaper article, below, claims that all 10 crewmembers perished. Roger Freeman, in his book "Ploesti Through the Lens," wrote that engineer Jack Reed bailed out successfully, but the rest of the crew was killed. Dugan + Stewart also list Reed as surviving, but list Stahl and Richardson as KIA. Your guess is as good as mine as to the truth, here, but I would assume that Jack Reed lived and became a POW. I'm not sure about the rest. Jimmy Siladie, the Romanian-American who worked for U.S. Graves Registration in Romania after the war, may have documented the disposition of the bodies of the Harms crew and the crash location. Siladie had notebooks with extensive details, but sadly, in the years before the internet, he had difficulty tracking down the relatives of men who died in the Ploesti campaign, and the relatives had difficulty finding him (or had no idea he existed), so much of his information was never passed along. You may recall the video interview that Pete Frizzell did with Siladie, and showed at the 2003 Ploesti Reunion. Siladie passed away a number of years ago, and I don't know where his files and notebooks ended up. No doubt Pete knows, if he doesn't have them, himself. There was some discussion several years ago that Harms probably crashed in the fields -- a vineyard, to be specific -- near the Chitorani school, not far from the refineries of White I (Romana Americana, the 376th target). Pat Schenk felt that the Ray Wier photo of a smoking B-24 crash site (see p. 75 of "Ploesti Through the Lens") was most likely Harms's ship, and I agree with his assessment, considering that Harms was flying in Potts's element. A crash photo from the Romanians, on the bottom right of page 126 of Freeman's book, shows a wreck that Pat deemed to be Harms's B-24, and again I agree, judging from the surroundings. I'm attaching a 2004 article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, about Roy C. Harms and his childhood friend, LeRoy Paulin. It may be of interest. The Romanian immigrant and resident of Ohio, mentioned in the article, was almost certainly Siladie. If Siladie found a set of badly burned dogtags marked Roy Coulson Harms, then Siladie would definitely have recorded the location of the crash site. Whether Paulin discussed the location with Siladie, and made note of it, I wouldn't venture to guess. I don't know whether Paulin is still alive, or not, but if so, he'd be about 88 or 89. He might be worth looking up, as he obviously devoted a lot of time to tracking down information about the fate of Harms and his crew. 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////h'.

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Page 21 www.93bg.com Best regards, Al S. Paper: The Buffalo News Title: REPORTERS NOTEBOOK Date: November 2, 1989 Section: Local Page: C-4 SEARCH FOR A FAMILY -- Does anyone know about the family of Lt. Albert W. Stahl, shot down in a B-24 raid over Ploesti, Romania, in 1943? LeRoy Paulin, 565 Washington St., Grafton, Wisconsin, 53024 writes to say that a friend of his was pilot on that mission when all 10 crew members were lost and their bodies were never found. "I have some information about the fate of this crew, and am trying to reach Lt. Stahl's relatives," Paulin writes. "His mother was Margaret Stahl, last address at 44 Eckert St., Buffalo." From: wingedprop@windstream.net To: SaltonWestCoast@aol.com; dogpatchraider@gmail.com; vmwalzel@att.net; joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Re: Roy C. Harms Crew Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2012 19:05:40 -0600 Al and all, "Arnold" Holen is KIA and is buried in the Nat'l Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. Interestingly, he is one of eight TW men that have cemetery locations yet are listed as MIA by the AMBC. I have emailed this info over the years with no response. I have Stahl and Richardson both listed as MIA (with no cemetery). Pat From: dhk@asphaleiabizsystems.com Subject: 93rd Bomb Group Aircraft & Crews At Ploesti Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:15:56 -0500 To: doniac1967@sbcglobal.com; webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com; joyridecp@msn.com Hi Got your email from the 93rdbombardmentgroup.com website. My name is Dave Klaus and I'm a retired Air Force officer in the final stages of producing a multiple-DVD film history of the 1 Aug 43 mission to Ploesti, Romania, using original and historically accurate (no "generic" B-24 shots!) from several film archives. I've accumulated many thousands of feet of original footage--although the 93rd is seriously underrepresented in the available official film! I hope you can help me by answering a few questions about the specific aircraft and crews who flew the mission. I've already done pretty massive research in the US National Archives and Air Force History, and have accumulated about five shelf feet of paper records in addition to the thousands of feet of original film copied in high definition video. Among the records I have all the mission Sortie Reports (intelligence reports filled out immediately after the crews returned from the mission); Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs); and 93 BG, 201st Combat Wing, and 8th Air Force letter orders and message traffic covering the aircraft and crews that were dispatched to North Africa for the mission. In general the 93rd records are fairly complete and I believe I have good data. However, as you can see from the attached spreadsheet, there are a number of unconfirmed pieces of data that I hope you can help unequivocally nail down. As a historian unwilling to propagate incorrect information, I have pretty specific standards for including "confirmed" information. Very early in my research I quickly learned, as undoubtedly you have as well, that too many people are too loose with historical data and often merely repeat what they've heard or read elsewhere. Unfortunately this repetition, usually from the same unverified source, tends to gain wide acceptance as "truth." For the verified list included in my film history, data must come from multiple official documents that agree in every respect, or in the case of aircraft serial numbers and nicknames, from photographs that clearly show the entire serial number and the nickname in the same frame. I also consider the information to be verified if it comes from a contemporary diary which includes both the full serial number and aircraft nickname. I understand some data may remain unverified--but not for lack of trying! The attached Microsoft Excel spreadsheet has data cells are colored to denote the verification status of the data. GREEN - Verified and believed completely reliable YELLOW - Reported but not confirmed (or contradictory reports) WHITE - Irrelevant to this question BOLD RED PRINT - Important information that needs confirmation

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Page 22 www.93bg.com Specifically, I request your help in positively verifying the following information (in addition to any other comments you may have): - Correct spelling of Avendo/Avendane (I believe your own website states "Avendano") - Correct aircraft letter for Stamopolis ("N" or "N Bar," both of which appear in official documents - Many of the aircraft nicknames--all listed in YELLOW cells Although less important, if you can help with any of the five mission turnbacks, I'll include that data as well. Thanks very much in advance. Please let me know if you have questions or any of my data is not clear to you. Sincerely Dave DAVID H. KLAUS President Asphaleia Business Systems Ltd 703-220-7681 "Choose happiness" From: dogpatchraider@gmail.com To: dhk@asphaleiabizsystems.com CC: qajk38@bendbroadband.com; jguddal@yahoo.com; joyridecp@msn.com; don.morrison@beis.com Subject: Capt. Joe Avendano Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:54:55 -0800 Dave, My name is also Joe and Joe Avendano was my uncle. He was one of the original men from the 93rd Bomb Group who took the B-24's into the European Theater in Sept. 1942. Ploesti was his 29th mission. As the skipper of the Dogpatchraiders crew. This photo I'm sending is of his crew, there were a couple of last minute changes before the mission. I have posted all the changes on the Best B-24 Web Site. You may want to take a look at it and compare it with what you have. On another note he would land Dogpatchraiders in Sicily on the returned leg of the mission with his wounded. If I can be of anymore help please drop me a line. Best regards, Joe Avendano Duran nephew of Capt Joe Avendano original 93rd BG Pilot 328th 329th sq 1942-1944 Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:00:09 -0600 From: geomcl@cox.net To: joyridecp@msn.com; dogpatchraider@gmail.com; 109clearview@verizon.net Subject: Fwd: Topcroft parish church and remnants of Hardwick base In doing my granular research on the 93rd BG and the layout of the base at Hardwick, I put in the coordinates of St. Margaret, the parish church of Topcroft, and here is a screen image that came forth: The red pin labeled, "A" in the top right-hand corner of the sat photo is the location of the church, and you can clearly see the remnants of 3 intersecting runways and part of the perimeter road in the lower left. The church is one of the distinctive round-tower churches of Norfolk, just as depicted in the print/reproduction that is hanging in your office. I believe it's actually a bit farther away than the artist has rendered it in your print, about 1.3 mi (as the B24flies) using the scale in the above plot. Here is a recent photo of St. Margaret: a rather distinctive landmark for pilotage, given the right weather conditions and time of day.... Walter ps: what squadron were you in when you were part of the 491st, the or 855th? I have conflicting info in my notes. (Note: Walter is George McLean's nephew, a retired physician, who has read all George's books and collectibles. His dad was a navy MD assigned to the Marines and made island invasions with them. Unfortunately, we know little about his experiences.)

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Page 23 www.93bg.com WORLD WAR II AIRCRAFT FACTS Below is a summary of the effort required in WWII. It focuses on the American side of things, but the British, Germans and Japanese expended comparable energy and experienced similar costs. Just one example for the Luftwaffe; about 1/3 of the Bf109s built were lost in non-combat crashes. After Midway, the Japanese experience level declined markedly, with the loss of so many higher-time naval pilots. This piece is worth saving in hard copy. Most Americans who were not adults during WWII have no understanding of the magnitude of it. This listing of some of the aircraft facts gives a bit of insight to it. 276,000 aircraft manufactured in the US .. 43,000 planes lost overseas, including 23,000 in combat. 14,000 lost in the continental U.S. The US civilian population maintained a dedicated effort for four years, many working long hours seven days per week and often also volunteering for other work. WWII was the largest human effort in history. Statistics from Flight Journal magazine. THE PRICE OF VICTORY (cost of an aircraft in WWII dollars) B-17 $204,370. P-40 $44,892. B-24 $215,516. P-47 $85,578. B-25 $142,194. P-51 $51,572. B-26 $192,426. C-47 $88,574. B-29 $605,360. PT-17 $15,052. P-38 $97,147. AT-6 $22,952. PLANES A DAY WORLDWIDE From Germany's invasion of Poland Sept. 1, 1939 and ending with Japan 's surrender Sept. 2, 1945 --- 2,433 days From 1942 onward, America averaged 170 planes lost a day. How many is a 1,000 planes? B-17 production (12,731) wingtip to wingtip would extend 250 miles. 1,000 B-17s carried 2.5 million gallons of high octane fuel and required 10,000 airmen to fly and fight them. THE NUMBERS GAME 9.7 billion gallons of gasoline consumed, 1942-1945. 107.8 million hours flown, 1943-1945. 459.7 billion rounds of aircraft ammo fired overseas, 1942-1945. 7.9 million bombs dropped overseas, 1943-1945. 2.3 million combat sorties, 1941-1945 (one sortie = one takeoff). 299,230 aircraft accepted, 1940-1945. 808,471 aircraft engines accepted, 1940-1945. 799,972 propellers accepted, 1940-1945. WWII MOST-PRODUCED COMBAT AIRCRAFT Ilyushin IL-2 Sturmovik 36,183 Yakolev Yak-1,-3,-7, -9 31,000+ Messerschmitt Bf-109 30,480 Focke-Wulf Fw-190 29,001 Supermarine Spitfire/Seafire 20,351 Convair B-24/PB4Y Liberator/Privateer 18,482 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt 15,686 North American P-51 Mustang 15,875 Junkers Ju-88 15,000 Hawker Hurricane 14,533 Curtiss P-40 Warhawk 13,738 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 12,731

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Page 24 www.93bg.com Vought F4U Corsair 12,571 Grumman F6F Hellcat 12,275 Petlyakov Pe-2 11,400 Lockheed P-38 Lightning 10,037 Mitsubishi A6M Zero 10,449 North American B-25 Mitchell 9,984 Lavochkin LaGG-5 9,920 Note: The LaGG-5 was produced with both water-cooled (top) and air-cooled (bottom) engines. Grumman TBM Avenger 9,837 Bell P-39 Airacobra 9,584 Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar 5,919 DeHavilland Mosquito 7,780 Avro Lancaster 7,377 Heinkel He-111 6,508 Handley-Page Halifax 6,176 Messerschmitt Bf-110 6,150 Lavochkin LaGG-7 5,753 Boeing B-29 Superfortress 3,970 Short Stirling 2,383 Sources: Rene Francillon, Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific war; Cajus Bekker, The Luftwaffe Diaries; Ray Wagner, American Combat Planes; Wikipedia. According to the AAF Statistical Digest, in less than four years (December 1941- August 1945), the US Army Air Forces lost 14,903 pilots, aircrew and assorted personnel plus 13,873 airplanes --- inside the continental United States. They were the result of 52,651 aircraft accidents (6,039 involving fatalities) in 45 months. Think about those numbers. They average 1,170 aircraft accidents per month---- nearly 40 a day. (Less than one accident in four resulted in totaled aircraft, however.) It gets worse..... Almost 1,000 Army planes disappeared en route from the US to foreign climes. But an eye-watering 43,581 aircraft were lost overseas including 22,948 on combat missions (18,418 against the Western Axis) and 20,633 attributed to non-combat causes overseas. In a single 376 plane raid in August 1943, 60 B-17s were shot down. That was a 16 percent loss rate and meant 600 empty bunks in England . In 1942-43 it was statistically impossible for bomber crews to complete a 25-mission tour in Europe . Pacific theatre losses were far less (4,530 in combat) owing to smaller forces committed. The worst B-29 mission, against Tokyo on May 25, 1945, cost 26 Superfortresses, 5.6 percent of the 464 dispatched from the Marianas . On average, 6,600 American servicemen died per month during WWII, about 220 a day. By the end of the war, over 40,000 airmen were killed in combat theatres and another 18,000 wounded. Some 12,000 missing men were declared dead, including a number "liberated" by the Soviets but never returned. More than 41,000 were captured, half of the 5,400 held by the Japanese died in captivity, compared with one-tenth in German hands. Total combat casualties were pegged at 121,867. US manpower made up the deficit. The AAF's peak strength was reached in 1944 with 2,372,000 personnel, nearly twice the previous year's figure. The losses were huge---but so were production totals. From 1941 through 1945, American industry delivered more than 276,000 military aircraft. That number was enough not only for US Army, Navy and Marine Corps, but for allies as diverse as Britain , Australia , China and Russia . In fact, from 1943 onward, America produced more planes than Britain and Russia combined. And more than Germany and Japan together 1941-45. However, our enemies took massive losses. Through much of 1944, the Luftwaffe sustained uncontrolled hemorrhaging, reaching 25 percent of aircrews and 40 planes a month. And in late 1944 into 1945, nearly half the pilots in Japanese squadrons had flown fewer than 200 hours. The disparity of two years before had been completely reversed. Experience Level: Uncle Sam sent many of his sons to war with absolute minimums of training. Some fighter pilots entered combat in 1942 with less than one hour in their assigned aircraft. The 357th Fighter Group (often known as The Yoxford Boys) went to England in late 1943 having trained on P-39s. The group never saw a Mustang until shortly before its first combat mission. A high-time P-51 pilot had 30 hours in type. Many had fewer than five hours. Some had one hour. With arrival of new aircraft, many combat units transitioned in combat. The attitude was, "They all have a stick and a throttle. Go fly `em." When the famed 4th Fighter Group converted from P-47s to P-51s in February 1944, there was no time to stand down for an orderly transition. The Group commander, Col. Donald Blakeslee, said, "You can learn to fly `51s on the way to the target. A future P-47 ace said, "I was sent to England to die." He was not alone. Some fighter pilots tucked their wheels in the well on their first combat mission with one previous flight in the aircraft. Meanwhile, many bomber crews were still learning their trade: of Jimmy Doolittle's 15 pilots on the April 1942 Tokyo raid, only five had won their wings before 1941. All but one of the 16 copilots were less than a year out of flight school. In WWII flying safety took a back seat to combat. The AAF's worst accident rate was recorded by the A-36 Invader version of the P-51: a staggering 274 accidents per 100,000 flying hours. Next worst were the P-39 at 245, the P-40 at 188, and the P-38 at 139. All were Allison powered. Bomber wrecks were fewer but more expensive. The B-

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Page 25 www.93bg.com 17 and B-24 averaged 30 and 35 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, respectively-- a horrific figure considering that from 1980 to 2000 the Air Force's major mishap rate was less than 2. The B-29 was even worse at 40; the world's most sophisticated, most capable and most expensive bomber was too urgently needed to stand down for mere safety reasons. The AAF set a reasonably high standard for B-29 pilots, but the desired figures were seldom attained. The original cadre of the 58th Bomb Wing was to have 400 hours of multi-engine time, but there were not enough experienced pilots to meet the criterion. Only ten percent had overseas experience. Conversely, when a $2.1 billion B-2 crashed in 2008, the Air Force initiated a two-month "safety pause" rather than declare a "stand down", let alone grounding. The B-29 was no better for maintenance. Though the R3350 was known as a complicated, troublesome power-plant, no more than half the mechanics had previous experience with the Duplex Cyclone. But they made it work. Navigators: Perhaps the greatest unsung success story of AAF training was Navigators. The Army graduated some 50,000 during the War. And many had never flown out of sight of land before leaving "Uncle Sugar" for a war zone. Yet the huge majority found their way across oceans and continents without getting lost or running out of fuel --- a stirring tribute to the AAF's educational establishments. Cadet To Colonel: It was possible for a flying cadet at the time of Pearl Harbor to finish the war with eagles on his shoulders. That was the record of John D. Landers, a 21-year-old Texan, who was commissioned a second lieutenant on December 12, 1941. He joined his combat squadron with 209 hours total flight time, including 20 in P-40s. He finished the war as a full colonel, commanding an 8th Air Force Group --- at age 24. As the training pipeline filled up, however those low figures became exceptions. By early 1944, the average AAF fighter pilot entering combat had logged at least 450 hours, usually including 250 hours in training. At the same time, many captains and first lieutenants claimed over 600 hours. FACT: At its height in mid-1944, the Army Air Forces had 2.6 million people and nearly 80,000 aircraft of all types. Today the US Air Force employs 327,000 active personnel (plus 170,000 civilians) with 5,500+ manned and perhaps 200 unmanned aircraft. The 2009 figures represent about 12 percent of the manpower and 7 percent of the airplanes of the WWII peak. IN SUMMATION: Whether there will ever be another war like that experienced in 1940-45 is doubtful, as fighters and bombers have given way to helicopters and remotely-controlled drones over Afghanistan and Iraq . But within living memory, men left the earth in 1,000-plane formations and fought major battles five miles high, leaving a legacy that remains timeless. New Members Roll Call We welcome the following new members into the 93rd Bomb Group Association Family! Member (Vets are in Bold & **) Connection to 93rd BG Kyren Swaim Grandchild of Vernon Swaim Max and Kirk Johnson Grandchildren of Mari Strombom Johnson Jessica Root Daughter of Jim Root Eugene Tompkins Pending James L. Adams Jr Son of James and Dorothy Adams Thomas E. Adams Son of James and Dorothy Adams Mark Adams Son of James and Dorothy Adams Walter Culpepper III Nephew of George McLean If you became a member since December 2011 and are not listed above, let us know. Thank you to all of the members who sign up their families and to those of you making referrals to others regarding becoming members of this great organization. We continue to be a robust association even as other BGs are closing down. We keep them flying! jguddal@yahoo.com

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Page 27 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) CAPS & VISORS Qty 1 Qty 2 1) Navy Blue w embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Teds Travelling Circus on adjustable strap $24 $45 2) Khaki with Ball of Fire III B-24 plus 93rd BG $19 $35 & Teds Travelling Circus on adjustable strap 3) Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three gold victory stars  choose white or navy blue $16 $30 COFFEE & THERMAL TRAVEL MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 5) Stainless Steel Travel Mugs with B-24 medallion $22 $42 (NEW and very nice!) PUZZLES 6) Jigsaw pules w colorful Ball of Fire III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes w stand. $22 $42 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 7) 93rd BG Replica of Memorial stain glass window at Mighty 8th Museum Chapel  w suction cup $14 $25 BOOKS by 93rd BG Authors Ted Traelling Circ by Cal Stewart (member price) $69.95 $134.00 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $24.95 $47.50 Lucky Ears The True Story of Ben Kuroki($9.99 avail at Amazon & Barnes & Noble) NEW!!-Forever Twenty by Nicholas Timmer $21.95 $42.00 ***All product prices include handling and shipping charges *** Pay by check or money order with Coupon below to the 93rd BG. Pay by PayPal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership Section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total ______________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX, P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or, Fax your order to: 763.694.9065

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Page 28 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE – STARTING IN 2010, MEMBERSHIP WAS CHANGED TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2012 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Annual Membership (2012 only) $25 $________ 2 year discount rate (2012 & 2013) $45 Child or grandchild special(2012 only) $20 $________ Tax deductible Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. GRAND TOTAL $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please E-MAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) _________________________________________________________________________ The PX: We have in stock, coffee & travel mugs, caps with B-24 image, visors, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Sun catcher replicas of memorial window & books. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Guddal jguddal@ahoo.com

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Ball of Fire QUARTERLY EXPRESS NEWSLETTER OF THE 93rd BOMB GROUP 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, Hardwick, England www.93bg.com or www.93rdbombardmentgroup.com Vol. 20 No. 2 Summer 2012 Peide Ce Ho man of o hae read Wane Bakers book, Above the Clouds? Ie had m cop since he las renion, b hadn aken he ime o read Wanes sor of an American Enreprener. Once I sared, I coldn put it down. When Wayne talks about American Freedom, he grabs your heart with his vision for the greatness of our Country and the opportunities we enjoy. His life is a series of adventures filled with dangers and challenges daunting enough to discourage most men. As the first engineer of the Bergeson crew, 330th Squadron, Wayne took part in 32 missions from May to Aug 1944. One notable mission to Munich resulted in an early bomb drop due to mechanical failure. Their bombs struck a hidden munitions dump and bomb factory. Wayne and his wife, Miriam, have been active in the 93rd since the 2005 England trip. Based on the longevity in the Baker family I expect them to continue to join our renions for man ears o come. Wanes book is available from the 93rds PX. I join Ar Linkleer in recommending it highly (You will have to read the book to find out how Wayne got Art into the coal mining business!). B-24 from the Castle Air Museum website We were saddened to hear about Charles Sills deah on May 2. Charlie was an active member of the 93rd serving as our Vice President to the 2ADA and as one of the three member eerans adisor team. He was a trusted advisor and true friend. Many remember his kindness and gentle manner as he interacted with one and all. Charlie was an active member of the Castle Air Force Base Museum for many years where he championed the preservation of one of 12 remaining B-24s in the world. Painted with the 329th Bomb Squadron, 93rd BG, colors and markings from early 1944, the B-24 is a lasing ribe o Charles Sills dedicaed serice a Casle. Donaions in honor of Charlie can be made directly to the museum Castle Air Museum, 5050 Santa Fe Drive, Atwater, CA 95301 in his name or to the 93rd Treasurer for consolidation and forwarding to the museum. Either method will honor his memory in accordance ih he famils reqes. In May, I joined the 446th Bomb Group reunion in Tysons Corner, VA. Prior to flying with the 93rd my uncle, 1LT Robert W. Marx, was assigned to the 446th from June to November. His crew was reassigned to the 93rd around Thanksgiving of 1944 and lost his life in a takeoff crash a few weeks later. Although I have been a long time

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Page 2 www.93bg.com member of the 446th BG Association, I had never participated actively. My purpose was to meet some new friends and see how they operated their reunion. While there, I extended greetings from our organization and invited anyone from the 446th to join our reunions if they would like. The 93rds iniaion as arml received and their next newsletter will feature our invitation. I also met a widow of another 93rd pilot, William F. Griffin, who served in both units as well. She was charming and shared about his experience freely. As we anticipate our next reunion in four months, I need your help. Each year, we recommend potential sites for the reunion two years later. We have selected Hartford, CT for 2013 already. We will present candidate cities and vote on the 2014 location in the fall. If you have an idea of a great reunion location, please call me (724-843-3897) or send an email (109clearview@verizon.net) with your recommendation. I will include your idea in our selection process. Maybe the 93rd can come to your hometown next! (Personally, I am interested in Maine since it is the only state I have never traveled to. By the a, based on Wanes book, he Bakers haen been there either. Of course, this is not a good reason to select a particular location.) Finall, I am looking for olneers o sere on his ears nominating committee. Comprised of two members appointed by the President, the Nominating Committee is responsible to recommend a slate of candidates to fill the officer positions for 2012-2014. Officers serve a two-year term and may be reelected to additional terms. The crren officers erms epire in Ocober. If o are interested in serving as a member of the Nominating Committee, contact me at the above number or email. Are you excited about visiting Seattle in October? We are! We plan to include two granddaughters, ages 15 & 9. I encourage you to bring family members. Maybe they can grasp the sacrifices made for their freedom and gain a vision for the preserving the accomplishments of our organization for future generations. John Marx, President Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! I am working several research projects relating to the 93rd BG. If you can shed any light on them, please contact me. No detail is too small to help in the research!! Crew of Richard Pettitt lost March 16, 1944 They made an emergency landing in Switzerland on 42-40969 H Big Noise hile assigned o he 330th BS. The crew was Richard Pettitt (P), Humphrey Elliott (CP), Robert Leesley (N-B), James Stanley (E), Peter Boruta (R) , John Kogut (WG), Edard Hoer (WG), Joseph DAri (Tail), Edard Nelson (nnel gnner). If o hae an info on he cre or heir loss please contact me. Faces of the 93rd BG (KIA/MIA and survivors) I would like to document the faces of as many of the 93rd BG as possible. Please send scans or originals (to be scanned and returned) to be included in this project. All originals photo will be returned unharmed!! Please give as much info as possible, name, hometown/state squadron and rough date range. If they survived the war a current or later in life photo would be nice also. If you are not sure please place a ? after info. That way, I can use as a clue and not a fact. Cheers, Don Morrison 93rd BG Association Historian 1375 West Comet Rd Clinton, OH 44216 Home (330) 882-2536 Cell (330) 819-6409 Doniac1967@sbcglobal.net

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Page 3 www.93bg.com Table of Contents Presidens Corner ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! ............................................................................................................... 2 Treasurer's Notes ................................................................................................................................................. 4 "Noes & Qoes.................................................................................................................................................. 4 93rd Bomb Group Association Reunion 2012 .................................................................................................. 5 Preserving the Legacy ....................................................................................................................................... 11 POW Poems* ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 93rd Website & Documentary Films ................................................................................................................ 12 Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Membership Corner ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Letters to the Editor ............................................................................................................................................ 17 Recipes Corner ................................................................................................................................................... 18 Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) - World War II ............................................................................... 20 New Members Roll Call ..................................................................................................................................... 21 New From the Post Exchange (PX) ............................................................................................................... 21 Your Post Exchange (PX) ................................................................................................................................. 23 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ........................................... 24 DIRECTORY 2010 - 2012 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Executive Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary  PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 don.morrison@beis.com Vice President, 2nd Air Division Association  JOHN LEE 930 Preston Trail, Melbourne, FL 32940 321-259-6861; jlee1922@aol.com VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD Fernley Smith Cal Davidson OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Documentary Project  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN (see Secretary) KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253 Webmaster  MICHAEL SELLERS (see Documentary Project)

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Page 4 www.93bg.com Treasurer's Notes Dear friends, your Association is doing fine in the financial department. You members deserve a lot of credit. Thanks to all of you who responded with your up to date dues payment. Many of you took advantage of he o ear offer and paid for 2012 and 2013 a he discounted rate of $45. Next January, we will again extend that offer to those of you whose membership will expire on December 31, 2012. Recently, we have had very positive results from or pos card des reminder program. Those members will be receiving the June BOF. Thanks also to those members who have taken advantage of the childe ad gadchilde offer of a first year membership of only $20. What a great way to introduce your family to the 93rd . Man of he kids have renewed after their first year expired. We also extend this introductory offer to nieces and nephews and for any 93rd BG veteran that you wish to help out. In case you are wondering what we do with accumulated cash, we buy certificates of deposit on a rotating basis. As many of you know, interest rates leave a lot to be desired unless we accept additional risk. Our primary objective is preservation of your capital! Donations to special projects continues to be discussed by your management team. In the Spring BOF, I presented an excerpt from our By Laws which spells o ha e are  ..o sppor he programs and effort of the Memorial Trust of the 2ADA Memorial Library in Norwich, England, the Hardwick field museum and the Migh Eighh Msem in Saannah GA. We have received a proposal from the Mighty Eighth Museum requesting that we sponsor a graduate student who would assist the Research Library in archiing eerans donaions of heir personal hisor. Due to the dollar size of the request, we will bring this matter up for a vote by the membership in October at Seattle. If anyone would like more details on this worthwhile program, give me a call or send me an e-mail. We are also assembling a list of important needs for the Hardwick Museum. Those of you who have been there in recent years know what a great job our British friends have done in preserving this important legacy. Our goal is to have a list of specific projects in the near future that we can prioritize and support. In the meantime, your feedback by telephone, e-mail or US mail would be appreciated. Let us know your thoughts. Respectfully submitted, Jim Guddal, Treasurer ALL ABOARD FOR DESTINATION SEATTLE IN OCTOBER 2012 The Amtrak Empire Builder will start in Chicago with stops in St Paul, MN and points west as it makes its way across MN, ND, MT, ID and ending in WA not too far from the hotel where the 93rd will convene for its Fall reunion. Some of our folks have already booked and expect to see some of the most spectacular scenery in this great USA. If you are interested, you will have to make your reservations separately with the Amtrak folks. Last I checked, they still had sleeper cars available. Jim Guddal. "Ne & Qe AN ACCOUNTANT was having difficulty sleeping, so he went to the doctor. Well, hae o ried coning sheep? he doctor asked. Thas he problem, he acconan replied. I make a mistake counting and spend the next six hours ring o find i. Reprinted from the American Legion Magazine A WOMAN decided to host a white elephant party. Everyone was to bring something they could not use but which was too good to throw away. The party would have been a great success except that 11 of the 19 women brought their husbands. Reprinted from the American Legion Magazine To: Jim and the 93rd Management Team  Keep p the great work in remembering and honoring the 93rd! Ted T. Ne h hae ala bee fee ca dead the terrible, fascinating power of the hope of feed  he h ae  fee. Pearl S. Bck, rier, Wha America Means o Me (1943) Jim Guddal ------~~------

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Page 7 www.93bg.com REGISTRATION FORM: Step #6 - Mail this page only, for each attendee, completed form to: Joe and Phyllis Duran 309 E. Santa Paula St Santa Paula, CA 93060 Phone: (805) 525-4681 Email: dogpatchraider@gmail.com Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ (Street) (City) (State) (Zip) Telephone: _________________ Email: __________________________________________________ Emergency Contact: ____________________________________________________________________ (Someone not traveling with you) (Name) (Phone Number) Meal choices: (circle one per meal): (Note: Friday and Saturday dinners are buffet style.) Thurs dinner: 1.Chicken a la Florentine 2.Roasted Pork Loin 3. Special need? Friday lunch: 1. Turkey/swiss sandwich 2. Roast beef sandwich 3. Veggie wrap 4. Special need? Saturday lunch: 1. Ham/ Cheddar Sandwich 2.Turkey/ Swiss Sandwich 3. Northwest Veggie Wrap 4. Special need? Sunday dinner: 1. Chicken Marsala 2. Grilled Salmon 3. Special need? (If Special need is circled, please identify the special dietary need!) Calculate your registration fee: The registration fee includes: Dinner for 4 evenings, 2 lunches, Museum Receptions, Museum Entry fees, Transportation, Memorabilia room, Day activities, Live entertainments, Key note speakers, Education session, Business meeting, snacks, Door prizes. The reservation fee does not include your hotel rooms. Basic registration fee: = $300 Option B: (circle one) Yes No = $35 Option C: (circle one) Yes No = $30 Total enclosed__________ Please complete form and enclose check payable to the 93rd Bomb Group for the total amount. Seattle Reunion Fee Refund Policy: No refund will be made after Sep 15th.

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Page 10 www.93bg.com 93rd Bomb Group Reunion – Oct 2012 Seattle, Washington Summary/ Schedule of Activities Day 1 – Thursday, Oct 18 10 AM  2 PM Registration / Hospitality Room Setup at hotel 2 PM  5 PM Registration /Hospitality open at hotel 2 PM  4 PM Reunion Committee/Officers Meeting at hotel 5 PM  5:30 PM Reception at hotel - Atrium 6 PM - 8 PM Opening Welcome Dinner at hotel: Special Guest: Tukwila Mayor, Jim Haggerton Day 2  Friday, Oct 19 6:30 AM  9 AM Breakfast at hotel All day Registration /Hospitality open all day at hotel 9 AM  10:30 AM 93rd BG Education Session at hotel: Life a Hardick and England - Don M. 11 AM  2:30 PM Museum of Flight : lunch & tour 4:30 PM  5:30 PM Tour Joint Base  McChord-Lewis 6 PM  8 PM Dinner  Club McChord (buffet) Special Guest: Base Commander Col. Paul Eberhart Entertainment: 56th Army Swinging Band of Courage Day 3  Saturday, Oct 20 6:30 AM  9:00 AM Breakfast at hotel 9 AM  11 AM Business Meeting - John Marx 11:30 AM  4:30 PM Boeing Manufacturing/Museum Tour (Opion B) 11:30 AM  12:30 PM Lch & Lea a he  Boeing history  Bill McCutcheon 1 PM  3 PM Education Session at hotel Warime Aiaion Hisor Bill M. 5:30 PM  6:30 PM Reception at hotel - Atrium 6:30 PM  8:00 PM Dinner/program at hotel Special Guest & Program: Keynote TBD; Cascade HS Jazz Day 4  Sunday, Oct 21 6:30 AM  9 AM Breakfast at hotel 9 AM  11 AM Open/Memorabilia room 11:30 AM  4:00 PM Seattle City Tour (Opion C) 1 PM  3 PM Education Session at hotel B-24 aircraft and nose ar Don M. 5:30 PM  6:30 PM Reception at hotel - Atrium Eeaie: Ted Taeig Cb Bad 6:30 PM  8:00 PM Closing/Memorial Dinner hotel Honor Guard Day 5  Monday, Oct 22 6:30 AM  9 AM Breakfast and Depart - hotel

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Page 11 www.93bg.com Preserving the Legacy Educating the Generations Looking to the Future For the last several years, more of our members have been asking, Wha can I do ih m memorabilia? Or, where Dad or Uncle Bill have already gone to the blue yonder, their families are also asking, what to do or where to go with these valuable collections? I use the erm alable no so mch in he monear sense, b, in the sense of how those artifacts held so long by our guys and their families can be used to accomplish an objective dear to the hearts of all of us working to preserve the great history not only of the 93rd Bombardment Group, but, also those brave men and women who shared the same experiences during World War II. Once he preseraion sep has been achieed, we ms aciel prse he edcaion sage. As a poin of information, the 93rd BG Associaions mission is one of edcaion. I is or official charer. One of he bes examples of how this part is accomplished is represented by the pictures accompanying this article, those from the Mighty Eighth Museum and Research Center in Savannah, Georgia. Imagine yourself standing in front of the very realistic diorama of several B-24s flying through clouds of smoke over one of the most notable oil and gasoline refineries in the world. It is August 1, 1943. Thanks to the 44th Bomb Group Veterans who made this diorama possible. If you move to the right and position your-self in front of the TV monitor, upon pressing the button, you will be pulled into the history of that most historic day and the part your 93rd BG played in it. To the left of the exhibit is a piece of fuselage waist window which came from an aircraft that did not make it through the tumult. Be sure you check out the plaque under the TV monitor. Thank you 93rd. Your generous donations made it possible for the Museum to finish this excellent exhibit. Moving past the Ploesti Exhibit you will come to the 2nd Air Division display. It is the picture with the nose from B-24 Fighting Sam to the side. (The Fighting Sam Nose is on loan to the Museum from Duxford, England thru 2019) The displa pieces in his ehibi ill ake he isior back o he 40s in Eas Anglia, England. (Ediors Noe: The 2nd Air Division was composed of B-24 aircraft flying primarily out of eastern England during WWII)

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Page 12 www.93bg.com Now that you have seen what one museum and research center has done in preserving the legacy and making it available for others to see, we must look to the future and take the steps necessary to continue accessing, archiving and making available for display or research the great history of one of the most important periods of or grea naions hisor. While he picres shown are those from the Mighty Eighth Museum in Savannah, your leadership is also investigating existing sites at Wright-Patterson in Ohio and Carlisle, PA. Some of you may already know something about these locations and how they handle memorabilia. If any of our members have any experience with these sites, let us know. As I write this article, on my desk is a proposal from the Mighty Eighth Research Center requesting support to fund a graduate student for one year beginning August 2012 through May 2013. The Research Center Director has told us they have an immediate need for an advanced history major to work 19 hours per week to archie he large olme of memorabilia he hae recd. (As of this month for 2012, the Mighty Eighth Research Cener has recd 161 Accession Records from Ves.) The cost of an annual internship is $7,500. Because this amon eceeds or leaderships ahori o commi, this matter will be brought before the convention in October. If the membership approves the expenditure, it would not be in time for an August 2012 start of the internship. Although other depositories have been suggested, The Mighty Eighth proposal is on the table and ready to ll d he a f eeig ad edcaig. So my friends, here is a challenge for your consideration. Wh don e fnd he don pament as indiidals? Then in Ocober, ih he conenions approval, the 93rd can fund the rest of the year and into 2014. Based upon our current membership, if only ½ would donate, it would cost each member just $50. To start the program in August, $2,000 is needed ASAP. How about jumping on board and getting this done? This is a very positive step to preserving the legacy. The future is in your hands! Thanks for listening! Jim Guddal POW Poems* Prayer Please Dear God, just let me soar o'ver green and yellow fields once more Where there'll be no clouds of black bringing forth the anguished cry of "Flak" Where sight of a speck out in the blue will not mean "Watch it, fighter at two!" Where no screaming demons from out of the sun make every man jump And with flaming gun Endeavor to pay with another life to the bastard who started This world of strife. I do not think this too much of a boon, and please, Dear God, make it soon. * The poems were written by American Airmen that were being held captive in the German prison camp known as Stalag Luft 1. They were contained in a journal written and compiled by Walter Boychuk, Captain, U.S. 8th Air Force, Kriegsgefangenen No. 5407. He was wounded and shot down over Le Harve, France on Sunday, August 13, 1944. After his capture, he was taken to Berlin for medical care and then sent to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth near the Baltic Sea. He was there until April, 1945 when the war in Europe ended. Thanks to George McLean for providing the poems - other poems will be included in future newsletters. 93rd Website & Documentary Films 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article 42,360 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Belgrade, Serbia. Please make sure to visit the MESSAGE BOARD on the 93rd BG website. Many people are writing in and asking for information about the 93rd - you may be able to write back and help out! From the 93rd BG homepage, click the icon that looks like a book with a pencil in the top left corner. The Memorial Project - DVD for sale At the 2010 reunion in Savannah, GA the 93rd BG dedicated a stained glass window at the Mighty Eighth Air Force museum for its fallen heroes. The entire reunion and memorial service was documented and is now available on DVD for $10. Please look for an order form in this issue of the Ball of Fire or go to the PX on the 93rd BG website and order online. Also please visit the PX for other original films produced by the 93rd Bomb Group (from the 93rd BG homepage click the Post Exchange window located towards the bottom). Thank You, www.93bg.com Michael Sellers, 93rd BG Webmaster

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Page 14 www.93bg.com Folded WingsDemas, Merrill, April, 2005 Email from his son, Bill Demas: SSgt Merrill Demas (1917-2005), Army Air Force 30/Dec/1940 - 31/Jul/1945. SSgt Demas was a Tail Gunner with the 93rd BG, 329th BS. He participated in 25 Sorties in the European, North African and Middle Eastern Theatres of Operation, Jan/1943 - Feb/1944. SSgt Damas received the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in the low level Ploesti mission. He is missed. Elofson, Donald A., 1992 Email from his son, John Elofson: M fahers name is Donald A. Elofson and fle 25 missions in the 329th Squadron of the 93 Bombardment Group in the B-24s from Febrar hrogh April of 1945. M faher died of cancer in 1992. The onl other member of his crew that I know is Lin Burgess and I see that his name is listed (on the website). I would appreciate any information that you can provide me... Please find attached a list of the bombing missions flown and a picture of my Dad and his crew. Hickman, Richard H., January 5, 2011 Email from his son, Richard J. Hickman: T/Sgt Richard H Hickman served on the B-24's "Little Old Lady" and "Wham Bam". He did not speak much of his service other than the planes on which he served. As a result I know little of his war record or actions. The only information he passed on was that Col Jimmy Stewart was assigned to Wham Bam after he (Richard) had been reassigned as a gunnery instructor in Arizona following his 28th mission. He was awarded the DFC with several oak leaf clusters. He passed on 1/15/2011 in Drexel Hill, PA. I am very proud of him as I am of any veteran that served our country. Thank you. Landing safely in Turkey, Little Lady carries mostly Wham Bam veterans. Kneeling --Sergeants H. P. Parent, Charles Kimtantis, Lalous M. Fultz, Ben Kuroki (foreground), R. H. Hickman, C. Anthony, Milton Rolley; standing-- Captain Edwin Baker, Lieutenants Joel Silverman, Kenneth Hebert, pilot Richard L Wilkinson. Interned in Turkey were Baker, Silverman, Wilkinson, Hebert, Kimtantis, Fultz, Rolley.(page 213*) 't!bfs is to <rertff'£ thal h.ir_~ oa.1.!e.!.~.!£_\" o/ U!_ 1~ £/;,uulu,m, ,9,J 1 .:?Jom6a1dmmt ~o,¢ (.JYt} ,y{J!{§ hetS comfleled w,'//, hono1< lo h,:S ccu-nl7, 00111 tad,.3 ancl ht711$r(, u. l.om/.t',7 mt:U1(m4 011t'I' enuny tru,toiy a.J /4eiew,fh lt:Slul. l, 111, DU 2.Cl!UPltQC 3. ~I-Hll ,,Jt'C!t".'C!ITR 8,Ult 6,!lrDIIICIIDII 7, OI■Sa! 8.1.m.t.Ilf s. !1,1,.~0VD \0, H".nlll:."OOtu-,-!t :~DI 13.,ttll"> 'lll/D 8 nlltli te !"ISO lOmt6 23 tU t5 llW.ll♦f U •ll ♦~ ltW..li-6 l&IH♦ b lT•tt.5 U W!♦f 10W,lt♦6 tl 111145 u,:u♦ S u. ~ 1:u1.a u. •IL!UUIJ!a.nlr 1a,111roc11cr !:: ~or:B:,; 19.U.INII.EIIO to,a.::!!LIIJ./r U, UIIIIHt''ll'.IJ./r n, Uictll'U.Jl ».!Wtllf 2♦,na:i'!IAl1T ltS, JllllSlY U».&f.~ 301&145 H w,.114-5 ?AJ'M♦ b lll'ltl! fil'RO 10UR4& n•n•s UAPa U l&UR4a UAFR♦ & )tl,lJ'!I ♦E,

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Page 15 www.93bg.com Email from Joe Avendano Duran: I first want to say that we are all sorry for the loss of your father, Richard H Hickman. Your dad was an original member of the 93rd BG 409sq. He was assigned to the Edwin C. Baker Crew. They named their 1st ship WHAM BAM (#41-23738) stateside. They would be part of the 93rds BG's 1st mission to Lille France on 10-9-1942. Pilot Ed Baker would eventually be promoted as the 409th sq operational officer. Their Co-Pilot, Dick Wilkinson would become the lead pilot on your dad's crew. Your Dad was listed as the engineer/gunner for the crew. One of the best photos I've seen of your Dad and crew is in front of the ship's nose art. I believe we still have two veterans with us that flew with your dad, one is 409 sq gunner Ben Kuroki as well as his pilot Dick Wilkinson. Both have been a great help in piecing together the history of your father's crew. If I can be of any help please feel free to contact me. Best Regards Joe Avendano Duran Nephew of Capt Joe Avendano original 93rd BG pilot 1942-1944 Email dogpatchraider@gmail.com Shipon, Harry, April 28, 2012 Email from Raymond Eck: His daughter, Carol notified Raymond that her father, Harry Shipon, had passed away that morning. Harry was the co-pilot on his crew (Eugene Justen) 329th BS. Sill, Charles D., May 2, 2012 Charles D. Sill, 87, of Ceres, CA, died May 2. Born in 1925 in Mitchell, Neb., he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II and in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He was awarded the Silver Star Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions during service. Mr. Sill and his late wife, Anna, moved to Ceres in 1991 after 30 years of residence in Hawaii. He was a volunteer at Castle Air Museum, where he helped restore aircraft cockpits and participated in many other activities. He also took part in reunions of 2nd Air Division members and helped support a museum in Norwich, England, where he served during WWII, that honors America's contributions during that great conflict. Email from daughter Leueen: I would just offer that the association with your group brought much joy to dad over the years and that he cherished the friends and companionship very much. For that, we are eternally grateful. Some of us were able to go with Dad during his trips over to England as he shared parts of his history with us. Others of us experienced the events through pictures and conversation. Regardless, we know how much he looked forward to his trips with the 93rd Bomb Group functions, and in sharing the experience with us. Survivors besides Leueen, her husband Ray; son David and daughter-in-law Linda; son Alan and daughter-in-law Virginia; daughter Melanie and son-in-law Bennett; daughter Carolyn and son-in-law John; sister Kay; nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and three nieces. Charles Sill at Hardwick Airfield, England Charles Sill's display at a 93rd BG reunion Smith, Louis , Feb 28, 2012 Call from Edith Rosenbloom: Louis loved to talk about the 93rd and reading the newsletters. Email from Joe and Phyllis Duran: I would call Louis Smith from time to time. After getting a heads up from Jim Guddal who also had contact with Louis. I made contact and was amazed at how much info Louis had about his tour of duty. We are going to miss him and the phone calls that we had. *Teds Traelling Circs b Carroll Sear

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Page 17 www.93bg.com Letters to the Editor From: jlux@austin.rr.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Hot Stuff Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:08:56 -0500 Hello JoAnne, Would it be possible to put a request in the next newsletter for help in identifying relatives of Hot Stuff crew members? I attached the names of the crew and where they were from. I found a distant relative of the pilot, Robert "Shine" Shannon and I am in contact with bombardier, Robert Jacobson's family but haven't had any luck with any of the others. Hot Stuff Crewmembers Capt. Robert. H. Shannon* (Pilot) from Washington, IO 1st. Lt. Robert T. Jacobson (Bombardier) from Austin, TX 1st. Lt. John H. Lentz (Copilot) Capt. James E. Gott* (Navigator) from Berea, KY S/Sgt. Joseph L. Craighead (Engineer) from Bedford, VA S/Sgt. Kenneth A. Jeffers* (Radio Operator) from Oriskany Fall, NY S/Sgt. George A. Eisel (Tail Gunner) from Columbus, OH S/Sgt. George D. Farley (Gunner) from Wellsville, NY S/Sgt. Grant C. Rondeau (Gunner) from Recine, WI S/Sgt. Paul H. Mc Queen* (Gunner) from Endwell, NJ S/Sgt. Leland F. Durham (Gunner) from Mineral Wells, TX (Not a regular crewmember) S/Sgt. Lloyd C. Weir* from McRea, AR (Not a regular crewmember) Capt. Joseph T. Johnson* from Los Angeles, CA Member of 93rd Bomb Group * Killed in crash of Hot Stuff Thank you. Cheers, Jim Date: Wed, 30 May 2012 16:39:50 +0200 From: diwhall@orange.fr To: webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com CC: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Help about two 93rd B.G. aircrafts crashed in France Hi I am a Frenchman, sixty years old, living near Lorient, Department of Morbihan, Brittany, France. I am member of Veteran Patriotic Association (French Force of Interior). Numbers persons of my family fought against German Army during the WW2 and some passed away. I am also member of "ABSA 39-45" (Association Bretonne du Souvenir Aérien = brittany Association Memorial Air). We collect information on a about all aircrafts shot down in he fie Brians Department (Côtes-dArmor, Finistère, Ille-et-Vilaine, Loire-Atlantique, Morbihan). Our website http://absa39-45.forumpro.fr/ We had already erect and inaugurate, in the memory of airmen (USAAF, RAF, Lfaffe, .), nmbers of seles with the mayors of towns in Brittany where aircrafts crashed during WW2. Sometimes with the participation of families of airmen when we find them. I am looking and made researches for 2 aircrafts of the 93rd Bomber Group, who shot down in the outskirts of Lorien. Is 2 B-24 shot down on the 13 June 1944 : #42-95153, #42-110104 Can you help me? I research the detailed mission rapport of this bombing raid. I would know exactly the run, targets, Bomber Group and Squadrons composiion of his bombing raid and r to localize the drop point of this aircrafts. My target is to try to erect an inaugurate a stele on the drop point, in the memory of these American aircrew. With my researches, I have already personally participate to erect and inaugurate successful 2 steles: 1 B-17, USAAF, 305TH B.G and 1 RAAF Wellington 406 B.S in October 2010. Excuse my imperfect English. Thanks Yves JOUAN 18, rue des mimosas 56650 INZINZAC-LOCHRIST FRANCE 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////h

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Page 18 www.93bg.com From: cfagan61@att.net To: webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com; joyridecp@msn.com; jguddal@yahoo.com Subject: Normandy Visit Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:12:02 -0500 I just returned from a Seine River Cruise which included a visit to the landing beaches and National Cemetery in Normandy. After a very moving ceremony, they gave each of s a floer o place on a grae. Since Im originall from Kansas, I placed mine on he grave of Clifford A. Stafford. I am wishing I could let someone in his family know that his gravesite has been visited and decorated, and thought maybe someone in your group would be able to forward this message and photo to a relative of his. Picture is attached. Thank you all for your service to our country. Please reply. Thanks, Carol Fagan Arlington, TX (grew up in Smith Center, KS) To: cfagan61@att.net CC: jguddal@yahoo.com; dogpatchraider@gmail.com; k8qgc@aol.com; joyridecp@msn.com; qajk38@bendbroadband.com; jamesdavidroot@aol.com; scott@npcenter.com; 109clearview@verizon.net Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:09:45 -0400 Subject: RE: Normandy Visit - 93rd BG Hi Carol, Here is the crew when Clifford was killed. It shows his hometown (Thayer, KS). Maybe this will give you the missing piece you are looking for. Thx, Don M 93rd BG Historian Recipes Corner Recipes by Corinne Guddal Grand Kids Chicken Nuggets 1 cup cornflake crumbs 1 1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves 1 1/2 teaspoon thyme 2 whole boneless chicken breasts, skinned, cut into 1 inch pieces 1/2 cup butter - melted Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Line 15" X 10" X 1" pan with parchment paper Combine crumbs, oregano, and thyme. Dip chicken in melted butter, then coat in crumbs. Place on lined pan 1/2" apart. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender and crisp. Nuggets can be baked ahead of time and reheated at 350 degrees for 10 minutes Cherry Enchiladas 2/3 cup cherry pie filling or your choice Two 6 inch flour tortillas - warmed 3 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons water Spoon pie filling off center on each tortilla, roll up. Place seam side down in a greased 8 inch square baking dish, set aside. In a small sauce pan bring the sugar, butter, and water to a boil over medium heat; pour over enchiladas. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately - whipped topping or ice cream is always good on it. 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////ll

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Page 19 www.93bg.com Recipes by Rayann Marx Rice and Bean Soup with Butternut Squash 1 cup of brown rice, cooked 1/4 cup of wild rice, cooked 3 or 4 cans of various beans, i.e., black, kidney, garbanzo. About 5 cups of water and/or vegetable broth Large onion, chopped Garlic, minced or crushed, as much as desired 28-oz. can diced tomatoes Butternut squash, baked and mashed Vegetable bouillon cube Spices: basil, oregano, cayenne pepper Cook rice and add to drained and rinsed beans. Add 5 cups of water with vegetable bouillon cube/or vegetable broth. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook altogether. Add spices. Add cooked and mashed acorn squash. Put tomatoes in food processor and puree them. Add tomatoes last and cook a little longer. Curried Sweet Potato Soup Ingredients 4 cups sweet potato (cubed) 1 medium sweet onion (diced) 2 celery ribs (diced) 1 garlic clove (peeled & minced) ¼-inch fresh ginger (peeled and minced) ½ tsp curry powder ½ tsp coriander ¼ tsp cardamom ¼ tsp turmeric 1 tsp Celtic or Himalayan salt (optional and to taste) Pinch of cayenne (optional) 5 cups vegetable stock 1 cup almond or coconut milk 1 Tbsp raw coconut oil or butter Directions Heat coconut oil in large pot and sauté onions and celery until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic and sauté briefly. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. After soup has cooled sufficiently, place soup in a food processor ih he S blade and pree in baches nil smooth. If soup is too thick, add a little more stock. Serve with a large, colorful salad and a slice of your favorite whole grain bread or crackers. Organic ingredients, when available, are always recommended. Fresh Herbed Salad Inspired by Mary H. from the Carolina Vegans Potluck (submitted by Rayann Marx) Salad Ingredients romaine and/or spring mix cherry tomatoes cut in half avocado, cubed bok choy, cut fine green peas, thawed from the frozen food section spring onion navy beans (use a little juice) 1 Tbsp minced fresh mint 3 Tbsp minced fresh basil 2-3 Tbsp dill (could use rosemary, thyme, oregano, lemon balm, etc) 1/2 cucumber sliced thin 1-2 Tbsp olie oil or Udos Oil sprinkle of sea salt and pepper (optional) Directions 1. Add amount of each ingredient that suits your taste (add any assortment of vegetables that you enjoy or have on hand). 2. Between the oil and the bean juice with a few sprinkles of salt and pepper, you may not even need any dressing. Recipes - Day 58 of the 60-Day Challenge: Reclaim Your Health; Hallelujah Acres - www.hacres.com

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Page 20 www.93bg.com Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) - World War II Bill Sargent attended an afternoon tea in Denver, CO to hear Betty Jo Reed share her experiences as a WASP during WWII. The WASPs served the Air Corps from September 1942 to December 19444 and flew every plane the Army Corps flew including the B-29! They ferried military aircraft from the factory to the point of embarkation. What an opportunity to hear this remarkable part of our history! Facts abou1 the WASP WASP scn•ed l~t Air Corp• from Sejllember 1942 to December 19-14. There were 28 original WAFS. 25,000 women a1>Plied for the WP'fD trainilJ.l:. 1,830 w001cn wen: acccpttd (ln.d 1.074 cradu11.ted from che train.in& program. 900 WASP and 16 WAFS remained nl deacth·ation on Dtcember 20, 19-14. 38 died ••hilt ll)'ln& for the Army Air Corri~ 60,000,UO0 miles of operatioo flight». 'lbe W ASI' new ••·•ri plane the Army Air Corps Dew, including the 11-29. WASP ea.rned $150 per month wlailt in tuining a11d $250 per mo,1th afler radu:4tion. They paid for their o"'n food. uniforms and lodging. WASP: The Leaders Instructing Learr,fng 111 1939, on 1l1e day afler Gefflllllly' tank1 1·olled inti, W1rnaw, pilot Jacqueline Coch.ran sc,nt • letter to FlrH bdy Ile.nor R-.>'eh mcouragt•g the IA!le of ,.Ofl>ell pllCK1 tn tbe armed fori:es. In MIQ' 19.W, 11-1othcr pilot, NIUU!)' Hann.en Lon, wroit lht err:,·iae Divlalu or the Army Air Force with a 1lrNilar Idea, bul the Anny wasn't ready to put 'l\'Omcn in the cockpit of it• phtrn.'t.. By Scptcmbu 19U, hnwe.-rr, all lhll changed. The demand for male combal ,uoo llltl arplane, leO ll1e Ir Tra111port Com1und (ATC) with a ,honage of e>:pcricntcd pilot& to ferry pllUlc• from the fJKtory to • P<)i.nt of embarkatlon. The leaders remeo1bered Nancy Barkne I L1we'1 proposal aad hired her to n?trult twmty-th-e of the mo•t qlUllnicd womtn pilooi ill the country 1u ferty mililAr:, llircral'l. These ou1.s1andh1g WINKII pilots were c.alled tile Wome■'1 Auxili1.ry f'errying Squad n111 or W A}l8. By Sq,tcmbu 14, 1942, Ccnmll llcarJ "Hap" Araold, Co111111aading General or the A1111y Air Forces, also ai>proved a progra,• th•t wo11ld train a large group of "'Offll.'11 to 1en1e u fcrryiaJ: 11iloh, Tbc ltahw,g school was plooed 1111der Ille direc:11011 ol Jacqlaclloe Cocllraa. Tbe program w i:aJJcd the Anny Air Force Wlllllcn' llyini: Tn.ininc ~t~hme.n1 (WFTD), o. Aupst 5, }')43 tbt WAFS IUld the wnD were 111tf'2Cd and were redesignated t•e Women Alrforce Sen•iee Pilott or WASP, Cocllraa w~ appointed Direct r ol WolDCII Pilou and Lo\-e wll named WASP tx«ath-e with th A TC Ferrying Dh1 OJI. The Traloing Nanty 8ark11e Lo\·e a.d lhe WAFS first gathered 2s a ll'fUdl"Oll ti New C&llle Army Air BllllC Ul WiJmia1,'1on, or1 ... ·11.rt. Altlloof:h tile WA liS w·ere requl red 10 ha>'e 500 boon or O)lng time, tllose that arrfred avcrllj,'Cd more fbll.n 1,000 hoa.n. The piJ(IQ were c,bcckcd out and trAiacd for Just a few weeks before they wen a11ifaed IO dlelr posu. Whlle Ille \\'AFS were bej:lnaillg tilde ferryillll d'ulies, Juqlldl11e Coc.br11n organl~'d lbe WFrD and began rccruiti-c ch1N01 of women pllotL The training lm-olved 611 11onlh1 or ground llCiool and fllgbl tralublg. Tbe nl\!11 lhn-e clUIK.'11 trained in Houlltc,a at 1k Jl,lunl(ipal afrpmt. B•• "'c111:bcr Women Airforce Service Pilots World War/I Nancy H. Love TowTiargot The Training Passing In Review • Solo Militarization ADMIT ONE AFTERNOON TEA Tuesday, June 19 Emerald Grill 2:30 P.M. and c_ro..,·dcd !Illies lrd Cochr11J1 111 move the pn:11:ram IO Avenger Field In weetwalec, Te.sas. TheJnbll TIM! WAFS aud Ille fim clute1 that joined th Air TrllllJf>On Command out of the Honton aad Sweetwater tninini: programs ferried pla,m rrot11 ract,ry 10 a pollll of embar1'.llioo. El-ea.ttu1U,·. the Alt Tnnspon Com HDd complaiaed that it could not take all lhe pilots graduating from Al-.ni;cr ficld. CochrllJI 11.•110tU1ced to 1111 the air bax• that de \tOUld accept y job ("dlshwashing job,~ l!hc talled 1hnl) which the WASP could do Hd 1hn n:lia-c additionlll malts for cllmbll.t daty. UdidCll n>i.a& all tile Airplanes l.o tbe Army'1 arwnal, WASP taughl nJght insln,ctlon, mghl te1dag, flew anti.-aircrllft tow t11r1,-et• and radi-trolkd pwncL Dl?JIK:.tivat.ioa and Militarization General Arnold, Cochru, 11.nd 1..Am:, h11.d iatendtd lbe women plloc, to be made part of Ille mlUtary, but lhe lleed for pilot.I was so gnat, 11J1d the road to mllitarintuin stow. nfor1unll1cly, 1bcy bcgu tht proer1l.lll lflth the .idta of milita.rizl-a later ud the WAST' and WAFS we.re lllrcd uaAler t.bc CMI rvice. In 19-44, j111t at the bill to milihLrizc lht WASP we•t before Coni:n!d, tb.e need for piloe& leue11ed. TIie decllil)I wa malle 10 ducrivak the W P In Deumber 194~. Ccneral Anold would rec:ord dull the WASP taad ,ibo,.n that the~ could "0>· wlqllp co ".lllgtip with your brothc..., .. t!le entire o,erallon h11 bee- a SIICCCA. It i, on the record lbl.l ""mt■ t.lln 0)' u lW'rll ai mc.L 0 The a.,azillll cxpcrimcat uwint women 11ilot1 during wartme almOM seemed detlilltd lo be forgotleo.. Thea, in the mid 1970•, U.c in}' an■ouna:d to the mcdi• tut for U.cjin1 lime io llillory. womtJl ~oc1ld be penniUtd to nr r,ot'enllllen1 planes. The an11011ncenteat n,vert,cratcd amo■g tle fonncr WASP and lill.r ootbilll: clst, mobilued lltet• to seek r«oenition. With tbe http or Bruu Arnold, the ,on of Ge~eral Amold, and peiltlcal hetp from Sclla10r Barry <:oldw11.tcr, ,..hO had c0111millldcd womtu pi.lot• ill bu 1quadr11n, the WASP flnally gained lhelr belaced inilitarfution fl'OOI Coogress I• t 977. $IO 56

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Page 21 www.93bg.com New Members Roll Call Yes, we are growing!! Since the first of this year, we have 15 new members. The secret is out! The 93rd Bomb Group Associaion has a lo o offer heher o are a famil member ring o find o he res of or special eerans sor or an interested historian searching for more information about special missions and why Ted Taellig Cic was so famous. Here are our new members. If you know them, drop them a line and congratulate them for joining up. We welcome the following new members into the 93rd Bomb Group Association Family! Member (Vets are in Bold & **) Connection to 93rd BG Charles Dean Cavit Pilot w 389th BG  Flew Ploesti mission with 93rd in a 93rd B-24 Jerse Jackass. Sho don 8/1/43 and as POW. Dennis and Erin Cavit Son of Dean Cavit  Attended Tucson reunion Douglas Cavit Son of Dean Cavit Richad B Davis 330th Bomb Sqad Sohern Comfor & Joker Max and Kirk Johnson Grandchildren of Fred Strombom (correction) William Bill Talor Family of Richard Davis Howard Young Historian Bear Timmer Family member to Vet Robert Timmer chronicled in the Nicholas Timmer book Foreer Ten. If you became a member since March 2012 and have not been listed above, let us know. Thanks to all of the members who sign up their families and to those of you making referrals to others regarding becoming members of this great organization. We continue to be a robust association even as other BGs are closing down. We keep them flying! New From the Post Exchange (PX) Here is he scoop sraigh from he horse's moh! Our members continue to buy hats, visors, coffee mugs, Ploesti Summit DVDs, books and sun catchers. Do check out the PX inventory in the back of this BPF. And if you go to the 93rd BG website, you will find more color photos and order blanks. Our PayPal account (so that members can purchase using their credit cards) has been very popular as a way for members to buy merchandise, make donations and pay their dues. If you have tried to use this payment method and ran into some difficulty, let us know and we will see if we can help. Access the PayPal account on our web site @93rd BG. Be sure to check out our growing collection of books on 93rd Bomb Group. This is a great way to learn the amazing legacy of our special vets and how it was at home and overseas. The books are readily available and very reasonably priced. We call your attention to new additions Fee Te by Dr. Nicholas Timmer and Lck Ea, the True Story of Ben Kuroki b Dr. Jean A. Lkesh. And don forge he 93rd Handbook Ted Taellig Cic by Carol (Cal) Stewart and Plei also by Cal Stewart. Not to be left out is Abe he Cld by our own veteran Wayne Baker. Take action today to add these to your library! GREAT GIFTS! NEW! NEW! NEW! Our newest product is the PLOESTI SUMMIT 6 DVD SET. It really came out great! These six discs include all of he o da program inclding or eerans panel. The set includes actual WWII footage from both American and German archives. Also included as a bons is he panel of or eerans alking abo life in the army air corps during the war. Folks, this is one of a kind! With a background symphony of hundreds of radial engines on B-24 bombers starting, taking off and then flying in formation, you can imagine your-self as a pilot, navigator, waist gunner or any one of the 10 crew positions heading for one the most famous air missions of WWII history. The live testimony of our vets sets the record straight on many of the questions historians have been asking since the mission was over in 1943. A special thanks to Joe Duran, Jim Root, Bob Root and Jim Guddal for the filming, production and sourcing the material that went into this very alable cllec 6 DVD set. For a very reasonable member price of just $35 plus $5 shipping, you can own this historic set. (Non member price is $55 plus $5 shipping). Even if your special vet did not participate in this mission, you should add it to your library because it represents a significant segment in the legacy of Ted Taellig Cic. (We will consider discounts on purchases of three or more DVD sets. See the order blank in the back of this BOF.) A special recognition to many of you who donated funds to cover our production costs of the Ploesti Summit 6 DVD set. It has been a very popular product and we thank you for your generosity!!! Jim Guddal

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Page 23 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) CAPS & VISORS Qty 1 Qty 2 1) Navy Blue with embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Teds Traelling Circus on adjustable strap $24 $45 2) Khaki ih Ball of Fire III B-24 plus 93rd BG $19 $35 & Teds Traelling Circs on adjustable strap 3) Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three gold victory stars  choose white or navy blue $16 $30 COFFEE & THERMAL TRAVEL MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 5) Stainless Steel Travel Mugs with B-24 medallion $22 $42 (NEW and very nice!) PUZZLES 6) Jigsaw puzzles with colorfl Ball of Fire III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes with stand. $22 $42 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 7) 93rd BG Replica of Memorial stained glass window at Mighty 8th Museum Chapel  with suction cup $14 $25 BOOKS by 93rd BG Authors Ted Taellig Cic by Cal Stewart (member price) $69.95 $134.00 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $24.95 $47.50 Lucky Ears The True Story of Ben Kuroki ($9.99 avail at Amazon & Barnes & Noble) NEW!!-Forever Twenty by Nicholas Timmer $21.95 $42.00 DVDS NEW!!  Ploesti Summit 5 Disc se ih Bons DVD of Ves panel on he a i as. This se is a ms for or librar. Member price ($35 + $5 shipping). Non member price ($55 + $5 shipping). (Discount on purchase of three or more. Contact PX for more info) ***All product prices include handling and shipping charges *** Pay by check or money to the 93rd BG order with the Coupon below. Pay by PayPal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total ______________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or Fax your order to: 763.694.9065

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Page 24 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE – STARTING IN 2010, MEMBERSHIP WAS CHANGED TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2012 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Annual Membership (2012 only) $25 $________ 2 year discount rate (2012 & 2013) $45 $________ Child or grandchild special(2012 only) $20 $________ Tax deductible Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. GRAND TOTAL $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please E-MAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) The PX: We have in stock, coffee & travel mugs, caps with B-24 image, visors, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Sun catcher replicas of memorial window & books. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Gddal jgddal@yahoo.com

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Ball of Fire QUARTERLY EXPRESS NEWSLETTER OF THE 93rd BOMB GROUP 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, Hardwick, England www.93bg.com or www.93rdbombardmentgroup.com Vol. 20 No. 3 Fall 2012 93rd Bomb Group Association Reunion 2012 Reminder: Eerone should plan to attend the 2012 Reunion in Seattle! If ou haent registered et, please do so b September 15th. The registration form is attached, and also on the website www.93bg.com. Join us for fun, fellowship, stories, activities, and honoring our family of veterans of the 93rd Bombardment Group in the great northwest area of Seattle! Jim Root, Reunion Coordinator View of Seattle from Kerry Park Boeing Production Line Joint Base Lewis-McChord Logo REUNION FEE REFUND POLICY Last minute cancellations can cause significant loss to the 93rd Bomb Group Association. This loss results because we must guarantee your attendance to the hotel relative to all meals and other related costs. When you don't show, we still get charged for meals and other charges related to those meals. We recognize that there will always be unforeseen events beyond your control, and we truly regret your personal inconvenience. However, your executive committee has decided that we must stay with our policy of "pay as you go" for reunion costs. We have reviewed the choices: we can either add an extra amount to everyone's fees to cover last minute cancellations, or we can set a deadline date for cancellations after which the fees paid cannot be refunded. In order to keep our reunion fees as low as possible, your executive committee has chosen the deadline date choice. Therefore, a deadline date, based on hotel contract requirements for each reunion will be provided to you at the time you make your reservations, and included in our reunion announcements in the Ball of Fire.

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Page 4 www.93bg.com REGISTRATION FORM: Step #6 - Mail this page only, for each attendee, completed form to: Joe and Phyllis Duran 309 E. Santa Paula St Santa Paula, CA 93060 Phone: (805) 525-4681 Email: dogpatchraider@gmail.com Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ (Street) (City) (State) (Zip) Telephone: _________________ Email: __________________________________________________ Emergency Contact: ____________________________________________________________________ (Someone not traveling with you) (Name) (Phone Number) Meal choices: (circle one per meal): (Note: Friday and Saturday dinners are buffet style.) Thurs dinner: 1.Chicken a la Florentine 2.Roasted Pork Loin 3. Special need? Friday lunch: 1. Turkey/swiss sandwich 2. Roast beef sandwich 3. Veggie wrap 4. Special need? Saturday lunch: 1. Ham/ Cheddar Sandwich 2.Turkey/ Swiss Sandwich 3. Northwest Veggie Wrap 4. Special need? Sunday dinner: 1. Chicken Marsala 2. Grilled Salmon 3. Special need? (If Special need is circled, please identify the special dietary need!) Calculate your registration fee: The registration fee includes: Dinner for 4 evenings, 2 lunches, Museum Receptions, Museum Entry fees, Transportation, Memorabilia room, Day activities, Live entertainments, Key note speakers, Education session, Business meeting, snacks, Door prizes. The reservation fee does not include your hotel rooms. Basic registration fee: = $300 Option B: (circle one) Yes No = $35 Option C: (circle one) Yes No = $30 Total enclosed__________ Please complete form and enclose check payable to the 93rd Bomb Group for the total amount. Seattle Reunion Fee Refund Policy: No refund will be made after Sep 15th.

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Page 5 www.93bg.com 93rd Bomb Group Reunion – Oct 2012 Seattle, Washington Summary/ Schedule of Activities Day 1 – Thursday, Oct 18 10 AM  2 PM Registration / Hospitality Room Setup at hotel 2 PM  5 PM Registration /Hospitality open at hotel 2 PM  4 PM Reunion Committee/Officers Meeting at hotel 5 PM  5:30 PM Reception at hotel - Atrium 6 PM - 8 PM Opening Welcome Dinner at hotel: Special Guest: Tukwila Mayor, Jim Haggerton Day 2  Friday, Oct 19 6:30 AM  9 AM Breakfast at hotel All day Registration /Hospitality open all day at hotel 9 AM  10:30 AM 93rd BG Education Session at hotel: Life a Hadick and England - Don M. 11 AM  2:30 PM Museum of Flight : lunch & tour 4:30 PM  5:30 PM Tour Joint Base  McChord-Lewis 6 PM  8 PM Dinner  Club McChord (buffet) Special Guest: Base Commander Col. Paul Eberhart Entertainment: 56th Army Swinging Band of Courage Day 3  Saturday, Oct 20 6:30 AM  9:00 AM Breakfast at hotel 9 AM  11 AM Business Meeting - John Marx 11:30 AM  4:30 PM Boeing Manufacturing/Museum Tour (Opion B) 11:30 AM  12:30 PM Lch & Lea a he  Boeing history  Bill McCutcheon 1 PM  3 PM Education Session at hotel Waime Aiaion Hio Bill M. 5:30 PM  6:30 PM Reception at hotel - Atrium 6:30 PM  8:00 PM Dinner/program at hotel Special Guest & Program: Keynote TBD; Cascade HS Jazz Day 4  Sunday, Oct 21 6:30 AM  9 AM Breakfast at hotel 9 AM  11 AM Open/Memorabilia room 11:30 AM  4:00 PM Seattle City Tour (Opion C) 1 PM  3 PM Education Session at hotel B-24 aircraft and noe a Don M. 5:30 PM  6:30 PM Reception at hotel - Atrium Eeaie: Ted Taeig Cb Bad 6:30 PM  8:00 PM Closing/Memorial Dinner hotel Honor Guard Day 5  Monday, Oct 22 6:30 AM  9 AM Breakfast and Depart - hotel

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Page 6 www.93bg.com Table of Contents 93rd Bomb Group Association Reunion 2012 .................................................................................................. 1 Presidents Corner ............................................................................................................................................... 7 Treasurer's Notes ............................................................................................................................................... 12 Notes and Quotes .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! ............................................................................................................. 13 93rd Website Update ......................................................................................................................................... 14 Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 16 Membership Corner ........................................................................................................................................... 18 New Members Roll Call ..................................................................................................................................... 19 News from Across the Pond ............................................................................................................................. 20 News from Station 104 Hardwick England ..................................................................................................... 21 Letters to the Editor ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Recipes Corner ................................................................................................................................................... 25 Post Exchange (PX) ......................................................................................................................................... 26 Your Post Exchange (PX) ................................................................................................................................. 27 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ........................................... 28 DIRECTORY 2010 - 2012 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Executive Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary  PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; editor93bg@hotmail.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 doniac1967@sbcglobal.net Vice President, 2nd Air Division Association  JOHN LEE 930 Preston Trail, Melbourne, FL 32940 321-259-6861; jlee1922@aol.com VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD Fernley Smith Cal Davidson OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Documentary Project  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN (see Secretary) KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253 Webmaster  MICHAEL SELLERS (see Documentary Project)

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Page 7 www.93bg.com Peiden Cone In our last Ball of Fire, a new 93rd member, Mr. Jim Lux, sought contact with relatives of the men who died in a crash in Iceland in 1943. Since then, Jim has shared an intriguing idea for advancing our mission to preserve the memory of the men who flew and fought with the 93rd. In recent years, Jim became acquainted with a surviving cre member of Hot Stuff, a B-24D Liberator assigned to the 330th Bomb Squadron. His friend, Robert T. "Jake" Jacobson, was an original crew member and the bombardier of Hot Stuff, the first bomber to complete 25 missions in the European theater. As a result of their accomplishment, the crew with their plane was ordered to return to the states for a three month war bond drive. At the last minute, LTG Andrews, the new Commander of U.S. Forces in Europe and his entourage bumped some of the crew members to meet their urgent requirement to return to the states. On Ma 3, 1943, Hot Stuff crashed into a mountain in Iceland as the result of bad weather. Of the 15 men on board, the tail gunner was the only survivor. Although, Jake, one of the bumped crewmen, had never told his friend very much about his experiences with the 93rd, he did mention his last minute repriee. Jims curiosity was aroused so he made arrangements to interview Jake. A few days before the scheduled interview, Jake took a turn for the worse and passed aa in 2010. With Jakes daughters help, Jim continued to sort through Jakes papers and found a certificate signed by then Colonel Timberlake on Feb 7, 1943 attesting to Jakes completion of 25 missions. Jim began a three-year project to discover all he could about Hot Stuff and its cre. Recentl Jim completed a journey to Iceland to visit the crash site and recover remains of the airplane. Pictures of the aircraft pieces and the crash site location are included in Jims article elsewhere. Jims project has gron to a crusade to gain proper recognition for Hot Stuff and her cre. He has developed a three pronged attack to accomplish his goal: (1) Place aircraft pieces in the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH as a part of the General Andres ehibit; (2) Place aircraft pieces in the Smithsonian; and (3) raise the funds for a permanent memorial in the village of Grindavik, Iceland, the closest village to the crash site. Your association has already taken steps to advance the first two goals. Letters of support were sent to the leadership at the US Air Force Museum and the Smithsonian. Both letters are included in this BOFQE for your review. The third goal is ambitious but doable. We are exploring ways we can assist with the fundraising project. Our preliminary discussions have been very encouraging. We plan to bring a proposal to support this important fund raising project to the membership during our annual business meeting in October. We lost one of our stalwart veterans when John Cadle of Lakewood, WA passed away. John encouraged us to consider the Seattle area for a reunion for a number of years. He was thrilled when we committed to the Seattle reunion in 2010. Sadly, John will not be present to welcome us to his home state when we arrive. He will be missed by all. We extend our condolences to his family. Speaking of the reunion; now is the time to register and finalize plans to join us in Seattle. All of the necessary information can be found elsehere in this issue. Dont miss this tremendous opportunity to join with old and new friends in celebrating the accomplishments of the 93rd. I want to renew my appeal for reunion location recommendations. Each year, we recommend potential reunion sites for two years later. Last year, we have selected Hartford, CT for 2013. We will present candidate cities and vote on the 2014 location in the fall. If you have an idea, please call me (724-843-3897) or send an email (109clearview@verizon.net) with your recommendation. I have already received a recommendation for Omaha, Nebraska and will include Omaha as a candidate city. Other candidates for 2014 are Salt Lake City, UT; National Capital Region; Orlando, FL; Dayton, OH; and Detroit, MI. Maybe the 93rd can come to your hometown next! John Marx, President Letter to General Dailey at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian: 93rd Bomb Group Association

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Page 8 www.93bg.com August 7, 2012 109 Clearview Street Beaver Falls, PA 15010 General J. R. Dailey Museum Director National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian 600 Independence Ave Washington, D. C. 20560 Dear General Dailey, On behalf of the members of the 93rd Bomb Group Association, I rite ou in support of Mr. Jim Lus efforts to place crash remains from the B-24 Liberator, Hot Stuff in the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum. Mr. Lu is a member of our association who we support fully in his project. His recent correspondence highlights Hot Stuffs tie to General Andres death and the impact on the course of WWII. Our association agrees ith Mr. Lus contention that this reckage ill enhance the Smithsonians capabilit to proide appropriate recognition to one of the most important WWII bombers. The 93rd Bomb Group was a highly decorated WWII Heavy Bombardment Group stationed in Hardwick, England. The 93rd Bomb Group Association membership consists of 93rd veterans who served during WWII as a part of the 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force and their descendants. Our groups purpose is to: 1. Carry on the traditions and memories of the 93rd Bomb Group after the veterans of that war have deceased. 2. Continue to advocate and support an adequate, effective and efficient military service. 3. Perpetuate the friendships and memories of service together. 4. Educate future generations about the sacrifices made to preserve their liberty. Our membership, with more than 300 veterans and family members, is eager to see the accomplishments of our WWII veterans recognized and remembered by future generations. Although the Smithsonian does not currently display a B-24, we are confident that the sacrifice made by those who flew the B-24 is appreciated. An opportunit to tell the stor of Hot Stuff and eplain h General Andres as so important to the ar effort in Europe is ideall suited to the Air and Space Museum. We beliee the Smithsonian is the right place for Hot Stuff reckage to reside as an important part of Americas stor. We are er hopeful ou ill accept Mr. Lus offer of the remains of Hot Stuff. Regards, John A. Marx COL (Retired), United States Army President, 93rd Bomb Group Association Letter to Lt. Gen Hudson, USAF (Ret.) at the National Museum of the United States Air Force: 93rd Bomb Group Association July 31, 2012 109 Clearview Street Beaver Falls, PA 15010

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Page 9 www.93bg.com Lt. Gen. John L. Hudson, USAF (Ret.) Director National Museum of the United States Air Force 1100 Spaatz Street Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433 Dear General Hudson, On behalf of the members of the 93rd Bomb Group Association, I rite ou in support of Mr. Jim Lus efforts to place crash remains from the B-24 Liberator, Hot Stuff in the National Museum of the USAF. Mr. Lux is a member of our association ho e support full in his project. His recent correspondence ith ou highlights Hot Stuffs tie to General Andres death and the impact on the course of WWII. Our association agrees ith Mr. Lus contention that this wreckage will enhance your existing display about General Andrews and help tell his story in a tangible way. As you may know, the 93rd Bomb Group was a highly decorated WWII Heavy Bombardment Group stationed in Hardwick, England. The 93rd Bomb Group Association membership consists of 93rd veterans who served during WWII as a part of the 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force and their descendants. Our groups stated purpose is complimentar to our museums purpose and is to: 5. Carry on the traditions and memories of the 93rd Bomb Group after the veterans of that war have deceased. 6. Continue to advocate and support an adequate, effective and efficient military service. 7. Perpetuate the friendships and memories of service together. 8. Educate future generations about the sacrifices made to preserve their liberty. We have a membership in excess of 300 veterans and family members. Our veterans are eager to know what is happening in todas Air Force and take a proprietar ie of their role in establishing the great Air Force tradition. We beliee the USAF Museum is the right place for Hot Stuff reckage to reside as an important part of the Air Force stor. We are hopeful ou ill accept Mr. Lus offer of the remains of Hot Stuff. Regards, John A. Marx COL (Retired), United States Army President, 93rd Bomb Group Association Sunday, 7/1/2012 Austin American Statesman newspaper about Jim Lux's quest for 93rd BG Hot Stuff's recognition: Austinite's bomber beat Memphis Belle to record, researcher claims by Patrick Beach Jim Lux says he has proof the Hot Stuff bomber flew 25 missions before the Memphis Belle, which got credit as the first plane to do so. You can look it up: The Memphis Belle was the first heavy bomber to successfully complete 25 missions during World War II. Except, says retired IBM marketing representative Jim Lux, it wasn't. Not even close. It was a B-24 Liberator nicknamed Hot Stuff, whose crew included the late Austinite Robert T. "Jake" Jacobson, a Mississippi native who spent decades as an administrator at then-Brackenridge Hospital and who died in 2010 at 93. Hot Stuff, Lux claims  and he has plenty of supporting documentation  reached that milestone against long odds at a time when many planes were being shot down, fully 3 1/2 months before the Belle. The Belle made it home safely and became a potent propaganda tool, a cause célèbre, the subject of a documentary during the war and a feature film in 1990. Photo by: Kelly West/AMERICAN-STATESMAN

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Page 10 www.93bg.com Hot Stuff was on its way home when, on May 3, 1943, it crashed into a mountainside in Iceland in bad weather, killing 14 of 15 aboard. Only the tailgunner survived. Jacobson wasn't on the plane. He and five other crew members were bumped from the doomed flight by Gen. Frank Andrews, often called the father of the U.S. Air Force, and his entourage. Andrews had taken over command of U.S. troops in Europe from Dwight D. Eisenhower and was expected back in Washington to collect his fourth star. Hot Stuff and her crew were to rotate home and be used to sell war bonds. Instead, because of the crash, that honor fell to the Belle, which barnstormed the country on a three-month, morale-boosting tour, and her crew. "I understand why they did it," Lux says. "I just don't understand why Hot Stuff was forgotten. That's just wrong." By sheer happenstance, Lux stumbled across the information that has potential to rewrite a piece of the war's history. An Air Force veteran himself, Lux was helping put together the program for an air show and gathering in about 1999 organized by what was formerly called the Confederate Air Force (now Commemorative Air Force). Jacobson, a golfing buddy of Lux's in the Lost Creek subdivision, gave the younger man pictures and documents from his service years. Jacobson had completed 31 missions over North Africa and Europe, and 14 over Japan  including one on the last day of the war, Aug. 14, 1945, the day of the Japanese surrender. After he received his master's degree, he spent several years in postwar Japan, helping rebuild hospitals. "I destroyed them for this much time, and then I came back to help them rebuild," Jacobson would say. Lux went through the material. And there it was, a certificate signed by the group's commander, Col. Edward "Ted" Timberlake, mission No. 25 over Naples, Italy, dated "7 Feb. 43." "Jake, you didn't tell me you guys were the first to complete 25," Lux said, astonished. "Heck, I didn't know that," Jacobson replied. Intrigued, Lux had planned to interview the old airman who retired as a major, but Jacobson fell and died just days before they were supposed to get together. Discouraged but not deterred, Lux kept at it, with the aid of Jacobson's daughter, Kelly Treybig, who had a great deal of her dad's records. "I approached the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio," Lux said. "The director wasn't too impressed. So now I have all kinds of records and research, and I have proof." "I believe that's the case," said Brett Stolle, a curator at the museum. "He's put together a pretty convincing narrative. We can't confirm that it was the first aircraft to reach 25 missions, but it looks promising that that's the case. It did before the Belle. There are several (including one named Hell's Bells) that beat the Belle." Lux knows it won't be easy rewriting a narrative that has largely held for almost 70 years. But he's not done yet. Last month he visited the crash site with a pair of Icelandic men hoping to memorialize crash sites there during the war. (Because of frequent bad weather and heavy air traffic, both sides lost close to 20 planes over Iceland during the war, Lux said.) Debris, pieces of which he brought home, still litter the mountainside. The larger pieces are in a lava field almost a half-mile away. Had the weather been clear, the pilot could have seen the airfield at which he was hoping to land. Per his friends' suggestion, Lux is contemplating a fundraising drive to get a monument erected there, an initiative he says the American ambassador to Iceland, Luis Arrega, enthusiastically endorses, and for the museum in Dayton to include Hot Stuff in a future exhibition. "It's an incredible story that should be told and not forgotten," Lux said. "Hot Stuff and her crew were the first to complete 25, and they were not given credit. The excuse given is the Memphis Belle returned with her crew intact. I'm not trying to take anything away from the B-17 Memphis Belle, which completed a nearly impossible task. But Hot Stuff should have been recognized as the first." Contact Patrick Beach at 445-3603 Correction: This version corrects the name and references to Robert T. "Jake" Jacobson. http://www.statesman.com/news/local/austinites-bomber-beat-memphis-belle-to-record-researcher-2407450.html Jim Lux's email to he sent to Gen. Hudson, Director of the National Museum of the USAF, including some of the pictures of parts recovered from Hot Stuff's crash site in Iceland: Dear Gen. Hudson, The pieces of the B-24 HOT STUFF wreckage have arrived at my home in Austin, Texas courtesy of Icelandair Airlines. I would like to provide pieces of the wreckage to the NMUSAF to be included in future displays in the museum that include HOT STUFF and her crew.

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Page 11 www.93bg.com I mentioned to Brett Stole and Terry Aitken that I stood by the Gen. Andrews display in the museum for more than an hour when I visited in April and observed that not one person looked at the display while I was there. Is it possible that the story of HOT STUFF, her crew, those killed in the accident and pieces of the wreckage could be included in the Gen. Andrews display? It would definitely attract attention to the display. I spent almost five years on active duty in the USAF and, until I started doing research on HOT STUFF, I had never heard of Gen. Andrews. I have talked to many Air Force officers and enlisted personnel who didn't know who Gen. Andrews was, including some who had been stationed at Andrews AFB. Most people who know anything about United States history in World War II remember Generals Eisenhower, Macarthur, Bradley, Patton, Clark, Arnold, Marshall, Eaker, Spaatz, Doolittle, Admirals Nimitz and Halsey and others but few, if any, remember Gen. Andrews. This is a wonderful opportunity for the National Museum of the United States Air Force to give proper recognition to HOT STUFF, Her crew for their accomplishments and to Gen. Andrew, and the nine other officers, four enlisted men and one civilian killed when HOT STUFF crashed in Iceland. This is also an opportunity to tell the story of one of the most tragic aircraft accidents in the history of the United States military when Lt. Gen. Andrews, Commander of the European Theater of Operations, Brig. General Barth, Andrews Chief of Staff along with two Colonels, one Lt. Colonel, two Majors, three Captains, Three Sergeants and one civilian Methodist Bishop died in the accident. I sincerely hope you will accept my offer. I included several photos of pieces of the wreckage I recovered from the crash site on Mt. Fagradalsjfall in Iceland. Best regards, Jim Lux Hot Stuff pieces Cowling piece Guide for flaps Piece of vertical stabilizer made of aluminum and wood Exhaust stack 2 Melted aluminum with piece of lava rock attached Top piece of cowling, engine 4

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Page 12 www.93bg.com Treasurer's Notes Dear friends, you already know this, but, I will say it again. We have the greatest organization whose members are always willing to step-up-to-the-plate when it comes to supporting the member inspired projects your management team has put on the table. In the last BOF we made an appeal for members to support a very important project in Savannah at the Mighty Eighth Museums Roger Freeman Research Center. The project is to enable hiring of a history student who would be dedicated to processing and cataloging the large olume of our eterans WWII memorabilia which arrives at museum on a regular basis. While the membership will vote on approving the entire annual cost of $7,500 at our meeting in October, with member individual support, we were able to send them the $2,000 they needed to start the project this September. This is a very important step to preserving the history of our ets eperiences and making that information readily available to the public. On a personal basis, I have already experienced being able to find information at the Research Center on my Uncle Floyd R. Cook who crashed June 19, 1944 while on a mission to Pas de Calais. A great big thank you to our members who have sent their checks for $50, $100 and $200 for the archiing project. Hoeer, e still hae some bucket filling to do and I will ask for your continued individual support. The more we can raise from each of you, the less we need to take from the treasury. To accomplish a goal of funding $3.750 from our members and $3,750 from the treasury, we still need to raise $2,600 from our membership. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP. Please send checks to me (address in front of the BOF) or use the PayPal found on the 93rd BG website under membership. As a reminder, your contributions are 100% tax deductible! Lastly, I am including the text of a letter received from the Roger Freemen Research Center which follows. We will see you in Seattle!!! Jim Guddal, Treasurer This letter was received from the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum: July 31, 2012 Mr. K. James Guddal, Treasurer 93rd Bombardment Group Association P O Box 47336 Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Mr. Guddal, On behalf of the Board of Trustees and staff at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum we thank you for your generous support to the Roger A. Freemen Eighth Air force Research Center. Your gift of $2,000.00 will help support our efforts in cataloging World War II memorabilia donated to the museum. Your gift to the research center will make it possible for researchers to better access materials in our collections. Thanks to your support, we can continue to update and create ne ehibits that share more of our heroes stories and develop our educational initiative. Please keep up with our progress and upcoming events by visiting our newly designed website www.mightyeighty.org. Again, thank you for your support and we hope you visit us soon. We invite each of you to visit and discover how your generosity has promoted research on the Eighth Air Force. Respectfully, Henry Skipper, President/CEO Dr. Vivian Rogers-Price, Research Center Director Notes and Quotes (submitted by Jim Guddal) A little boy and a girl ere talking on the school plaground . "M dads an accountant, the bo bragged. What does our dad do? Actuall, hes a reall important politician, the girl replied. Honest? the impressed bo asked. I didnt sa that. Reprinted from the Legion Magaine A priate stood before the units commanding officer for a recent offense. Its our choice, priate, the officer said. One months restriction or 20 das pa. Ill take the mone, sir. Reprinted from the Legion Magaine "New Predictions out today claim 42 percent of Americans will be obese by the year 2030. They say the only way to stop that is for the government to step in. Oh yeah, when it comes to trimming the fat and tightening your belt, what better a than the U.S. goernment.  Jay Leno

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Page 14 www.93bg.com 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article, 45,611 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Makati, Manila, Philippines . I thought I'd crunch some numbers this time around! The top areas of the inserted picture below shows the activity of visitors to the 93 BG website during a typical week. I have also noticed the numbers spike every quarter when a BOFQE newsletter is sent out. It just means that people are not only reading the newsletter but are taking the extra effort to jump online and see what we have to offer on the website. A "page loaded" is every time some clicks to a new page on the site. A "unique visit" is someone who has never been to the website before and is viewing it for the first time. Also below that are monthly averages of people visiting the website. These statistics only start when the new site was redesigned in November 2009. I hope to make the reunion in Seattle this year. I am working with the planning committee to organize a "live feed" of portions of the reunion. Since this might be the last BOFQE newsletter to go out before the reunion, please take note to visit www.93bg.com if you plan on not attending the reunion. Times and dates will be posted to "click on" and watch what's going on at the reunion. If you have a camera on your computer you could even feed right onto the big screen we'll have up. This is the first time we will be trying this so there might be a few technical bugs - but we'll give it a go. So again, visit the website during the reunion to look for times and dates to watch and listen in on 93rd meetings and banquets. Thank You, Michael Sellers, 93rd BG Webmaster www.93bg.com www.93bg.com Visitor statistics over one week Page Loads Unique Visits First Time Visits Returning Visits Total Average 1,504 188 414 52 364 46 so 6 Day Tuesday Monday Sunday Saturday Friday Thursday Wednesday Tuesday Date Page Loads Unique Visits First Time Visits Returning Visits August 21st 2012 244 Bl 71 10 August 20th 2012 195 37 28 9 August 19th 2012 248 36 33 3 August 18th 2012 208 67 65 2 August 17th 2012 137 24 22 2 August 16th 2012 183 63 57 6 August 15th 2012 100 33 24 9 August 14th 2012 189 73 64 9 Dally D Page Loads 1O:37:09P Augus121 2012 JOO ■ Unique Visits 250 D Returning Visits 00 1G 200 ii ,.. 150 100 50 0 Visitor website averages after redesigned years 1 0 months) (tota I of 2 Page Loads Total 153,823 Average per month 4,524 Unique Visits 45,611 1,342 First Time Visits 40,532 1,192 Returning Visits 5,079 149

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Page 16 www.93bg.com Folded Wings Cadle, John, August 6, 2012 (photo and comment submitted by Phyllis and Joe Duran) It is with deep sadness I am writing to let you know that Lt Col. John Richard Cadle passed on Aug. 6,2012. He was a Pilot with the 328th Squadron. Many of you will recall Hearol Veteto at are reunions and also those of you that were at our last reunion John, himself telling us of their 3rd mission with the 93rd which took place on February 26, 1945. The mission was sometimes referred to the (Big B) the Raid to Berlin. Although the mission was a success The Cadle crew would lose power to their 3rd and 4th engines due to flak. They would then bail out of the ship and become the 1st 8th AF Crew to come under Soviet control. John would survive not only the bail out and long journey back to Hardwick with a broken leg and neck. We feel very honored to have had the chance to get to know John and will deeply miss him. ANGEL GOES HOME / 1945, page 459* February 26: "Big B" (Berlin) bore the weight of the entire Eighth. Eastbound, 20th Wing encountered exceptionally strong headwinds. With Colonel Robertson, air commander, and Lieutenant Stepp, lead pilot, the Circus complained air speed was too slow; 448th Group disagreed, "too fast." A rail station was prey for the Circus, bombing on H2X through 10 / 10ths clouds. Target-finding equipment worked well. It was later learned the strike was a complete success. Piloting No. 456-M was Lieutenant John R. Cadle, who lost engines Number Three and Four to flak. Navigator Eric E. Ericson would report later: Four Mustangs stayed with us about 20 minutes before breaking off because they were short of fuel. As we departed the Berlin area, we told them we were heading to England. After about an hour (we were almost Debisfelde), we calculated making England impossible. I gave Cadle a heading for the bulge in the Oder River, some 26 miles northeast of Berlin. From 19,000 feet, we'd been

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Page 17 www.93bg.com flying blind in clouds for about two hours and losing attitude. We made it inside the Russian lines by five miles. With air speed down to 132 mph. Cadle ordered bail-out at 3,600 feet. Cadle's crowd was the first Eighth Air Force crew to come under Soviet control during the war. Lieutenant Bruno Bigolin, 409th pilot, reported "Cadle (456-M) called and said he was heading for Russia." The 328th's Lieutenant John T. Kerler told Hardwick interrogators, "It was 1250 hours, 25,000 feet, just after bombs-away" when Cadle was hit. Lieutenant Elmer C. Vangness, a 328th pilot from Fargo, N.D., noted Cadle left the formation in clouds at 1320, 53 degrees N and 11 degrees 3'E. *Teds Traelling Circus b Carroll Steart Goodgion, James E., August 2, 2012 (submitted by wife, Cindy Goodgion) James E. Goodgion was a top turret gunner in WWII in the 93rd,409th BS. We are former members (HL) who let life get in the way and failed to keep up our membership. His son, James E. Goodgion, III asked me to inform the Heritage League that his father, Jim 93 years old, died at home on August 2 of natural causes. Jim served on the Lucky with Hap Kendall and often talked about his experience during Operation Tidal Wave over Ploesti. He went on to serve a 2nd tour in the 15th AF after volunteering. Hoffman, Eugene, July 7, 2012 (submitted by Pam Kawashima) Mr. Eugene Hoffman passed away on July 7, 2012 in Florida where he retired. He is survived by his wife Dolores and 6 children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. He is one of the few guys that had the opportunity to pilot both a B-17 and B-24. Most of his missions were in the B-24 while he was stationed in Hardwick, England. After the war, Gene attended college on the GI bill and became an accomplished lawyer working for Weyerhaeuser for many years. He married his high school sweetheart and raised 6 kids together. They eventually retired in Florida. Gene was a really great guy and had a wonderful life. He will be missed by many. Here is a link to the wonderful eulogy his boys wrote for him. http://www.howlinwolf.com/dad/ Lamb, Donald R., June 25, 2012 (Submitted by his grandson, Dave R. Coffey) Donald R. Lamb was raised in Casper, Wyoming. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II as a B-24 navigator from 1942 to 1945. During this time he married Orla, his life partner and mother of his three children. He began his teaching career at UW, as a supply instructor in 1951. He was promoted to professor in 1961, was chairman of the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering from 1964 to 1974, and remained on the faculty until 1981. As a registered Professional Civil Engineer, he focused his career on transportation engineering, teaching, and public service. He conducted research sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Wyoming Department of Transportation. He was a consulting civil engineer as a partner and then owner of Engineering Associates in Laramie between 1977 and 1985. This firm operates today as Coffey Engineering and Surveying under the ownership of his grandson. His public service included being elected a city councilman, a hospital board trustee, and a state legislator. He served on many boards and was a member of many professional societies. As a teacher he was known for his ability to illuminate and impart knowledge and formed many life-long friendships with his students who can be found all over the world.

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Page 18 www.93bg.com William M. Brown Crew Back row: James Gallagher/Engineer John Hartman/Waist Gunner Anthony Vainoski/Top Turret Burt Linhart/Radio Operator Donald Hansen/Gunner Bernard Silver/Tail Gunner Front row: William M. Brown/Pilot Robert C. Young/Co-Pilot Donald R. Lamb/Navigator William Marcharnek/Bombardier Membership Corner WILLIAM M. BROWN Bill enlisted in the Army Air Force on July 30, 1942 at Fort Crook, in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 22. He was called to active duty on 2/8/43. He received his military training in Texas, Kansas and Wyoming and received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and a multi-engine pilot at Lubbock, Texas. On 12/4/43 After 4 engine training at Liberal, Kansas he was sent to Lincoln Army Air Base in Nebraska where he met the men who were to be his crew for more than a year. This occurred on 4/26/44. After training together as a crew in Casper, Wyoming they were sent to Topeka, Kansas where they were issued a new B-24 Liberator on 7/15/44 and told to fly to Grenier Field in New Hampshire. There they received orders to fly to England via Goose Bay, Labador, and Iceland. When they landed at Vally, Wales they were assigned to the 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, 93rd Bomb Group and the 328th Squadron which was based at Hardwick Air Base near Norwich, England. They stayed from 7/28/44 until 4/3/45. During that time Bill and his crew flew 35 bombing missions, the first one on 8/25/44 and the last one 2/23/45. This was a very fortunate crew. Although they had lots of damage to the plane not one of the crew received a Purple Heart. When the Allies took Paris back from the Germans, Bill's Squadron was temporally taken off combat and sent to a base in Southern England where a they were loaded with flour and flown to Orly Air Field outside of Paris. The French were very glad to receive it. Instructor Certificate on 7/27/45. He was discharged from active duty 11/12/45 and then stayed in the reserves for 7 years until he resigned on 4/1/53. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, EAME Ribbon with 3 Battle Stars and an Overseas Bar. After his discharge from active duty Bill returned to his position with the Union Pacific Railroad. He remained with the railroad in many different positions and after 42 years of service he retired as a supervisor on 8/1/80. Bill spent time working with the Ground Observer Corp for several years and also worked with his Church raising funds. At the present time he helps at the school cafeteria feeding the children, Fishing and Golf are his vices. He was just an average golfer, nothing to brag about and now at the age of 92 years he qualifies as a duffer. He still plays 9 holes 3 times a week on a par 3 course. Traveling is one of his enjoyments. In September of 2009 Bill was honored by being included on one of the Honor Flights to Washington, DC to visit the World War II memorial. He has also attended reunions of the 2nd Air Division and the 93rd Bomb Group every year since 1987 where they join old comrades and tell each other how they won World War II.

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Page 19 www.93bg.com LEO HEBERTLeo Hebert (radio operator-gunner Marmon's crew) is holding a recently completed Sun catcher of the 409th Squadron insignia made with stained glass for his screened patio in Pylesville, MD. This will hang in another bay to complement his 8th Air Force Sun catcher. You never forget memories and pride in your old outfit. Since retiring and taking a course for stained glass, he has completed 4 church windows, a 36 inch round Hebert coat-of-arms and many window sun catchers. In addition to other hobbies, like decoy duck carving, mat and framing, wine making and Ham radio, he enjoys traveling and family events. New Members Roll Call We welcome the following new members received from June to August into the 93rd Bomb Group Association Family!!! Member (Vets are in Bold & **) Connection to 93rd BG Clay Keown Historian David Coffey Grandson of Donald R. Lamb (recently deceased). Don was a navigator with the W (Bill) M Brown crew. James Lux Historian (Project Hot Stuff) Christopher Dady Grandson of Louis Delguidice Brad Stafford Nephew of Clifford A. Stafford, TSgt 330th KIA Feb 1944. Pilot was Omar Turner on Lonesome Polecat. Carol Emily Daughter of TSgt Mark Weber in 329th, 389th & 567th. Also with 98th BG (345th SQ) on Ploesti Raid in Snake Ees  Pilot Bleins. May have also fle in Urgent Virgin. Warren McCullough Son of lst Lt. Joseph W. McCullough, Pilot; flew 35 missions July 31, 1944 (Ludwigshafen) to Dec 11, 1944 (Hanau). We are very grateful that so many 2nd and 3rd generations are joining. We offer the best avenue for family and friends trying to find out about their special family member who served with the 93rd. Our members also include an increasing number of historians which we appreciate. IF YOU BECAME A MEMBER IN 2012 AND HAVE NOT LISTED IN A PREVIOUS BOF, LET US KNOW. jguddal@yahoo.com (763) 694.9058.

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Page 20 www.93bg.com News from Across the Pond News article from John W. Archer, Earsham, Bungay, Suffolk, England Crew information from 93d Bomb Group H AAF, Eighth Air Force, Hardwick Airdrome, Norfolk, England, History 1944-03-01 to 1944-04-30: March 29, 1944 - Target: Watton, Germany; 30 aircraft dispatched; 14 attacked through cloud cover; two ships lost due to midair collision. Killed in action are: 328th Bombardment Squadron - 2/Lt. Robert L. M.'FETRICH, Rfd 3, Warren, O., pilot. Journal onllne: bbjournal2.4.co.uk Solemn cere collision rem ony as mbered Ry RICHARD WOOD richard.wood@archant.co.uk TRIBUTES were paid to American airmen who lost their lives in a second world war accident yesterday as a memorial was re-dedicated in thelr honour. Thirty-six men died after a mid-air colll~lon at Henham on March 29, 1944, and yesterday the ~ewJy-renovated black marble tribute was Wl\'eiled. Serviceman of RAF MIidenhaii travelled to the Henham estate for the special service after Halesworth Lions had rcnontod the memorial. Chaplin Phillip Kahn, from the base, led a brief dedication before members of the base's honour guard raised tho Stars and Stripes. Capt Kailn said the memorial paid tribute to those who had made the ultimate sacrlflc<> for their country, but also reminded everyone of the unique friendship between Britain and tho America. '"This ls a small ma ricer of that proud heritage that we share together as both nations strive for freedom throughout this vast world.'" he said. The American airmen died when there was a mid-air collision above Benham Park on Wednesday, March 29, 1944. Alrcrllft hnd 110no our on a bom bins mission to the St Na2alre U-boat peM, bul two B24s from the 93rd llomb g':?u.p ~! Hard~_i.ck _!l}t each.?~~~-•--• MEMORIAL RIEDIEDICATION: The solemn ceremony at Henham Park to remember airmen and rescuers who died IMre when two bombers collided ove, the P.,ltk In 11,M4•· Pictures: JAMES AA.<;S Only three of I.he 20 airmen survived but, as rescuers worked on the wreckage, there was an explosion that co t 19 more Uve . ·rhe memorial was first put up in J 994 after a bequest from an airman wbo had missed a flight on one or the ill-t:ated B24 Liberators, as well as money from the Earl of Stradbroke at that time. However; CLOSING PRAYER: Halesworth The Rev Liz Cannon. Lions, who hold a WingS and Wheels event on the estate, had noticed the memorial had fallen into a dilapidated state and volunteered to renovate it with help from local firms. Lions' president Steve Harrowven said: ··we wanted to renovate it a it was in i sorry state and without the ultimate sacrifice of those brave young men we might not be here today. "It is superb that all these people came out to re pect them in a titting tribute.n Hors on the estate looked on with interest as more than 35 people Joined together for the special service.. Hektor Rous, who runs the estate on behalf of his father the sixth Earl of Stradbroke. said: "This memorial which has been beautifully restored by the Lions is a testament to the bravery of those who were many miles from their own homes defending this land in a shared common belief in liberty. "I am honoured and very proud of this a a permanent m morlal." He added that he has found metal on the e late from the era h. Others at the rooedication inc!,1ded John Levy, county standard bearer with Royal BrtU h Legion, the Rev Liz Cannon, vicar of Holton, and Michael Re.ndaU, from The Halesworth (Holton) A!rfield Museum, who was wearing a unjform from the USAAF 56th Fighter Group, who served at that airfield. The gr-oup went on for lunch at the Triple Plea at Holton, while the museum was al o opened especially for the occasion. • Fitting trjbute at museum -centre pages. Friday, April 20, 2012 :3

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Page 21 www.93bg.com 2/Lt. Harry Cassel, Jr.,, 1445 Orchard Dr., Dayton, O., copilot. 2/Lt. Wm. H. Lowry, 4010 McChill Rd., Chattanooga, Tenn., nav. S/Sgt. Clifford E. White, of Adamson, Okla., engineer-gunner. S/Sgt. Carl J. Mead, of Pataskala, O., radio operator. Sgt. Orland J. Watson, 4827 Gaston Ave., Dallas, Tex., gunner. Sgt. Wm. R. Bloom, of Mehalen, Ore., gunner. 330th Bombardment Squadron - 2/Lt. Chester D. Makinster, Address Unknown, pilot. 2/Lt. Robert M. Trask, Address Unknown, co-pilot. 2Lt. Robert J. Poe, Address Unknown, bombardier. 2/Lt. Earl J. Morris, Address Unknown, navigator. S/Sgt. Herman B. Larson, 5809 Cody St., Duluth, Minn., engineer. S/Sgt. Thomas O. Byrd, 1618 East St., Connersville, Ind., gunner. Sgt. Wm. J. Franke, 139 Java St., Brooklyn, N.Y., gunner. Sgt. Stephen Reinias, 529 Garden St., Little Falls, N.Y., gun. Sgt. Steve T. Clovis, 2552 Cornwall Ave., Youngstown, O., gunner. Hardwick, Norfolk, UK Website Colin Mann provided the link to the new museum web site, put together by Seth Reeder. The site has lots to see on the museum and its history plus lots on the group with photos maps and slide shows. He invites you to come along and have a look and let them know what you think. The 93rd Bombardment Group (H) Museum, Station 104, Hardwick, Norfolk, UK. www.93rd-bg-museum.org News from Station 104 Hardwick England, giving you an update on the latest developments at the 93rd BG Museum. A great deal of work maintaining the museum huts and grounds is being done by a small number of dedicated volunteers who are motivated to preserve the history of Station 104 and the memory of the servicemen stationed there during WWII. Hut 3 was occupied by the Halesworth 489th BG, they now have their own museum on Halesworth airfield so it was decided that this hut should be repaired from the floor up, re-decorated inside and out and display cabinets designed and built to considerably expand the current museum display. So in the winter of 2011-12 we set about this revamp making sure that the exhibits would be housed in sealed display areas to protect them. The picture belo shos ork in the hut 3 left to right Whippet, Ma , Derek and Paul (curator) doing the redecorating during the winter, hence the warm clothes!

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Page 24 www.93bg.com So thats a brief update on hats been happening in England and theres still plent to do as e ant to improve and expand the museums displays and also keep visitors coming along and having a good day with us and learn the history of station 104 and the 93rd Bomb Group . So if any of your famil and friends are oer here dont forget to pa us a isit we would love to see you. Derek Fulton Letters to the Editor From: pubdz@msn.com To: webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com; joyridecp@msn.com Subject: 93rd Bomb Group Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2012 18:28:48 -0700 My Father-in-law, Harvey O. Charlebois was a pilot in the 409th Bombardment Squadron and flew 34 missions from May 6, 1944 through July 25, 1944 including one on June 6 to "Beach-Head", France. I have the list of missions credited to Harvey as well as an order dated February 26, 1944 moving his crew of 10 men along with 3 other 10 man crews from Florida to England. I believe they stopped in Africa on the way to England. Besides crew names, rank and title, the serial numbers for their four B-24H bombers are listed. Would be interested in contacting anyone interested in this information or anyone having further information about Harvey. Dave Dye, Naperville, IL From: d.fulton@tiscali.co.uk Subject: Hardwick England Mess Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2012 20:24:02 +0100 Hi, Does anybody know if the Hardwick station in England used by the 93rd had a name for any of their mess halls? Were the just called the mess? I ask as, for eample, the 95th called their NCOs club the Red Feather club and as a helper at Hardwick I just wanted to know if we could call the new canteen the same name. Hope you can help. Derek From: binzchristian4@hotmail.com To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Subject: Joseph M. Wurzer, Pilot 409sq Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2012 08:28:57 +0000 Hello, I would be very delighted to obtain every available information (military and private) about WURZER, Joseph M. 1/Lt, 0-561173, member of 409 sq of the 93rd und pilot of the B24 called "Southwind". As I was told at the secretary of the US War cemetery at Henri-Chapelle/Belgium, Joseph Wurzer was MIA since his plane was shot down in Herresbach, Belgium on 1 December 1943. Maybe, you also can tell me how to contact his family ? Thanks a lot and please apologize my school-English! Christian Binz, Herresbach B4870 Amel/Belgium 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////~

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Page 25 www.93bg.com Recipes Corner Recipes by June Eck Pickled Eggs and Red Beets 1 15 oz. can of red beets with juice 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup vinegar 1/2 cup water 3 or 4 cloves (optional) if used, remove from liquid after boiling ingredients together for 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool and add hard cooked shelled eggs to the liquid and let them pickle for 1 or 2 days before using. You can use 6 to 8 eggs for the amount of liquid. Sweet and Sour Poppy Seed Dressing 1/2 cup sugar 2 tsp. chopped onion 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1 tsp dry mustard 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp paprika 1 cup vegetable oil 1/2 tablespoon poppy seed In a blender or mixer, put sugar, onion, dry mustard, salt & paprika. Blend until smooth. Slowly pour in oil and blend until thick. Add poppy seeds and blend a few seconds. Refrigerate. Note: Let it stand at room temperature for an hour or so before using so it is more pourable. Recipes by and submitted by Rayann Marx Garden Blended Salad For a blended salad, simply rough chop 10 vegetables and place them in a convenient plastic storage container in refrigerator until needed. Can make salad boxes for up to three days. Choose at least 10 raw vegetables for your salad such as: carrot, celery, cucumber, red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, green onions, colored peppers, beets, radish, turnips Diced avocado and sprouts can be placed on top of the blended salad. Tomatoes can be used in the blended salad or chopped and placed on top. Directions for blending: First place romaine lettuce along with a little kale, if desired, in the bottom of the large food chopper. Then, place the 10 rough, chopped vegetables on top. Add 1/4 cup or less of salad dressing on top and pulse (about 5 or 6 pulses) to slaw consistency. Healthy Salad Dressing (Paicia Bagg) Combine the following in a jar or blender and mix thoroughly: 2/3 cup of organic olive oil 3 crushed garlic cloves ½ cup Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tsp Bragg Liquid Aminos 1 tsp raw honey Pinch salad herbs Cilantro Dressing, Fom Recipe fo Life fom God Gaden, page 183, by Rhonda Malkmus 3 or 4 raw garlic cloves 1 cup fresh cilantro, stems and leaves 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar (Braggs) 1 or 2 Tablespoons raw unfiltered honey First, put the garlic cloves in the blender or food chopper and chop them. Then, put everything else in the blender or food chopper and process until desired consistency of dressing is reached. 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2

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Page 27 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) CAPS & VISORS Qty 1 Qty 2 1) Navy Blue with embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Teds Travelling Circus on adjustable strap $24 $45 2) Khaki ith Ball of Fire III B-24 plus 93rd BG $19 $35 & Teds Traelling Circus on adjustable strap 3) Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three gold victory stars  choose white or navy blue $16 $30 COFFEE & THERMAL TRAVEL MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 5) Stainless Steel Travel Mugs with B-24 medallion $22 $42 (NEW and very nice!) PUZZLES 6) Jigsaw puzzles with colorful Ball of Fire III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes with stand. $22 $42 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 7) 93rd BG Replica of Memorial stained glass window at Mighty 8th Museum Chapel  with suction cup $14 $25 BOOKS by 93rd BG Authors Ted Taelling Cic by Cal Stewart (member price) $69.95 $134.00 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $24.95 $47.50 Lucky Ears The True Story of Ben Kuroki ($9.99 avail at Amazon & Barnes & Noble) NEW!!-Forever Twenty by Nicholas Timmer $21.95 $42.00 DVDS NEW!!  Ploesti Summit 5 Disc set ith Bonus DVD of Vets panel on the a it as. This set is a must for your library. Member price ($35 + $5 shipping). Non member price ($55 + $5 shipping). (Discount on purchase of three or more. Contact PX for more info) ***All product prices include handling and shipping charges *** Pay by check or money to the 93rd BG order with the Coupon below. Pay by PayPal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total ______________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or Fax your order to: 763.694.9065

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Page 28 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE – STARTING IN 2010, MEMBERSHIP WAS CHANGED TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2012 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Annual Membership (2012 only) $25 $________ 2 year discount rate (2012 & 2013) $45 $________ Child or grandchild special(2012 only) $20 $________ Tax deductible Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. GRAND TOTAL $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please E-MAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) The PX: We have in stock, coffee & travel mugs, caps with B-24 image, visors, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Sun catcher replicas of memorial window & books. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Gddal jgddal@ahoo.com

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Table of Contents Peiden Cone ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Summary Highlights of 2012 Seattle Reunion ................................................................................................. 3 93rd Bombardment Group Annual Meeting ..................................................................................................... 5 Destination Seattle on the Amtrak Empire Builder .......................................................................................... 8 93rd Website Update ........................................................................................................................................... 8 The Memorial Project - DVD for sale ................................................................................................................ 8 Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! ............................................................................................................... 8 Hartford, CT Reunion 2013................................................................................................................................. 9 Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project ...................................................................................................................... 10 Veteran's Memorabilia Archiving Project ........................................................................................................ 12 Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Letters to the Editor ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Membership Corner ........................................................................................................................................... 23 New Members Roll Call ..................................................................................................................................... 26 POW Poems* ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 News From Across the Pond ............................................................................................................................ 27 News From Station 104 Hardwick England ................................................................................................... 28 Notes and Quotes .............................................................................................................................................. 29 Post Exchange (PX) ......................................................................................................................................... 30 Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form ........................................................................................................... 31 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ........................................... 32 DIRECTORY 2010 - 2012 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Executive Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary  PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Assistant Treasurer - NANCY GRIMES STRANGER 995 Cottonwood Ln., Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 970-945-2883; nancystranger@hotmail.com Secretary - NICK TIMMER timmer@netpenny.net Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-945-5418; editor93bg@hotmail.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 doniac1967@sbcglobal.net VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD Fernley Smith Cal Davidson OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Documentary Project  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-333-0698; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN (see Secretary) KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253 Webmaster  MICHAEL SELLERS (see Documentary Project)

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Page 3 www.93bg.com Peiden Cone What an amazing time of remembrance, friendship, and fellohip e enjoed in Seale! Jim Roo enion committee provided a variety of activities and events. Don Morrison, our historian made several excellent presentations describing life at Hardwick during the war and the approach he uses to identify photos to the place and time. For the first time, Michael Sellers coordinated a lie ebca of elec enion een, Don presentations and our annual meeting among them. A number of people joined the reunion over the web. Once again, technology has provided another valuable tool. We anticipate continuing to explore new ways to improve our connectedness. Although our members live all over the nation, we can overcome the distance that separates us by creatively using the available tools. The annual business meeting was very productive with several important decisions advancing our mission to preserve the traditions and memories of the 93rd Bomb Group for future generations. Three initiatives will contribute directly to accomplishing our primary goal: 1) We discussed the 93rd Museum at Hardwick and its need for greater security. The remote location in Quonset huts at the old airfield make the site a tempting target for theft or vandalism. We voted to provide $2,500 dollars to enhance security at the site with anti-theft devices and remote monitoring capability. Donated memorabilia will be protected and preserved for future generations. 2) We voted to support the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum in Savannah, GA in its efforts to archive the memorabilia donated by 93rd veterans. Earlier in the year, the 93rd donated $2,000 to begin the work with a dedicated archivist intern. We added another $5,500 to the effort anticipating significant progress over the next year to complete the 93rd material on hand now. Veterans are encouraged to donate memorabilia to an appropriate museum to preserve it for future historians and family researchers. Whenever possible a financial contribution should be included to defray the initial investment the museum makes in archiving the material to ensure access is afforded to all. 3) O membe enhiaicall endoed he Ho Sff Memoial Pojec peened b Jim L. The moion peak fo ielf, The 93d Bomb Gop Association will provide administrative assistance to the Ho Sff Recogniion Pojec o eec a memoial in Iceland a a pemanen ecogniion of he Ho Sff crew and passengers to include LTG Andrews. The 93rd will receive, accumulate, and disburse funds raised by Jim Lux to establish the memorial. Ne ea enion in Hafod, CT a peened. Alberta DelGuidice and her extended family are supporting the reunion committee in making our first reunion in New England a great success. As Bing Cob aid o Dann Kae in Whie Chima, i holdn be oo had fo he bo fom Ne England o attend! We are anticipating another great time in Hartford. Finally, we decided to return to Dayton, OH in 2014. We had an outstanding reunion there in 2004. For those of us who were there, we will never forget the Big Band concert under the stars next to the USAF Museum. The outpouring of gratitude from the large crowd to the 93rd veterans was heartwarming. The applause as our men ee inodced epeed a gaefl naion recognition of their sacrifice. We may schedule the reunion in Jul/Aug to coincide with the annual outdoor concert. Another highlight was our banquet in the museum and a private tour of their display B-24. It is hard to believe 10 years will have passed between our two Dayton reunions. Finall, don foge o conide a donaion o he 93d befoe ea end. Fo hoe of o needing o impoe your 2012 tax situation, all donations are tax deductible. As you can see, we use the funds collected to advance our mission. John Marx, President Summary Highlights of 2012 Seattle Reunion We had a wonderful time at our reunion in Seattle! We stayed at the Embassy Suites Hotel, close to the airport, and it was very nice and convenient! 62 total attendees, including 7 veterans, enjoyed a relaxing opening dinner on Thursday night. It was a time to reunite, tell stories, and look through the fabulous memorabilia room displays, reminding us of the wonderful and important legacy of the 93rd Bombardment Group! Friday was a busy day, starting with our own historian, Don Morrison, leading us through what life was like on the base at Hardwick, during the war years. Very interesting and informative  especially of the layout of the airfield itself! We then adjourned to the waiting coach, which took us over to the Museum of Flight, for a quick lunch and then time to tour the amazing aircraft and exhibits of the museum. Highlights included the 1st original Boeing 747, Air Force One used on the historic trip to China with President Nixon, the Blackbird, and the Concorde! Fida eening of fn, inclded a indhield tour of the Joint Military Base McChord, and an exciting evening of dinner and dancing to the Army Jazz Band, Sound of Courage!

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Page 4 www.93bg.com Saturday morning included our annual member business meeting, including a new project for the 93rd BG support. Jim Lux presented a proposal to raise awareness, and funding for a tribute memorial to Geneal Ande and Ho Sff. The agic cah in Iceland of the B-24 bomber of the 93rd BG, that is actually the first to complete 25 bombing missions in WWII. Jim is heading an effort to obtain the long overdue recognition it deserves, including a beautiful monument to be located close to the crash site. Saturday afternoon was spent on tour at the huge, world class, Boeing Manufacturing plant, where we saw the new 787 Dreamliner in production along with other aircrafts. Three assembly lines could be viewed on tour, and we were lucky enough to see one on take-off as we drove off the site! Saturday dinner at the hotel inclded a pie e-enactment for a 93rd BG mission morning briefing session, conducted by the talented and very active Historical Aviation Guild (HAG) of Seattle! What a great, fun and authentic event bringing back memories to many veterans of the seriousness of the work of war! Bill Mcutcheon of the MOF gave an informative presentation on the history of Boeing, at the hotel. Sunday morning included a full city tour of Seattle, with visits to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, a thrilling ride up the top of the Space Needle, the Chihuly museum, and shopping at Pike Place Make. We alo ached he fling fih a he Pike Place Fish Market, and enjoyed lunch at the market. Sunday evening was our formal memorial dinner, flag folding, honor guard, and tributes to our fallen heroes. It was sad to depart on Monday morning, knowing it would be another year before we see each other once again in Hartford, Connecticut!! Yo can ode pin o DVD of he 93d Bombadmen Gop Aociaion enion Gop phoo b conacing Jim Roo: Name: Address City, State Zip Contact Phone #: Your e-mail address: 2012 Seattle Reunion Photos PHOTO SIZE COST PER PHOTO QUANTITY COST = PRICE X QUANTITY 5 X 7 Group photo $3 each 8 X 10 Group photo $8 each Shipping $8 PHOTO TOTAL 2012 Seattle Reunion DVDs DVD Title COST PER DVD QUANTITY COST = PRICE X QUANTITY Education sessions DVD (includes Life at Hardwick, Nose art/B-24) $12 HAG Mission reenactment DVD $10 Reunion Highlights/Memorial service DVD $10 Shipping $12 DVD TOTAL TOTAL COST (PHOTOS & DVDS) Mail Check to : Jim Root C/O 93rd BG 15359 Red Fox Walk West Olive, Mi 49460 Contact information with questions: jamesdavidroot@aol.com (c) 616-218-0787

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Page 5 www.93bg.com 93rd Bombardment Group Annual Meeting October 20, 2012 - Seattle, WA Meeting called to order - President John Marx Reading and approval of 2011 Annual meeting minutes Communications - John Marx There was an update on the on-going interaction between the 93rd BG and Heritage League. Ball of Fire and e-mail hae been en o keep hem pdaed of he 93d a. Financial Report - Secretary Jim Guddal Current membership: 315-members 16- lost in the last year 7- international member provided complimentary copies PX Update Financial Statement was distributed, discussed and reviewed by members. Ball of Fire Report - Editor Joanne Sargent 1) Reminder of new e-mail - mailto:editor93bg@hotmail.com 2) Discussed the Featured Veterans Corner on Web Site and encouraged members to send in memories, stories and photos for inclusion in the Ball of Fire. 3) Encouraged participation in the Recipe Corner by sending favorite recipes. 4) Discussed asking our friends in England to submit articles for the BOFQE. Hioian Repo- Historian Don Morrison Discussed on-going ok ih he 93d hio and encoaged all o hae infomaion and phoo. If anone needs help or has a question feel free to contact him and he will help where he can. 2nd ADA Report - John Marx Poided an pdae on 2nd ADA la meeing Sep 2012 held in Chicago IL Motion to dissolve was approved by 74% of the members. It was also decided that the remaining funds will be divided between the Norwich Library and The Heritage League. 2012 Reunion Financial Report - Reunion Coordinator Jim Root Provided preliminary report on 2012 Reunion. The account is in the black. Final Report to be given at later time when expenses and receipts are finalized. Old Business: B-24 Sponsorship Program - Jim Root Revisited discussion on possibility of sponsoring the repainting of the B-24 O924. There has been little progress. We will continue to look at options. It was discussed that Don Morrison will also look into the possibility of ponoing he Collin Fondaion B-24 THE ALL AMERICAN for a similar repainting project. Hardwick Museum -Alberta DelGuidice After discussion of some Veterans donating memorabilia to the 93rd Museum at Hardwick, England the topic of an update of a security system was also discussed and how the 93rd could help in that endeavor. A moion a paed o poide p o $2500.00 fo he inallaion of an eleconic eci em ih emoel operated motion detector and security cameras after a writen eimae fo he cope of ok i bmied. New Business: Mighty 8th Air Force fund Raising Project - Jim Guddal After discussion the following motion was passed: The 93d Bomb Gop Aociaion ppo he Veean Memoabilia Achiing Poject at the 8th Air Force Museum in Saannah, GA ih an addiional $5,500 ih fi pioi o he donaed 93d Memoabilia.

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Page 6 www.93bg.com HOT STUFF Recogniion Pojec - John Marx and Jim Lux Afe Jim L peenaion and dicion a moion a paed: The 93d Bomb Gop Aociaion ill poide adminiaie aiance o he Ho Sff Recogniion Pojec o eec a memoial in Iceland a a pemanen ecogniion of he Ho Sff ce and paenge o inclde LTG Ande. The 93d will receive, accumulate and disburse funds raised by Jim Lux to establish the memorial. England Reunion - Don Morrison Recommended to hold an England Reunion every 3 to 5 years as long as we have at least 25 persons in attendance. All those interested should contact Don with preferred dates. By-Law Revision  John Marx The 2ADA dissolution requires changes to our By-Laws to adapt them to the end of the 2ADA. During 2012-2013, officers will review the By-Laws and bring proposed revisions to the 2013 Annual Meeting for consideration. 2013 Reunion Update  Jim Root Conideable poge ha been made in finaliing he hoel choice fo ne ea Hafod, CT enion. The dates and other details will be in the next BOFQE. 2014 Reunion Location - John Marx After discussion and a vote, Dayton, OH was selected as the site for the 2014 Reunion. Officer Election - John Marx Nominaing Commiee conied of Veean Adio Boad Membe, Fenle Smih, Aociae Membe, Rick Goodfriend, and Associate Member, Fred Weir. After nominations and a vote the new Officer Board was approved as follows: President-John Marx Executive Vice President-Jim Root Treasurer - Jim Guddal Assistant Treasurer - Nancy Stranger Secretary - Nick Timmer Editor - Joanne Sargent Historian - Don Morrison Vice President to the 2ADA  No longer required Reunion Committee: Reunion Coordinator - Jim Root Reunion Assistant - Joe and Phyllis Duran Meeting Adjourned Minutes respectfully submitted Phyllis Duran, Secretary 2010 - 2012 Treasurer's Notes 93rd Bombardment Group Association STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND FUND BALANCE 10/9/2012 Cash Basis As of September 30, 2011 and 2012 Sep 30,'11 Sep 30,'12 ASSETS Current Assets Checking/ Savings Center National Bank Cert. Dep. 5,000 6,000 Center National Bank Savings 18,383 21,448 Center National Bank Checking 4,689 2,241

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Page 8 www.93bg.com Destination Seattle on the Amtrak Empire Builder And what a ride it was! The Ecks, Timmers along with the Dick Veigels (1960s 93rd BW) boarded in Chicago and were treated to champagne. The troop headed for St Paul, MN where the Guddals joined them. Of course, by then, the refreshments were all gone and everyone had retired for the night. The train pulled out of St Paul at 11:15 PM Tuesday and headed west through Fargo, Grandforks, Williston, in the state of Montana, Glacier National Park (at night) and finally arrived in Seattle Thursday noon. Each sleeping car had an attendant assigned to it and service was very good. The food, served three times daily, was excellent. We even attended a wine tasting. One could also enjoy the club car with its scenic panoramic view. Going through Montana was like traveling in low gear. Work on the tracks combined with a very stiff wind allowed us to hum along at 40 mph. At one point we were 3.5 hrs behind schedule. However, when the wind finally died late in the afternoon, the engineer must have put the pedal to the metal because by the time we hit Seattle, we had made up 1.5 hrs. The time spent with our fellow 93rd BG travelers was eific. We ee able o ole a lo of he old ie while the North Dakota and Montana landscapes whizzed by. Aside from the challenge of climbing into the upper bunk at night, and trying to shave as the train was cornering, it was a grand experience. I believe the Amtrak also goes east, like to Connecticut. Perhaps we will see you in the club car on the way there, in 2013. Food for thought? Jim Guddal 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article, 52,399 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Balikpapan, Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia . I'd like to thank everyone from the 93rd BG who helped out with the webcast at this year's reunion in Seattle, WA. It was an idea Jim Root and I were kicking around and we decided to formally present it at one of the 93rd tele-conferences earlier in the year. The setup was kind of bare bones, but I was able to get three cameras up and running and switch between them - giving a great overview of the room and close-ups of whoever was speaking. Things to improve on are connection speeds, audio and the interface on our 93rd website. It would be nice to have the people viewing the webcast from their home to interact with those of us at the reunion. For example, people at home could send messages to the group during a business meeting or maybe connect via webcam and send a friendly hello. If anyone has other suggestions or ideas please send them to me! The Memorial Project - DVD for sale At the 2010 reunion in Savannah, GA the 93rd BG dedicated a stained glass window at the Mighty Eighth Air Force museum for its fallen heroes. The entire reunion and memorial service was documented and is available on DVD for $10. Please look for an order form in this issue of the Ball of Fire or go to the PX on the 93rd BG website and order online. Also please visit the PX for other original films produced by the 93rd Bomb Group (from the 93rd BG homepage click the Post Exchange window located towards the bottom). Thank You, www.93bg.com Michael Sellers, 93rd BG Webmaster Email: mtsellers@mac.com Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! Mini Reunion in England The topic of a Mini 93rd BG reunion in England was discussed at the 93rd BG reunion in Seattle, WA. We are looking for a head count for who would be interested around Memorial Day in 2013, 2014 or 2015. It would be a 3 day event ending on Memorial Day. There may be an optional 2 day pre-reunion package for site seeing around the area of NON 93rd BG/ WW2 places. Please let me know a head count and which years would be of interest by January 31, 2013. Please remember to send address, phone and email, if available FREE Memorabilia cataloging and Research I am willing to scan any documents, records and photos of a 93rd BG veteran and return ALL of the original items (nhamed) along ih cd of all can/jpeg image along with any additional information I can add regarding names, plane serial # /artwork and places. There is NO

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Page 9 www.93bg.com chage fo hi eice! I can alo make ea cd copies for family members. I have done this for several veterans over the years. My contact info is shown below. Information of a 93rd B-24 flat spin & survival ~ April 1945 I received a call from Arthur LaMontagne, 329th BS pilot, who was involved in a B-24 accident that lost one tail plane and part of the elevator during assembly over England. The failure cause the plane to go into a flat spin and the pilots were able to recover at an altitude of approximately 4,000 ft. They flew back to Hardwick and did a flyby of the control tower and were directed to go to a crash strip to the south (RAF Woodbridge?). They made an emegenc landing and ee old he plane fuselage was twisted 30 degrees and would be scrapped. I would like to learn more about this event, date, crew and aircraft. If you have any recollection, photos, or documents of this event, please contact me at the information shown below. Museums/Archive and where to donate items As you have learned elsewhere in the newsletter, the 93rd BG Association is sponsoring a new security system for the 93rd BG museum located at Hardwick. This is an important project to help protect donated item. We also are funding the cataloging of already donated 93rd BG items at the Mighty 8th Museum. As far as where to donate, there are many locations worthy of these items each with different needs and focuses. A formal document is being finalized that will address where each type of item can be best shared and preserved. Once completed, it will be in the newsletter (depending on space) and the webpage. In the meantime if you have any questions about where to donate, please do not hesitate to contact me. Cheers, Don Morrison 93rd BG Association Historian 1375 West Comet Rd Clinton, OH 44216 Home (330) 882-2536 Cell (330) 819-6409 Doniac1967@sbcglobal.net Hartford, CT Reunion 2013 We continue to work with representatives in Hartford, planning our 2013 93rd BG Association reunion! Mark your calendars now!!! Dates: Thursday, October 17th  Sunday night, October 20th, 2013. Hotel: The Sheraton Bradley Hotel Location: Bradley International Airport (right on the airport grounds!!) Room Rate: $99.00 for single or double, plus 15% tax and occupancy fees Includes: Full breakfast buffet up to 2 persons per room, complimentary parking in garage, complimentary WI-FI internet access, full service restaurant on site, and indoor heated swimming pool/fitness center. Website www.sheraton.com/bradleyairport Address 1 Badle Inl Aipo, Windo Lock, CT 06096 Phone 1-800-623-5311 Use code: 93BG when reserving Cutoff date September 23rd, 2013 (so make your reservations early!!!) Other activities, events, dinners, and tours are being planned, and more information including full schedule and reunion registration fees, will be available by June, 2013. You can also keep checking our website for more information as it comes available: www.93bg.com Jim Root, Reunion Coordinator

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Page 10 www.93bg.com Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project To view the "must see" video on YouTube about the B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff, go to this link: http://youtu.be/etX1lid-8fs Jim Lux, Project Coon:/inator ,. ancy Strange,; 93rd Bomb Group As 'I ·tan/ Tr a urer Donation are now being accepted to create and build a memorial in recognition of "Hot tuff; the first 8th Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 missions in WWll. Four member of the original Hot luff r died when the plane crashed into a mountainside in Iceland on May 4, 1943. ln addition to er wmember , oth r killed in the era h "vere Lt. General Frank M. Andrew three members of his raff. two . . Army haplain , and a ci ilian ho rv d as the U .. Militar hi f of haplains. The deaths of Lt. General Frank M. Andrews and his staff created a crisis for American military leadership in Europ . Lt. G neral Dwight D. Eisenhower v as eventually cho en to replace Andr w . Jim Lux, of Austin TX. is spearheading the fundraising efforts for the memorial. Jim ha tra eled to Iceland. viewed the site of the crash, and actually found some pieces of ·Hot tuff. which were hipp d to the U .. , courte y of lcelandair Airlines. Jim i a ailable to peak to group about the project. If you would like fur-ther inrormation about the memorial project, or you ould like Jim to p ak about the project to a group, please contact him. H: 512-327-1750 : 512-731-8024 email: jlu ustin.rr.com The National Museum of the United tatcsAir ore has received variou parts of the pl ne, thank to Jim·s efforts on this project. The Ambassador to Iceland. Lui Arreaga, Iceland government official , and a number of retired .. military officers and enlisted personnel are ·upporting Jim on che project. To participate in thi imp rtanl memorial pro·e t fill ut the don r ard bel wand ubmit with our ch ck or money order. Plea make your checks payable to the ··93rd Bombardment Group As ociation: with a notation of "WWII B-24 Memorial.' end your a check or mone order along with the completed donor card, to the addres noted on the card. Our incerest thank you for your upport of thi important project. r - - --------7 B-24 Liberator "Hot Stuff' Memorial Charitable Donation Donation Amount: ________ _ ompletc ame (plea.~e pri111 cleurly) -----------------I Address ___________ City _________ _ tate ___ _ Zip ____ l (sfreel) TTie 93rd Bombardme/11 Group Associa1ion is a I 50/(c}(J) Non /'rofit Organization. Dona,ions for the "Hot Stuff· memorial project are lax deductible. Jfyou do11ate S250 or I more, )'OU will recei\•e a receipt from the organization.for )'QUI' It.a records. A copy of your check is a I suffi ient record for do11ations smaller 1/ian '250. , I Mail check or money order to: I 93rd Bombardment Group Association 99s eononwooo ne I Glenwood Springs,CO 81601 L ____ _ ________________ J

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Page 12 www.93bg.com Veteran's Memorabilia Archiving Project As many of you know, your 93rd BG Association has committed to financially supporting a major effort at the 8th Air Force Museum in Savannah, GA for the cataloging and processing of the multitude of materials received from our vets. The objective of this project is to identify the veteran and prepare their memorabilia of the war years for public viewing. To our knowledge, no other Bomb Group has made this commitment. This project only got off the ground in September. The letter that follows is an example of what has been accomplished so far. If any member has questions or comments concerning this project, let us know. You can reach me (763) 694-9058 or jguddal@yahoo.com. Jim Guddal, Treasurer To the 93rd Bomb Group Association: As research center director at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, I extend a grateful thank you to the 93rd Bombardment Group Association for your pioneering ppo of he Veean Memoabilia Achiing Project. This joint effort will preserve the historical legacy and archives of the 93rd Bomb Group at the Roger A. Freeman Eighth Air Force Research Center and make these memorabilia available for research. The Kenneth L. Gilbert Collection has recently been cataloged. Pilot Kenneth L. Gilbert from Newport, RI, is both an inspiring and tragic hero. Like many other pilots, Gilbert veered away from heavy partying and drinking, chooing inead o be ale b geing a decen nigh sleep. His service record stands as a testament to his determination and ambition. Gilbert flew three tours over Germany and occupied territories, flying 75 consecutive combat missions and 19 supply runs. He completed his 75th mission on 9 October 1944. Compounding on his amazing record, none of his crew wear the Purple Heart. In a Stars and Stripes article from October 1944, Gilbert eplain, Ill keep on going p, o long a he le me. He refused to take leave after he finished his first tour and kept on flying missions, even winning a bottle of bourbon from some medics who claimed that he would not make it to 50 missions. After his 75th mission, Gilbert took a six day leave. Therman Brown, Commander of the 409th Bomb Squadron during most of Gilbe eice, considered Gilbert an extremely good pilot who flew with complete ease and confidence. After VE Day, Gilbert put in a request to be trained as a fighter pilot, explaining that he did not want the burden of ohe lie in hi hand. Aigned o he 339h Fighter Group at Fowlmere in June 1945, Gilbert struggled to fly the P-51 with ease. As an experienced bomber pilot, Gilbert had trouble adapting to the difference in flying style. He spent 20 hours of practice supervised by either the Squadron CO or Operations Officer before he was considered improved. Then on 17 July 1945 Gilbert and his Flight Leader, Robert Blizzard took off on a cross country training flight. When they returned to Fowlmere, Blizzard landed first. After setting up a peel-up, Gilbert continued straight then gained altitude and rolled to the igh. Ineed, Gilbe plane cahed ino he gond, killing him instantly. The cause of the wreck could not be determined because of the extensive damage to the aircraft. In 1997 John Harris, the founder of the 339th Museum at Fowlmere, excavated and examined the wreckage. The plane wreckage spread out over a wide area and pieces could be found as deep as two to three feet, leading Harris to conclude that the plane was going at a high speed when it made contact. Although the majority of he plane a no fond, i a impoan fo Gilbe story to be uncovered. He was an amazing man and an incredible pilot whose personal valor deserves to be remembered. As more collections are cataloged, I will share the details with you. I also invite you to visit the research center and the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum whose mission is to preserve for all Americans the stories of courage, character and patriotism displayed by the men and women of the Eighth Air Force from World War II to the present. You may contact me at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum; P.O. Box 1992; Savannah, GA 31402; tel. 912.748.8888 ext 108 or email vrogersprice@mightyeighth.org Most sincerely, Vivian Rogers-Price Research Center Director MORE PICTURES FROM THE SEATTLE REUNION 2012 Space Needle Glass structures while waiting in line Skyline from the Space Needle

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Page 14 www.93bg.com Folded Wings Brown, Jr., Llewellyn Lee, October 28th, 2012 Crew of the Flying Cock: Left to right: J.C. Gardner, gunner Harold M. Sena, engineer R.J. Laffler, tail-turret John T. Sparks, bombardier Llewellyn L. Brown, pilot Robert J. Quinliven, co-pilot John Hunt, navigator Charles C. Stercher, radio Ernest K. Kish, top-turret Lew Brown had a passion for flying from the time he was in his teens. After high school graduation, he enrolled in college where he took his first flying lessons. In his third year of college he began to think about joining the Army Air Corps and applied. In April of 1941 during the second semester of that third year, he was accepted and left immediately for cadet training. His primary training was at the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, OK. Basic training was in San Angelo, TX. And his advanced training was at Brooks Field in San Antonio, TX where on December 12, 1941 at 21 years of age, he graduated as a Second Lieutenant. This was five days after Pearl Harbor. In January, 1942, Lew was transferred to the 98th Bomb Group at Barksdale Field in Shreveport, LA where after thirty hours of flying time, he was checked out in the B-24 as pilot. After that, he was transferred to the newly activated 93rd Bomb Group, 409th Squadron. At the first squadron meeting, because he was the only one who had been checked out in the B-24, he was appointed squadron instructor teaching his fellow squadron members as observer, co-pilot, and first pilot. Looking back, Lew realized that the intensity of all those hours instructing was not only beneficial in building up his flying time but gave him more experience with the B-24 which ultimately served him well when he began flying combat missions. After getting everyone checked out, the group headed to Ft. Myers, FL for a time and then on to Manchester, NH to pick up their brand new B-24Ds. In September, 1942, the 93rd Bomb Group was set to cross the Atlantic to England via Gander, Newfoundland. It was a night crossing with one plane lost. Alconbury was the destination for the 93rd and was Lew's base until the 409th was assigned to Hardwick Air Base near Norwich, England. The majority of his missions were flown from there with the exception of the time he was ordered to North Africa where he was associated with

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Page 15 www.93bg.com the Middle East Air Forces. Lew flew 28 missions with his la one being Opeaion Tidal Wae, a ece lo leel bombing aid, hich ook o a poion of he enem oil field in Ploei, Rmania. That was August 1, 1943. Within two weeks of that last mission, Lew was on his way home to marry his high school sweetheart, Ann Brooks. The wedding was September 6, 1943. The final two years of Lew's time in the service were spent in various ways....a combat instructor on the B-24 in Utah and Idaho. He next transitioned into the Air Transport Command (ATC) in Florida where in thirty days he was trained and checked out to fly the C54. Following that, he flew transport over the Pacific. Then he finally moved to California to instruct future ATC pilots instrument flying for the C54. In December of 1945, Lew was discharged with the rank of Captain to reserve status. Lew was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross. Over the years, Lew and Ann had five children. He was in the retail shoe business flying his Cessna between his stores in Arkansas. One of his greatest joys was attending the reunions of the Second Air Division and the 93rd Bomb Group. He was a lifelong Methodist and entered into the presence of his Savior on October 28, 2012 at the age of 92.....or as he would have said......in his 93rd year. Garner, Douglas C., January 23, 2012 OBITUARY  Reprinted from Spry Funeral Home of Huntsville, AL Dgla C. Gae, age 89, f Hille, aed away January 23, 2012 at Huntsville Hospital with his family by his side. Mr. Garner is survived by his wife of 69 years Patsy R. Garner, his three daughters Betty Harris, Frances Dixon and Debra McAnally, 7 grandchildren and 9 gII with the 8th Air Force 93rd Bomb Group as a tail gunner in a B-24 Liberator. He was one of the first Honor Flight recipients and he was a distinguished civil servant for the Department of Defense. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He will be loved, missed and ee fge. Note from John Marx: I first met him at the 2006 Reunion in Savannah. Doug was acquainted with the sister of a crewman on m Uncle Bob ce. A he fi opponi, I iied Dog in hi home in Hnille, AL. Dog a he Vice Commander of the 8th Air Force Historical Society and very active in a local WWII museum. He showed me around the museum and introduced me to the younger sister of R.K. Locker, the co-pilot who was living nearby. Doug was a super g: kind, geneo and a gea fiend. I a a pleae o mee him. B he a, Dog email a liberatordoug@aol.com. He was proud of his service in the 93rd and loved the B-24. Photo 1: Doug Garner, 1944 Photo 2: Doug's Honor Flight to Washington, DC Photo 3: Doug, Patsy, & Debbie, England 2005

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Page 16 www.93bg.com Buffington Crew kneeling left to right S/Sgt Douglas C. Garner (tail turret) with baby shoes tied to chute, S/Sgt Mike --oury (gunner), T/Sgt vito Palazzolo (radio), /s/Sgt John Mangels (gunner), S./Sgt ---mand Roberts (gunner), T/Sgt Fred Young (engineer) Standing left to right Lt. Bill Freeman (radar nav), Lt. Ted Thoma (co-pilot), Lt, George Gorman (bombardier), Lt Phil Buffington (pilot), Lt, Henry Clark (lead nav) Bombardier Minister's crew before leaving the states. Kneeling--T/Sgt Richard A. Varney (engineer), S/Sgt Donald C. Bartoo (nose-gunner), S/Sgt George H. Brose (top-turret), William J. Finnen (ball-gunner), S/Sgt Douglas C. Garner (tail), T/Sgt Harold Klein (radio); Standing--Lt Abraham Gerald Melmood (navigator), Lt Edward Thomas Dunne (co-pilot), Lt Marshall Minister (bombardier), Lt George Augustus Dobbs (pilot). Flying with a different crew November 5, 1944, Dunne was killed. (page 480*) Editorial comment: The following article is but a sampling of the excellent book Doug put together about his life in the service of this great country and after the war. Since space is limited, I will try and provide highlights of his very interesting life. Some of the text will be direct quotes from his story. Presented by Jim Guddal. Dog So M name i Dogla C. Gane: I eed m country in World War II as a Tail Gunner on a B-24 Liberator, four engine bomber, 93rd Bomb Group, 8th Air force. I flew thirty combat missions over Germany and ohe occpied eioie. Doug was born in a farmhouse in central Alabama. Hi dad had eed in WWI. All of Dog early days were spend on the farm, during very hardscrabble times. He graduated from Evergreen, Alabama high school having excelled in sports. He also wanted to fly. He was still in high school on December 7, 1941. While waiting to join the Army Air Corp he met Pa fom Tea. She ook m hea aa and afe a ho elaionhip e ee maied on Jana 1, 1943. Later in 1943 he passed the Army Air Corp qualification test and was sent to Miami Beach, FL for basic and classification testing. Having qualified for pilot training (his dream) he was informed that there was a shortage of combat aerial crew members. He and 5,000 other men entered gunnery, radio and flight engineer training. During this time, Doug became a father. It would be seven months before he would see his firstborn. After gunnery school, where he became very effective with a 50 caliber machine gun, he was sent to Westover Field, MA for forming up a 10 man crew. After extensive mission training in the USA including German submarine search and destroy in the Gulf of Mexico, target practice and adjusting to flying at 20,000 feet, the crew was off to England via Labrador, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland with final landing at Hardwick in East Anglia.. (Side bar: 50 cal gunners had to learn to disassemble and reassemble the weapon, while blindfolded. This gun had over 50 moving parts.) Doug was assigned initially to the 409th squadron and later transferred over to the 329th. Upon arrival with the 409th, Doug was issued flying equipment  hich conied of hea fling clohe, elecic i including shoes and gloves, parachute and harness, an ecape ki and ohe paaphenalia.

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Page 17 www.93bg.com After completing mission training, his crew was ead fo comba. The op ba aid e ee ead fo he big dance. The Captain Dobbs crew was ready for action! On his first mission day, the crew were rousted about 3AM. Breakfast was at 3:40AM and briefing was at 4:30AM. After a brief meeting with the Chaplain (voluntary) it was out to the flight line to get ready. The ail gnne job i o poec he ea of he aicaf from incoming German fighters and to alert the pilot of any danger that may be coming from the rear. The tail gunner had one other responsibility, to preflight the bomb load we were carrying. I would go out into the bomb bay and check the safety condition of the bombs. The last thing to be completed while in the bomb bay was to remove the carter keys from the bomb fuse shaft and insert the arming wire in its place. The arming wire is attached to the bomb rack. When the bombs are eleaed (he bombadie job) he aming ie ill be yanked from the fuse shaft and the bombs will be become amed.  (Side ba: The caalk on hich he ce coed h he bomb ba a abo 8 ide and supported by diagonal struts from the fuselage. When in full dress including flak armor, electric suits for high altitude flying and a parachute, it was very difficult to traverse this space. It was even more frightening when the bomb bay doors were open. Bombing was usually above 20,000 feet.) After being cleared for take-off by the control tower, the Dobbs crew was off to form up with the rest of the squadron being assembled over the North Sea by Ball of Fire, the stripped assembly B-24. The target, Hamburg, Germany, was an eight to ten hour flight and heavily defended by anti-aircraft batteries and battle ready fighters. The iew from this position (tail gunner) is so spectacular, you are looking at all the aircraft that are flying formation behind you and we are all heading to Hambg, Geman. Since I hae a nice bid ee ie of the formations behind, I keep the pilot informed on how tight they are flying. The old saying is put your wing tip in the other plane next to you waist window. Flying tight formations helps to keep the German fighters away. Looking over the horizon you begin to see small dots appear. As the dots get closer and larger you identify them as your own fighters, P-51s. They have come to escort our bomb group to the target and back as their fuel consumption will allow. When bomber crews look o and ee o lile fiend fling ih , o e a sigh of relief, knowing you have added protection for ha ma be aiing oe he hoion. The next B-24 Doug and crew would fly was Mi Behae. .he old ake  o man age and bring us back and sometimes she would be in bad shape. I flew many missions in this aircraft while compleing m hi miion o. The Shoe: I old like o elae o o a o that happened through my 30-mission tour. Sometime ago, I mentioned that I was married and my first born (daughter Betty) was born after I entered the service. Before going overseas, I took a tiny pair of baby shoes that she had worn. These shoes would be my link to the family I was about to leave and to the war that I was about to enter. Before I flew my first mission in combat, I attached the shoes to my parachute harness and they flew 29 of 30 missions with me. Sometime in the middle of my tour, we were alerted for a mission. When I opened the locker door where the parachute and harness were located , it was missing. The chute has been taken in for repacking and inspection. That mission without the shoes was mentally the toughest mission I ever flew. The shoes represented my lifeline, my good luck charm. Without them I knew I would not return. The one major thing that made me get aboard that aircraft, even if it cost me my life, I had a responsibility to the other nine crewmembers to take care of the duties I was trained to do. Come hell or high water, that was what I was going to try to complete. But, I did return and completed my remaining missions with the shoes back where they belonged. After a half century has passed, those shoes (now bronzed) are still ih me. (See Dog ih hi bab hoe in he ce photo) After several missions with the 409th bomb squadron Doug and his crew would be reassigned to the 329th and to a lead crew squadron. Missions would include Benefied (railway), Wessel, Dingden and the final (30th) mission to Duenberg, Germany. Now, with his last mission complete, Doug was back to the states being assigned to Laredo, TX as a gunnery instructor. While there, he was told he would be enrolled in the next Aviation Cadet Program (put in reserve at the beginning) and would attend pilot training school. But, it was not to be. The war was winding down and Doug, now with enough points for discharge decided to leave the service as a staff Sargent. It was 1945. Doug, then in the 329th, tells about one very tragic mission that went wrong. It was December 19, 1944. They had been alerted to fly but the fog at Hadick a o hick o cold c i ih a knife. The 93rd squadrons would have to take off by inmen. Dog plane a in he nmbe hee position for takeoff with Captain Marx ahead in the number two spot. Number one was off and away leaving Marx next inline. Marx taxied away diappeaing ino he fog. A fe econd lae hee was a thunderous explosion. Captain Marx had crashed at the end of the runway and eight of the bombs aboard had exploded. All eleven crewmen were instantly killed. As our engines were roaring for take-off, one word came down, SCRUBB, SCRUBB the mission. The tragedy was not charged to enemy action, but the sorrow ran deeper than had the crew been lost in battle. The evidence of the crash stayed at the end of the runway for a long time. As we took off on other missions, it was a eminde of ha happened ha agic moning. Awards During his military service, Doug was awarded a the following decorations and medals: Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals, Meritorious Service , Army Commendation, Air Force Commendation, Good

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Page 18 www.93bg.com Conduct, WWII Victory, American Campaign, Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with one bronze star and one silver star and a Lead Crew Certificate of Commendation. (Side bar: Capt. James E. Rutherford Piloted the lead aircraft for which the certificate was awarded. The mission was Ottbergen, Germany Feb. 22, 1945 on Dog en fi miion). Life Goes On For two years after the war, Doug and Patsy would tour America before returning to Alabama to raise a family, start a career and get on with life. They were blessed with two more daughters, Frances and Debra. Doug would make his living as an electrician until 1951 at which time he went to work for the U.S. Air Force as an Electronics Radar and Fire Control Specialist. In 1966, a career change found him with the Department of Defense based in Huntsville. He became an Electronics Quality Assurance specialist. Before retiring in 1987, Doug was presented the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, of which he and his family were very proud. But, Dog an ead fo he ocking chai j e. Upon eiemen, he opened a qali aance office specializing in assurance of defense contracts and specification requirements. To he be of hi aho knoledge, Dog spent his many years active with the North Alabama Wing of the 8th Air Force Historical Society. He also spent valuable time with the schools telling his story in a program called VETERANS INTO SCHOOLS. Thank you Doug! During 2005, many of the 93rd BG Assn members including Doug and Patsy toured the old airbase Hardwick in England. It was on that trip that Doug visited the American Cemetery near Madingley England to pay tribute to his co-pilot who had been killed on his fourth mission. Later that year, we all went to San Diego, CA where Doug and our 93rd Vets served as Grand Marshalls at the dedication of B-24 at Balboa Park. (Many of the 18,500 B-24s were built by Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego) Doug took his last flight in B-24 Diamond Lil in May 2006. An Aiman So b Dogla C. Garner is an excellent review depicting events that happened to him during WWII. Through his story the reader will develop an understanding of what our guys did for their country and for the world. Due to space limits in this newsletter, only a very small part of his story is presented. His book will be available at the 93rd Bomb Group reunion in Hartford CT in the fall of 2013. After that, it will be presented to the 8th Air Force Museum in Savannah GA so that more of the public can read and enjoy An Aiman So. Respectfully submitted, Jim Guddal *Ted Taelling Cic b Caoll (Cal) Stewart Letters to the Editor From: marietta33@msn.com To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Ball of Fire newsletter quarterly express Fall 2012 Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2012 18:56:13 -0400 Page 21 List of 330th squadron Hot Stuff killed in mid air crash. 2/LT. Chester Makinster, was from Roseville, Calif. 2/Lt. Robert M. Trask was from Cottage Grove, Oregon 2/Lt. Robert J. Poe, was from Clarksburg, WV. Found these in the Ted's Traveling Circus book*. I will check the 1940 census and see if I can find the navigator Earl J. Morris. A bell's not a bell till you ring it, a song's not a song till you sing it, and Love wasn't put in your heart to stay, cause Love isn't Love till you give it away. Marietta From: yhart@netvision.net.il Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2012 21:58:30 +0300 Subject: 93BG question To: joyridecp@msn.com Hello, I found in my dad album a picture of Lt. Harth William that I suppose was in 93BG. Attached his picture. Is this the uniform of the 93BG? Can you please help me find more about his background ? Was he Jewish ? Many Thanks, Dr Yoram Harth

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Page 19 www.93bg.com From: editor93bg@hotmail.com To: yhart@netvision.net.il; doniac1967@sbcglobal.net Subject: FW: 93BG question - William H. Harth Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2012 13:46:36 -0600 Hello, Dr Yoram Harth, Thank you for your email and picture. The only information I have is from Ted's Travelling Circus by Carroll (Cal) Stewart, page 180. William H. Harth was part of the 93rd Bomb Group. He was on the plane called Hell's Angels on the Ploesti mission. Killed in Action were Lieutenants Roy C. Harms (pilot), Earl F. Ferguson (co-pilot), William H. Harth (navigator), Albert W. Stahl (bombardier); Sergeants Ralph E. Richardson (radio), Winfield V. Long (tail-gunner), John Shufritz, Arnold M. Holen, Michael Koka (gunners). Becoming a prisoner was Sergeant Jack W. Reed (engineer-top-turret). I have included our Historian, Don Morrison in the email. Don may be able to provide you with more information. For future emails, please send them to my new email address: editor93bg@hotmail.com Take care, JoAnne Sargent, 93 BG Editor Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2012 11:32:33 -0400 Subject: Help Request: Crew Identification "Exterminator" A/C# 41-23717H (Roper Crew) From: johnmcng@gmail.com To: editor93bg@hotmail.com I am trying to identify all of the personnel in this photo for research. I do know the A/C was lost in a mid-air collision after leaving Ploesti, Romania on 1 August 1943 and that the entire crew on board was killed. To the best of my knowledge, the crew shown here is the original crew. I believe the photo was taken at Alconbury in September 1942. Standing left to right: Pilot: Lt. Hugh R. Roper KIA 1 August 1943; Co Pilot: Lt. Walter T. Stewart Survived the war; Bombardier: Lt. Harold J. Mann Shot down over Japan on 20 August 1944 POW for one year. Awarded DFC (3) AM (6) Purple Heart (3), Survived the war; Navigator: Lt John B. White KIA 1 August 1943. Front row left to right: Tail Gunner: SSgt James J. Haggerty MIA 13 November 1943 Bremen, Germany; All of the other men in the photo are unknown to me but include: Top Turret/Engineer: TSgt Walter A. Zablocki KIA 1 August 1943; Radio/Gunner: TSgt Henry C. Lloyd KIA 1 August 1943; AsstEngr/Gunner: SSgt Earle P. Lemoine KIA 1 August 1943; AsstRad/Gunner: SSgt William A. Defreese KIA 1 August 1943. The only members of the original Roper Crew to survive the war were Walter T. Stewart and Harold J. Mann. That covers only nine of the ten men in the photo. I would like to know who they all are. I appreciate any help that you can provide. R/S John J. Chapman 116 Penny Pack Circle Hatboro, PA 19040-3559 Tel: 215.416.9679 johnmcng@gmail.com 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////4

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Page 20 www.93bg.com From: ruhemorgen@aol.com Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2012 12:17:26 -0400 Subject: Roy Coulson Harms To: joyridecp@msn.com Roy Coulson Harms was my uncle. My mothers' only brother. I never had the opportunity to meet him, however, regarding his bravery and the love for America, I feel as though I have. It warms my soul to see a dedicated site. I hope someday Roy, along with others known as missing can be put to rest upon American soil. Thank you for your time, Susane (Arizona) From: "Rutledge, Karen" Date: September 16, 2012 2:35:32 PM EDT To: "'109clearview@verizon.net'" Subject: 328th sqn Mr. Marx, Id like o fi a a heafel hank o fo o eice to our country. I, too, hope that our children and gandchilden can omeda gap he acifice made fo hei feedom a you write on the 93rdbombardmentgroup website. I found the site while conducting research regarding my father-in-la, Hoace E. Rledge. Im condcing he research as a present for my husband Walter. O Pa-Pa a e loingl called him a a B-24 pilot in the 328th squadron. From a photo found online at http://www.8thafhs-pa.org/member-profiles/james-p-curry-93rd-bg/[9/16/2012 11:36:39 AM], his crew members are identified as: James M. Hembres, Co-Pilot Troy R. Sherman, Radio Metro Heresitkc, Tail Gunner William Edwards, Right Wing Gunner James P. Curry, Nose Gunner Julliard Hall, Engineer John J. Tichy, Left Gunner 2nd Lt. Forte (first name unknown), Navigator He recalls a story told by Paw-Paw regarding an encounter with a German aircraft that caused quite a stir. Paw-Paw landed their crippled plane at a nearby field and flew back to their home field the following day. Upon arrival, I believe he was in a bit of trouble for not reporting in but was let off the hook as the information he provided regarding the encounter was valuable. Paw-Paw was one of the toughest men I have ever met and he aed ih  ell ino hi 80. Im looking fo anyone who may recall any information about him, his fellow crew members or the encounter with the aircraft. If you have any suggestions for direction in my research, I would be most appreciative. Take care! Karen 10250 Modesto Avenue, NE Albuquerque, NM 87122 505-328-3255 karen.k.rutledge@gmail.com. From: John & Rayann Marx <109clearview@verizon.net> Subject: Re: 328th sqn To: "Karen Rutledge" <Karen.Rutledge@pnmresources.com> Cc: "Don & Lori Morrison" <doniac1967@sbcglobal.net>, "Bill & JoAnne Sargent" <editor93bg@hotmail.com> Date: Monday, September 17, 2012, 8:34 AM Karen, Thank you for your kind words. I'm pleased you have discovered our web page. We will do all we can to assist

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Page 21 www.93bg.com you to gather additional information about your father-in-law. I've forwarded your email to our group historian, Don Morrison and our Ball of Fire Quarterly Express Editor. JoAnne Sargent. Don will check his records for any information about Paw-Paw and his crew. JoAnn will publish your request for information in our next newsletter asking for anyone who may remember him to contact you. We have more than 300 members in the organization, many who are veterans and could know him or one of the members of his crew. We will also check our membership list to see if any of the crew are still alive and members. If so, we will put you in touch with them. Our annual reunion takes place in Seattle next month. We'd love to have you and Walter join us for this 4 day event. I've attached our most recent BOFQE for your review. Regards, John Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:07:56 -0700 From: doniac1967@sbcglobal.net Subject: Re: 328th sqn To: Karen.Rutledge@pnmresources.com; 109clearview@verizon.net CC: editor93bg@hotmail.com Hi, I did a quick search and found 25 missions with aircraft serial # and full crew listing. I can send via pdf and also include many photo of his aircrafts. I will also compare the mission list with known events as you describe as landed away from base. If you have any questions please let me know. I would also like to see any paperwork or photos you may have. Please send me your USPS mailing address in case to big to email... Cheers, Don M From: michael.e.land6.civ@mail.mil To: joyridecp@msn.com Subject: Folded wings addition (UNCLASSIFIED) Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:50:26 +0000 Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Caveats: FOUO Maam, Please add Sloman, Archie R. to your folded wings page. He is my Grandfather and served in the 93rd from 1943  1944 and flew in 30 missions. I was told by the records center that his Military records were part of the records that were burnt during the fire so I am not sure of the exact dates he was in the 93rd. I have attached a certificate signed by his commander that were in his belongings after he passed away. Also, who do I contact to get his name added to the Roll of Honor list? Thank you, v/r Lt. Mike Land Criminal Intelligence Officer Installation Provost Marshal Office Bldg 123 Forrest Rd. Fort Campbell, KY 42223 Office 270-798-2380 Cell 931-338-0359 ,Huw sjsi;r. IE I!. S • , ✓ :129 f ;po~on, ,9.J / £ldum/~umb3Jt<Xf/vl)(U£~~«4,m>tyl.&:M w«h ftu1tt7r /4AM ,fll(@~~~ ,andfthn_~so ~ ?1mJ.kimu ~ 'bll7ft.d?'U°"/.,au /i .,.,,,l{dMd / ST. n.t.»:l:LT n 'l!',C ~ /6 P~ Ill CALAIS 22 64 2 irnu. s JA!! " --r7 as l) Cll,),.1)1 a- " J UJ.\li'4 /8 G.XJ'l ~ $J1lll44 10 i1lzmli.J // PAS D!l CAIA13 21 JA>I M Ml JAli 44 u. '4, 21 .. 17 .J'll ~ 19 Al'!! ~ ZS 44 12.n :1· 44 /3 P I)' IB f+ , D Ct.LAI!l !l LIU' M /5P~c:; ;_;" :,;.. -~- .. /!) Q,W."'V!l 8 Jl,'?f 44 20 m:A: .:T /J 11 J'Cll u 21 sr. All1). "' ~ l2 JU1I 44 22 VA • A/D- 13 ,Ml M 23 Pl.:i ll~ CAL.US U. ,IITll 4' 2.f. 17 Jllll 44 19 J\!K 44 26 ~AS DB CAL IS 19 JU!I 44 27 i'lll.l'l!Z 20 J01I 44, 28 18 44 1////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////,

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Page 22 www.93bg.com After 67 Years Raymond Eck and Ernest Perez June Eck and Ernie Perez Ernie and Ray From: raymondeck1371@comcast.net To: editor93bg@hotmail.com; ernestperez@comcast.net; cshipon919@hotmail.com Subject: After 67 years Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2012 13:09:47 -0500 To Joanne: This is Ernest Perez and I along with June. Enie a o oiginal naigao on Egene Jen ce and e hadn een each ohe ince we parted company in June 1945. These pictures were taken in San Jose, CA where our train stopped for 12 minutes. This was a reunion on top of the reunion in Seattle. Thought you might like this for the Ball of Fire. We are the only survivors of Lt. Justen ce. If o need moe info, contact either of us. To Ernie: What a wonderful treat it was to see you again after 67 years. Must admit that we both have changed, hopefully for the better. June was so happy to finally meet you after all the chats you had with each other over the phone. I will be sending you more pictures on the 93rdBG reunion in Seattle last month. It was another great get together for us old guys and the 2nd and 3rd generation people who do such wonderful work in putting it all together so that everyone can have a wonderful time. Next year we are meeting in Hartford, Conn. and in 2014 e ill mee in Daon, OH. I don think that the decision for Hardwick, England has been made yet. They met there last year in May and then we again met in Tucson, AZ in Oct. England is a great trip and I hope that we can meet there again while we are still standing. Cheers, Ray Jim Cornwell's Recognition of Ben Kuroki's History November 2, 2012 Dear Ben (and that charming wife of yours): I am greatly impressed with American Valor and the summary you provided them. It particularly struck me that vets of WWII are fortunate to have such a publication sixty-seven years after the war ended. Without it there'd be no place of a 94-year old veteran to detail a courageous military life. And before you protest my language, the word courageous is the proper one. To do what you did took pure, unadulterated guts, Ben and there are very few accounts, if any, that equal it. You express your thanks to Cal, Emil and Yours Truly but it's obvious the man who made it all a reality is the one who had to carry out all those heroics. And again my language is accurate -- had to -- because he was simply driven to prove himself an American. He could've settled for KP -- peeling potatoes and washing pots and pans -- and would've been unusual for even doing that considering the racial prejudice that then existed so strongly. I have to think back to realize 115,000 Japanese-Americans were ousted from homes and livelihood and moved to internment camp facilities that were scarcely more than shacks. Today it's hard to believe there was such intense hatred of Japan but FDR accurately branded the attack a "day of infamy." And while you thanked your Hershey friends and neighbors for not demonstrating such prejudice, it nevertheless did exist though evidently not among your friends and neighbors. When the bombs were dropped you still lived in the vicinity of North Platte -- and so did I though by only a few months since I'd become a Union Pacific steno-clerk. It was obvious we of draftable age were going to be engulfed in a war that then appeared to be linked only to Adolf and Benito and because that seemed inevitable there wasn't much reason to continue schooling. Some had already been sent to camps in a pre-war draft they were assured would be of brief duration. Naturally a song evolved from it, with lyrics saying "Goodbye little dear, I'll be back in a year 'cause I'm in the army now." Admittedly most of the USA had to consult an atlas to learn where Pearl Harbor was located after that comparatively small series of Asiatic islands capped a massive military build-up by shocking the world. Didn't mean to launch with all that but in truth it simply emphasizes your surroundings on Dec. 7th when Shosuke Kuroki demonstrated his Americanism by telling his sons to volunteer for military duty. I've often wondered how many young Nisei men did what you and Fred did that day. My guess: None. Not long thereafter a likable young man named, I believe, Masomi Okomoto, learned his athletic ability was no longer needed by North Platte High School,

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Page 23 www.93bg.com where only a few years before the Ugai brothers had been lauded as outstanding football linemen. He could stay in school if he wanted to, but inconspicuously. Where has all this led? Back to what I've repeatedly said ever since Operations Democracy days -- that you are a remarkable man who followed military exploits with a commendable professional life and a family of which to be proud. That Carroll W. Stewart was so impressed with your accomplishments that he set out to make them known to one and all is obviously necessary to create the story. And while Op/Dem participants had drifted in many directions nearly sixty years afterward, Cal determinedly lit the fire under a project to see that details of Ben Kuroki weren't continued to be forgotten. He had no difficulty in enlisting drumbeaters, Emil and I included, and the numerous honors that resulted are proof the facts needed only to be unveiled, just as Cal must've envisioned. If you don't look back on your life with a sense of satisfaction, Ben it'll only be because otherwise you would've it all this go unsaid rather than give it mention. And, dammit, human nature being what it is, if you'd told your own story it would've been branded "braggadocio" by many. But certainly not by those who know the facts because our admiration for you is beyond measure. I remember, Ben, what I wrote on the inside cover of "Most Honorable Son" a few years ago: "If other honors await, no one knows..." And we certainly didn't know what was still to come, did we? With warm sincerity, Jim Addendum by B.K.: Jim Cornwell was editor/publisher of newspapers in Nebraska and Utah, and past president of the National Newspaper Association. Note: See Ameican Valor Quarterly, Summer 2012 issue for Ben Kuroki's article, pages 14-20 Membership Corner Hello 93rd Veterans, Families and Friends, If you have not appeared as a Featured Veteran on our website or your story has not been included in a previous issue of the Ball of Fire, please consider sending me a summary of your history with a few pictures. If you send them to me by regular mail and you would like them back, please let me know and I will be happy to return them. By regular mail, please send a copy, not the original. Your story will be included in a future newsletter and Michael Sellers will display your story on our website. It would be wonderful if we display the history of as many 93rd veterans as possible, those still living and the ones we have lost. Please, I urge you and your family to record your experience so we may honor your legacy and educate the younger generations. I have started including Featured Veterans from the website in case you may have missed them. To catch up on the Vets previously displayed on the website, I have included several veterans stories in this issue. Thank you, JoAnne Sargent, Editor Joseph "Rolly" Kingston I am including two photos. One of Joseph "Rolly" Kingston, and the other the only shot I have of him with his crew and plane. Here is some of the info I have on my grandfather Date of entry into active service Jan. 23 1943. Trained as a bombardier. Became an instructor for bombardiers in B-24s and B-29 aircraft at Chattam Field in Georgia. Flew on missions in the ETO from Sept. 15, 1943- March 29,1944 ( I have the certificate that shows his 25 missions before returning to the states.) He continued to serve in the Air Force and Air Force Reserves until his death in 1955. He and his crew were returning from a training flight in a B-47 when his plane crashed and killed all 3 on board. Thank you in advance for all the hard work you do to keep this great site on the web. Joeseph R. Kingston Jr.(grandson) 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////h

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Page 24 www.93bg.com Louis DelGuidice Louie DelGuidice grew up in West Haven, CT. He enlisted in the service in August 1942 where he trained at Ft. Devens, MA. In March of 1943 he graduated from Scott Field, IL as a radio operator and then went to Fort Myers, Florida where he trained as a aerial gunner. He was sent to Blythe, CA for training aboard a B-24 where his crew was formed. They flew their own plane (Judith Lynn) over to Harwick, England on September 1st 1943 and was assigned to the 93rd BG. On their 9th mission the Judith Lynn was damaged and on January 7th they were assigned the "On the Ball". On their 10th mission they were shot down over occupied France and were hidden by the French Underground. Then they were taken by the French Resistance to the foot of the Pyrennes where the French Maques escorted him and three crew members plus 9 others over the mountains into Spain. They were put in a Spanish prison then were released to the English Red Cross. Finally they were sent to Gibraltar and then back to England to be shipped back to the United States in March 1944. Louie enjoyed going to reunions, especially the 93rd BG reunions where he made lasting friendships. Louie and his family were able to go back to Hardwick several times as well as taking a trip back to France to meet with the people who helped him in 1944. Louie passed away November 12, 2009 and was buried on his 88th birthday with full military honors. In May 2010 part of his ashes will be scattered on the airfield in Hardwick, England. Louie is survived by wife Alberta Delguidice. James Herschel Sharp James Herschel Sharp was born on 10/25/1919 in Pennsylvania. He was raised in Paulsboro, NJ the eldest of 4 boys. James was the son of A.H. Sharp a WWI veteran and Grandson of Levi Sharp who fought side by side with his father for the Union Army during the Civil War. James was raised during the Great Depression and was forced to leave school a year early to help support his family. On Aug 19, 1941 James enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. After basic training he was ordered to report to Barksdale Field in Shreveport, Louisiana. There he helped form the original 93rd BG. On May 15, 1942 the group moved to Ft. Meyers Florida. There he was assigned to the 329th Squadron. He also was assigned his combat crew and went to work on gunnery skills. They practiced over the everglades strafing everything that moved. The group soon made a name for itself flying enemy sub patrol missions over the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Back row (left to right) T/Sgt James Sharp-Engineer Lt Joseph Clements-Co-Pilot Capt Robert Hoover-Pilot Lt Robert Kaluzsa-Bombardier Lt Earl Ellis-Navigator Front row (left to right) S/Sgt Edwin Reifschnieder-L/Waist Gunner S/Sgt Charles Lockwood-Radio Operator S/Sgt John Carney-R/Waist Gunner S/Sgt James Poe-Tail Gunner S/Sgt Joseph D'Agoastino-Tunnel Gunner 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2

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Page 25 www.93bg.com On Aug 1, 1942 the group left for Grenier Field in Manchester, New Hampshire to ready for the trip overseas. On Sept 2,1942 the group set out for Grander Lake Newfoundland to fuel up. Due to bad weather they were stuck there until Sept 5,1942. The 93rd was to be the first B24 group to cross the Atlantic in formation. On the flight over all four engine quit running. The fuel gauges weren't working properly, so James quickly switched tanks and saved the ship. James soon became close to his other crew members. Especially his right waist gunner Sgt John Carney. Their Pilot Capt. Robert Hoover, was the 329th flight commander. James Sharp & John Carney On Oct 9,1942 James and crew of A/C "Minerva" flew with the 93rd BG on its first mission to the Fives-Lille locomotive/steel works. James was the Top Turret Gunner and Flight Engineer, making him the ranking NCO on "Minerva" On Nov 7,1942 over the sub pens at Brest, France "Minerva" was hit hard injuring Sgt Carney and Lt. Kaluzsa. On Nov 23,1942 while "Minerva" was in for repairs the remainder of the crew volunteered to fly with the 328th in A/C "Ball of Fire" to St.Nazaire, France. Again they were hit hard and only by the heroic flying by Capt. Hoover and Co-Pilot Lt. Walter Stewart were they able to make land. They crash landed out of fuel and with flat tires at a RAF Hurricane Base. This crew was either "Gung Ho" or in a hurry to earn their ticket home, because even though the 329th didn't make the first trip to North Africa. Capt. Hoover checked Sgt Carney out of the hospital so his crew could go. James was present for all 3 deployments to North Africa. After Capt Hoover was transferred to the 98th BG James flew the remainder of his missions with other veteran crews. James flew many more missions than were required of him and won the DFC, several Air medals, Humane Act medal and many others. After the war James returned to England to volunteer for the Berlin Air Lift. A series of mercy missions for the German people. He soon met the love of his life Joan D'Arcy a young Brit who had grown up there during the war. They fell in love and were soon married. They lived on base in Lancashire until 1952. James received orders to return to Warner Robbins Air Force Base in Georgia. In 1953 James separated from the Air force and he and Joan eventually settled in Beaverton Oregon. James and Joan were involved in many charity organizations and James eventually became a 33rd degree Mason. He raised a great deal of money for crippled children was loved by all who met him. In 1973 James suffered a massive stroke and was rendered almost completely incapacitated. He spent the next 4 years paralyzed and without speech. On March 22, 1977 James passed away. He was 58. He is buried at Wilmette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon. He is survived by his daughter Bonnie and son James Jr. 1860 - Charm•~~••• Photo'c

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Page 26 www.93bg.com New Members Roll Call We welcome the following new members received from September to November 2012 into the 93rd Bomb Group Association Family!!! Member (Vets are in Bold & **) Connection to 93rd BG Steven Smith Son-in-law of Veteran Fernley Smith (Steven attended reunion with Mom Joanie) Raylene Hennip Daughter of Veteran Ray Eck (Raylene attended the reunion with son Brian Hennip) Phil Jean Info pending Michael Tabie Info pending We are very grateful that so many 2nd and 3rd generations are joining. We offer the best avenue for family and friends trying to find out about their special family member who served with the 93rd. Our members also include an increasing number of historians which we appreciate. IF YOU BECAME A MEMBER IN 2012 AND HAVE NOT LISTED IN A PREVIOUS BOF, LET US KNOW. jguddal@yahoo.com (763) 694.9058. POW Poems* SWEATING IT OUT If your're acquainted with the Air Corps you know what it's all about when an airman mentions that "He's sweating something out." We sweated out our ground school and our flying you can bet. No is as good at sweating as an eager young Cadet. We sweated out our wings until we made the grade, we sweated out graduation until officers we made, We sweated out our orders, sweated out where we'd be assigned To what forsaken field we'd go, what sort of ship we'd fly. We sweated our our C.O., and we sweated out our crew, We sweated out the phases and what theater we'd go to. We sweated out the crossing and a friendly foreign shore, We sweated out malaria then we sweated out the war. And then we were in England as sweating we would find Friendly or hostile "Limeys" on whose side we were allied. But for tops for sweating out, first mission takes the prize, The first baptism of fire, that first battle in the skies. Then we sweated every mission, sweating fighters, sweating flak, The run into the target, the journey coming back. When we ourselves weren't flying, we were sweating out our pals, We sweated out each mail call, news from our best gals. The day the Luftwaffe got us we sweated out the jump And floating down in parachutes, we sweated out the bump. We sweated out our capture, sweated out interrogation, too And how we sweated solitary and what the K____ would do. And on the way to Stalag Luft we sweated out the trains, sweating Mustangs and Lightnings that made rolling stock their game. In the exclusive country club our sweating days are o'er, Just one thing we're sweating out, the ending of the war. * The poems were written by American Airmen that were being held captive in the German prison camp known as Stalag Luft 1. They were contained in a journal written and compiled by Walter Boychuk, Captain, U.S. 8th Air Force, Kriegsgefangenen No. 5407. He was wounded and shot down over Le Harve, France on Sunday, August 13, 1944. After his capture, he was taken to Berlin for medical care and then sent to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth near the Baltic Sea. He was there until April, 1945 when the war in Europe ended. Thanks to George McLean for providing the poems - other poems will be included in future newsletters.

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Page 27 www.93bg.com News From Across the Pond 2nd Air Division Memorial Library: http://www.2ndair.org.uk/ The Memoial Liba i a niqe liing memoial o neal 7,000 ong Ameican in he 2nd Ai Diiion of he US 8h Air Force who lost their lives during the Second World War. Located in the landmark Forum building in the centre of Norwich, we have a lending collection of over 4,000 books covering all aspects of American life and culture, and a specialist collection devoted to the history of the 2nd Air Division. A Busy Year at the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library Jenny Christian, Trust Library Manager This year has been a particularly busy one for the Memorial Library. The main focus of our activities ha been o inolemen ih he Nofolk Ameican Connections Project (http://norfolksamericanconnections.com/) The project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and celebaing Nofolk hioic link ih Noh America was launched in July with a full programme running hogh o he end of Noembe. Wee alo celebrated the 70th anniea of he Fiendl Inaion with a number of events and activities. The fi of o een a an Oe Hee American Memories Morning that gave people the opportunity to look at photographs and other documents from the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library Archive. These gatherings are always very popular  our patrons never seem to tire of sharing their memories of life in Norfolk during World War II and their first encounters with American servicemen! Here are just some of the many comments received: So delightful, interesting, professional Such a welcome, well done. Keep up the good work Particularly enjoyed the talk, clip from sound archive, and the opportunity to look at copies of photos, letters from the archive. Thank you! In addition to events in the Memorial Library ee been o and abo oking in panehip ih our colleagues from the Norfolk Record Office giving talks to schoolchildren. The children have also enjoyed a range of activities  everything from nose art painting to listening to stories about the life of Pocahontas and making dream catchers and even making a film about he US Am Ai foce. Wee alo oked ih he Norfolk Record Office to produce an online education resource using items from the 2nd Air Division Archive: What was the impact of the Second Air Division in East Anglia during the Second World War? This can be downloaded from the Record Office website at (http://www.archives.norfolk.gov.uk/e-Resources/Teaching-Packs/NCC098692) Wee alo been able o ppo ome of he local heritage groups in villages around the county by lending some of the items from our collection of memorabilia for use in their own events and exhibitions celebaing he Fiendl Inaion and Ameican Connecion. Our events for this year have now drawn to a close with a series of four lectures through the month of November. These have been organised and hosted by o UEA Ameican Schola. Wee een ome of he wonderful artefacts from early North America that form part of the collection held at the Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts, listened to the Legacy of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, learnt about the history of the trans-Atlantic Anglo-American textile trade and been fascinated by the story of John Rolfe (a Norfolk gentleman) who married the Native American, Pocahontas. In addiion o all hi ee been kep b doing our day-to-da ok in he Memoial Liba. And ee welcomed visitors from near and far, including 2nd Air Division veterans, their families and friends. Wee helped ole a nmbe of enqiie elaing o all hing Ameican  these can be anything from the Cold War to cookery and everything in between! We also have a steady stream of 2nd Air Division and B-24 orientated enquiries. On a final note whilst we were saddened to learn of the decision to dissolve the 2nd Air Division Association we would like to reassure all our patrons fom eihe ide of he Alanic ha i e mch bine a al a he 2nd Air Division Memorial Liba, and ne ea ell be celebaing o 50th Anniversary ! Photo1: Creating a film about the US Army Air Force in Norfolk during WW2 Photo 2: "Catching Dreams with Pocahontas" Photo 3: A young visitor and her Dad

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Page 29 www.93bg.com A big hank o Maice Hammond Wabid team who put on this display with, as always, such precision. We were then ushered to a reception hosted by David in one of the base buildings dressed with bunting and flags where we were treated to food and a chance to eflec on he da. Then on o Maice hanga o ach two veterans take off from the strip, again thanks to Hardwick Warbirds. Daid ecepion Vets take off So as you can see the ceremonies all went as planned with the further blessing of fine weather. Derek Fulton Hardwick, Norfolk, UK Website: www.93rd-bg-museum.org Notes and Quotes (submitted by Jim Guddal) 2012 Seattle Reunion I hink ha o all did an ecellen job of planning and running a fine reunion. Please accept my thanks for the time and effort that you spent in putting it ogehe. Geoge M. We do an o o kno ho mch e appreciated the outstanding job you and the other members of the executive committee did to make the event such an enjoyable time. Everyone was so friendly. It certainly made us aware of the importance of advancing the mission to preserve the memory of men ho fogh ih he 93d. Pal S. Military Reading Resources Available to read at the Reunion in Seattle were several publications provided by Stars & Stripes magazine and the Air Force Association. We thank them for their contribution to the success of our annual get-to-gehe. The 93d on Caol (Cal) Sea oe fo Stars & Stripes while stationed in England during the 2nd World War. He also authored the best selling book abo he 93d iled Ted Taelling Cic. I i available from your PX at a bargain member price of $69.95 including shipping (The internet price is $99.95). Thi book hold be in ee 93d Bomb Gop famil library. (See the PX order blank at the end of this BOF.) The Air force Magazines included stories about WWII as well as Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East wars. To follow Stars & Stripes, go on he inene and google the same title. For the Air Force Magazine, type in aifoce_magaine.com. Enjo! Just For Fun A CIA EMPLOYEE quit to become a bishop. No all hi file ae maked Saced and Top Saced. OVER BREAKFAST, a woman told her hband, Ill be o don kno ha da hi i. Of coe I do, he aneed, a if offended, and left for the office. At 10AM, a dozen roses arrived at the house. At 1PM, an enormous box of chocolates was delivered. A designer dress arrived at 3PM. When her husband got home, the woman threw her arms around his neck, aing. Ie nee had a more wonderful Groundhog Da!. AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS are the ones who try to get back at you after you cut them off. A little boy and a girl were talking on the school plagond . "M dad an acconan, he bo bagged. Wha doe o dad do? Acall, he a eall impoan poliician, he gil eplied. Hone? he impeed bo aked. I didn a ha. A piae ood befoe he ni commanding office fo a ecen offene. I o choice, piae, the officer said. One monh eicion o 20 da pa. Ill ake he mone, i. The above are reprinted from THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE "New Predictions out today claim 42 percent of Americans will be obese by the year 2030. They say the only way to stop that is for the government to step in. Oh yeah, when it comes to trimming the fat and tightening your belt, what better way than the U.S. goenmen.  Jay Leno Ve, pleae end an anecdoe abo o eice time that others might enjoy. And veteran ie o gil fiend lef a home o in eice a ha ime, ed like o hear from you as well.

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Page 31 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form CAPS & VISORS Qty 1 Qty 2 Navy Blue with embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Ted Taelling Circus on adjustable strap $24 $45 Khaki ih Ball of Fie III B-24 plus 93rd BG $19 $35 & Ted Taelling Cic on adjable ap Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three gold victory stars  choose white or navy blue $16 $30 COFFEE & THERMAL TRAVEL MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 5) Stainless Steel Travel Mugs with B-24 medallion $22 $42 (NEW and very nice!) PUZZLES Jigsaw puzzles with colofl Ball of Fie III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes with stand. $22 $42 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 93rd BG Replica of Memorial stained glass window at Mighty 8th Museum Chapel  with suction cup $14 $25 BOOKS by 93rd BG Authors Ted Taelling Cic b Cal Sea (member price) $69.95 $134.00 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $24.95 $47.50 Lucky Ears The True Story of Ben Kuroki ($9.99 avail at Amazon & Barnes & Noble) NEW!!-Forever Twenty by Nicholas Timmer $21.95 $42.00 DVDS NEW!!  Ploei Smmi 5 Dic e ih Bon DVD of Ve panel on the way it was. This set is a must for your library. Member price ($35 + $5 shipping). Non member price ($55 + $5 shipping). (Discount on purchase of three or more. Contact PX for more info) ***All product prices include handling and shipping charges *** Pay by check or money to the 93rd BG order with the Coupon below. Pay by PayPal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total ______________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or Fax your order to: 763.694.9065

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Page 32 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE  STARTING IN 2010, MEMBERSHIP WAS CHANGED TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2013 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address_____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Annual Membership (2013 only) $25 $________ 2 year discount rate (2013 & 2014) $45 $________ Child or grandchild spec’l(2013 only) $20 $________ Tax deductible Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. GRAND TOTAL $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please E-MAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) _________________________________________________________________________ The PX: We have in stock, coffee & tvl mugs, caps with B-24 image, visors, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Memorial Window Sun catcher replicas, books & Ploesti DVDs. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Guddal-“jguddal@yahoo.com”

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Ball of Fire QUARTERLY EXPRESS NEWSLETTER OF THE 93rd BOMB GROUP 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, Hardwick, England www.93bg.com or www.93rdbombardmentgroup.com Vol. 21 No. 1 Spring 2013 Presidents Corner For a Pennsylvanian and Yankee like me, 2013 marks the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg  a battle many consider the turning point of the Civil War. A a bo, I remember m Grandfaher elling me abo hi Faher eperience as a soldier. There ere een a fe Ciil War ido collecing heir penion becae of heir hband erice. Then we were marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Why do I raise this issue? The 93rd flew her first combat mission 71 years ago on October 9, 1942. And hi ear, e remember he ar een occrring 70 ear ago. Among them is the 70th Anniversary of the Hot Stuff crash in Iceland on May 3, 1943 with the loss of the crew and their passengers including Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews. On March 15, I had the privilege of meeting the 89th Airlift Wing historian, Robert Spiers, at Joint Base Andrews (formerly Andrews AFB) in Maryland. Mr. Spiers and Jim Lux have corresponded extensively over the last several months regarding the Hot Stuff Memorial Project. Andrews AFB was established on May 2, 1943 as Camp Springs Army Air Base, one day before LTG Andrews lost his life. Shortly before the 2nd anniversary of his death on March 31, 1945, the base was renamed in his honor. His wife was present at the dedication. The photo features the shield unveiled at the dedication by Mrs. Andrews. Bob showed me two giant binders of original records and photos from the renaming ceremony and a subsequent anniversary ceremony in 2005. Bob is generating considerable interest throughout the base answering the qeion, Wh i or bae named for LTG Andre? They are considering an appropriate recognition ceremony for the 70th anniversary. Your officers have met by teleconference to continue our 2013 reunion planning and discuss ongoing initiatives. We completed our first reading of the by-law changes to be recommended to the membership at our annual meeting. We are continuing our efforts to compile a listing of the many potential archives where documents and memorabilia can be donated. Today, I received the first post-2ADA Heritage League newsletter. They are continuing the work of the 2ADA to remember the brave deed of he Greae Generaion. We share many common goals and interests. Their annual reunion will be in Savannah, GA in July. They are planning a 2014 reunion in Hardwick. If o haen joined he Heriage Leage, I recommend o join oda. Contact their Membership-VP, 1020 Glacier Ave, Pacifica, CA 94044. Will the 150th anniversaries of WWII in 2091-2095 generate the same interest and enthusiasm as we see for the 150th anniversaries of the Civil War? Will the Ploesti mission, Big Week and VE-Day be marked by an outpouring of interest? Will re-enactors flock to places like Hardwick to relive the 93rd adenre? Perhaps a more germane question is will our grandsons and daughters be continuing to perpetuate the 93rd legac in 2091-2095? My grandson, Ryan, who is three years old, will be 82-87 years old then  slightly younger than our veterans are today. My granddaughters, Emma and Faith will be 94 and 88 respectively in 2091. How do we transfer this legacy to them? John Marx, President

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Table of Contents Preiden Corner ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Treasurer's Notes ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Hartford, CT Reunion 2013................................................................................................................................. 3 93rd Website Update ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! ............................................................................................................... 4 POW Poems* ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 Hot Stuff Update by Jim Lux ............................................................................................................................... 6 Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project ...................................................................................................................... 11 Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Letters to the Editor ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Membership Corner ........................................................................................................................................... 21 New Members Roll Call ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Notes and Quotes .............................................................................................................................................. 27 News From Across the Pond ............................................................................................................................ 28 Hardwick, Norfolk, UK Website ........................................................................................................................ 29 Post Exchange (PX) .......................................................................................................................................... 30 Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form ........................................................................................................... 31 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ........................................... 32 DIRECTORY 2012 - 2014 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary - NICK TIMMER 5615 Circle Dr. Newaygo, MI 49337 231 652-2309; timmer@netpenny.net Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Assistant Treasurer - NANCY GRIMES STRANGER 995 Cottonwood Ln., Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 970-945-2883; nancystranger@hotmail.com Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-945-5418; editor93bg@hotmail.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 doniac1967@sbcglobal.net VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD FERNLEY SMITH CAL DAVIDSON OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Web Master  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-945-5418; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253

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Page 3 www.93bg.com Treasurer's Notes Dear friends of the 93rd, Recently, after a long day, I plopped down in the easy chair and turned on the TV. While cruising around, I landed on TPT, public TV in our neck of the woods. To my enjoyment, out came strains of Some Enchanted Evening and Bali Hi. Then came the break and reality! It was a public TV fund raiser. They had their hand out, but, with music. We also heard some short bars from Carousel, Showboat, and South Pacific. No, I can offer o mic or een a DVD on Yellowstone National Park. But, I do have my hand out for slightly tardy dues. Tardy! That was what we were called by the principal when we were late for class! Back in those days, you might get detention for being tardy. Well, I am no here o call hoe of o ho haen paid or 2013 de ard and I can order you to stay after school and clean the gum from under the desks. But, hopefully, we got your attention. Or mailing co for he annal reminder hi pa January was $74. It may not seem like much in these days of trillion dollar deficits, but, we would really rather not spend it again to send out another batch of reminders. Great, I am so glad you agree! So, just pull out that check book and warm up that signing hand. Or, for those with a hot keyboard, just go to the 93rd website and send us $25 for 2013 or $45 for 2013 and 2014 via the PayPal button. We would be so appreciative. And the best part is, you will continue receiving the best dog gone newsletter out there! (Thanks JoAnne!) Lastly, if you know of any member who might be working through some tough budget issues, do give me a call at (866) 694-9058 and we definitely with work something out for that very special member. Thanks for listening! Jim Guddal 3/13 Hartford, CT Reunion 2013 Mark your calendars and make your hotel reservations now!!! Dates: Thursday, October 17th  Sunday night, October 20th, 2013 Hotel The Sheraton Bradley Hotel Location Bradley International Airport (right on the airport grounds!!) Room Rate $99.00 for single or double, plus 15% tax and occupancy fees Includes: Full breakfast buffet up to 2 persons per room, complimentary parking in garage, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, full service restaurant on site, and indoor heated swimming pool/fitness center. Website www.sheraton.com/bradleyairport Address 1 Bradle Inl Airpor Windsor Locks CT 06096 Phone 1-800-623-5311 Use code: 93BG when reserving Cutoff date: September 23rd, 2013 (so make your reservations early!!!) Other activities, events, dinners, and tours are being planned, and more information including full schedule and reunion registration fees will be available by June, 2013. You can also keep checking our website for more information as it comes available: www.93bg.com . Jim Root, Reunion Coordinator

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Page 4 www.93bg.com 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article, 57,085 people have visited the 93rd BG website since its redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Oslo, Norway. UPDATES: Please visit the 93rd BG site for an updated "Museum" link. A page has been created to direct people to the new Hardwick - 93 BG website and the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum website. Also, a new "Feature Film" on the homepage will be updated soon - The film will be of our recent trip to Seattle where the 93rd BG reunion was held last fall. I'd like to also stress that people should visit the "Guestbook" which can be accessed from the 93rd BG homepage (click on the book and pencil located on the top left). People have been commenting, asking questions and just saying hello to the 93rd. Who knows you might be able to answer a question or two! Also leave a message - it's simple to do. Michael Sellers, 93rd BG Webmaster www.93bg.com Email: mtsellers@mac.com Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! Mini Reunion in England 2014 or 2015 We will NOT be holding a mini reunion in Norwich, England this year due to low head count numbers. If anyone is planning a trip to Norwich and the airfield, please contact me or Colin Mann (crowitch@btinternet.com) to help coordinate transportation around the area. There is no reason to pay for a tour. We have many wonderful local people who would be glad to show you around. Help with petrol (gas) is all they ask. If you are interested in a Mini Reunion around Memorial Day in 2014 or 2015, please let me know. It would be a 3 day event ending on Memorial Day. There may be an optional 2 day pre-reunion package for site seeing around the area of NON 93rd BG/ WW2 places. Please let me know a head count and which years would be of interest by August 1, 2013. Please remember to send address, phone, and email, if available. Looking for information Footlocker I am looking for any information, photos of a wartime 93rd BG footlocker. If you still have yours, I would love to see pictures of it!! Sidearm 1911a1 or 38cal. pistol What sidearm was used by the officers and enlisted men? Any information or photos, is greatly appreciated. Looking for information on the following 93rd BG veterans 328th BS Horace E. Rutledge 328th BS James W. Craig (KIA Dec. 22, 1943) 329th BS Mark B. Weber 329th BS Charles E. Liller (KIA Mar. 23, 1945) 330th BS Albert A. Chatigny 409th BS Fred Wrablik If you have any information about these men, please contact me as their families are trying to learn more about their wartime experiences. FREE Memorabilia cataloging and Research I am willing to scan any documents, records, photos, or artifacts of a 93rd BG veteran and return ALL of the original iem (nharmed) along ih CD of all scans/jpeg images along with any additional information I can add. I can add information such as names, plane serial # /artwork and places. I can also photograph 3-D items that cannot be scanned. There is NO charge for this service! I can also make extra CD copies for family members/ museums. I have done this for several veterans over the years. My contact info is shown below. Museums/Archive and where to donate items As I am researching the best places to send your items, there are some key things to think about. Artifacts/ 3-D items If you have artifacts/items you should look for a place to preserve and display them. Many museums will accept an item but will not display. I would ask about their plans for displaying your item before donation! Documents and photos Paperwork and photos are a different issue all together. Museum/Archive will accept these items but their use is limited to in-house access only. The true value in the documents and photos is the information and the actual image, not the paper! That is why, I am suggestion that you have all of your paperwork/ photos scanned and saved electronically. Then, they can be easily copied and sent to interested museum around the USA and world. This will allow more people to see them. Also in electronic format, they can be sent via email. As the 93rd BG Historian, I routinely search my collection and email he docmen o he famil. The scan and share option old alo allo he famil o reain heir heirloom items while allowing all of us to enjoy seeing them and using for research. Please see the above FREE Memorabilia caaloging and Reearch for an option. A formal document is being finalized that will address where each type of item can be best shared and

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Page 5 www.93bg.com preserved. In the meantime, if you would like to discuss your options, please do not hesitate to contact me. Cheers, Don Morrison 93rd BG Association Historian 1375 West Comet Rd Clinton, OH 44216 Home (330) 882-2536 Cell (330) 819-6409 Doniac1967@sbcglobal.net POW Poems* THE CREW Ten men mind molded into one winging off towards the rising sun, each with his separate job to do but taken togethera combat crew. Wha hogh are heir hile oaring on high o hoe poral of Hell in he dian k Thoughts of loved ones on a distant shore or memories of other raids flown before Or do they ponder with bated breath if this rendezvous may be with death. Flying deep to the heart of the enemy through miles above both land and sea, Individuals all, in a lumbering crate till the skies seem suddenly filled with hate. Red and black grow the heavens once blue, with flak and fighters now shot through And now those ten in their fragile kite become thirty tons of solid fight. Bomb aa and he real job done, b heir rip in hrogh, i j begn, Back to the coast the bale heir a, hoping heir nmber no p ha da, Then the flak is behind, the fighters are through and once more the skies are clear and blue Till ha prod 24 become once again a bale-scarred crate and her crew of 10 Ten individuals, no longer one, limping back towards the setting sun, Each man has his separate job to do as once again they return from the blue. MY BUDDY They say he died in glory, whatever that may be, If ding in a br of flame i glor, hen i no for me My Buddy had the guts all right, he sought not glory nor fame, He knew he had a job to do and his crew all felt the same, But Death had the final word, for in its log, it wrote his name And my Buddy died that morning, in glory and in a burst of flame. ODE TO THE A.T.C** Mama, take down your service flag, Yor on in he A.T.C., He SOL b ha he hell, he afe a he can be. He flon all oer Norh Africa and halfa p he Nile B Ill be damned if he eer fle par of a comba mile. (** Air Transport Command) * The poems were written by American Airmen that were being held captive in the German prison camp known as Stalag Luft 1. They were contained in a journal written and compiled by Walter Boychuk, Captain, U.S. 8th Air Force, Kriegsgefangenen No. 5407. He was wounded and shot down over Le Harve, France on Sunday, August 13, 1944. After his capture, he was taken to Berlin for medical care and then sent to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth near the Baltic Sea. He was there until April, 1945 when the war in Europe ended. Thanks to George McLean for providing the poems.

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Page 6 www.93bg.com Hot Stuff Update by Jim Lux Memorial Monument Site Approved Icelander, Doddi Marteinsson was notified by the mayor of the village of Grindavik, Iceland that the Hot Stuff memorial monument site had been approved. Many thanks to United States Ambassador to Iceland, Luis Arreaga, his staff, the Mayor of Grindavik and the superb effort of Doddi and Oli Martiensson. Doddi and Oli searched for the perfect sight for the monument and found it alongside a highway near Grindavik. Mt. Fagradalsfjall where Hot Stuff crashed is clearly visible in the background. The plan is to have a plaque, describing the story of Hot Stuff and those who lost their lives, in place by May 3, 2013 the 70th anniversary of the accident. This is an ambitious goal but one worth trying to achieve. This is one suggestion for an interim plaque. Note that it is designed to withstand Iceland eere eaher condiion. If e can make ha dae, Ambaador Arreaga ill r o arrange a flyover by the US Air Force, as part of a memorial ceremony when they arrive in Iceland this fall. Monument Fundraiser Thanks to the work of 93rd Bomb Group Association Treasurer, Jim Guddal and Assistant Treasurer, Nancy Stranger we were able to kick off the Hot Stuff Memorial Fundraiser in January. The goal is to raise $70,000 and we are off to a good start. Thanks to Scott Stewart, a copy of Teds Travelling Circus will be given for donations of $250 or more. A special thank you for your donation: Lillian Ayars Harrell & Jackie (Lentz) Broome* David & Nelda Cravey Eric & Dominque Ducreau Ray & Alison Ender Ron & Charlotte Iberg Robert & Millie Jones Kermit & Nancy Larson Jim & Nancy Lux John & Rayann Marx Andrew & Marjorie Meyer Barbara & John Mitchell Scott Stewart Leon & Joan Thomas Terrance & Sylvia Turner Regis Urschler Robert Weeks * Jackie is the daughter of Hot Stuff copilot, John Lentz Another Hot Stuff Film Found I now have color film from the National Archives of Hot Stuff being loaded with bombs on what may have been her last bombing mission. There are also shots of nose art of several 93rd BG B-24s including: Liberty Limited Liberty Lad Wham Bam Exterminator (after completing 28 missions) Eager Beaver (after completing 28 missions) Shoot Luke (after completing 26 missions) Ball of Fire Junior Heinie Hunter (after completing 18 missions). My friend, Jake Jacobson, the bombardier on Hot Stuff told me about a film crew filming their activities and going on a bombing mission with them. I have been trying to find a copy of the film for over three years. Unfortunately, there is no film of the bombing mission b Im amaed o hae fond an film and a all and in color at that. YouTube advertising on Hot Stuff video YouTube has now monetized the Hot Stuff video. They will pay a certain amount if enough people view it and click on the advertisements so please encourage everyone you know to look at the video and check out the ads at: http://youtu.be/etX1lid-8fs While ore a i, I hae hree oher ideo o migh want to check out. One is called Flying in the P-38. I compiled it from several flights in the P-38 Scatterbrain Kid II. One pilot I flew with is Bob Ayars a retired Eastern Airline pilo and he oher i Col. Virgal Sand Saning (USAF retired) and WW II fighter pilot. He is also the subject of the second video. The third video is The P-38 vs. the Iskrajet. You can view them at the following addresses: Flying in the P-38: http://youtu.be/DOhdNuMGinw Virgal E. Sand Sansing a true American hero who need your help: http://youtu.be/a4zBx7QAy3IThe P-38 Lightning vs. the Iskrajet: http://youtu.be/MuSE5r7tc6M I I!,___

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Page 9 www.93bg.com Memorial Ceremony in Honour of Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews and the other Crewmembers and Passengers who died in the B-240 Liberator Bomber Hot Stuff flight Accident on Mt. Fagrada1s1jall in Iceland on 3 May 1943. Memorial Ceremony at the Location of the Memorial Monument near Mt. Fargradalsfjall in Grlndavlk Friday 3 May 2013 Memori I Cer mony on the road to Grindavik on parking place toward$ M filrgr dalsfjall 13.30 W lcom Mr1 Btyndis Goonloug!dol Jr, Cha,.,man of I~ Towr1 Courier/ o/Grmdol/1, ltonorayGuard\ byth!> Gnndc1V1~ RP\c:I Force Inauguration of a Plaque interim to the Monument Mr Jmwx.Mm•erofCe.'f'rrlOflies US Amtmsodor Lt/Ir Arreogo ThotsrtJfln Marrtiruson CJ/afur Mommsson Honorary Air Show ~ Airpkrnn and He/icopt m of rftt> /cl'itJIJOI( Coo~ GIJClfd and 1hr 0/arr,ond A•rpkJntJ of r~ 1,r AvratlM kodemy w, fly from fog,ackllsfp~ovtr r~ toca11on ofIh Monumer,r or 1ht-Ceremony 14.00 Car Tran,;port to Andrew;Theater ..,. A Memorial Monum nt Hooorfn.g the Hol Srufl Crew, LL G.en. Andrews ilnd those k lled In th fllght accident on Mt. FagTlldals.ljall. lwo le ldnden. Mr lhor~t. nn dr1 1n\son and Mr fur Mart •1nsson togeth with Mr. Jrn LI.I)( h.we suumt.'tltal In pQnning for .i memor monumt>nt 1,0"0<11 the 6-14 Llberdt()( Hoc Stuff c., W, Ll. n Andrews and those killed 111 ~ n ht .1C.C1d nt on Ml Fa,grad lsfJall M, Lu~ has spem seVf'faf ars rt>Se.lr , g and see~ ng long <M!rdue recogn1U011 for those involved in thl~ TT accidf>nt ~ TOWf'I Council of Gr111Clovr whl!fe /.~l Fog,odoMpll rs lo::aIed ha1, pprrM?d rhe sir.-f01 o MofllJ'7lf'lll wh,ch hos the suppo,r ol if, Ambos.sodo, LUIS NfttJrJO. TI'IIS as a des,,gn concept for a Memorral Mooument Honooog t Hor Sniff (1 , LL Gen. ,-,nd, and ti~ k1I tn rt~ 11,g t .tCCitleot oo ML raqradals~a Mr FogrodaJJf]ol/ on lflt> Refl;,oot5 peninsula Memorial Ceremony at the Andrews Theater ln Asbru, Keflavik Airport ThP MemonaJ etemOfly M•1 bf! broodco51 on I In Prrl('( hrough the Kt>lhr W.rworl:sool/1n Sffl/lCe on USA,myBases andN.AVYs/1,~ con IWl/'11 arid rotepo11,' Friday 3 May 2013 14.lS ere;hmffi C 14.30 W 1,om H lfflar Ar SOf' D•rec101 of l<e,/11 Allonr,c Ctnrer ol &.ctdence and Ma1ter(l'f('ffl(JII~ Presentation o Hot Stuff, her crew and those who died in the flight accident on Mt. Fagradals(jalJ 8 ,4 lrb;-ror l'f Swft T~ Ordo,mng B,shopOI ~nd for Ska/ho)r, frls11on 'loJur lngolf11on ~Cathollc Bisoop of Rl!yk;c,vil<. pjeffl' &Jrchff ~ Pr. idenr of kelond. Ol<Jfvr lulgnot Gnms50r1 ffteUSNrlbassodor, l.ursl,treogo 15.3-0 RcfrL'Shmcnt Colfct. 16.00 Historic.ti M Ltg. Gen. Frilnl< M. Andrews. One of the founding fathers of the United Stat.es Air Fom! Tbc. US AJr Folce Film• The &-24 Llb@rator Hot Stuff, th first H avy Bomber n the 8th Alr Force to complet 25 Ml slom In WWII Jim WJt rhe H1uorion of 1hl! 8-24 U,ermor Hor The B-24D Liberator Bomber Hot Stuff Fli ht Accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjilll on 3 May 1943 Fr~ £:ydol. former Pres.s Arrochi>, US Au f01ct Bast ill l<tflov• Th Memor I Monument n r Mt. Fargnidalsfjall in Grindavil< 1/,()()teinn Mort 1t1~soo and Ot'olur Morrevmson 17.00 Clo.sing of the ~mony H,oimot AmoSOII. Drrec1or of Keir,, lrr/0111,c Cmrerol eel ,. Andrews Th t atthe K illr Atlantic Center of Excellency ThP ~ of Andrf'WS Theater -e opened'" 1959 dM t th J"Cf Wil~ lull Ol)C'f.Stion for dS lo<1g I Am ocan Armed Forces had a r, lity ,n Ice! nd untd .!006. Andie\'~ TheJter ,s nil.filed ,n hooor fter Lt.. Gen. Fron M Andrews. gerwr1I er In the Unoted States Army and one d the founding fa~ d th(> UMed States Air Force. The Andr~ Thearer W.tS l'Pfl£'wed m 2010 and ha~ ~me SOO comfonable wars and cellent sound and film eQU pmerll fo, ,ntern.itian.ll con r nt s.

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Page 10 www.93bg.com TIME Frank Maxwell Andrews U ut ant GeMl'll, Unit~ States Army Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews w.is ge ral officer in th United ~tates Army and one e found rng rathefs o the United States ,.,.r For In d rship po ii ion within the Army A Corps, he succeeded· n advancing progress toward a separi>te and rndepenclen r force Andrews was the first head of a centralized Amenc n arr f01 e nd th II ~I a,r officer 10 \erve on the Army\ nt•t ht<1ff. In Nrly t 943, h took the place of igtll D • i)(>nhower alo commander of all US. troops n the Etrropean Thea·er of Operations. After his death Gen. wnhower. who became th 34th Pres.dem of the US l 9S3 10 1 1, 1 M place as Com dcr ol th(! EuropcJ:1 Oper.itions. Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews was born on February 3, 18841n Na le. li nnessee and was krl nan rcratt accident In Iceland on May 3, 1943. 11 Wil5 burred ,n ,on 3 of Arlingron Natrona! (em('lCf)'. (.i'llp Springs Army Airfie'd. Maryland v.-as rerldmed Andre'W'i Fi Id (now Jomt Base Alldrews Nav Arr F«ilrry) fOf Lt Gen. Andrews on f-ebruary /, 1945. Howl!Yer. he has lost hts 11ghcfu place history f'ew peopl r tllE'mbei was Gen. Andr~ who advoca;ed a sepnrare Alt Fore out ranked Gen Ei<,enhower and replaced him as Commander tile European Theater of Opera tOrlS and probably. according to Gen. Hap l\tnold, would been I he jOb of Su ,~e Alt xJ Comfllclnder t\c;lCI h n kil in the Fligh Accid~ on May 3, 1943. From th book: Frank M. Andrews: Marshalrs Airman by DeWitt S. Copp .Anclr ~ had t nd Cclrnt' hP o t would be in lhe cockpt and he got his wish Everyon else who knew h,m or served u'lder h m deeply moorned h,s loss: .HMory does no reveal I altema·illes, aod Andrews~ sudden death leaves 50me haunting ques tons. Mad he lllled. would he rove commanded the Normandy 1nv.1Slon, as !>O many of ht\ cont.empora,1 belll!Vl!<I? Cert.linty M.tt!.h.111 had placed h,m n 1he ~nion to over\ the buildup 'or tha then unr~lved straregy. And what theri? Wha rever his tutu re m,gh have been. Andrews's star was i11 sw, ascendancy when I was Sf'luffcd out. and II the rr t prorr.se of omo, ow bt-c m , fte>c,lons on the or Hof , day, the tMdayor mil I ry lecld r whose .ime wr I ever by pried w h strategic arr power and th,: figh ~ r a , depender. • B-24D Uberator Bomber Hot Stuff First to complete 2S mission.sin the 8th Air Force In the Second World War Hot Stuff Crew~mbffs Cap Robert H. 'Shine· Shannon - PIiot. washrigton. Iowa I st Lt. John H !l'llL- Copilot. Ch.ago, IL C.ip1 J.ime\ E Gore - igd:or. llefea. KY 1st Lr. Robert l,Jacob5on- Bombardier, Cedars,.MS S/Sg Georg D. Farley- Gunner, Wel!iv1le, NY T /SgL enneth A. Jeff s - Radro Operator, Onskany Falls, NY S/SgL Joseph L C@rghead - Eng,n r/Gunne . Bedford. VA S/SqL Grant C. Rondeau - Eng /Gunn , Rilcln@. W1 S/S<') Pdul H. Ou n - G nne,, Endwt.'11, NJ S/Sgt. GE'orge A. Eiw.1-Tail Gunner, Coh.lmbus.Ol-1 (not the photograph) S/Sg L F. Durham· Gunner (not a ~ul<lf crewmembef) &-24 Uberator Hot Stuff. A Story of Tr umph and Tragedy. by J m Lux, the Historian of the 8-24 Ube-rator .Hot Stuff" The 8-24 Liberato, Hot Stuff heavy bomber and her crew were the first In _ Air Forte to cOITlJ)6tr 2S ml!.sloni. In 'IIO!td Wdr II Hot Stull' w ord red bad from (urope to the Unrted Swe5 to tour the CO\Jntf)' and h p war bonrl\. l GPneral Frank M Aruews, Commilnder of the u,opean The.i of Opffilooo._ was ordered back to Washington. D. C. by General George C. Ma{shall. LJS Army Chief of Sraff tot summoos b Andrews wa5 a close advoor to Geneial ~ woo had ted Andrem to ['1 oYl!I as Afrrr/ command 1n Europe 10 plan M sirr es on Geun.iny. And1ews cont ted his friPnd Col led l imberla , Commandl'r d thl!' 93fd Bombardment GlouP, and reque!itl!d to fly wck to the Un1red StJt.es n Hot Stuff Y. th Cap Roberi "Sh1ne·st1annon v.tiom also knew The first stop was the US base In le.eland but the 019 11C1d'>i-M!d on Mt fdgrdd,il\~d 1n the Hey oes peninsula w, le and ill ry d th(,, tond11ion!.. With rh l'lCC pt ion of Gl:n. Andr "NS. everyone onboard Hol St was soon forgotten HOl Stuff nd t !.l.lfVMng crewmembefs were also forgonen. Gen. Jacob E. Sma fi>rmer USAF Chief ol St,.,tf and Aide toGt:n I Atnold during W01ldWJ1 U eed !hat; ~nnon's Hot Siuff was th(! t I~ 8th Iv.I Force to comp! ~ 15 missions evell though the heralded Memphl\ Bell , B-17 Flying forlle-.\. we,m ,e labcl.'

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Page 11 www.93bg.com Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project To view the "must see" video on YouTube about the B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff, go to this link: http://youtu.be/etX1lid-8fs Jim Lux, Project Coordinator Nanc.y Slrange,; 93rd Bomb Group As ·i ·tan/ Treasurer Donation are now being accepted to create and build a memorial in recognition of' Hot tuff; the first 8th Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 missions in WWll. Four member of the original H t tuff r died when the plane crashed into a mountainside in Iceland on Ma 4, 1943. In addition to crewmember , other killed in the era h were Lt. General Frank M. Andre three members of his staff. two .. Army haplain , and a ci ilian who rv d as the U. . ilitar hi f of haplains. he deaths of Lt. General Frank M. Andrews and his staff created a crisis for American military leadership in Europe. t. General Dwight D. Eisenhower as eventually cho en to replace Andrews. Jim Lux, of Austin TX. is spearheading the fundraising efforts for the memorial. Jim ha tra eled to Iceland. viewed the ite of the crash, and actually found some piece of ''Hot ttiff \ hi h were hipp d to the U .. , courte y of I elandafr Airlines. Jim is available to peak to group about the project. If you would like fur-ther information about the memorial project, or you would like Jim to peak about the project to a group please contact him. H: 512-327-1750 : - 12-731-8024 email:jlu ustin.rr.com The National Mu um of the United tares Air Fore has received variou part of the plane, thanks to Jim ·s efforts on this project. The Amba sad or to Iceland. Lui Arreaga, Iceland government official , and a number of retired .. military officers and enlisted personnel are upp rting Jim on the project. To participate in thi imp nant memorial pr • t, fill ut the don r ard b I wand submit with your check or money order. Plea e make your checks payable to the ·'93rd Bombardment Group As ociation: with a notation of "WWII 8-24 Memorial.' end your a check or mone order, along with the completed donor card, t the add.res noted on the card. Our incerest thank you for your upport of th i important project. r - - -------7 B-24 Liberator "Hot Stuff' Memorial Charitable Donation Donation Amount: ________ _ ompletc ame (plea.wt print cleurly)-----------------I Addre ______________ City _________ _ tate ___ _ Zip ___ _ (sfreel) nie 93rd Bombardment Group Association 1s a I 0/(c)(J) Non l'rofit Organi:otlon. Dona,ions far the "Hot Stuff .. memorial project are tax deductible. If you do11a1e S250 or I more. you will receive a receipt from th, organization.for )'Qur ta:,. records. A copy of your check is a I sufficient record for donations smaller rhan '2.50. , I Mail check or money order to: I 93rd Bombardment Group Association 995 Cottoowoocl n I Glenwood Springs, CO SJ 601 L ____ _ ________________ J

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Page 14 www.93bg.com Folded Wings Arnold, Frederick J., January 6, 2013 Frederick J. Arnold was born October3,1921 in Chicago, Illinois to Joseph and Emily Arnold and has been a resident of Ely since 1971. Fred was a navigator and Lieutenant in the 93rd Bombardment Group during WWII. He flew with Leon Bernard. He was a graduate of the University of Michigan here he earned a Maer degree in forer. He married Jean W. Aylsworth in 1946 and resided in Libertyville, Illinois before moving to Gurnee, Illinois. In 1971, he and his wife bought Coral Ridge Resort in Babbitt, MN. Ten years later Fred and Jean built home on Little Long Lake and later moved to a home on Garden Lake. He loved fishing and duck hunting, and spent many hours fishing the wonderful lakes of Minnesota and hunting in Canada. Fred was a wildlife artist as a hobby and he painted beautiful pictures of ducks. He also did word carvings of ducks that were magnificent. Fred was involved in the management of the International Sled Dog Races that were held in Ely, Minnesota each winter. Also, he built two homes and took a course in building log homes. Fred is survived by his wife of 66 years, Jean; his four children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Note from Leon Bernard: Fred and I were crew members for 28 of my 35 missions. I served as pilot and Fred as navigator. I remember him as a reliable navigator, who knew his "stuff." If we were separated from the rest of the formation, he always gave me accurate coordinates to get us home again. After the 28th mission, Fred rotated back to the States to become an instructor. After the war, we saw each other several times when I came to Chicago on business. At some point, Fred moved and we lost touch with each other until Jim Guddal hooked us up several years ago. We kept in touch after that and I was very sorry to hear from his family that Fred had died. Case, Rodolph, July, 1979

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Page 15 www.93bg.com Email from brother, Larry Case: My brother, Rodolph Case was a pilot in the 93rd group H, 409th squadron, of the 8th Air Force and was shot down over Goha German on 24 Feb. 1944. He a par of Ted raelling Circ and a ho don afer a raid dring he Big Week. Was taken prisoner and incarcerated at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth Germany till the war ended. He was the flight officer on the aircraft B24J serial number 42-100236. He returned after the war and served in the air force with the Strategic Air Command and flew with the triad group, which I believe was still the 93rd. He is since deceased and I would like to have his name added to your list of fallen heroes. Rudy as he was called was born in Brookhaven, Ms. My appreciation for your web site. Rodolph Case B-24 Bomber Crew (provided by J. L. Altizer) Pilot  Rodolph Case Co-Pilot  R. D. Allison Navigator  R. E. Jakobe Bombardier  J.J. Taylor Radio Operator  C.W. Shepherd Ball Gunner - ____ Brown Waist Gunner - F.M. Conover Engineer  Tail Gunner  Knowing my oldest brother was dying, I sat looking out the window of the airplane in flight at the majesty and wonderment of the world below. As I watched the beauty of the changing clouds I wondered what my memories would be, what description did I have in my minds eye of him. The beauty I saw brought the following thoughts to mind so I jotted them down for later recollection and the opportunity to share my thoughts with someone else. Death for my brother was eminent but he is not forgotten as his equation is described in the following words I call. "Above the clouds". Larry Case Above the Clouds I see the majesty of the clouds, As the setting sun Breathes life into them. How gentle they seem, And so soft. How delicious the rain they bring On a summer eve. How vast this beauty, And endless as time. I did not know him well As a youth But he was always there, His presence as majestic As the clouds, Always gentle, Always soft. How delicious to know him On my summers eve of life. How vast the beauty of his being And endless as time. I would ride upon his shoulders, My gallant steed, Across fields and pastures, To an old cabin On a wooded hill. And sit upon nail kegs Listening to the voices Of my brothers And their friends. Music to my youthful ears. I heard the rush of the wind Oer he eagle ing As he soared among the clouds. I heard the whippoorwills, Late on a yellow summers eve. I smelled the freshness Of the coming rain, And felt the warmth of the earth On bare feet. I saw his face in the clouds And watched the evening shadows Grow long. So these memories of youth, Remind me of him, Even when I did not know him well. And yet, only a moment With him, One touch, By him, One word, From him, In a short span of time, Has brought to focus, All these things. But the wind is quiet now, For the eagle has landed. I can still hear the whippoorwills, Late on a yellow summers eve. I can still smell the freshness Of the coming rain. I can still feel the warmth of earth On bare feet. I can still see his face in the clouds. I watch now,

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Page 16 www.93bg.com As the sun sets red In the distance, His presence still As close as yesterday, Always. Funny, I seem to know him well. For more information about Rodolph Case, go to the Stalag Luft I website: http://www.merkki.com/caserodolph.htm Haug, Siguard W., January 11, 2001 Email from his son, Mark Haug: My father, Siguard. W. Haug flew in the 328th bomber group as part of the 93 squadron. I do not recall the name of his pilot but I have attached a crew photo. Dad is the Second form the right on the bottom row. Perhaps that will help. If it helps here is dad's dog tag numbers - 13177984 T43-44B. I was fortunate to visit his old base Hardwick in 2000. I am not sure why I am writing perhaps I just wanted Dad to be remembered for his service. If there is any other information re dad's crew, I would be honored to learn what I can. Klein, Raymond H., December 25, 2012 Note from his son, Brad Klein: My father, Raymond H. Klein, passed away on 12/25/12. He served in the 8th Air Force, 93rd BG, as a B-24 pilot during WWII. Excerpt from a biographical letter sent to Brad on January 24, 2000. After getting my wings in Pampa, Texas, I was asked to fill in a form requesting the type of plane I wanted to fly. My first choice was B-26 (Marauder) transition training, followed by co-pilot in heavy bombers. I asked for co-pilot so I would get a quick assignment to a crew and get into combat. I didn an o pend he ime in raniion training in heavy bombers because I thought the war would be over before I got into combat. As is usual in the miliar o don ofen ge or fir choice. The attached chronology takes me to England and the 93rd Bomb Group. The crew now consisted of: Bill Davis  Pilot Ray Klein  Co-pilot Don Kleiner  Navigator Edwin Stellhorn  Bombardier Harold Fricek  Radio Operator Hilary Piotrowski  Engineer

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Page 17 www.93bg.com Joseph Defoe  Ball Turret Gunner Floyd Lance  Gunner (waist) Sheffy Mahan  Tail Gunner Royce Powell  Waist Gunner The officers and enlisted men were housed in separate Quonset huts located in different areas of the field. There were four crews in the officer quarters for a total of 16 men. The hut was heated by a steel stove about the size of a ten gallon can with its chimney going out the roof. We were rationed one bag of coal and one bag of coke per wk. The coal and coke were kept in a fenced in, locked enclosure. The sport of the day was to be a member of a fuel raiding party in the middle of the night. We shared our hut with the Roy Fulco, Russell Kapp and Herbert Rubin crews. When Flco cre a ho don over Magdeburg it was replaced by the Joe Rosacker crew. When Ed Stellhorn was lost while flying with another crew he was replaced by Fritz Lauxman. Fritz was a German whose father had lived in Cologne. Fritz always said he was very careful not to hit the ancestral home. Incidentally, I have orders listing the names of 33 crews in the 328, 329, 330 and 409 squadrons of the 93rd Bomb Group on January 10, 1945. Needles to say the only ones I remember are those who lived in our barracks. After six missions I was given a check ride and qualified to fly as first pilot. This made me available when pilots got ill, wounded or killed on other missions. I flew almost all of my missions with the original Bill Davis crew. In looking over the targets of my 35 missions I was surprised to find that we finished out tour in five months!! I had always thought it took nine months since that was my total time overseas. Some of that time was devoted to training. I was also surprised to see that we flew five missions in a row. The norm was to fly two and then have a couple days off. I recently bought a world atlas and plotted the missions. The majority were in the Ruhr Valley of Germany which was the industrial heart of Germany. We also hit targets in occupied France and Belgium and Holland. The deepest penetration was hitting the town of Oranienburg hich i abo 150 mile de norh of Berlin. I don know what target was hit. The most memorable missions were Magdeburg and Groesbeek. Magdeburg was where we lost Fulco and many other crews. The oil refineries in Magdeburg were hit many, many times during the war and claimed hundreds of planes and crews. Groesbeek was near Arnhem in the Netherlands and was the site of the infamous Market Garden air-invasion of Holland by British and American airborne and paratroops. It was a complete disaster and failed miserably. The 93rd and many, many more heavy bomb groups were called upon to drop supplies to the troops who went in gliders and by parachutes. We practiced for the mission over England at 50 ft. altitude. We had to lift the wings to avoid hitting church steeples. The milk cows in England probably milked cheese for the next month. Needless to say with hundreds of bombers flying over England at 50 ft. altitude the Germans knew exactly what we were rehearsing for. We had a cargo-maer from he airborne force assigned to each plane. His job was to supervise loading equipment into the bomb bays and then releasing the supplies over the drop zone. The supplies we would be dropping consisted of medical supplies, ammunition, food, clothes and small arms and radios. The supplies were packed on pallets each of which was fastened to a colored parachute. Supplies were coded with the colored chutes  red for food, blue for medical, green for clothes, etc. The plan called for us to form over England and then fly to Holland at 50 ft. over the North Sea. Upon hitting landfall we were to climb to 600 ft. so the chutes would open when the supplies were dropped from the bomb bays. While still over the North Sea we got the word to go in at 600 ft. and then climb to 4000 ft. after the drop. The original plan had us dropping back down to 50 ft. after the drop. The first wave of bombers followed the original plan and were shot-up like sitting ducks. A quick change in plans was made and radioed to us while we were over water. When we got over land we were overwhelmed by the sights on the ground. There were hundreds of gliders and C-47 ren oer he conride. Inerpered with all these wrecks were hundreds or thousands of colored parachutes marking the supplies dropped in the first wave. There were also hundreds of white parachutes abandoned by the paratroopers. There were also hundreds of troops, friendly and enemy, plus all kinds of civilians waving American flags. We were so low you could almost see the expression on the faces of the people. Every German with a pistol, rifle, machine gun and anti-aircraft gun was shooting at us. How could they miss a B-24 or B-17 flying at 500-600 ft? The sound inside of the plane was like that of being in a tin barn while kids threw hundreds of rocks at it. As I said Market Garden was a disaster with most of our troops killed or taken prisoner, hundreds of gliders and C-47 crahed ino jnk, 100 bomber ho don and another 100 so heavily damaged they were turned into junk when they got back to England. Many bombers also flew to Sweden, where they were interned, because he coldn make i back o England. The lead pilo

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Page 18 www.93bg.com and his crew in the 93rd flew over to Sweden. He was a major who spent his entire Air Corps career in the Training Command in the U.S. and then was sent to Europe and the 93rd. Market Garden was only his second or third mission and there was always some doubt among the crews as to whether he really had to go o Seden or heher he coldn ake comba fling!! Our plane had many small-arms bullet holes when we got back to England but our only wound was that to Royce Powell, our waist gunner. He was manning his gun at the waist opening and was standing next to a fire extinguisher. There were several throughout the plane. They were small  abo 18 long and 5 in diameer and were wound with piano wire so that they could stand the internal pressure of the extinguisher fluid at high alide. The one near Poell head a hi b a blle causing the tightly wound piano wire to whip out and caught Powell across the cheek. His cuts were not serious and Lance, the other waist gunner, patched him up with bandages and tape from the first aid kit. I don hink ell eer reole he Nagh Nan mer. Im no geing ha hen e ere transferred from the 328th squadron to the 329th squadron on Sept. 1, 1944 we lost Naughty Nan in the transfer. Your e-mail contact Bradley was in Naughty Nan in the 328th squadron when it was lost in a mid-air collision over Belgium on Sept. 21, 1944. It now seems probable that a or Nagh Nan. B ha ime e had flon eleven missions which were memorable since they were our first in combat  they were probably flown in Naughty Nan. Afer or ranfer e go Tobaco Keed and probably flew it until our transfer to the 409th squadron. I kno for a fac or Nagh Nan ail nmber ere V116 since I have a photo of the tail. I ala called or barrack Qone h ince ha was the name in the U.S. In England they were called Nien huts which was probably derived from the name of the English contractor or builder. Jerry Bouse flew a C-54 to Guam which was loaded with the components of the atom bomb. These components were then assembled into the atomic bomb, loaded into the B-29 Enola Ga and dropped on Japan. When Jerry flew the mission to Guam he had no idea that his cargo consisted of atom bomb parts!! Vangsness, Elmer, January 12, 2013 Elmer was born on October 20, 1921, the son of Andrew and Anna (Hagen) Vangsness in Carpio, ND. He was raised in the Carpio area and graduated from High School in Hartland, ND, in 1938. He farmed until he enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1942. After pilot training he served with the 93rd Bomb Group, Norfolk, England, as a B-24 Liberator Pilot. Elmer receied hi B.S. and Maer Degree from North Dakota State University in Fargo. He was united in marriage to Nellie Jean Anderson on January 22, 1954 in Rugby, ND. Elmer taught in Rugby and Crosby, ND, before becoming an Assistant County Agent in Williston, ND. In 1958, they moved to Fargo where Elmer worked for North Dakota State University Extension Service as a Resource Economist until his retirement in 1986. Elmer was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, the American Legion, the VFW, and the Sons of Norway. Elmer is survived by his wife, Nellie Jean; his two sons, one daughter, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Also surviving is his brother and two sisters. Elmer was preceded in death by his parents; his two brothers and three sisters. Note from Paul Levine, son-in-law of Sam Harris: Elmer was a lead pilot with the 329th , 93rd BG. He was Sam Harris pilot. I believe he flew 18 combat missions. He was very active with the Fargo Air Museum as a volunteer and he donated his uniform and other military gear to them. www.fargoairmuseum.org. He was dear man and one hell of pilot...like so many of the 93rd Veterans. Paul Levine Letters to the Editor I want to thank all of the members of the 93rd BG who sent my family and me the many e-mails and cards expressing their condolences on the passing of my daughter, Debbie Dady. You have no idea what a comfort it was knowing we were in your thoughts and prayers. I want to express my special thanks to my dear friend, Colin Mann for all the virtual bouquets of flowers he sent me each day to let me know even though he wasn't here in person, I was never far from his thoughts. I know time heals all wounds, but, there will be another hole in my heart that will never quite completely heal. Thank you all Alberta DelGuidice and family 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2 l

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Page 19 www.93bg.com From: dogpatchraider@gmail.com To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Subject: Emailing: Fifi Camarillo 010 Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:18:05 -0700 Guys, The only flying B-29 (FIFI) was in Camarillo CA yesterday. I met Ben Kuroki there and about 300 other guest to get a glimpse of history. In more ways than one. Considering Ben was probably the only Japanese American to fly combat missions in a B-29 (Honorable Sad Saki's) over Japan during WWII and after flying 30 missions with 93rd over Europe. We had a great time. This photo is of Ben and Dave Flood. Dave is the CAF Information Officer at the Camarillo Wing and he invited Ben to the event as his guest. Ben looks pretty good for a 96 year old vet don't you think? Let's keep them flying, Joe and Phyllis Duran Dave Flood and Ben Kuroki From: dogpatchraider@gmail.com To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Subject: Emailing: Fifi Camarillo 010 Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:18:05 -0700 Ben Kuroki and Joe Avendano Duran waiting for (FIFI) the last flying B-29. I brought a photo album of Ben's early days to the event in Camarillo, California. We had a great time! Best Regards Joe and Phyllis Duran Top row: Charles A. Fortin (1st Engineer) Edwin Novick (Tail Gunner) Bernard D. Morelli (2nd Engineer, Top Turret Gunner) Nazarene Piccioni (radio operator) Harry Howard (nose gunner) Elmer C. Krummert (ball gunner) Bottom row: Nathaniel Whitman, 1st Lt (pilot) Glen Tessmer, 2nd Lt. (co-pilot) Donald D. Makely, 2nd Lt. (bombardier) William R. Watters (navigator) Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2013 15:51:20 -0500 From: heather@kiggans.net

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Page 20 www.93bg.com To: webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com CC: editor93bg@hotmail.com Subject: Names for the Whitman Crew Hello, I came across your web site while searching the web for my grandfather's name. He is listed on your web site on the role of honor page: KRUMMERT, Elmer C 33693808 S/Sgt He is also pictured in the Crew Photos, Page 5, with the Whitman Crew. I have a copy of this same picture with the names of the people in the picture written on the back in my grandfather's hand. I see you do not have the names under the picture, so I thought you might like them. The front and back of the photo are in the attached files. It was nice to find your web site and read some more about my grandfather's military history. Sincerely, Heather Kiggans Dublin, Ohio heather@kiggans.net Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:48:38 -0500 From: wculpepper@austin.rr.com To: 109clearview@verizon.net; editor93bg@hotmail.com Subject: 93rd BG featured in my novel Hello, My name is Walter Culpepper, and I am proud to be a family member of the 93rd BG Association. George McLean, a 93rd BG veteran who is well known to all of you, is my uncle. For the past 4 years he has been collaborating with me on a fictional account of a young man who grows up in our home town of New Orleans, enlists in the U.S. Army Air Corps at the start of WWII, flies with the 491st and 93rd BGs of the mighty Eighth Air Force, and later struggles to survive the devastating floods that engulfed our city after Hurricane Katrina. The name of my novel is The Replacement Son. It will be published by Two Harbors Press; the release date is scheduled for June 4th of this year. This work would never have been possible iho m ncle George bondless generosity, patience, and encouragement. Of course, he is also the inspiration for my fictional hero, Harry McChesney, and is preeminent among my primary sources, particularly for the courageous feats, day-to-day privations, and improbable adventures of the men who fought with the U.S. Eighth Air Force during World War II. Over the past four years my uncle has unselfishly given me hours of his time, speaking with great good humor and modesty about his service in the Army Air Corps, growing up in New Orleans between two world wars, and witnessing ha ha been ermed he Grea Delge folloing Hurricane Katrina. He has shared his library of reference books, personal memoirs, and mementos as well as unpublished recollections, poems, and artwork by close friends who also served in the Big Eighth, flying Liberator bombers back in the day. As we completed our work together on the book last year, George honored me with an invitation to join the association as a family member. Although I know the material that is covered in the Ball of Fire Quarterly newsletter is almost exclusively devoted to historical and factual details of exploits of the brave men of the 93rd, I believe that my novel, The Replacement Son, honors ha ame piri. I chronicle one mans heroic journey across the turmoil of recent history in a dramatic and entertaining, albeit fictional, fashion. I think the book would be of considerable interest to many of our association members and their families. I have attached a copy of the press release prepared by my publicist to accompany advance copies of my novel that we are sending out at this time to reviewers across the country. Further information, including three brief excerpts from the novel, can be obtained by visiting my website, www.TheReplacementSon.com. However, because of space constraints, none of the excerpts cover the extensive WWII episodes in the book. I would be very happy to provide, gratis, an advance copy to someone willing to review the novel for the 93rd BG Association. Please let me know where to mail the book and to whom. I think you will enjoy the read. My contact info is in the signature file below. Best regards, Walter Walter S. Culpepper, III, M.D. 1500 W 30th Street Austin, TX 78703-1404 cell phone: 512-983-7277/home: 512-487-5597 email: wculpepper@austin.rr.com Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2013 16:20:00 -0500 From: geomcl@cox.net To: joyridecp@msn.com; 109clearview@verizon.net Subject: The Replacement Son Walter gives me much more credit than I deserve. At the reception following my sister's funeral in May, one of his friends whom I had just met said "I know all about you" When I asked how I got no reply. The following month he told me about the book and ask me to read the manuscript for technical errors and inaccuracies. That plus all the memorabilia, etc. which 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2

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Page 21 www.93bg.com he had access to is the extent of my involvement. It is a novel, not history but based on some historic facts and experiences. (After all, I'm still alive) I'm anxious to read the final product myself. I had never really been aware of the worry and concern that I caused my parents, there are other events beside the war. I'll get my copy late next month George Membership Corner Hello 93rd Veterans, Families and Friends, If you have not appeared as a Featured Veteran on our website or your story has not been included in a previous issue of the Ball of Fire, please consider sending me a summary of your history with a few pictures. If you send them to me by regular mail and you would like them back, please let me know and I will be happy to return them. By regular mail, please send a copy, not the original. Your story will be included in a future newsletter and Michael Sellers will display your story on our website. It would be wonderful if we display the history of as many 93rd veterans as possible, those still living and the ones we have lost. Please, I urge you and your family to record your experience so we may honor your legacy and educate the younger generations. I have started including Featured Veterans from the website in case you may have missed them. To catch up on the Vets previously displayed on the website, I have included another veteran's story in this issue. Thank you, JoAnne Sargent, Editor Fred Strombol Fred enlisted the Army Air Force on December 14, 1942, at 19 years of age and was called to active duty on March 12, 1943. He received his military training in Texas, California, Arizona, and Colorado and was then commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. He boarded the Queen Elizabeth on June 19, 1944, and sailed to England, arriving there on June 25, 1944. He flew 30 combat missions in the European Theater as a B-24 co-pilot with the 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, 93rd Bomb Group, 330th Bomb Squadron, based at Hardwick Air Force Base in Norwich, England where he was stationed from June 25, 1944, until May 25, 1945. He flew his first mission one day after his 21st birthday. He was awarded three air medals and 3 battle stars in 1944, received two air medals and two battle stars in 1945, and holds an EAME Theater Medal. He participated in the campaigns in Normandy, Ardennes, Northern France, and Central Europe. He was discharged on December 8, 1945 as a 1st Lieutenant. He then served in the Army Reserves and the Air National Guard where he became a helicopter pilot, retiring as a Captain in 1968.

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Page 22 www.93bg.com Fred was married to Inez May Trebil in Clinton, MN, on July 10, 1948. For heir honemoon he fle in Fred Taylorcraft airplane to California, stopping in Monument Valley on their way home. In his working career he served as a flight instructor, owned Strombom Farm Equipment, was Chief Engineer for Prentice Hydraulics, and owned S & L Manufacturing of Ogema. He was an active member of the Ogema Baptist Church, serving as Deacon, Trustee, and Sunday School Teacher; was a Charter Member of the Ogema Lions Club, serving as President, Secretary, and Treasurer; was a member of the Johnson-Hallberg American Legion Post #407, serving as Treasurer; a member of the Ogema Area Development Corporation, serving as President at the time of his death; and was also a member of the Ogema Volunteer Fire Department, the Price County Economic Development Association, and the Ogema Sanitary District #1. Fred was very dedicated to his family, his church, and the community of Ogema. He was a patriot and was proud of the service he provided to his country. He was privileged to participate with his son, Rick, in an Honor Flight to Washington, DC, in May of 2011. Fred loved the color red and is known for his red socks and red ties, as well as his sparkling blue eyes and broad smile. He had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed laughing as well as helping others laugh. Fred greatly enjoyed spending time with his family, and his favorite forms of exercise included waterskiing and snowmobiling. He loved flying, reading and serving his community. Fred and Inez enjoyed traveling to every state in the United States as well as internationally. They traveled by car, motor home, airplane, train, ferry and ship. Fred is dearly loved by family and friends across the country and will be sorely missed by many. Frederick Arthur Strombom, 88, Ogema, died a S. Joeph Hopial in Marshfield on Friday, November 11. He was born on July 30, 1923, in Chicago, Illinois, to Fred and Hulda (Lovendahl) Strombom. He was a 1940 graduate of the Austin High School in Chicago, Illinois, and a December 1948 graduate of the University of Minnesota where he earned a Bachelor Degree in Aeronaical Engineering. He is survived by his wife, Inez; by four children, eight grandchildren, four great grandchildren, one brother-in-law, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and their children.

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Page 23 www.93bg.com LEON E. BERNARD I a born in High Poin, NC on Febrar 13, 1922. Afer high chool, I en o ork in m broher Gilber omen hoe store. On June 8, 1942, I went to enlist as an aviation cadet in the Army Air Corps. Although I knew nothing about flying, I had decided Id raher ride han alk. After the tests, the doctor told me to come into his office. He said, Yong man, do o reall an o fl? Ye ir. He old me that since I had had rheumatic fever as a child, he could not accept me into the Corps. Then he said he had checked my heart thoroughly and could find nothing wrong, and if I would revise the form, he would allow me to enlist. I did and was sworn in that day. I reported to Nashville, TN on February 8, 1943. We were assigned barracks and roommates. One of mine was Francis E. Adams, Jr. (Ed) from Arlington, TN. It was the beginning of a long friendship. We spent our entire army careers together. After testing, we were selected for pilot, bombardier, or navigator training. I was classified as a pilot and on March 3, 1943, went to preflight school at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, AL. On May 3, 1943, we were sent to primary flying school in Ocala, FL. We trained in Stearman PT 17s. They were biplanes, with open cockpits. We had to taxi in a zigzag pattern to see one side or the other and were unable to see in front of us because the nose pointed upward and the large engine hindered our view. On takeoffs or landings, the pilot had to look out the side of the airplane to see if it was rolling straight down the runway. After six hours of training, it was time for me to solo. I taxied to the end of the runway and took off. I flew a normal traffic pattern and then landed. I looked out the left side of the plane to see if I was rolling straight. Out of the corner of my eye I saw another plane taking off on the same runway. I made a sharp right turn and was off the runway just as the other plane came roaring by. If I hadn cagh igh of i, boh of us would have been killed. My instructor said they were waiting with bated breath for the collision. July 1, 1943, I went to basic flying school in Greenwood, MS. We flew BT 13s. On September 3rd, I went to twin engine advanced flying training in Columbus, MS. We trained in Beechcraft AT-10s. They were made of plywood. One day as I was on my approach for landing, the plane hit a bird, which knocked a hole in the left wing. After checking that all was OK, I was told to land with a little more airspeed than normal. I parked, got out, and looked at the wing. The bird was still in it. Later, I would think how insignificant the damage was compared to some of the planes I saw coming back from a mission. On November 3, 1943, we received our Pilot Wings and were made Second Lieutenants. I reported to Maxwell Field for B-24 flight training. I was married on December 5, 1943, to my high school sweetheart, Mary Holton. After B-24 training and a short leave, I was sent to Westover Field, Springfield, MA for crew assignment. We then went to Charleston, SC for overseas training, which included aerial bombing, gunnery, and overwater cross country flying. After training, Mary went to High Point and my crew and I went to New York. On the afternoon of May 30, 1944, we boarded the Queen Elizabeth to go to Europe. There were fifteen thousand troops aboard and the majority of us were on deck as we sailed by the Statue of Liberty. It was a beautiful sight that I will never forget. We landed in Scotland at 5:00 PM on June 5th. The next morning, an announcement came over the loudspeaker that the Allies had invaded the Continent. It was June 6, 1944-D-Day. We were flown to the 93rd Bomb Group in Hardwick, England, and were assigned to the 328th Bomb Squadron. I flew my first mission on July 6, 1944. Then the missions came in a hurry. I flew six missions in six days. It was exhausting but we were bombing, trying to help the Allies break through a stalemate at St. Lô. Most of my missions were pretty uneventful. We picked up some shrapnel damage and twice lost an engine because of flak, but, with the fighter escort, we made it back to base OK. On my eighteenth mission, shortly after releasing our bombs, the airplane was engulfed in a ball of fire and shot straight up in the air a hundred feet. There were no injuries, but no one kne ha had happened. When I en in for debriefing, he pilo fling on m lef ing aid, Yore lck o be here. One of m bomb had come o mbling, had hi anoher one, and had exploded directly beneath my plane.

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Page 24 www.93bg.com Back Row: Leon E. Bernard, Pilo; John M. ODonnell, Co-Pilot; Frederick J. Arnold, Navigator; Glenn J. Brandenburg, Bombardier Front Row: Raymond J. Link, Nose Gunner; George E. McGuire, Tail Gunner; John J. Houlihan, Radio Operator; Harry E. Jones, Waist Gunner; Ivan F. Smith, Waist Gunner; Edward S. Scheffler, Flight Engineer I fle 35 miion, 20 of hem in Ma Worr. M 35th mission was on November 5, 1944. I was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters. Ed and I finished our tours and flew back to the states, arriving November 25, 1944. After leave, we were assigned as B-24 flight instructors to Smyrna Army Air Base, Smyrna, TN. The war in Europe ended so we didn do mch raining. The aom bomb were dropped and the war in the Pacific ended quickly. Ed and I were discharged on September 15, 1945. I went back to High Point, NC, to be with Mary and our new daughter, Candace. I was briefly in the furniture business, but the company went bankrp. In 1950, I ared a omen hoe ore in Greenboro, NC. I was in the shoe business for 10 years. During this time, my son, Alan, was born. In 1960, I sold the business and went back into furniture with my brother, Herman. I stayed in the furniture business until I retired from Bernard in 1994. After the war ended, I kept in touch with Ed frequently. We were not only good friends but like brothers. Ed died in 1968 and I think of him often. In 1990, I had heart surgery and had to slow down a bit. I worked a few days a week, played golf, and travelled with Mary. Mary died on December 2, 2003, and was buried December 4th, one day before our 60th wedding anniversary. We had 60 wonderful years together and I still miss her every day. Thanks to Jim Guddal, I recently reconnected with Fred Arnold, my navigator, and Glenn Brandenburg, my bombardier. Sadly, Brandy and Fred both died recently.. My daughter Candy and her husband Bob Glickman live outside Philadelphia. My son Alan and his wife Mary Jo live in Saratoga, CA. Their daughter Lisa lives in Sunnyvale, CA. In 2010, Candy, Alan, and I went to the 93rd Bomb Group reunion in Savannah. I had a wonderful time, meeting everyone and reminiscing. I had a stroke in 2007 and have to use a walker to get around. I still drive, play poker with buddies, and go to Starbucks every day for coffee with friend. Like he Energier bnn, Im ill going, j a bi loer. Lia, Alan, Cand, and Bob a Leon 90th 'l"//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2 1-----------=-----l

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Page 25 www.93bg.com The Fate of the U.S. Express A B-24 Bomber of the 93rd Bomb Group, 328th Squadron 20th Combat Wing of the U.S. 8th Air Force (as witnessed by PFC Wyndham B. Fletcher, Jr., an armorer of the 328th Squadron) The incident happened October 15, 1944. The Express had just returned from a bombing mission over Germany. Upon returning to base at the Hardwick Airdrome in East Anglia, Norfolk County, England. The Express taxied to its hard stand (parking spot.) After the flying crew departed the plane, it was refueled in preparation for the next bombing mission. All equipment (engines, oxygen, and bombing systems, guns, turrets, radio, etc.) had to be checked and brought up to standards for the next mission. The crew chief, SGT Johnny Fridell, had climbed to the left wing to inspect an engine. It was at this time that CPL Myron Griffin and PFC Wyndham Fletcher approached the crew chief seeking permission to draw a small bucket of gasoline form the bomb bay fuel line in order to soak Fletcher's very oily fatigues. Receiving permission and filling the bucket, Griffin and Fletcher proceeded to a small line shack about twenty yards away with the bucket in tow. Every hardstand had a shack nearby for the ground crew to get out of bad weather or loaf awhile. By now CPL, Ed B. Smith (radio mechanic) arrived, seeking permission from Fridell to turn on the master switch in the cockpit. His job was to check radio equipment. After receiving the o.k., CPL Smith proceeded into the cockpit. Neither he nor Fridell knew that an armorer (name unknown) was in the nose turret and cleaning with gasoline. Because the turret was hydraulic, it could leak hydraulic fluid and would require major cleaning. The use of gasoline for clean-up was strictly a No! No, but was done at times. As CPL Smith flipped the master switch, a spark was created and ignited the gas fumes with a huge poof. As Fridell hollered "Fire! Griffin and Fletcher thought Fridell had yelled "Fighters!", and began running to the slit trench, thinking the base was under attack from German fighters. When the flames were evident, Griffin and Fletcher saw the turret armorer crawling from the nose wheel of the plane with his head and hands on fire. Smith ran from the bomb bay and Fridell jumped from the wing. Both Smith and Fridell helped to extinguish the armorer's flames and Smith quickly took the man to the hospital in his jeep.

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Page 26 www.93bg.com By now the entire plane was engulfed in flames and immediately began filling the air withexploding oxygen tanks, 50 caliber ammunition and warning flares. Griffin and Fletcher dived in the slit trench behind the shack. Realizing the flames were blowing over a B-24 parked outside the nearby hanger, SGT Fridell and another crew chief managed to start two engines of the endangered plane, and taxied it to safety. Quite a daring feat!! Because of the huge flames and smoke, the sky quickly filled with both British and American planes of every description circling the area, looking like vultures seeking prey. When the explosions ended, quite a crowd gathered gawking at the mess. Shortly thereafter, Griffin ad Fletcher sauntered back to their barrack. It was after dark that the now clean fatigues were retrieved, having escaped the fire, the explosives and detection. As a point of interest, fifty-six years later in Savannah, Georgia at a 93rd Reunion, Fletcher and Crew Chief Fridell met each other for the first time. We enjoyed recalling the incident, and I learned there had been no recognition for his daring deed of saving the other endangered B-24!!! W.B. Fletcher, Jr. PFC Ex-Armorer of the 328th Squadron Another Ray Eck Sighting -- at Adam Makos Book Signing! Ray Eck, a radio operator  gunner, flew and fought against Franz Stigler during WWII. Excerpt from the article: Local Author Answers A Higher Call by Lou Hunsinger from the Webb Weekly. The skies over Europe during World War II were a dangerous and unforgiving place and certainly no place for acts of chivalry. But that is precisely what happened on December 20, 1943, when a German fighter ace, aided and spared the crew of a badly shot up B-17 over Germany and helped them make their way safely back to England. The book penned by a local man, Adam Makos, and co-authored by Larry Alexander. The Higher Call or i abo he B-17, commanded by Lt. Charlie Brown, having sustained major damage after its mission o bomb a German mniion facor. Bron cre a badl ho p ih one creman dead and i onded. Bron plane was struggling to return home, Brown himself had been knocked out in the assault, regaining consciousness in just enough time to pull the plane out of a near-fatal nose dive, when an incredible thing happened. Brown looked out his side window and saw a German fightera Messerschmitt 109 -- off to his right, piloted by Luftwaffe ace, Franz Stigler. Brown thought he was seeing things. He cloed hi ee and hook hi head no. He looked again, out the co-pilo indo. Again, the lone German a ill here, and no i a ore. Hed flon oer o Bron lef and a frantic: pointing, mouthing things ha Bron coldn begin o comprehend, making hee wild gestures, exaggerating his expressions. Brown already in shock, was freshly shot through with fear. What was this guy up to? He craned his neck and yelled back for his top gunner, screamed at him to get up in his turret and shoot this guy o of he k. Before Bron gnner cold qeee off his first round, the German did something even stranger: He looked Brown in the eye and gave him a salute. Then he peeled awa. Sigler had preiol ho don 22 Allied aircraft, so it would not have been very difficult to make Bron plane nmber 23. I hae been inerieing World War II eeran oer he past 15 years and some of them made reference to an incident like this that took place but they were unfamiliar with all the pariclar of i, Mako old Webb Weekly. Finall, afer a lo of reearch and going hrogh a lo of documents I was able to locate the names of the two pilots involved in the incident. It took me a while to find them. The German, Franz Sigler, was the harder of the two to find. He was living in Vancouver, Canada. The story is told from two perspectives and helps to humanize Stigler and shows that not all who fought for Germany during World War II were malignant, fanatical ideologues. Makos has been involved with telling the story of World War II veterans, particularly those involved in aviation since about 1997 through a publication he and family founded called Ghost Wings. They now operate a 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2

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Page 27 www.93bg.com bine called Valor Sdio, locaed in he Dener, Colorado area that expands their quest to bring these stories of veterans to the public by publishing Valor magazine and produces military art. Makos found that both pilots, particularly Stigler, seemed somewhat reluctant to share their tale, but he was able to overcome their reluctance and obtained their story during a series of interviews with the two between 2004 and 2008. Sigler old me ha hi commanding officer, L. Ga Roedel had a great sense of honor and once asked him what he would do if he found an enemy floating in a parache o earh, Mako aid. He aid if he eer heard of Stigler shooting at such a helpless flyer, that he would himself, shoot Stigler for doing so. He said he shold figh b he rle of ar and keep o hmani. It was no doubt this sense of honor and ethics that led to Sigler ac of merc on December 20, 1943. Brown, who went on to retire from the Air Force after a more than 20-year career, always wondered who the merciful pilot was that spared his crew. Finally, in 1990 he took out an ad in a newsletter geared to former fighter pilots. Stigler saw the ad and sent a response back to Brown. Eventually, they met and formed a warm friendship with one another. Makos interviewed the two men together and can ae o ha friendhip New Members Roll Call Member (Vets are in Bold & **) Connection to 93rd BG Susan Logan Daughter of Vet Fred Arnold Nancy Stranger (Asst Treasurer) Daughter of Vet Donald J. Grimes Walter Rutledge Vet Horace Eugene Rutledge Jackie Lentz Broome Bio Pending Thomas Nicholas Ve, Sqadron 329, plane Sno Whie Bradley Klein Son of Vet Raymond H. Klein John Roche child of Pat Roche Mike Roche child of Pat Roche Kathleen Reilly child of Pat Roche Trish Roche Mayne child of Pat Roche Carrie Hullihan Bio Pending We en o De pocard for 2013 in Janar. Or co of mailing a $74 (ha 3 memberhip). We would appreciae i if o haen en back or de to please do so Today. We are ring o keep co don and reall don an o end o a reminder card o he 50% of o ha go he card and haen paid. We appreciate all of your support! Notes and Quotes Recently, Vernon Swaim, 328th Tail Gunner, told me about his experience in trying to land on Iceland in October 1944. We had ome difficl geing o Iceland from Gooe Ba ih King cre. Ordered to return because of high westerly winds at Iceland. We were east of Greenland and could not get our wing tanks to transfer to the engine tanks. We were denied permission to attempt a fiord landing in Greenland. (This was a blind landing at the end of a very narrow water way with a small runway) We were given permission to dump our spare parts, cargo, etc. We were 5-10 minutes from ditching when the flight engineer beat on the pump (to get the gas transferring) and returned to the flight deck hen he a bbble in he ga igh gage. Jim Guddal AFTER A FIRST DATE, with both splitting the cost of dinner and a movie, the young man was rebuffed at the door b hi dae. Since ee gone Dch on eerhing else, he said, Yo can j ki orelf goodnigh. A SPORTSMAN who lived in the city went to a hunting lodge and bagged a record number of birds, aided by a dog named Salesman. The next year, he returned and asked for Salesman. Tha hond ain any good now, he handler said with disgust. Wha happened he porman aked, Wa he injred? No, he handler replied, Some idio ho had him for a week was so happy with him that he started calling him Sales Manager. Now all he does is sit on his tail and bark. Reprinted from the American Legion Magazine 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////4

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Page 28 www.93bg.com News From Across the Pond 2nd Air Division Memorial Library The Forum, Millennium Plain Norwich, NR2 1AW United Kingdom March 2013 Dear 93rd Bomb Group veterans, families and friends Keeping in touch with the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library If you would like to be kept up to date with Library events, activities and future developments, and receive an illustrated email neleer from  from ime o ime, ed be delighed o add o, or an of or friend and famil member (children and grandchildren perhaps), to our mailing list. Simply send an email to libby.morgan@norfolk.gov.uk o be added o he li. And if o don hae an email accon, b you have friends or family members that do, perhaps they could receive the newsletter on your behalf. Looking ahead o or plan for 2013.. Thi ear ere prod o be celebraing he 50th Anniversary of the dedication of the original Memorial Library, which took place on 13th June 1963, and we have a series of special events lined up to celebrate our 50th birthday in May and June. Were alo looking forard o beginning he 2nd Air Division Archive Digitisation Project in the new financial year. The project, funded by a very generous donation of nearly £50,000 from the 2nd Air Division Association, will be managed and delivered by the Norfolk Record Office. In addition to digitising a selection of the documents and photographs in the archive, the project will also provide internet access to sound recordings which contain recorded memoirs of 2nd Air Division veterans. Were bleed each ear ih he preence of o ong American coming o ork ih  in he Librar, PhD den from the University of East Anglia here in Norwich, who are in receipt of a scholarship from the 2nd Air Division Memorial Trust. Thi ear cholar are Kae Anderon (from Ohio) and Blake Darlin (from Pennlania). Fnnil enogh he boh hae family connections to Norfolk. Kae anceor came originall from Hingham, and Blake grandfaher ered ih he 466th Bomb Group at Attlebridge. When not busy serving our library patrons, they are helping us to select new books for purchase, organising events for children and adults, and promoting the library via our blog (http://2ndair.wordpress.com) and facebook page (www.facebook.com/2ndair). In addiion o he annal Amn pblic lecre erie ha or American cholar are planning, ere alo ecied o be offering an 8 week study course about the history of the 8th and 9th US Air Forces here in East Anglia during WW2. Starting in October this will be led for us by local historian and author, Ian McLachlan. And finally I think I should leave you with news about our involvement in an exciting new heritage project, the Eighth in the East. The Memorial Library is one of the partner organisations in this project, which has just submitted an application for fnding o he UK Heriage Loer Fnd. Other project partners include the University of East Anglia, the East Anglian Film Archive, the Norfolk Record Office, Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service, Eastern Angles theatre company, Norfolk Historic Environment Service, and several independent local air base museums. Should he applicaion for fnding be ccefl, and e on kno hi nil Ma or Jne hi ear, he hree ear projec ill Research and interpret the built and social legacy of the American Eighth Air Force in the East of England, through community archaeology, oral history, film and photography, and re-examination of museum collections Celebrate this material through local and regional events, exhibitions, touring theatre and other showcase opportunities Sustain the project beyond its active stage through a website, digital fly-through, learning resources, social media and museum development.

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Page 29 www.93bg.com All these stages will be backed up by an extensive education offer for all ages, and a unique marketing campaign that will combine traditional methods of communication with new digital media to further the sustainability of the project. We no j hae o ai and ee if he projec i aarded he necear fnding, a i can happen iho i. Im ondering ho o end hi leer, and I hink I hold leae he last word to a young man called Joe who wrote us a thank you letter following a WW2 workshop at his primary school, which I ran with a colleague from the Norfolk Record Office. I enjoed hearing about the pilots head-gear. My favourite part was learning about the B-24 Liberator. Thank you for coming and talking to us about WW2. The talk was right up m street. If od like o keep in och ih , ed loe o hear from o, and if an of o old like o make one more ii o Norwich that would be even better. Your friends and members of your families will always, of course, be the most welcome of visitors to your Memorial Library. Yours sincerely Libby Morgan Trust Librarian http://www.2ndair.org.uk/ Hardwick, Norfolk, UK Website: www.93rd-bg-museum.org Open letter to the 93rd BG (H) friends and family but also applies all groups, please read before you book your trip. If any of you are thinking of visiting the Museum and base at Hardwick, please get in touch with us first so we can help you plan your visit. This also goes for the other groups. DO NOT PAY FOR A TOUR GUIDE. We have been showing veterans and their families around Hardwick and the Norfolk countryside ever since they have been coming home to their bases. The most we ever ask is for a little help with the fuel cost. We can arrange for base contacts from other bases to help out if you need to visit more than one. The Second Air Division Memorial Library has a list of base contacts. These are all volunteers who are happy to show visiting Americans around their chosen base, plus we know the history of our bases, not just what is written in books, with most contacts growing up on or around the bases or surrounding area. Some of you may be planning a trip to England and then on in to Europe. Well, a planned tour is probably the best way for you to go, however, if you're just going to drop by while on vacation, check with us or the Library first. It was one of the reasons the Second Air Division set up their memorial for you. We will do our best for you! Our opening hours are 9am to 5pm Mondays to Saturdays. Colin Mann 93rd BG Museum Hardwick England Friends of the Second Air Division Memorial Chairman (retired) If od like o conac he librar, pleae phone, email or rie o them at: 2nd Air Division Memorial Library The Forum, Millennium Plain Norwich Norfolk NR2 1AW England Email: 2admemorial.lib@norfolk.gov.uk Telephone: +44 (0)1603 774747 Fax: +-44 (0)1603 774749

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Page 31 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form CAPS & VISORS Qty 1 Qty 2 Navy Blue with embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Ted Traelling Circ on adjable rap $24 $45 Khaki ih Ball of Fire III B-24 plus 93rd BG $19 $35 & Ted Traelling Circ on adjable rap Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three gold victory stars  choose white or navy blue $16 $30 COFFEE & THERMAL TRAVEL MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 5) Stainless Steel Travel Mugs with B-24 medallion $22 $42 (NEW and very nice!) PUZZLES Jiga ple ih colorfl Ball of Fire III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes with stand. $22 $42 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 93rd BG Replica of Memorial stained glass window at Mighty 8th Museum Chapel  with suction cup $14 $25 BOOKS by 93rd BG Authors Ted Traelling Circ b Cal Sear (member price) $69.95 $134.00 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $24.95 $47.50 Lucky Ears The True Story of Ben Kuroki $13 $24 *** Limited autographed edition! Order today! *** NEW!! Forever Twenty by Nicholas Timmer $21.95 $42.00 DVDS NEW!!  Ploei Smmi 5 Dic e ih Bon DVD of Ve panel on he a it was. This set is a must for your library. Member price ($35 + $5 shipping). Non member price ($55 + $5 shipping) (Discount on purchase of three or more. Contact PX for more info) ***All product prices include handling and shipping charges *** Pay by check or money to the 93rd BG order with the Coupon below. Pay by PayPal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total ______________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or Fax your order to: 763.694.9065

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Page 32 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE  STARTING IN 2010, MEMBERSHIP WAS CHANGED TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2013 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address_____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Annual Membership (2013 only) $25 $________ 2 year discount rate (2013 & 2014) $45 $________ Child or gradcd ec(2013 ) $20 $________ Tax deductible Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. GRAND TOTAL $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please E-MAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) _________________________________________________________________________ The PX: We have in stock, coffee & tvl mugs, caps with B-24 image, visors, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Memorial Window Sun catcher replicas, books & Ploesti DVDs. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Guddal-gdda@a.c

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Table of Contents Presidens Corner ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Treasurer's Notes ................................................................................................................................................. 9 93rd Website Update ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Notes and Quotes .............................................................................................................................................. 10 Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! ........................................................................................................... 11 Hot Stuff Update by Jim Lux ............................................................................................................................. 12 Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project ...................................................................................................................... 15 Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 17 Letters to the Editor ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Membership Corner ........................................................................................................................................... 22 New Members Roll Call ..................................................................................................................................... 25 News From Across the Pond ............................................................................................................................ 26 News from Station 104 Hardwick England ..................................................................................................... 27 Hardwick, Norfolk, UK Website ........................................................................................................................ 29 Post Exchange (PX) .......................................................................................................................................... 30 Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form ........................................................................................................... 31 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ........................................... 32 DIRECTORY 2012 - 2014 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary - NICK TIMMER 5615 Circle Dr. Newaygo, MI 49337 231 652-2309; timmer@netpenny.net Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Assistant Treasurer - NANCY GRIMES STRANGER 995 Cottonwood Ln., Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 970-945-2883; nancystranger@hotmail.com Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-945-5418; editor93bg@hotmail.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 doniac1967@sbcglobal.net VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD FERNLEY SMITH CAL DAVIDSON OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Web Master  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-945-5418; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253

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Page 3 www.93bg.com Presidents Corner The North Platte Canteen! Do those words mean anything to you? How many of our vets were there? If o ere, Id loe o hear abo or eperience. For the 2nd generation and beyond, the North Platte Canteen was a whistle stop on the main east west rail line in Nebraska. From December 1941 until November 1946, the people of North Platte and surrounding communities, met every single train and expressed their appreciation for the service men and women on the train by providing home cooked food and beverages. With only 10-20 minutes for the steam engines to take on water and fuel, they showed love to lonely soldiers, sailors and marines. For the rest of this fascinating sor, read Bob Greenes 2002 book, Once Upon a Town. Speaking of great reads, I was privileged to be one of the first to read, The Replacement Son by W.S. Clpepper (George McLeans nephe). M reie appears elsewhere in this issue. You are going to want to get a copy of The Replacement Son! Jim Lux and his wife traveled to Iceland as our represenaies a he 70h Anniersar of he Ho Sff crash. The Icelandic Coast Guard, the American Embassy and the Keiler Aviation Academy organized a memorial ceremony held in the Andrews Theater at the former US Air Force base in Keflavik on May 3rd. The President of Iceland, the American Ambassador, family members of those killed in the crash and other dignitaries honored the crew members and passengers killed in the accident. Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews, returning from England to Washington DC, flying as co-pilot, was one of only four three-star generals killed during WW II. A plaque was also placed along the highway in view of the mountain crash site in the distance. We have completed the by-law review and will be recommending changes to adapt to the 2nd Air Division Association dissolution. The revised by-laws will be inclded in he ne BOFQE for members reie prior o the annual meeting. The annual meeting will be one of the events webcast. We are planning to make it possible for members ho can phsicall aend he reunion to join via the internet. We were able to sccessfll ebcas eens from las ears renion and had 75 people join various sessions. Because of the experimental nature of the webcast last year, we used word-of-mouth to recruit some participants to help with our test. This year, we will publish the webcast schedule and ask those interested to register their interest. We need to make certain our technology is geared to sppor he leel of ineres. Alhogh i on be he same as being there, it will be the next best thing. For those who do join us in Hartford, brush up on your Mark Twain  We will visit his Hartford home as an optional event on Saturday. One of his later works, Pddnhead Wilson inrodces a brand ne crime fighting technologyfingerprinting. We think of Mark Twain as simple and quaint, but he is much more than that. His autobiographical work, Life on the Mississippi, tells how he became a river boat pilot and relates the adventures he encountered in this important responsibili. Rier boa pilos are eqialen o odas airline pilots/air traffic controllers rolled into one. At our mos recen Officers eleconference, e discussed the idea of sponsoring the preparation of a video tour of the remnants of the Station 104 at Hardwick. When completed, the tour would be used to acquaint family and friends with the old base and the great work being done by our friends in England. The idea is fresh and eciing. We haen coordinaed ih anyone in England as of yet, but we are exploring the possibilities. We believe a video would greatly advance or organiaions goal o To carr on he traditions and memories of the 93rd Bomb Group after the veterans of ha ar hae deceased. Presering he base a Hardwick in a professional video allows us to tell the 93rds sor in a ne, ineresing and easil accessible way. For the many members and eerans ho can return to England, this video will be a way to better understand our history. We have a great deal of work to achieve this new objective. We hope to have more to tell the membership at our annual meeting. Another new initiative, recommended by Jim Guddal, is called the Very Important Veteran (VIV) program. A 2nd or 3rd generation member(s) will be assigned to any of our veterans and spouse, if appropriate, to assist the veteran from the time the Vet arrives on the plane, train or vehicle until the reunion is concluded and the Vet and spouse have departed. The volunteer member is available to assure the Vet and their spouse receive whatever assistance is needed to help them take part fully in the reunion. The VIV program is intended for those Vets not traveling with able bodied family members who can provide this service. Our goal is to make it possible for any veteran to attend who wants to without worrying about the logistics of getting around, making the airline or train on time and understanding the schedule of events and meals. If you are interested in a taking advantage of this program, please contact Jim Guddal. Our 2013 Reunion is coming up soon. Registration and hotel reservations can be made now. The Sheraton Hotel is located inside the Bradley International Airport, between terminals A and B. No need for a shuttle, cab, or renal car. Arrial and deparre coldn be easier. We are excited about our first ever New England reunion and hope to make some new friends. John Marx, President

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Page 5 www.93bg.com 93rd Bomb Group Reunion  Oct 2013 Hartford, Connecticut Summary/ Schedule of Activities Day 1  Thursday, Oct 17 10 AM - 2 PM Registration / Memorabilia Room Setup 2 PM - 5 PM Registration / Memorabilia Room open at hotel 3 PM - 5 PM 93 BG Association Officers / Reunion Committee Meeting in Board Room 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM Reception 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM Welcome/announcements  John Marx, President 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM - 8:15 PM Speaker/Entertainment  Local well known Author! Day 2  Friday, Oct 18 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast 8 AM - 9 AM Registration /Hospitality open 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM Education Session  Ground crews  Jim Root 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Lunch 12:30 PM Depart for Coast Guard Academy 2:00 PM  Tour Groton Naval Visitor Center - Nautilus 3:00 PM  Tour Coast Guard Academy/Eagle 4:00 PM  Regiment Review 5:00 PM  5:30 PM  Reception 5:30 PM  6:30 PM  Dinner 7:00 PM  Depart for Hotel 8:30 PM  Arrive at Hotel Day 3  Saturday, Oct 19 6:30 AM  9:00 AM Breakfast 9 AM  11 AM Business Meeting 11:30 AM  12:30 PM Shuttle transport in groups of 10 to NEAM 12:30 PM  3:00 PM Lunch and tour NEAM 3 PM  4 PM Shuttle transport in groups of 10, return to hotel 5:00 PM  5:30 PM Reception 6 PM  7 PM Dinner 7:15 PM  8:00 PM Guest Speaker - Jack Connors, retired Pratt & Whitney Engineer Day 4  Sunday, Oct 20 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM OPTION M - Tour of Downtown Hartford 11:30 AM 3:00 PM OPTION M  Lunch & tour Mark Twain House 10:00 AM  12:00 PM Jim Lux  Hot Stuff 1 PM - 2 PM Education session - TBD 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Memorial Dinner Day 5  Monday, Oct 21 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast and Depart

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Page 7 www.93bg.com You can change your mind at any time before the formal registration concludes on September 15th. If you do not want to attend the optional activity, there will be additional education sessions at the hotel (see schedule). Step #3 - Make travel arrangements to arrive in time for registration at 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM on Thursday October 18th. Dinner reception at 5:30 PM and the opening Welcome dinner starts promptly at 6:00 PM. The hotel is located on the airport concourse! Step #4 - Complete Registration Form below, for each attendee, and submit with your check not later than September 15th. Make check payable to 93rd Bombardment Group Association. Step #5  Select food choices for meals on form below. Plan to join us for a great time of 93rd BG Association family and fellowship in Hartford, CT! Bring a friend or family too!!! REUNION FEE REFUND POLICY Last minute cancellations can cause significant loss to the 93rd Bomb Group Association. This loss results because we must guarantee your attendance to the hotel relative to all meals and other related costs. When you don't show, we still get charged for meals and other charges related to those meals. We recognize that there will always be unforeseen events beyond your control, and we truly regret your personal inconvenience. However, your executive committee has decided that we must stay with our policy of "pay as you go" for reunion costs. We have reviewed the choices: we can either add an extra amount to everyone's fees to cover last minute cancellations, or we can set a deadline date for cancellations after which the fees paid cannot be refunded. In order to keep our reunion fees as low as possible, your executive committee has chosen the deadline date choice. Therefore, a deadline date, based on hotel contract requirements for each reunion will be provided to you at the time you make your reservations, and included in our reunion announcements in the Ball of Fire.

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Page 8 www.93bg.com REGISTRATION FORM Step #6 - Mail this page only, for each attendee, completed form to: Joe and Phyllis Duran 309 E. Santa Paula St Santa Paula, CA 93060 Phone: (805) 525-4681 Email: dogpatchraider@gmail.com Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ (Street) (City) (State) (Zip) Telephone: _________________ Email: __________________________________________________ Emergency Contact: ____________________________________________________________________ (Someone not traveling with you) (Name) (Phone Number) Meal choices: (circle one per meal): (Note: Friday and Saturday dinners are buffet style.) Thurs dinner: 1.Chicken Marsala 2. Flank Steak 3. Special need? Sunday dinner: 1. Grilled Pork Chop 2. Seafood stuffed Sole 3. Special need? (If Special need is circled, please identify the special dietary need!) Calculate your registration fee: The registration fee includes: Dinner for 4 evenings, 2 lunches, Museum Receptions, Museum Entry fees, Transportation, Memorabilia room, Day activities, Live entertainment, Key note speakers, Education sessions, Business meeting, snacks, Door prizes. The reservation fee does not include your hotel rooms. Basic registration fee: = $300 Option M: (circle one) Yes No = $65 (If Yes, Sunday lunch choice: 1. Roast Beef 2. Turkey 3. Tuna 4. Special need?) Total enclosed__________ Make check payable to 93rd Bombardment Group for the total amount. Hartford Reunion Fee Refund Policy: No refund will be made after Sep 15th. NOTE: IF YOU ARE A VETERAN TRAVELLING ALONE AND NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CHECK THIS BOX FOR V.I.V. (Very Important Veteran) PROGRAM: D

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Page 9 www.93bg.com Treasurer's Notes Dear Friends of the 93rd, The fun part of being your Treasurer is that I am able to get in on some of the neat events happening with our members. This month, Lt. Col. Raymond Eck (Ret) completed nine decades on this earth (except for the times he was up in the air in a B-24). In Ras honor, his famil raised $1,350 oard or security project at the Hardwick Air Base in England. On June 9th, his family presented him with a Certificate commemorating this milestone event. I do say, we really have an outstanding membership. We salute Ray and his family! Thank you! Ray and June Eck Ray, June, and family! While Corinne and I were on a road trip in May, we stopped by Andersonville, Georgia. Over the years, I have read books and heard talks on the notorious Civil War Era Prisoner of War Camp located there. However, until we stopped for a few hours and reall looked i oer, I didn reall appreciae ho ogh this place was and the many casualties occurred there. We also learned that in the North, there were some POW camps just as rough. Today, a very excellent memorial presents a record of POW camps during the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. If you are down that way, stop in and look it over. It is well worth the time! One of the many projects your management team has been working on is to provide our members with a short list recommending depositories for our WWII es memorabilia. In May, I was pleased to spend a day at the Mighty 8th Museum in Savannah GA. The Director of the Research Center allowed me to dive into several of the many boxes that are sent to the museum. I am told by Director Vivian Rogers-Price, that packages of material arrive at the museum unannounced on a fairly regular basis. Working along side the research assistant, I was able to bring a little organization to the mountain of material they have to sort, catalog and prepare for public consumption. A typical package of memorabilia might be pictures, flight orders, mission records, news articles from the war years, etc. Sifting thru this data is quite a task. Each piece of material is entered into their special museum computer program. This is a very tedious job. While only there for a brief time, I did come away with a feeling that the folks at the Research Cener ere moing forard ih or es collections. Progress is being made. This is important, since your 93rd BG Association has monetarily sponsored this work. In closing, if you decide to send materials to the Mighty 8th Museum, also enclose a charitable donation of a couple hundred dollars. The reality is that like any similar private institution, it takes our collective generosity to keep these programs going to enable new generations to learn how it was for the greatest generation during the war years. Thanks for listening! Jim Guddal 6/13

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Page 10 www.93bg.com *** ANNOUNCING!!! The NEW VIV PROGRAM *** The VIV (Very Important Vet) program is being considered for introduction to the 93rd Bomb Group Association. VIV is a service to our Vets ho ill aend or annal ge ogeher. Some of or aendee Ves don ge arond qie as ell as they used to and could use a helping hand. Sometimes travel logistics can get a little overwhelming. VIV matches a Vet with another able bodied volunteer 93rd member from the time you Vets arrive through the four days to the end of the renion. Someimes i is no possible for he Ves famil member or companion o ge aa o assis he Ve. If he family or companion can see that the Vet gets on the bus, train or plane at their end, then the VIV volunteer would meet the Vet and see that they get to the reunion and back on the bus, train or plane again at the end of the reunion. For you Vets who want to come to the reunion but are concerned about getting around and would be reassured if a helping hand was assigned to you for the duration of the reunion, let us know if you are interested in this program. Please contact Jim Guddal at 866-694-9058 or e-mail jguddal@yahoo.com. See you at the reunion in Hartford. It will be a grand time!!! 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article, 60,970 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. UPDATE: As mentioned in the last BOFQE a video that features the 2012 Seattle reunion has been added to the homepage. Please look in the lower right hand corner where it says "Featured Film". Over 60 people attended the reunion with six 93rd veterans present. Highlights include a welcome dinner with a 2ADA re-enactment group, tour of the Museum of Flight, dinner at Club McChord with special guest Lt. Colonel Harmon S. Lewis Jr., tour of the Boeing plant (not featured due to photo and video restrictions) and a Seattle city tour. Annual Reunion Webcasting Project At the 2012 reunion in Seattle the group approved a "test run" of webcasting certain events each day. With a few minor hiccups, we were able to get a small group of people across the country to go to the 93rd website and watch the events as they unfolded. It was a great first attempt and we are planning to do it again in Hartford at the 2013 reunion. We hope to have some improvements to the viewing experience and get even more people to log on and watch. Please look out for updates and go to the 93rd website in the months ahead for more details. Michael Sellers, 93rd BG Webmaster www.93bg.com Email: mtsellers@mac.com Notes and Quotes Carol B writes: Thanks for all o do o keep hose memories alie! Bernadine M writes: Im so prod of m dad and he men he sered and fle ih. He is also he recipien of the Air medal and 5 Oak Clusters and the distinguished Unit Ribbon. I also correspond with his Pilot Carlos Vazquez and I'm hankfl for ha opporni. AN AIRLINER flew into a violent thunderstorm and began experiencing turbulence. One nervous passenger happened to be siing ne o a miniser and rned o him for comfor. Can o do somehing? she asked. Im sorr, maam, he replied genl, b, Im in sales, no managemen. A WOMAN ASKED HER HUSBAND, Cold o please go o and b a gallon of milk? And if they have avocados, get si. A shor ime laer, he hsband rern ih si gallons of milk. Wh did o b so man? his ife asked. The had aocados Al-QAIDA has issued a list of 22 ways that al-Qaida members can aoid being killed b U S drones. Heres a good one: Don join al-Qaida. - Jay Leno Reprinted from the American Legion Magazine Jim Guddal

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Page 11 www.93bg.com Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! Stranger in a Strange Land On May 8, 1944, a B-17 (42-31583) of the 358BS, 303rd BG made an emergency landing at Hardwick. The pilot, Lt. Wendell Ferguson demonstrated great skill in bring the wounded bomber back to England with # 3 and 4 engines out. Notice the feathered props. The plane carried the nose art of Clover Leaf/ Little Princess. Mini Reunion in England 2014 or 2015 If you are interested in a Mini Reunion around Memorial Day in 2014 or 2015, please let me know. It would be a 3 day event ending on Memorial Day. There may be an optional 2 day pre-reunion package for site seeing around the area of NON 93rd BG/ WW2 places. Please let me know a head count and which years would be of interest by August 1, 2013. Please remember to send address, phone and email, if available. If anyone is planning a trip to Norwich and the airfield please contact me or Colin Mann (colinjmann64@gmail.com) to help coordinate transportation around the area. There is no reason to pay for a tour. We have many wonderful local people who would be glad to show you around. Help with petrol (gas) is all they ask. FREE Memorabilia Cataloging and Research I am willing to scan any documents, records, photos or artifacts of a 93rd BG veteran and return ALL of the original iems (nharmed) along ih CDs of all scans/jpeg images along with any additional information I can add. I can add information such as names, plane serial # /artwork and places. I can also photograph 3-D items that cannot be scanned. There is NO charge for this service! I can also make era cds copies for family members/ museums. I have done this for several veterans over the years. My contact info is shown below. Museums/Archive and Where to Donate Items As I am researching the best places to send your items, there are some key things to think about. Artifacts/ 3-D items If you have artifacts/items you should look for a place to preserve and display them. Many museums will accept an item but will not display. I would ask about their plans for displaying your item before donation! Documents and photos Paperwork and photos are a different issue all together. Museum/Archive will accept these items but their use is limited to in-house access only. The true value in the documents and photos is the information and the actual image, not the paper! That is why, I am suggestion that you have all of your paperwork/ photos scanned and saved electronically. Then, they can be easily copied and sent to interested museum around the USA and world. This will allow more people to see them. Also in electronic format, they can be sent via email. As the 93rd BG Historian, I routinely search my collection and email he docmens o he famil. The scan and share option old also allow the family to retain their heirloom items while allowing all of us to enjoy seeing them and using for research. Please see the above FREE Memorabilia caaloging and Research for an option. A formal document is being finalized that will address where each type of item can be best shared and preserved. In the meantime, if you would like to discuss your options, please do not hesitate to contact me. Cheers, Don Morrison 93rd BG Association Historian 1375 West Comet Rd Clinton, OH 44216 Home (330) 882-2536 Cell (330) 819-6409 Doniac1967@sbcglobal.net

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Page 12 www.93bg.com Hot Stuff Update by Jim Lux Hello Everyone, A friend Lt. Gen. Dirk Jameson (USAF retired) delivered a folder to USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh containing copies of documents and a DVD about the story of Hot Stuff, Gen. Andrews and those killed when Hot Stuff crashed in Iceland in 1943. Gen. Welsh wrote a letter (see attachment) that was read at the memorial service at the Andrews Theater in Keflavik, Iceland on May 3rd the 70th anniversary of the accident. Please note that he recognizes Hot Stuff to be the first heavy bomber to complete 25 missions. I now have documents from two USAF Chiefs of Staff who recognize Hot Stuff as being first. I talked with the Lt. Col. Weller who is in charge of the history department at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado today and he was very interested in the Hot Stuff/Gen. Andrews Story. I plan to visit the Academy in early July. He will be on vacation but he said he will arrange a meeting with the right people. I will be taking pieces of Hot Stuff wreckage with me. Unfornael, he Academ doesn hae a museum but he suggested the possibility a Hot Stuff display in the Academys Librar. A history professor at the US Military Academy at West Point contacted me about a month ago and wanted information about Gen. Andrews and Hot Stuff so I email copies of some of the documents. His is going to work with me in helping promote the Hot Stuff/Gen. Andrews story. West Point has a very nice museum and I offered pieces of Hot Stuff wreckage to them a as well. Gen. Andrews graduated from West Point, class of 1906. Im also orking ih Bob Spiers, he hisorian a Joint Base Andrews in Washington DC. He is trying to restore the tribute to Gen. Andrews at the front gate to the base that was torn out several years ago . I sent him information, a DVD and brochures. He showed the video to the top brass on the base and tried to arrange some type of recognition honoring Gen. Andrews on the 70h anniersar of his deah b as old i coldn be done because of Sequestration. I also heard that Gen. Welsh would have attended the memorial service in Iceland b coldn becase of.....Seqestration! I also attached a copy of a letter to Gen. Welsh written by Bill Gros. Bill was a radio operator on the B-24 Liberator called Eager Beaver. He and Ken Jeffers were best friends. Ken was the radio operator on Hot Stuff and was killed in the crash. I think you will find the letter a very interesting read. The memorial monument fund continues to grow. We had close to $9,500 as of the end of May. We spent about $2,000 for the plaque that is now in place along a highway near the crash site. Is close to the Blue Lagoon the biggest tourist attraction in Iceland. The plan is to have the monument in place beside the plaque in time for an unveiling on May 3, 2018, the 75th anniversary of the accident. I think it can be done sooner but the goal is 2018. A date has been set for a fundraiser golf tournament. The course I belong to was booked up through early fall so the date is now set for November 4th. I will begin working on it in earnest when Nancy and I get back from our vacation. The video that was shown at the memorial service has been modified to include the story about Gen. Andrews being selected Supreme Allied Commander by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Im sending copies of the updated DVD to the President of Iceland, Olafur Grimsson and US Ambassador, Luis Arreaga. I plan to upload the new version on YouTube soon. Is beginning o look like Ho Sff and her cre will eventually receive the recognition they so justly deserve and Gen. Andrews recognition as a great leader and great American will be renewed. I truly appreciate the help and support I have received and look forward to orking ih all in he fre. You folks in the Central Texas area, if you know of an organization looking for a guest speaker please let hem kno Im aailable. I gave a presentation to the Austin Rotary Club last week and it was well received. Ill keep o posed, Jim Hot Stuff Dedication My wife, Nancy and I had a wonderful time in Iceland. My friend Doddi Marteinsson met us at the airport and took us to the site of the memorial plaque. The site he and his brother Ole selected was perfect. The posts for the plaque were in place and the area around it had been cleared. The following day we went to pick up the plaque only to discover the company doing he job hadn started working on it and it was to be unveiled the following morning. We were promised it would be finished later that day. That afternoon we were invited to coffee at the residence of United States Ambassador Luis Arreaga. He gave a very nice welcoming speech and I had the opportunity to speak as well. He spent considerable time greeting and speaking with everyone who attended. Attendees included my friends Doddi and Oli Marteinsson, officials from Keilir Institute of Technology and members of the Rondeau family. Their father, Grant Rondeau was the flight engineer/gunner on Hot Stuff. He was one of the crewmembers bumped from the flight by Gen. Andrews. Later that day, to my amazement, we picked up the completed plaque and Doddi and I finished installing it at about 10:00 pm that evening. Keilir Institute of Technology did an outstanding job of organizing the unveiling of the plaque followed by a memorial service in the Andrews Theater in Keflavik. Several short speeches were given at the unveiling by Ambassador Arreaga, the chairman of the town council

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Page 13 www.93bg.com of Grindavik and yours truly. A flyby and a missing man formation were also included by Keilir Inst. of Tech. and the Iceland Coast Guard. The weather was much like it was 70 years ago when Hot Stuff crashed, cold, windy with rain but the clods eren nearl as lo as he ere hen Hot Stuff failed to make it back to Kaldadarnes Air Field, southeast of Reykjavik. A band played music by John Phillips Souza prior the memorial service at the Andrews Theater began. The memorial service began with a chorus from Keflavik singing Amazing Grace, followed by a prayer by a Lutheran minister. President Grimsson gave an eloquent speech about Iceland and America in World War II. Ambassador Arreaga spoke about Gen. Andrews being the father of the modern Air Force and Hot Stuff being the first to complete 25 mission in the 8th Air Force. He also read portions of a letter Gen Welsh wrote for the occasion. I learned that Gen. Welsh would have attended the memorial service had it not been for sequestration. When the service ended, President Grimsson stayed and chatted everyone involved and patiently stood in front of a photo to Gen. Andrews to have his picture taken with many of those who attended the service. The story was on the major television channels and made front page of the newspapers. Is nfornae the story was not picked up by the news media in the United States. Cheers, Jim Jim, President Grimsson, and Nancy Oli Marteinsson, Jim, Nancy, and Doddi Marteinsson Rondeau family with President Grimsson Jim with Hot Stuff plaque You can view the video of Hot Stuff and Gen. Andrews at: http://b24hotstuff.wikispaces.com/

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Page 14 www.93bg.com DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF UNITED STATES AIR FORCE WASHINGTON DC 20330 To the family and friends of the crew and passengers of the B-24D "Hot Stuff:" Tragedy within armed conflict is inevitable. The loss of the B-24 "Hot Stuff" on May 3, 1943, was one of World War Il's most significant tragedies, taking the lives of 14 Americans at a pivotal juncture. Although these patriots left us earlier than expected they and thousands like them fought for freedom thousands of miles from their homes or directly supported those who did. Their sacrifice enabled the allies to repel tyranny and oppression from the Pacific and Europe and helped birth many of the thriving democracies that shape our world today. Most who served in America's military during that fateful time deserve the title "hero." But those who never returned to the homes they fought to protect are the greatest of America's heroes. "Hot Stuff' was a well-known bomber with an extremely well-known crew. The first heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions in World War II, "Hot Stuff' was on its way home to tour the ation and supplement war bond drives. At her controls were Captain Robert Shannon who had only to fly one more combat mission to complete his tour, and Lieutenant General Frank Maxwell Andrews recently named commander of all U.S. troops in the European theater of operations. either plane nor crew would realize their potential destinies as deteriorating Icelandic weather contributed to their crash into high terrain, and the loss of these Americans may have changed the course of world history. The "Memphis Belle' became the bomber every American knew, and General Eisenhower replaced General Andrews as commander of the European theater later leading the orrnandy assault on D-Day and becoming President less than eight years later. Beyond the "Hot Stuffs" more well-known crew Captain James Gott, Technical Sergeant Kenneth Jeffers Staff Sergeant Lloyd Weir, Staff Sergeant Paul McQueen, Bishop Adna Leonard, Chaplain Frank Miller Chaplain Robert Humphrey, Brigadier General Charles Barth, Colonel Morrow Krum, Lieutenant Colonel Fred Chapman, Major Theodore Tomad and Captain Joseph Johnson also perished that day. Each left behind families and friends whose own lives were forever altered. All of us in uniform today stand upon the shoulders of the "Hot Stuff' crew and passengers, and we vow to preserve the freedoms they fought so hard to protect. On behalf of a grateful Nation thank you for the service of your loved ones and thank you for the opportunity to remember them on the occasion of this 70th anniversary of their final flight. MARK A. WELSH III General, USAF Chief of Staff

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Page 15 www.93bg.com Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project To view the "must see" video on YouTube about the B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff, go to this link: http://youtu.be/etX1lid-8fs Jim Lux, Project Coordinator Nanc.y Slrange,; 93rd Bomb Group As ·i ·tan/ Treasurer Donation are now being accepted to create and build a memorial in recognition of' Hot tuff; the first 8th Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 missions in WWll. Four member of the original H t tuff r died when the plane crashed into a mountainside in Iceland on Ma 4, 1943. In addition to crewmember , other killed in the era h were Lt. General Frank M. Andre three members of his staff. two .. Army haplain , and a ci ilian who rv d as the U. . ilitar hi f of haplains. he deaths of Lt. General Frank M. Andrews and his staff created a crisis for American military leadership in Europe. t. General Dwight D. Eisenhower as eventually cho en to replace Andrews. Jim Lux, of Austin TX. is spearheading the fundraising efforts for the memorial. Jim ha tra eled to Iceland. viewed the ite of the crash, and actually found some piece of ''Hot ttiff \ hi h were hipp d to the U .. , courte y of I elandafr Airlines. Jim is available to peak to group about the project. If you would like fur-ther information about the memorial project, or you would like Jim to peak about the project to a group please contact him. H: 512-327-1750 : - 12-731-8024 email:jlu ustin.rr.com The National Mu um of the United tares Air Fore has received variou part of the plane, thanks to Jim ·s efforts on this project. The Amba sad or to Iceland. Lui Arreaga, Iceland government official , and a number of retired .. military officers and enlisted personnel are upp rting Jim on the project. To participate in thi imp nant memorial pr • t, fill ut the don r ard b I wand submit with your check or money order. Plea e make your checks payable to the ·'93rd Bombardment Group As ociation: with a notation of "WWII 8-24 Memorial.' end your a check or mone order, along with the completed donor card, t the add.res noted on the card. Our incerest thank you for your upport of th i important project. r - - -------7 B-24 Liberator "Hot Stuff' Memorial Charitable Donation Donation Amount: ________ _ ompletc ame (plea.wt print cleurly)-----------------I Addre ______________ City _________ _ tate ___ _ Zip ___ _ (sfreel) nie 93rd Bombardment Group Association 1s a I 0/(c)(J) Non l'rofit Organi:otlon. Dona,ions far the "Hot Stuff .. memorial project are tax deductible. If you do11a1e S250 or I more. you will receive a receipt from th, organization.for )'Qur ta:,. records. A copy of your check is a I sufficient record for donations smaller rhan '2.50. , I Mail check or money order to: I 93rd Bombardment Group Association 995 Cottoowoocl n I Glenwood Springs, CO SJ 601 L ____ _ ________________ J

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Page 17 www.93bg.com Folded Wings Hinchman, Howard R., June 23, 2013 Email from Joe Avendano Duran: Just wanted to send word of the passing of our good friend Howard R Hinchman. Howard and crew would start their tour of duty with the 93rd BG ,June of 1943. As part of the replacement crews that were sent to Bengazi, Libya for the low level Ploesti mission 8/1/1943 ,they were assigned a new B-24-D called Hells Wench, #42-40994. They arrived just in time for the new 93rd CO Addison Baker to take over their new ship and used it as the flag ship for the low level Ploesti mission. Howard Hinchman would fly his first combat mission as a extra co-pilot with Herrel Ford's -Satan Angels. Howard was able to keep his original crew members together with Bill Neumann serving as their navigator. The crew would be hand-picked as part of the first crews to serve as Pathfinders with the 482nd BG in the Eighth Air Force under original 93rd pilot -John Packy Roche. The top secret unit out of Alconbury would begin to develop radar lead crews to lead all 8th Air Force bomb groups to their targets. Howard Hinchman, Bill Neumann as well as Packy Roche were very instrumental in helping Phyllis and I in our research on my Uncle Joe Avendano. Joe would serve under Packy Roche as his Operational Officer in the 482nd until his death on Jan 23,1944. Howard would complete his tour of duty with the 389th BG on Dec,12,1945 as a Lt. Col. Our good friend will be missed. Joe Avendano Duran Nephew of Capt Joe Avendano PS Hinchman crew photo Back row fourth from left to right: Howard Hinchman-pilot Third from left to right: Bill Neumann-navigator Bill Neumann, 91, of DeBary, FL passed away on January 20, 2012. Bill enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1942, served in Africa and England with the 93rd BG of the 8th AF, and flew 25 combat missions over Europe as a B-24 navigator. Following the war, he was trained as a meteorologist by the Air Force and flew 50 B-26 missions over Korea as a weather observer. He retired from the USAF as a Lt. Col. In 1964, having served as a weather forecaster on assignments in Japan, France, Germany, and 5 stations in the US. Bill then served an additional 22 years as a forecaster for the DOD at Pease AFB in Portsmouth, NH. He retired from civil service in 1986. Jones, Harmon, March 23, 1952 HARMON JONES: BD: 7/10/1906 Death: 3/23/1952 Knon as Jones Erie, McDonald Co. VA Hospital, OK City, OK MO Burial: Olympus Cemetery Grove, OK Harmon Jones fathered six (6) sons, two (2) before the War and four (4) after, three (3) of which are deceased with the oldest living aged - 84 and the youngest living - 63. Of those six (6), two (2), Teddy Harmon and George Carroll are Vietnam Veterans.

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Page 18 www.93bg.com Harmon was named for the combination of the two families of his father and mother and was the middle son of seven brothers and sisters. The Harmons race heir heriage from he 1840s in Missori, back o Tennessee and to pre-revolutionary days in the Carolinas, immigrating from Wales. The Joness race heirs o a South African Boer immigrating to Arkansas in the mid 1800s. Harmon worked as a meat-cutter and farmer before the War and for the Grand River Dam Authority REA of northeast Oklahoma after the War. His death was early in life, less than 6 years after his return home, from a brain tumor determined to be the result of a head injury received during service in England. He was proud of his service and was active in his local VFW Post in Grove, Oklahoma. He loved music, was a pianist and the baritone in a local quartet singing in local church and entertainment events. (Picture was taken late 1946/early 1947) Note from son, Ted Harmon Jones: Although I've long since lost my father's paperwork, I've recently found an article published in the Joplin Globe on Monday June (2, 5, or 6) 1945: Sgt Harmon Jones of Southwest City, a veteran of 51 months of overseas duty with the Ninety-third bombardment group, was one of the ground maintenance soldiers of a Liberator station in England who was commended by Brigadier General E. J. Timberlake, Jr., at a "salute the ground-man" ceremony held recently in England. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Jones of Southwest City, Missouri. Although Dad made it back and I and 4 other brothers were born, he passed in 1952 at age 45. Thank you. Sparrevohn, Fred D. R., March 28, 2013 Dorothy M. Sparrevohn notified Jim Guddal, Membership that her husband Col. Fred D R Sparrevohn (USAF Ret) passed away March 28, 2013. Dorothy said he served from 1942 until 1970. Book Review: The Replacement Son by W. S Culpepper Dedicated to my uncle, George McLean, The Replacement Son, grabs an 93rd eerans attention from the Dedication page. This 2013 novel features two brothers, Buddy and Harr. From he opening line, I as alas abo Bddy, way before Harry even knew abo Bdd. o he final conclsion, Proeorh, ha sonds like somehing Uncle Harr old sa, like a hero in one of hose old sories. Clpeppers noel ells abo a Ne Orleans famils ale of raged and honor. The tale weaves its way from the Cotton Exposition of 1884 to post Katrina New Orleans. Although Harry comes from a loving family his childhood is disturbed by serious events beond a lile bos conrol. He loes his Faher and looks forard o his return home each eening ih eager anicipaion. From Harrs robled childhood, Clpepper ells he sor of a man ho grapples ih life and a famil challenge. Harrs Scoish ancestor established the precepts of conduct passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth and followed for over 500 years. Based on three universal tenants the Code is imparted to the next generation at the age of 18. Harry agrees to accept the Code and the remainder of his life is marked by his efforts to live up to the codes enans. World War II begins as Harry reaches adulthood. Like millions of his peers, Harry joins the Army Air Corp with the goal of becoming a pilot. His adventures are clearly inspired b George McLeans real life adenre in he 93rd Bomb Group. Veterans will identify with many scenes describing Army life. Things don rn o he a Harr epecs b his arime eperience becomes an inegral par of his life. The story is told with the approaching Hurricane Katrina forming the backdrop. Peopled with memorable characters like Elmer McChesne, Harrs Faher; Berha, he fll-ime hosekeeper and Harrs proecor and friend; Uncle Harr and An Ma, imporan members of his eended famil; and Robn, he Pac-a-Sac clerk, The Replacement Son is a page turner. Like any good novel, the story takes on a life of its own. I asked George how much of the story was true. He said, I is a noel! Well hae o press George for he real anser a he Ocober renion. Ie neer read a book before that I kne he person ho as in he dedicaion. Een if I hadn knon George, I old hae enjoed he read ana. Don miss his eciing and ension-filled life story! John Marx

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Page 19 www.93bg.com Letters to the Editor Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:38:32 -0700 From: better_communities@yahoo.com Subject: 93 BG Request To: webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com; editor93bg@hotmail.com To Whom It May Concern: I recently starting doing research about my great uncle 1st Lt. Joseph G. Simpson. He was a navigator in the 330th squadron on plane 41-23712. As you may know, this was the plane that crashed in southwest England on October 29, 1942. All but one crew member was killed in the crash. I've been able to find the basic details about the crash and my great uncle, but I feel like I've come to a dead end in terms of finding out specific information about his service, the crew, plane, etc. In particular, I'm interested in finding photos of the crew and the plane, and trying to find out more about the pilot (Capt. William J Williams II), and the sole survivor (SSgt. H. E. Thorpe). Any help tracking down additional information is greatly appreciated! In addition, I'm happy to share the information I've found with anyone who's interested. Thanks! Rob Garner Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:22:55 -0400 Subject: Lt. Carlos Turner information From: brianturner.sheets@gmail.com To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Hello, My first cousin once removed was Lt. Carlos Turner who, unfortunately, did not return from World War II and, as I have discovered, was a member of the 93rd. My father, who was also a veteran of WWII, told me stories of Carlos growing up. The pair had grown up together and were in many ways as close as brothers and it was always with a great deal of sadness when he spoke of him. My father passed away several years ago and it wasn't until most people that were gone that knew the details that I decided to compile my family's history. While there were many articles in the state's papers about what was considered to be his disappearance at the time, none of them contained information on his bomber group nor any information more than the fact that he was MIA. Just today, he showed up on a casualty list on Ancestry.com in which it listed both his squadron and group. Also included was the information that he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, and Purple Heart. Given the dates of the newspaper articles, I thought it might be possible that the B-24 he was on was shot down during the "Tidal Wave" mission mentioned in the history on your web site but, of course, I cannot say for sure. I was wondering if there was any information that you may be able to supply me on whether this is indeed the correct mission or if there are any other specifics that you could supply. Or, if nothing else, where I could obtain such information. Anything you could pass along would be greatly appreciated as I am compiling an ancestry book for my family and would like to have as many details about by heroic cousin and the heroic men he served with as possible. Thank you very much for your time. Brian Turner From: editor93bg@hotmail.com To: brianturner.sheets@gmail.com; doniac1967@sbcglobal.net; mtsellers@mac.com Subject: RE: Lt. Carlos Turner information Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:07:33 -0600 Hello Brian Turner, I did find some information about Lt. Turner in Ted's Travelling Circus by Carroll (Cal) Stewart: Chapter: Unterseebotten / 1942 Page 18 ... Two weeks later, Lieutenant William J. Williams' Lib was over the Gulf, southwest of Ft. Myers when his navigator sighted a U-boat. They made a run and released two 300-pound depth-charges while passing over the sub from bow-to-stern. Oil rushed to the surface. On several occasions during those training and sub-hunting flights, crews spotted freighters that had been attacked. Ship-wrecked men and flotsam were reported. The 93rd ranged over the Gulf of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba and the Caribbean, and swept portions of Florida's Atlantic Coast. The Lib-men never dreamt that within a couple fortnights they'd be feuding with German submarines some 3,500-4,000 miles away. A major general awarded Air Medals to Williams and his bombardier, Lieutenant Carlos Turner of Rosebud, KY. - the 93rd's first combat decorations. Chapter: Parlous Days / 1943 Page 89 March 31: The engineering works at the Rotterdam shipyards was tabbed. The Circus encountered 10/10ths cloud-cover for the run-in, flak was heavy and accurate. Thirty fighters ganged up. Bombs were not dropped because reasonable accuracy was very doubtful. Lieutenant Bill F. Williams and his 409th crew failed to return. MIA with Williams were: Lieutenants Earl C. Kent, Richard H. Schoenberger, Carlos Turner:; Sergeants

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Page 20 www.93bg.com Alfred I. Windle, Louis B. Kirkpatrick, Vincent O. McMahon, James N. Thomas, Wilber H. Elliott, Lester C. Rambo. Confirmed KIA were Williams, Schoenberger, Turner, Kirkpatrick, McMahon, Thomas, Elliott, Rambo, Windle. Four months later, Windle's body washed ashore in Kent. He was buried in the American Military Cemetery in Brookwood. Best of luck in compiling your family's history. Take care, JoAnne Sargent, Editor Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:07:00 -0400 Subject: Re: Lt. Carlos Turner information From: brianturner.sheets@gmail.com To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Hi JoAnne, Thank you and thanks to Don and Michael for your help and for how quickly it was provided. I am including a picture and an article from the Harlan Daily Enterprise, my cousin's hometown paper. Please feel free to use them and my e-mail any way that you see fit and do so with my greatest appreciation. The article is a brief piece but is the best preserved of what I have discovered. If you notice, the article is dated August 27, 1943 which is long after his disappearance. This date was what led me to believe that he possibly could have been involved in the "Tidal Wave" mission. I guess I have just become too accustomed to the modern information era and how quickly data is dispersed. Still, the information that Don found is excellent and greatly appreciated. It did jog a memory of my father telling me the German U-boat story. Though time I am sure has altered by memories to some degree, it seems that my father said that this was the closest to the continental United States that a U-boat was ever destroyed. Whether this is true or not or whether I am remembering it correctly is hard to say but the U-boat incident is a wonderful bit of history nonetheless. One other point of interest is that while the book quoted, as well as the majority of my family, has his first name spelled "Carlos", the newspaper article, The Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge, and the photo I am sending you (one he sent to his aunt Georgia) all have his name spelled "Carlus". Having researched my family for quite some time now, I am finding incidents such as this to be a very common occurrence. Thank you so much once more for your help and for the wonderful work you are doing in preserving the history of the heroic men of the 93rd. Best regards, Brian Turner From: "jim@shermansmartialarts.com" <jim@shermansmartialarts.com> To: webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com Date: May 27, 2013 at 10:10 PM Subject: Oliver C Jones, Jr. Hello, I am trying to track down info on my Uncle, Oliver C Jones, Jr., KIA March 31,1945, I finally found his name on your roll of honor, so I guess I'm on the right track. My mother, and my grandparents would unfortunately never speak of the circumstances of his death. She told years ago that someone contacted her in regards to identifying him in a picture, and that he was doing a story about his plane, and the village in England it had crashed in, and a memorial they have for it. I was named after him, his nick name was "Jimmy", and I possess his purple heart and other military artifacts. The pilot of his plane was Marvin Tucker, 2nd LT. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you James Sherman Master Instructor Sherman's Martial Arts 410-310-1561 jim@shermansmartialarts.com I .. C K. W.·'s Ml D. - of led F o.tadunm ., c,-.. C" 8outllilut Tralal ....

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Page 21 www.93bg.com From: GunnerBill0306@aol.com Date: Tue, 28 May 2013 06:47:38 -0400 Subject: 93rd Bomb Group, 328th Bomb Squadron To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Sir, My Uncle was a member of the 93rd Bomb Group, 328th Bomb Squadron. His name is Richard M. Sandberg. On August 5, 1945, while flying over Nazi occupied Holland in a B-24B, Richards plane was shot down. The entire crew was lost, in addition to Richard, those souls lost included; 2Lt James R. Sample (P), 2Lt Murray F. Houseman (CP), 2Lt Stanley E. Renk (N), Sgt James W. Gibson (NT), S/Sgt James r. Hickey (TT), S/Sgt Robert L. Galbraith (RO), Sgt Paul W. Kleyman (LW), and Sgt Joseph P. Piazza (TG). I have been working to create Military Tribute Shadow Boxes for members of my family. Can you direct me as to how to find a unit patch for the 93rd Bomb Group, 328th Bomb Squadron? Thank you & thank you for supporting Veterans. Bill Holland CWO-4 USMC(Ret) From: craig@biggestlittlecitymedia.com Subject: Normandy Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:54:30 -0500 To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Dear 93rd Bomb Group, I just returned from the American Cemetery. As I walked through this sanctuary I certainly though about all of those men who sacrificed their lives for my freedom. Because I am from Kansas, I found a fellow Kansan. The name on the stone was: Clifford A. Stafford T SGT 330 Bomb SQ 93 Bomb GP (H) Kansas Feb. 11 1944 I then looked on your website and found: STAFFORD, Clifford A 37211296 T/Sgt I have no idea who this man was, but I do know I certainly owe him and the other men a lot. I do professional imaging and I created an image. I wanted to share this with his family and or legion Post. If you have the ability to let me know how to go about learning more about this man, I would certainly appreciate to share my image with his family. Sincerely, Craig A. Sooter Halstead Kansas Hello Craig, Below is the info I found in the book, Ted's Travelling Circus by Carroll (Cal) Stewart, Chapter 27 Big Week 1944, page 280 February 11: A flak burst tore Lieutenant Omar A. Turner's ship in half during the third Siracourt blow in 11 days. Only one chute was seen. Nineteen Circus Libs delivered. Footnote 68: KIA with Turner were: Lieutenants Hubert R. Tardiff (co-pilot); Wilfred J. Koehn (navigator); Theodore H. Olson (bombardier); Sergeants Clifford A. Stafford (top-turret), Mitchell W. Powell (radio), Ruel K. Boone and Robert R. Hagey (waist-gunners), Herbert J. Garrow (tail-turret), Willis D. King (ball-turret). In jumping, King failed to clear his own ship's tail section. For Turner and several crewmen, it was their 25th mission. JoAnne Sargent, Editor Date: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 19:32:33 +0200 From: rv.bocquet@gmail.com To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Subject: 93rd missions august 44 Good afternoon, I am interested in the history of Buc airfield, south of Versailles, France. This airfield, now an industrial area, was created by Louis Blériot, before WWI. It has been bombed at least 3 times by the 8th Air Force B-24s between June 15th and June, 25th while 10/JG26 and 12/JG26 were based there. I am trying to establish which 8th Air Force specific units flew those missions over Buc. I can usually manage that by fetching the units diaries, which unfortunately do not seem to be available for the 93rd BG. Would you be so kind to direct me to a place, site or publication where I might be able to consult them ? Best regards, Hervé Bocquet From: bulge@hotmail.com To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Subject: WW2/Cook/93 BG Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:13:42 +0000 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////h'.

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Page 22 www.93bg.com Dear Sir, I am from Holland and have an interest in the US servicemen who fought/died for our freedom. I am searching in particular a picture from: Roy Cook, ASN 15337089. He was from Scioto County, OH, Portsmouth. He was with the 409 Sq/93 BG, killed December 22 1943 (#42-63969). Perhaps there was a notice about his death in a local newspaper in 1943/1944 or there was picture from him in a yearbook, but I had no luck at the local library/societies. Can you perhaps help? Thank you in advance, kind regards from Holland, Antoine Membership Corner Mariam Meister Baker Mariam as born in 1927 in her grandmohers house on Kimball Creek in rural Garfield County, Colorado. Her parents had a small farm up nearby Roan Creek, about 1½ miles from the nearest neighbors. Mariam and her two sisters attended a one-room school with 5 students. Mariam was double-promoted in second grade to allow the teacher to have two children in one grade. After they lost the farm during the Depression, they moved to nearby DeBeque where her father ran the pool hall to support the family. They moved several times as he sought work. The day after the outbreak of WWII, her father took the train to Utah to work at Hill Air Force Base. Shortly afterward, Mariams moher and older sister followed to work there as well. A few weeks later, the two younger girls were able to join them. Attending large Ogden High School was difficult for a quiet girl accustomed to small schools but she maintained A grades, despite being a year younger than her classmates. During the summer she worked at Hill Field in the maintenance shop, starting at age 16. She attended Weber College for one year, where she was honored as the friendliest girl in the college but, rather than attend the banquet where she would be given the award, she chose to attend tryouts for the Hill Field softball team. Her team played once in a tournament in Denver. Mariam continued to play softball for the next 40 years, using a designated runner in her late 60s. Mariam was a calm, firm mother who reared 8 children born in 13 years without raising her voice. Her children were taught to respect others and to work hard without complaint. She has no interest in gossip and always looks for the good in people. The plaque is in front of the exhibit of the women working on the B-24. One of the women represents Mariam. Mariam at Hill Field 'l'"//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////4 THE DEFENSE I DUSTRY _..,_ --...... ._ . ., ----~-...... )'Iii, .... '9ltc)lllbc,,o..,. ... ~

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Page 23 www.93bg.com Mariam is featured in an exhibit honoring women workers at Hill Field. The text of the plaque says: Mariam Baker moved with her parents to Utah from Colorado at the start of World War II so her father could work at Hill Field. Eventually, five members of her family were employed by the base. Mariam worked on based for three years during the war, starting in the paint shop, but moving eventually to the B-24 maintenance line. She worked on engines on the giant bombers. She later joined the aircraft storage operation as B-24 work waned. During her three summers at Hill Field she plaed on he omens sofball eam, he Hill Field Raiders. Connie McCourt, daughter of Mariam & Wayne Baker. Wayne Baker YOUNG GO GETTER  AIRMAN- ENTREPRENEUR  HUSBAND - FATHER  AMERICAN PATRIOT During 2004 the 93rd Bomb Group Association toured the Hardwick Aerodrome located about 15 miles south of Norwich in Norfolk England. It was while we were gathering for a luncheon hosted by our British friends in the museum there that I met Wayne Baker. It was the first reunion gathering attended by Wayne and his lovely wife Miriam. After exchanging greetings, the conversation turned to the days of 1944 when Wayne had been stationed there. One of his memories was of the B-24 Seaer Girl. Later, as I am paging through a scrap-book kept at the museum, I happened across a snapshot of o gessed i, Seaer Girl. Looking around the room I spotted Wayne and dragged him over to where the album was laying. I will always remember the joyous look of a man who had been here 60 years before having reconnected with an old friend, the Liberator. She and other B-24s had carried him safely to and from enemy targets for 32 missions. Wayne was born in Afton, Wyoming, in 1924, the fifth of 8 children. His father, Lonnie, had a large herd of Holstein cows but lost the farm during the Depression. Making a living in Star Valley Wyoming was difficl so Wane helped spplemen he famils food by hunting. He would wait until 2 ducks were lined up so he could shoot both in the head with one bullet. Ammunition was expensive and money was tight. Waynes groing skill ih firearms old sere him ell years later as a member of the 93rd BG 330th BS flying over fortress Europe. Wanes ee for making a bck sared a abo age 10, he worked for local farmers during the summer for room and board and later for wages. In his spare time, he collected scrap iron, which his father sold for him in Utah when he went down to obtain fruit. Wayne found that, if he kept a little money in his pocket, other kids would gather scrap from their farms and sell to him when they wanted to go to the movies. Once he obtained a transformer from the local dump. His cousin and he made a welder out of it and welded the bucket on a backhoe for a construction team. 80 years later he is still welding. When I was a kid, we made home brew from Watkins root beer extract. In 1933, Wayne and his brother Carl made the real stuff out in their barn. They got wind of Revenue Agents being in town. Carl had barrels of mash and here as a big scrr o dmp i in with the hogs so they would eat up the evidence. The hogs got drunk and laid on their backs squealing with their feet in the air. The chickens also got into the mash. They wandered around, plopping on their sides and falling on their heads. Some of them would lie on their backs, put their feet in the air and squawk. They were so drnk he cold no ge back on heir fee again. At age 17, Wayne missed several months of school because of a head-on wreck with a drunk driver so he en o his brohers in California o ork and earn money with the intention of returning to school the next year to graduate. He arrived December 6, 1941. He worked for Western Union riding his bike about 100 miles a day in the Oakland area. He then went to work at a shipyard where he was soon training women to cut metal for construction. After more than a year he decided to travel home to Star Valley for a visit. Upon his return, he received a draft notice. During induction into he serice in Monere, CA, Wanes mechanical abilities landed him in the Army Air Corp. It was March 30, 1943. His training would take him all over the West with stops in Fresno, Santa Monica, Englewood, Kearns, UT, Las Vegas and Muroc Dry Lake Base (later renamed Edwards AFB). As a new flight engineer, Wayne signed for a B-24H which was picked up at McClelland Field in Sacramento, CA in March 1944. The crew flew the magnificent aircraft via the southern route with stops Miami, Cuba and Fortaleza. It was here that Wayne and his assistant spent four days changing out the engine gaskets until an oil leak problem was fixed. Then, it was off to England via Dakar, Marrakech, Portugal, Spain, Wales and finally Hardwick Aerodrome. Mission #3 to Konz-Karthaus proved to be Wanes real iniiaion ino he ar. On roe o the target, a burst of flak made a direct hit on the plane right off his wing. The plane blew up with no survivors. These had been guys he trained with. Besides being flight engineer, Wayne was assigned to the top turret equipped with twin .50 caliber machine guns. In the process of trying to access ammo, his parachute harness caught on the controls and pinched his arm. Becase i asn broken, he didn abor he mission. No realiing ha his ogen gage asn orking properly, he closed his eyes for a moment only to wake and see a propeller blade just inches from his turret. It scared him so much he lost his voice so he dropped out of his turret, got between the pilot and co-pilot and put the plane into a dive. The plane shuddered as the plane above it flattened 10 inches of their rudder. The pilots didn kno ha had hi hem and Wane coldn ell them until later. Filled with complete panic, Wayne told he fligh srgeon ha he oldn fl an more. The flight surgeon reassured him that his panic and the pain

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Page 24 www.93bg.com in his arm were due to a lack of oxygen so he returned to duty. At age 19 Wayne received the Distinguished Flying Cross for that mission. On a later mission to bomb the Munich marshaling yard, a short circuit in the electrical system released the bombs prematurely on what looked like a park. Through the bomb bay doors, Wayne watched the whole country blow up. By accident, they had hit a munitions dump that the Allies had been searching for. Over Munich, one engine was hit by flak. Because it takes more fuel to fly with 3 engines than 4, Wayne had to calculate whether they had enough fuel to reach England. As they crossed over the coast of England, they lost the second engine. Just before touchdown at Hardwick, they lost the third engine. He says that a B24 flies about like a rock on one engine. As they landed they lost the 4th engine. When asked why he cut it so close, he js laghed and said, Well, o oldn an me o ase fel. When he returned to the States, Wayne visited a cousin in Ogden, Uah, and as smien b his fiances siser Mariam. I asn long before Wane and Mariam married. They honeymooned on the train to Oakland where Wayne mustered out of the army. Over the next several years they lived in Idaho, California, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah, building their own homes in Great Falls, MT, and Roy, UT. Wayne worked with his brothers, who were contractors in California. He continued in the trade when they moved to Clearfield, Utah. Both Wayne and Mariam worked at Hill Field taking B-24s out of mothballs for the Korean War. Later, they invested in a second-hand store and Wayne began scrapping metals on the side. During a isi ih Mariams parens in Carbon Con, Wane attended an auction of scrap from an old coalmine. Seeing the value of materials being offered, he bought the scrapping rights for the Rains Mine. When that project was finished, he scrapped out several other mines in the area, selling working used machinery to other mines through Mountain States Machinery & Supply a company he and Mariam had started. Along he a, Wane earned his priae pilos license and bought a Cessna 182 and later a 210. Flying customers to remote areas to look at the used equipment made many sales and paid for the first plane in the first week. He flew for the next 35 years, sometimes with hair raising events. In 1964 an opportunity rose to go into the coal mining business. Despite having no mining experience but having developed a sense for salvaging underground mining equipment, he opened the Plateau Mine along with celebrity Art Linkletter as the major investor. In 3 years, they made 1300% profit. The mine ran for 30 years on the basic plan laid down by Wayne at the beginning. After the sale of the mine Wayne invested in Rocky Mountain Arms which made mini revolvers. He and Mariam then bought a homestead surrounded by Caribou National Forest up a side canyon from Star Valley and built a new home just 10 miles from his grandfahers homesead near Freedom. In 1976 he founded Freedom Arms, hich prodces he orlds finest handguns, the main one being the .454 Casull. Sons Bob and Donnie and son-in-law Corey run the factory now. Wayne attends at least a dozen gun shows a year and sells several guns a week to customers all over the world. In this arena, he has met and made friends ih Slim Pickens, Genls Norman Sarkoff and Chuck Yeager, Gene Autrey, Roy Rogers, actor Marty Kove and astronaut Joe Engle. Representing this business has taken Wayne and Mariam to Switzerland, Germany and South Africa. In talking with Chuck Yeager one time, they concluded Chuck had been piloting one of the P-51s escorting the B-24 formation in which Wayne flew. Shortly after they moved to Star Valley, neighbors began asking Wayne to fabricate steel items for them since by then, he was an experienced bridge builder. Nearly 40 years later, Wayne continues to design and build steel bridges, cattle guards, gates, etc. His company is the principal distributor of structural steel in the Star Valley. At age 88, he spends his days scrapping o his meal pile hen he isn selling, designing, or welding. While Wayne has been the public face of their bsiness, 1930s he and Mariam hae been a eam from the beginning. She ran the second-hand store while he scrapped the mines. When Mountain States was struggling, she learned to keep the books to save money and continued to keep them for 50 years. Her quiet, sensible nature complements his fire. In his autobiography, Above the Clouds, the Story of an American Entrepreneur, Wane sas, A leas 50% of my success can be attributed to Mariam. She is a helpmae and anhing ha I do she spporsIe made a lo of misakes  and old hae been a lo better off today if I had listened to her more. But if we get inoled in a projec, ere boh in all he a and shes always in there to help me 100% - good, bad, or indifferen. Mariam and Wayne were blessed with 7 children. Tragically, their son Alan was killed in a car accident at the age of 18. The family has also grown with the arrival of many grandchildren. Wayne is a true patriot who has continued to dedicate his life to his country. He supplies copies of the U.S. Constitution with each copy of his autobiography. He and a friend have supported a trainer who meets with new Congressmen and Senators to make sure they understand the Constitution. There is so much more to this story. The Baker story is not just about an airman during WWII, it is about an American cople groing p dring he 1930s depression who married, raised a family and overcame the challenges of most entrepreneurs starting out in business. Space limitations has not permitted me to present more material. However, the reader can see he res of he sor b obaining a cop of ABOVE THE CLOUDS through the 93rd BG PX. You will find details to purchase the book on the web site and at the back of this newsletter. You will enjoy it a lot!

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Page 26 www.93bg.com News From Across the Pond 2nd Air Division Memorial Library Remembering the past.... Inspiring the future... Fifty Years Ago The dedication of the American Memorial Room (the original 2nd Air Division Memorial) took place on 13th June 1963. In addition to the many British and American dignitaries in attendance nearly a hundred 2nd Air Division veterans had returned to Norwich (for the first time since 1945) to be present on this very special occasion. The day began with a procession and service at St. Peter Mancroft Church. During the service General Kepner, the former Commander of the 2nd Air Division, and an Honorary Freeman of Norwich, asked the Bishop to dedicate the Roll of Honor containing the names of he Diisions dead. The Honorable G. Lewis Jones, representing the US Ambassador, gave a short address and finished by reading a special message from President Kennedy. Following the service, the procession proceeded to the new Norwich Central Library where the Bishop of Norwich dedicated both the American Memorial Room and Memorial Fountain at the request of Brigadier General Milton Arnold. The Eastern Daily Press of Friday 14th Jne 1963 coered he opening of he American Memorial Room, and ee recently been given an album of photographs that was presented to the governors of the Memorial Trust by Eastern Counties Newspapers Ltd following the dedication service. This is just one of the photographs from the album, featured in the EDP aricle, ih is original 1963 capion A frienda brohera sonAmerican womenfolk wait to find the names of relatives and friends amongst the 6302 dead of the 2nd Air Division after the depositing in the American Memorial Room at Norwich Central Library yesterday of the Book of Remembrance. Destroyed in the devastating Norwich Central Library fire on 1st Ags 1994, he original Book of Remembrance as replaced by a new 2nd Air Division Roll of Honor, dedicated on the occasion of the opening of the new Memorial Library on 7th November 2001. Containing nearly 7,000 names, the Roll of Honor is displayed in the Library, and a digital copy can be found on our website at www.2ndair.org.uk/Library_resources/Roll_of_Honor/index.htm Another photograph in the album shows the Roll of Honor being carried from Norwich City Hall to St Peter Mancroft Church. One of the Honor Guards in the photograph is Wayne Persinger, who is currently running a family business here in Norwich (Capain Americas Hamburger Heaven). Wane ries: as a matter of interest, viewing the photo depicting the two colonels, one carrying the Roll of Honor, I am the Honor Guard on the right directly behind them. Who would have thought then that I would be in Norwich in 2013 running a very successful business? The other Honor Guard is Airman First Class Harold Deal and we were both posted at RAF Sculthorpe with the Air Police Squadron. Libby Morgan Trust Librarian Tel: 01603 774747 Fax: 01603 774749 Email: libby.morgan@norfolk.gov.uk Website: www.2ndair.org.uk Follow us on www.2ndair.wordpress.com and http://www.facebook.com/2ndair

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Page 27 www.93bg.com News from Station 104 Hardwick England Museum update - June, 2013 The revamp of hut three vacated by the Halesworth 489th BG has gone really well and is now open to the public, although we still consider it as a work in progress as we look to move all our 93rd BG related exhibits into it. It was hard work but it has had its benefits  studying all the pictures before remounting them and cleaning the exhibits led to great discussions on what life was like for those young men and women uprooted to this part of England. The photos in particular can always be relied on to produce details previously missed; just looking back in time at their faces can give you just a small insight into their tough life and camaraderie that developed. With the new cabinets completed we now have a suitable home for more exhibits to be displayed to their best effect. During the hut restoration we found that we had to replace electricity cables due to some wire chewing from a mouse (now evicted!) and have laid cable runs between the huts ready for the new security system to be installed. An increasing number of 93rd BG specific exhibits have been introduced into the new displays, such as this 330th squadron patched jacket and a M1 helmet dug up from Hardwick airfield. We hope to develop this theme further as we source more items directly associated with the 93rd. Expanding the display area allows us to include more unusual exhibits such as smoking paraphernalia and USAAF cshions along ih he radio operaors saion from a B24 Liberaor and a soe from Hardick. I old be nice o ge the stove working for next winter!

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Page 28 www.93bg.com Maintenance of the outside of the huts 1 2 and 3 is an ongoing task and the volunteers are repairing and repainting whenever the weather permits along with cleaning the exhibits and keep the grounds neat and tidy to bring them up to scratch for open days. We have had a few problems with the black bitumen paint lifting from the sunny side of the huts but we persevere, rub down and recoat. Has anybody has information on what paint was used originally, where it came from, and if any maintenance was necessary during war time usage? Somebody has mentioned it could be tar left over from coal gas production but we would like to know for sure. Max, painting Jack, trimming Richard, drilling Lenny, making tea If we continue maintenance at the present rate over this summer we hope to have the outside of the three huts in a stable condition ready for winter. But our thoughts are also on doing some remedial work on Hut 4, currently a store, to keep it watertight, in hope one day we may expand the museum. Maybe even a small workshop at one end.... You can see some of the original horizontal corrugated lining is still intact. June 2013 open day Derek, Richard, Max, Paul, Jack The volunteers (Lenny is missing) who worked over the winter to restore and set up the newly opened hut at the June open day, relaxing! As you can see by the cars parked in the background there was a constant stream of visitors to the airfield, enjoying the new exhibits, Margares cakes and Marices Mustangs. We had a lot of interest and complementary comments about the new displays from visitors which was very encouraging and helps make it all worthwhile.

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Page 31 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form CAPS & VISORS Qty 1 Qty 2 Navy Blue with embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Teds Traelling Circs on adjsable srap $24 $45 Khaki ih Ball of Fire III B-24 plus 93rd BG $19 $35 & Teds Traelling Circs on adjsable srap Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three gold victory stars  choose white or navy blue $16 $30 COFFEE & THERMAL TRAVEL MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 5) Stainless Steel Travel Mugs with B-24 medallion $22 $42 (NEW and very nice!) PUZZLES Jigsaw puzzles ih colorfl Ball of Fire III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes with stand. $22 $42 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 93rd BG Replica of Memorial stained glass window at Mighty 8th Museum Chapel  with suction cup $14 $25 BOOKS by 93rd BG Authors Teds Traelling Circs b Cal Sear (member price) $69.95 $134.00 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $24.95 $47.50 Lucky Ears The True Story of Ben Kuroki $13 $24 *** Limited autographed edition! Order today! *** NEW!! Forever Twenty by Nicholas Timmer $21.95 $42.00 DVDS NEW!!  Ploesi Smmi 5 Disc se ih Bons DVD of Ves panel on he a i as. This set is a must for your library. Member price ($35 + $5 shipping). Non member price ($55 + $5 shipping) (Discount on purchase of three or more. Contact PX for more info) ***All product prices include handling and shipping charges *** Pay by check or money to the 93rd BG order with the Coupon below. Pay by PayPal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total ______________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or Fax your order to: 763.694.9065

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Page 32 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE  STARTING IN 2010, MEMBERSHIP WAS CHANGED TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2013 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address_____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Annual Membership (2013 only) $25 $________ 2 year discount rate (2013 & 2014) $45 $________ Child  gandchild ecl(2013 only) $20 $________ Tax deductible Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. GRAND TOTAL $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please E-MAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) _________________________________________________________________________ The PX: We have in stock, coffee & tvl mugs, caps with B-24 image, visors, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Memorial Window Sun catcher replicas, books & Ploesti DVDs. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Guddal-jgddal@ah.cm

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Table of Contents Presidens Corner.................................................................................................................................................. 3 Hot Stuff Update by Jim Lux ............................................................................................................................... 3 Summary / Schedule of Activities ...................................................................................................................... 4 The VIV PROGRAM .......................................................................................................................................... 8 93rd Website Update ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Annual Reunion Webcasting Project .................................................................................................................... 8 Progress Report on 93rd BG Collections for June 2013 ................................................................................ 9 Draft By-Law Change ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project ...................................................................................................................... 13 Folded Wings ...................................................................................................................................................... 16 Membership Corner ........................................................................................................................................... 17 Notes and Quotes .............................................................................................................................................. 18 Letters to the Editor ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Post Exchange (PX) .......................................................................................................................................... 22 Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form ........................................................................................................... 23 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ........................................... 24 DIRECTORY 2012 - 2014 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary - NICK TIMMER 5615 Circle Dr. Newaygo, MI 49337 231 652-2309; timmer@netpenny.net Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Assistant Treasurer - NANCY GRIMES STRANGER 783 N. Sedona Court, Grand Junction, CO 81506 970-945-2883; nancystranger@hotmail.com Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-945-5418; editor93bg@hotmail.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 doniac1967@sbcglobal.net VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD FERNLEY SMITH CAL DAVIDSON OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Web Master  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-945-5418; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253

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Page 3 www.93bg.com Presidens Corner Less than two months from now, the 93rd will meet together in Hartford, CT to celebrate the accomplishments of the brave men who, together, delivered bombs against the enemy. Our 13th separate reunion is our first in New England and is an opportunity for veterans in the region to attend in person. Hartford is the home of the Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Company (now the Pratt and Whitney division of United Technologies) the company who provided the B-24 engines. Our reunion committee has arranged an outstanding reunion with an excellent program. Visits to the New England Air Museum, United States Coast Guard Academ, and Mark Twains House are planned. For those who cant attend, Michael Sellers is leading the effort to webcast several key activities to allow those at home to participate in the reunion. There is no ecuse to miss the reunion completel. The 93rd has always been a leader in innovation: flying the most modern planes, with advanced radar, and the latest techniques. The webcast is one more innovation. You will find more detail elsewhere in the BOFQE. At our annual business meeting, members will be asked to approve revisions to our By-Laws. Our current By-Laws were approved in October 2009. Since then, the 2nd Air Division Association has folded their wings. Our By-Laws currently include numerous references to the 2ADA which should be removed. Several other minor changes are also recommended. The revised By-Laws are included elsewhere in this issue. Speaking of the 2nd Air Division, a letter was sent to all prior members of the 2ADA encouraging contributions to the 2nd Air Division Memorial Trust responsible for the Memorial Librar in Norwich. The Trusts mission continues and the need for financial support is increasing with the downturn in the British economy. Donations can be made payable to the Memorial Trust of the 2nd Air Division USAAF and sent to Chuck Walker, Memorial Trust Governor at 6255 W. Northwest Hwy #110, Dallas, TX 75225. Like many of you I am always on the lookout for a great WWII book. If the book has anything to do with the air war and B-24s, thats all the better. Recentl I finished reading The Airmen and the Headhunters, written by Judith M. Heimann. Billed as A true stor of lost soldiers, heroic tribesmen and the unlikeliest rescue of World War II the book tells about a B-24 crew shot down by the Japanese over Borneo. Scattered across the mountainous interior the first challenge was to land safely, avoid Japanese patrols and find each other. As events unfold, the loin clothwearing natives, Dayaks, become the unlikely heroes. Eventually, the natives go to war with the Japanese using both modern and ancient weapons. With blowpipes, the natives revive a foregone custom and resume head hunting. War in the Pacific was very different from the war in Europe but every bit as dangerous and deadly. As our country grapples with the response to the Syrian crisis, please pray for the men and women of our armed forces as the serve in their own dangerous and deadl war. John Marx, President Hot Stuff Update by Jim Lux Hello Everyone, I put the following information on Facebook. I have updated the B-24 Liberator HOT STUFF website: www.b24hotstuff.wikispaces.com The video, now titled "Triumph and Tragedy" has also been updated. It was submitted to the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah and the Lone Star International Film Festival in Fort Worth, Texas. I made a presentation to the History Department at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado last July and showed the video. I will be doing the same at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in October. There are also photos on the website taken in Keflavik, Iceland at the memorial service honoring those killed in HOT STUFF. They were taken on May 3, 2013, the 70th anniversary of the accident. You can help. A fund raiser has been started for a memorial monument that will be placed near the crash site on the 75th anniversary of the accident. Donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE. Any amount will help. Those who donate $250 or more will receive a copy of a great but rare book "Ted's Travelling Circus." It is a comprehensive history of the 93rd Bombardment Group in World War II. Donations may be sent to: 93rd Bombardment Group Association 783 North Sedona Court Grand Junction, Colorado 81506 100% of the money will go toward the monument! There are no middle men! Please pass this on to everyone you know. Thank you very much. Jim Lux

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Page 4 www.93bg.com Hartford, Connecticut Summary / Schedule of Activities Revised: 8/28/2013 Day 1  Thursday, Oct 17 10 AM - 2 PM Registration / Memorabilia Room Setup 2 PM - 5 PM Registration / Memorabilia Room open at hotel 3 PM - 5 PM 93 BG Association Officers / Reunion Committee Meeting in Board Room 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM Reception 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM Welcome/announcements  John Marx, President 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM - 8:15 PM Speaker/Entertainment  Local well known Author! Day 2  Friday, Oct 18 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast 8 AM - 9 AM Registration /Hospitality open 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM Education Session  Ground crews  Jim Root; Jim Lux  Hot Stuff update 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Lunch 12:30 PM Depart for Coast Guard Academy 2:00 PM  Tour Groton Naval Visitor Center - Nautilus 3:00 PM  Tour Coast Guard Academy/Eagle 4:00 PM  Regiment Review 5:00 PM  5:30 PM  Reception 5:30 PM  6:30 PM  Dinner 7:00 PM  Depart for Hotel 8:30 PM  Arrive at Hotel Day 3  Saturday, Oct 19 6:30 AM  9:00 AM Breakfast 9 AM  11 AM 93rd BG Association Business Meeting 11:30 AM  12:30 PM Shuttle transport in groups of 10 to New England Air Museum (NEAM) 12:30 PM  3:00 PM Lunch and tour NEAM 3 PM  4 PM Shuttle transport in groups of 10, return to hotel 5:00 PM  5:30 PM Reception 6 PM  7 PM Dinner 7:15 PM  8:00 PM Guest Speaker - Jack Connors, retired Pratt & Whitney Engineer Day 4  Sunday, Oct 20 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM OPTION M - Tour of Downtown Hartford 11:30 AM 3:00 PM OPTION M  Lunch & tour Mark Twain House 10:00 AM  12:00 PM Memorabilia Room/Social time 1 PM - 2 PM Education session - TBD 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM Memorial Dinner Day 5  Monday, Oct 21 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast and Depart

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Page 6 www.93bg.com You can change your mind at any time before the formal registration concludes on September 15th. If you do not want to attend the optional activity, there will be additional education sessions at the hotel (see schedule). Step #3 - Make travel arrangements to arrive in time for registration at 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM on Thursday, October 17th. Dinner reception at 5:30 PM and the opening Welcome dinner starts promptly at 6:00 PM. Step #4 - Complete Registration Form below, for each attendee, and submit with your check not later than September 15th. Make check payable to 93rd Bombardment Group Association. Step #5  Select food choices for meals on form below. Plan to join us for a great time of 93rd BG Association family and fellowship in Hartford, CT! Bring a friend and family too!!! REUNION FEE REFUND POLICY Last minute cancellations can cause significant loss to the 93rd Bomb Group Association. This loss results because we must guarantee your attendance to the hotel relative to all meals and other related costs. When you don't show, we still get charged for meals and other charges related to those meals. We recognize that there will always be unforeseen events beyond your control, and we truly regret your personal inconvenience. However, your executive committee has decided that we must stay with our policy of "pay as you go" for reunion costs. We have reviewed the choices: we can either add an extra amount to everyone's fees to cover last minute cancellations, or we can set a deadline date for cancellations after which the fees paid cannot be refunded. In order to keep our reunion fees as low as possible, your executive committee has chosen the deadline date choice. Therefore, a deadline date, based on hotel contract requirements for each reunion will be provided to you at the time you make your reservations, and included in our reunion announcements in the Ball of Fire.

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Page 7 www.93bg.com REGISTRATION FORM Rev: 8/28/2013 Step #6 - Mail this page only, for each attendee, completed form to: Joe and Phyllis Duran 309 E. Santa Paula St If Veteran of 93rd BG: Santa Paula, CA 93060 Squadron: Phone: (805) 525-4681 Years: Email: dogpatchraider@gmail.com Rank: Job: Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ (Street) (City) (State) (Zip) Telephone: _________________ Email: __________________________________________________ Emergency Contact: ____________________________________________________________________ (Someone not traveling with you) (Name) (Phone Number) Are you a relative of a 93rd BG Veteran? If so, who & how? ____________________________ Meal choices: (circle one per meal): (Note: Friday and Saturday dinners are buffet style.) Thursday dinner: 1.Chicken Marsala 2. Flank Steak 3. Special need? Sunday dinner: 1. Grilled Pork Chop 2. Seafood stuffed Sole 3. Special need? (If Special need is circled, please identify the special dietary need!) Calculate your registration fee: The registration fee includes: Dinner for 4 evenings, 2 lunches, Museum Receptions, Museum Entry fees, Transportation, Memorabilia room, Day activities, Live entertainment, Key note speakers, Education sessions, Business meeting, snacks, Door prizes. The reservation fee does not include your hotel rooms. Basic registration fee: = $300 Option M: (circle one) Yes No = $65 (If Yes, Sunday lunch choice: 1. Roast Beef 2. Turkey 3. Tuna 4. Special need?) Total enclosed__________ Make check payable to 93rd Bombardment Group Association for the total amount. Hartford Reunion Fee Refund Policy: No refund will be made after Sep 15th. NOTE: IF YOU ARE A VETERAN TRAVELLING ALONE AND NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CHECK THIS BOX FOR V.I.V. (Very Important Veteran) PROGRAM: I I

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Page 8 www.93bg.com Te VIV PROGRAM The VIV (Very Important Vet) program is being introduced to the 93rd Bomb Group Association. VIV is a service to our Vets who will attend our annual get together. Some of our attendee Vets dont get around quite as well as they used to and could use a helping hand. Sometimes travel logistics can get a little overwhelming. VIV matches a Vet with another able bodied volunteer 93rd member from the time you Vets arrive through the four days to the end of the reunion. Sometimes it is not possible for the Vets famil member or companion to get away to assist the Vet. If the family or companion can see that the Vet gets on the bus, train or plane at their end, then the VIV volunteer would meet the Vet and see that they get to the reunion and back on the bus, train or plane again at the end of the reunion. For you Vets who want to come to the reunion but are concerned about getting around and would be reassured if a helping hand was assigned to you for the duration of the reunion, let us know if you are interested in this program. Please contact Jim Guddal at 866-694-9058 or e-mail jguddal@yahoo.com. See you at the reunion in Hartford. It will be a grand time!!! 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article, 63,628 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Kwai Chung, Hong Kong. Please click onto www.93bg.com during this year's reunion in Hartford, CT and watch the reunion live! See below: Annual Reunion Webcasting Project If you saw the last BOFQE I mentioned that the organization has decided to go ahead and webcast this year's reunion like we did in Seattle for the 2012 reunion. We have a few upgrades this year that the executive committee has approved. In simple terms - they gave me a few extra bucks to improve the quality of the webcast (actually the amount was quite generous and should make this a more professional webcast!) I'd like to thank the committee and hopefully we can reach those members who can't attend this year's reunion via the internet. Please look out for a poster in this issue that explains how to watch the reunion live on your computer! The poster also has a schedule of what you can watch and when. Michael Sellers, 93rd BG Webmaster www.93bg.com Email: mtsellers@mac.com

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Page 9 www.93bg.com Progress Report on 93rd BG Collections for June 2013 The Roger A. Freeman Eighth Air Force Research Center at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force treasures its collection of 93rd Bombardment Group (H) memorabilia. The generous support of the 93rd BGA has enabled us to catalog the collections received from seventy-two veterans and their families. In addition, a selection of mission reports and extensive collections with material relating to the 93rd BG from Ralph S. Elliott, Edwin Reed, Richard Sims, Allen Blue, and Roger Freeman are catalogued. We are currently working on the second stage of our plan of action by identifying the unaccessioned collections relating to the 93rd BG. These unaccessioned collections date from 2002 or earlier and are currently identified by donor name without any group affiliation. Once identified as 93rd BG related and then accessioned, these collections will be cataloged. Finally, to complete the processing of your 93rd Bombardment Group (H) Collection, the oral history interviews will be transcribed. Mr. Henry Skipper, President and CEO, and I are always pleased and grateful to add photographs, letters, diaries, training material, maps, books, oral history recordings, art works, textiles, and any other objects relating to an individuals militar service to the research centers collections. Here each individuals stor of courage, character, and patriotism is treasured and preserved. Thank you again for your generous donations and support of our efforts to preserve the achievements and sacrifices of the members of the 93rd Bombardment Group (H). Dr. Vivian Rogers-Price Research Center Director National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MIGHTY EIGHTH AIR FORCE "ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL MUSEUM EXPERIENCES' July 29, 2013 Association 93rd Bomb Group K. James Guddal PO Box47336 Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Mr. Guddal, On behalf of the Board of Trustees and staff at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighty Air Force, we thank you for your generous support of $2,500.00. Your gift will help ensure that the research on the 93"' Bomb Group continues here at the Museum continue on track. We strive to sustain our cultural heritage, support lifelong character education, and be a center of community engagement for the City of Savannah and visitors from around the world. Everyday, we continue to carry out the mission of preserving for all Americans the stories of courage, character, and patriotism displayed by the men and women of the Eighth Air Force from World War II to the present. Our exhibits, programs and lasting relationships with visitors from around the world will help us in this endeavor. I hope you keep up with our progress and upcoming events by visiting our website www.mightyeighth.org. Again, thank you for your support. P 0. BOX 1992 SAVANNAH, GA 31402 TEL 912.748.8888 FAX 912.748.0209 WWW.MIGKTYEIGHTH.ORG 1hr. \/r,:hn I· •hr/1 .-t,r I-, rtt '.luk' rm" kU l"Utnp rsum.atu,,, .,,,,l,:r r r1,m 50/r,·)13> 1'.f r/i~ hu,nwl R IIUt' (1.J,·, tmtl YJUr df'ilitctihlt l·or your rH rd,, 11/eirn• ""' rhot 1 1(110.-f, ,,r MM in', uat' pr,,nd,·Jfor thi,, H1tnhu11t 11 Pl ut" Mrr 1hi., lelfl r u Ollf rr -a,,1 ll,anl,

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Page 10 www.93bg.com Draft By-Law Change At our annual business meeting on October 19th, we will consider some By-Law changes. The changes are incorporated below, primarily to remove references to the defunct 2nd Air Division Association. The 93rd Vice President to the 2ADA position is eliminated entirely and several other references to the 2ADA are removed. Other changes broaden membership to any member of the 93rd not just those from WW II and revise how our membership numbers are reported during the annual meeting from the Presidents report to the Treasurers report. We will review these proposed changes at the business meeting. If you have any questions or comments please contact John Marx, 109clearview@verizon.net, or 724-843-3897. 93RD BOMBARDMENT GROUP ASSOCIATION BY-LAWS October 24, 2009 Revised ARTICLE I  NAME The name of this organiation shall be 93rd Bombardment Group Association, short title: 93rd Bomb Group. ARTICLE II  PURPOSE The purpose of this organization shall be: 1. To carry on the traditions and memories of the 93rd Bomb Group after the veterans of that war have deceased. The offspring of the generation which fought in World War II have expressed a keen interest in the 93rd Bomb Group. They participate as full members with voting privileges in all activities of management, financial activities, planning and the holding of conventions and reunions. 2. The 93rd Bomb Group will continue to advocate and to support an adequate, effective and efficient Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force at all times 3. To perpetuate the friendships and memories of service together in the 93rd Bomb Group. 4. To support the programs and efforts of the Memorial Trust of the 2ADA Memorial Library, located with the Norwich Central Library, England, the 93rd Bomb Group Museum at Hardwick, the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum at Savannah, Georgia, and any like organization that exists to perpetuate the memory of those who served in WWII. ARTICLE III  MEMBERS Eligible voting members shall be those men and women, military and civilian, American or British, who at any time served with the 93rd Bomb Group. Further, the immediate family members of 93rd Bomb Group, both men and women and lineage for that and subsequent generations shall be voting members with the payment of dues. Voting members shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age. A nonvoting associate membership shall be available to any friends or associates of the 93rd Bomb Group, or to any individual who, by virtue of association with the organization demonstrates his interest in, and makes contributions of a literary, artistic, or historical nature to the perpetuation of the 93rd Bomb Group. All applications for memberships shall be addressed to: Treasurer, 93rd Bomb Group and must be accompanied by the annual dues. ARTICLE IV  OFFICERS 1. Officers term shall be for two (2) years from date of election at a duly called business meeting. Officers may be elected to additional two year terms. 2. The elected officers are: a. PRESIDENT. Shall preside at all meetings of the 93rd Bomb Group and all Executive Committee meetings. 1) Appoint committees as required. 2) In the event of a vacancy in any elected office, the president shall fill the vacancy by appointment. Such appointee shall serve until the next regular election. b. VICE PRESIDENT. Shall support and assist the President in carrying out his/her duties and shall replace the President if he/she becomes unable to serve for any reason. c. SECRETARY. Shall keep the minutes of all regular and Executive Committee meetings and shall conduct the correspondence of the 93rd Bomb Group and perform other duties as the President may require.

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Page 11 www.93bg.com d. TREASURER, shall receive all moneys due the 93rd Bomb Group, including membership dues and fees, and shall deposit all such moneys in the 93rd Bomb Groups name in a bank of his/her convenience. 1). shall, by check, disburse funds as needed for the routine operation of the 93rd Bomb Group. One such disbursement shall be the Groups news letter, The Ball of Fire Quarterly Express, and the postage costs for mailings of notices and like activity. 2). No moneys may be expended in excess of $250.00 for activities outside the normal operating expenditures without the approval of the Executive Committee. 3). shall, in concert with the BOF Editor, keep the membership list current. 4). Shall make an annual financial report to the membership. 5) Shall cause the preparation and timely filing of all required federal and state tax reports. e. ASSISTANT TREASURER, shall assist the Treasurer in his/her duties and shall replace the Treasurer if he/she becomes incapable of performing the duties of the office for any reason until an election can be held to replace the Treasurer. Also serves as back-up at the bank for the 93rd Bomb Group Bank Account (s). The Assistant Treasurer shall be a member in good standing selected by the Treasurer. f. BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS EDITOR. Shall prepare, publish and distribute the Ball of Fire Quarterly Express in a prompt and timely manner. 1). Maintains and updates organizational and membership information on the 93rd Bomb Groups web site, making the information available to others over the internet. 2). Provides the instructions to members for their storing archival information and organizes archival information about the 93rd Bomb Group for storage at an appropriate location. g. CONVENTION/REUNION COORDINATOR. Shall arrange for the scheduling, location, selection, convention programs and entertainment, hotel accommodations, bus transportation, entering into contracts for convention services and work with the Secretary/Treasurer for the collection of convention funds from the membership attending. h. HISTORIAN. Shall maintain historical records of the 93rd Bomb Group and author special articles for publication in the BOFQE, the 93rd Bomb Group Web Page and other appropriate media. ARTICLE V  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 1. Shall consist of all officers named in the above two Articles. Any person holding more than one office of the 93rd Bomb Group is entitled to only one vote. 2. Shall act on all matters it might properly find before it. 3. Shall meet yearly or at the call of the President. The meetings should be held in connection with conventions to avoid unnecessary travel. A majority of one-half of the committee members shall constitute a quorum. 4. Shall manage the operation of the 93rd Bomb Group and oversee its financial affairs. 5. Shall not have the power to commit the 93rd Bomb Group beyond $2,000.00 for special items outside of normal operating requirements without the approval of the general membership. ARTICLE VI  SPECIAL COMMITTEES 1. NOMINATING COMMITTEE. Shall nominate persons to fill officer vacancies caused by the expiration of term of office or vacated prior to expiration. a. Shall consist of three active members in good standing appointed by the President. Every effort will be made to have at least one veteran serve. b. The chairman of the committee shall be appointed by the President. c. Nominee recommendations shall be made by the committee chairman to the Executive Committee for review and agreement before presenting them to the full membership for consideration. 2. AUDIT COMMITTEE. Shall, in coordination with the Treasurer, conduct a comprehensive review of the 93rd Bomb Group financial records. a. Shall consist of two members in good standing appointed by the President. b. The chairman of the committee shall be appointed by the President. c. Prepare a written report to be presented at the next general membership meeting. d. Audits are conducted every three years. 3. CONVENTION/REUNION COMMITTEE. a. Shall assist the Convention/Reunion Coordinator in convention site selection and, as required, hotel selection, entertainment arrangements, bus transportation, costs and the collection of convention fees.

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Page 12 www.93bg.com b. Shall consist of three or more members in good standing appointed by the President c. The Convention/Reunion Coordinator shall be the chairman. ARTICLE VII  MEETINGS 1. Annual 93rd Bomb Group meetings shall be called with a minimum of 90 days notice to all members. Each member shall be entitled to one vote on any matter presented. 2. ORDER OF BUSINESS for meetings with the 93rd Bomb Group President presiding. a. Call to order. b. Reading and approval of minutes of previous meeting. c. Communications, including major interfaces with other organizations and important news affecting the members of the 93rd Bomb Group. d. Treasurers Report of membership and financial information including numbers of members and those lost and gained during the past year. e. Report of the BOFQE Editor. f. Report of the Convention/Reunion Coordinator. g. Report of any additional committees. h. Old business. i. New Business. j. Report of nominating committee and receiving nominations from the floor. k. Election of officers. l. Adjournment. ARTICLE VIII  PUBLICATIONS 1. The 93rd Bomb Group shall publish the Ball of Fire Quarterl Epress as a means of keeping members informed of group activities and help in reuniting friends and crew mates. 2. The Editor shall be independent and able to call on anyone for information and advice. He is answerable to the direction of the Executive Committee for: (a.) producing the Ball of Fire on a quarterly basis and (b.) controlling and properly disposing of material submitted for publication. ARTICLE IX - WEB PAGE 1. The 93rd Bomb Group shall maintain a web page as an additional means to keep members informed of group activities and assist in providing information about the 93rd to anyone interested in learning more about the deeds and exploits of the men who served in the 93rd during WWII. 2. The Web Master is appointed by the Association Officers to maintain the web page, update the information therein, and continually seek ways to take advantage of new web technology. ARTICLE X  DISSOLUTION 1. The 93rd Bomb Group Association may be dissolved by a 2/3 majority of those members attending a duly constituted 93rd Bomb Group general membership meeting. 2. If dissolved, remaining assets are to be distributed to an organization with a purpose consistent with those stated in Article II above. 3. Consideration is to be given to combining with the Heritage League of the 2nd Air Division Association. The members are not required to join the Heritage League if they judge the course of action to be contrary to the 93rds purpose. ARTICLE XI  AMENDING THE BYLAWS 1. Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 majority of those members attending a duly constituted 93rd Bomb Group meeting. ARTICLE XII  PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 1. Roberts Rules of Order, Revised, shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedures not specifically covered by the By-Laws of the Association.

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Page 13 www.93bg.com Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project To view the "must see" video on YouTube about the B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff, go to this link: http://youtu.be/etX1lid-8fs HOT STUFF MEMORIAL FUND PROJECT Jim Lux, Project Coordinutor l\'amy Strw1ge1: 93rd Bomh Group. l.uistu/11 Treasurer Donations are no,, being accepted to create and build a memorial in recognition or··1 lot Sturr:· the first 8th Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 missions in V,. WI!. Four members of the original Hot Stuffcre\\ died when the plane crashed into a mountainside in Iceland on Ma) 4, 1943. In addition to cre\\members. others killed in the crash were Lt. General frank M. Andre,,s. three members of'hi. staff. two U.S. Army Chaplains. and a civilian who served as the U.S. Military Chief of Chaplains. The deaths of Lt. General Frank M. Andre,,s and his staff created a crisis for American military leadership in Europe. Lt. General Dwight D. Eistmhm,er \\as c,entuall~ chosen to replace Andrews. Jim Lux. or Austin, TX. is spearheading the fundraising efforts for the memorial. Jim has traveled to Iceland. viewed th~ site of'the crash. and actually found ome pieces of"! lot Stuff,'. ,vhich \\'ere shipped to the U.S .. courtesy of lcelandair Airlines. Jim is available to speak to groups about the project. lf)OU v.ould like fur-ther information about the memorial project, or you v,ould like Jim to speak about the project to a group. please contact him. H: 512-327-1750 C: 512-731-8024 email: jluxrci'austin.rr.com The ~ational Museum of the United States Air r orce has received various parts of the plane. thanks to Jim's efforts on this project. The Ambassador to Iceland, Luis Arreaga, Iceland government officials. and a number of retired U.S. military officers and enlisted personnel are supporting Jim on the project. To participate in this important memorial project. fill out the donor card belov, and submit with your check or money order. Please make your checks payable to the '"93rd Bombardment Group Association." with a notation of··WWI I B-24 Memorial." Send your a cht:ck or money order. along" ith the completed donor card, to the address noted on the card. Those who donate $250 or more will receive a copy of'the rare book "Ted's Travelling Circus." Our sincerest thank )OU for your suppo1t of this important project. r 7 B-24 Liberator 11Hot Stuff" Memorial Charitable Donation Donation Amount: __________ _ Complete Name (please prim dear/\·) ____________________ _ City __________ _ State ____ _ Zip ____ _ flt,• 93rd IJ0111hard111em (iroup lssociu1io11 is ll 50l(cJ(3i \"011 f'ro/it Orf!tllli=cllim1, /Jo11<1tiom Ji11· the --11,)/ St1!fr· 11/L'IIIOriul proiect are t,n ded11ctih!I!. If 1-u,1 du11ute S250 or mm·e, you ,rill rl!cei,•e u rl!cl'ipt from thr> orguni=alirm .fur .,•m,r l<L• record1. . I co,,,· ofyo11r check is a s11flicir>111 record for donalicms smaller 1/,a11 $250. L ]\,fail check or money order to: 93rd Bombardment Group Association 7/!J :\orth Setlona Court Grantl .Junction, Colorado 81S06 ..J

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Page 14 www.93bg.com Rosie the Riveter and Yankee Air Museum articles were provided by Mary Ann Swanson-Neumann. ROSIE THE RIVETERS FACTORY ROSIE FROM PAGE A-1 what they did and how they did it for our country," Larry Doe, a 70-year-old Ypsilanti Township resident who has given to the cause, said recently before joining other donors for a trip on a B-17. Although women per-formed what had beenmale-dominated roles in plants all over the country during the war, it was a Willow Run worker-one of an untold number of women in its 40,000-person workforce - who caught the eye of Hollywood producers casting a "riveter" for a government film about the war effort at home. Rose Will Monroe, a Kentucky native who moved to Michigan during the war, starred as herself in the film and became one of the best-known figures of that era. She represented the thou-sands of Rosies who took fac-~ory jobs making munitions, eaponry and other things while the nation's men were off figh • in Euro e By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER The Willow Run Bomber Of The Associated Pre. c YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP (AP)-The Detroit-area factory where Rosie Plant, a 332-acre former Ford Motor Co. factory west of Detroit that churned out nearly 9,000 B-24 Liberator the Riveter showed that a woman could doa"man's work"by building World War II~ra bombers, On the Web http://savethe-bomberplant.org bombers during World War II. is slated to be torn down unless a group can raise $.1.5 million by making her an enduring symbol of American female empow-erment, will be demolished if money can't be Thursday to con-vert atleast some of the structure into a new, expanded home for the nearby Yankee Air Museum. "The younger generation needs to know what people went through and be able to go and see found to save it Pacific. Although many Rosies were let go once the war was over and the soldiers returned home, they had shown that women were capable of doing jobs that had traditionally been done by only men. An illustrated poster of a determined-look-ing Rosie the Riveter rolling up her sleeve with the slogan, "We can do it! "became an iconic symboi of female empowerment for American women. The Willow Run factory went back to making automo-biles after the war ended, and it did so for more than a half. century under the General Motors name before closing for good in 2010. Now, Doe and other donors are hoping to save at least some of the massive structure to convert it into the new home of the Yankee Air Museum. The museum's original headquarters burned down in 2.004, and it is cur-rently housed at Willow Run Airport in Van Buren Township, which is near PLEASE SEE R0SIE/A-5 Ypsilanti Township, where the plant is located. "We now have the oppor-tunity to actually take a piece of this plant. It's due to be demolished over the next two or three years," said Dennis Norton, president of the Michigan Aerospace Foundation. "There's no fur-ther use for it. It's too big. It's too old to be used in modern-day manufacturing." Organizers of the "Save the Willow Run Bomber Plant" campaign say they_ need $8 million to fund their "separation" plan. They want to acquire part of the 5 mil-lion-square-foot plant, secure it and re-establish utility ser-vices such as water, gas and electric. They have raised $4.5 mil-lion of what they need and are hoping to entice major donors to come forward with six-and seven-figure commit-ments. Detroit's historic bankrupt-cy filing two weeks ago isn't expected to have any effect on fundraising, said Dan Pierce, a spokesman for the effort.

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Page 15 www.93bg.com YANKEE AIR MUSEUM RACING TO RAISE FUNDS Photos by John T. Grelllck / The Detroit News The Yankee Lady looms over Dennis E. Norton, president of the Michigan Aerospace Foundation and founder of the Yankee Air Museum. A hangar to house history BY LEONARD N. FLEMING The Detroit News Ypsilanti - The great warplane relics of America's past are treasures to Ray Hunter, who would like to see the Yankee Air Mu- ' sewn find a new home in a historic airport hangar. The 76-year-old Air Force veteran, who ew rescue belicop r ID1Ss1ons m 1e am, is one of the many former service members who hope the musewn can raise nearly $5 million to save and renovate part of the for-mer Willow Run bomber plant building into its new home on the grounds of the Willow RunAirport "We're in a facility now,' he said. "We'd rather be all under one roof because we want the public to be able to look at these air-planes that we are so proud of." There is an effort to save part of the plant, which built nearly 9,000 B-24 Liberator bombers during World War II. The campaign includes a website and fundraising effort that bas collected nearly half of the $8 mil-lion needed to renovate the 180,000 square feet of space to house more than a dozen planes. The current musewn has 25,000 square feet. The new facility, if completed, would al-low officials to house and even hang air-planes from the sturdy ceiling. Museum officials held a media and donor Mike Meyerand sits In the bombardier BUnner's seat in the nose of the Yankee Lady. tour of the facilities and hosted a 45-minute flight over Detroit and Ann Arbor on a B-17 bomber plane housed at the airport. The plant was built in 1941 by Henry Ford and became a key part of the "Arsenal of De-mocracy," drawing 40,000 workers from all over America to build the B-24s. After the war, General Motors ma.de transmissions there for 55 years. The Yankee Air Museum is partnering with the Miclrigan Aerospace Foundation, Ypsilanti Township, Wayne County Airport Authority and the RACER 'Irust, which owns the building, to renovate a portion into the museum. But officials acknowledge if the mon • sn't ra1sl!tl bynrly;mgust;1:beuwrr-ers will tear down the hangar to make way for new development. Dennis E. Norton, president of the Michi-gan Aerospace Foundation, said the idea of converting the plant into a museum was born four years ago after GM let the facility go during the automaker's bankruptcy. "We knew it was probably going to be tom down and we asked ifwe could save a little piece of it," he said. Kirk A Profit, a former Democratic state representative from Ann Arbor who has do-nated money to the museum effort, said this is a chance to "enhance the economic vitality of the airport for the entire region." . "If that is a museum and is an entryway into this region both for the economic epi-center of Ann Arbor and for the broader re-gion, that's a much better point of entry than what you see now in an abandoned industri-al plant," Profit said. lfleming@detroltnews.com (313) 222-2620 Online: View a gallery of photos of the planes and facilities at detroitnews.com. [rn

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Page 16 www.93bg.com Folded WingsBced, De H. Dc, June 22, 2013 Born February 18, 1920 in New Haven, MO. Enlisted in USAAC in September 10, 1942. Trained at Las Vegas, Lowry Field and in Idaho. Assigned to B-17 crew in September 1943. With 93rd Bomb Group in England where retrained and assigned to B-24. Crashed in Holland on 11th mission, January 30, 1944. Their plane went down with wheels up and skidded through four fields and skipped across three canals before plane came to a halt in fourth field and tipped nose down. Only injury was when a 50-caliber spent shell fell from top turret and hit one of the sergeants on the nose. Six of crew were captured and four escaped, with two getting to Sweden and two to Switzerland. Borcherding spent time at Stalag VI at Hedykruge; Stalag IV, Keifheide; M-Stammlager XIII-D, Nurnburg; VII-A Moosburg until liberated b Pattons forces on April 27, 1945. He remembers the march from Nurnberg to Moosburg (120 kilometers), they were near Holtzhusen on April 13 when they received news of Presidents Roosevelts death. The moved out of the town, gathered on a large hill and one of the members of the march blew taps while all stood at attention. Discharged in October 1945. Received Air Medal w/OLC. Married and has two sons. Was a sports writer from 1948 through July 30, 1990, when he retired and volunteered at the American Red Cross in many capacities including the board of directors, president, secretary, and treasurer of the county chapter which became the East Central chapter. He served as a volunteer for the Red Cross bloodmobile in many capacities for nearly 55 years. His service was commemorated with his reception of the Clara Barton award. He was active in many other community associations including sports and church. In 1983, he and his wife, Delores, made the same trip, by car, where the Germans marched them from Nurnberg to Moosburg. Went into the same barns in which the Germans kept them on the march between the two camps. In June 1992, they took a trip to the 93rd Bomb Group base, followed by a trip to The Netherlands to visit crash site in field where their B-24 ended. His wife, Dolores said Dutch sent man boes of magnets through the ears that were sold or given awa at conventions. Ted's Traveling Circus 93rd Bomb Group Hardwick, England HE~DQUARTERS 2nd AIR DIVISION BOMB GROUP H.Q. Ketteringham Hall 44th Shipdham 93rd Hardwick 467th Aackheath 389th Hethel 489th HalesworU, 392nd Wendling 458th Horsham St. Failh 491s1 Melfield 445th Tibenham 466th Attlebridge 492nd North Plckenham MEMORIAL . ' I • CENTRAL LIBRARY LIBRARY • BETHEL STREET NORWICH !/! NR2 1NJ SECOND AIR DIVISION ENGLAND U.S.A.A.F. ~ ~ • ' ~/ ~~ebden 56~IGH;.:e~AOU~5th Steeple Monlen• , SCOUTING FORCE ~ FIGHTER GROUP 361st Bottlshom 479th Wottlshom OTHER GPS AND ATTACHED UNITS

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Page 17 www.93bg.com Thacker, Rupert G. December 4, 1989 (Emails from his nephew, Elbyrne Thacker II) Rupert G. Thacker enlisted before the war. He was married at the time and expected war to break out. Apparently there was some sort of enlistment deal available where you signed on for one year and if the US did not enter the war you got out and weren't subject to the expected draft. Suffice to say his year wasn't up when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He was a waist gunner and flew 25 missions as a member of the 328th / 93rd before being sent home. Among those missions was Ploesti (oil fields) and Frankfurt (ball bearing factory). He wasn't given to talk much about his days at war. According to internet information that I cannot verify, his aircraft, the Eager Beaver was dubbed 'war weary,' withdrawn from service, re-named Fearless Freddie, and used for training purposes in February 1944. In October 1944 the plane 'cracked up' on landing and was scrapped. He and his wife, my Aunt Juanita, raised 5 Thacker children (2 girls and 3 boys) on a truck driver's wage in Roanoke, VA. Membership Corner THE BIOGRAPHY OF S/SGT JAMES PADDLE PROPS SOPER S/N 16175876 December 8, 1942 to September 19, 1945 A few weeks ago, I had occasion to talk to veteran and member Jim Soper who hails from Apex, NC. During the interview, I learned that Jims duties during the war included responsibility for maintaining the most important auto pilots and bomb sights. Since we ma be talking about Hardwick ground crew operations at the upcoming Reunion in Hartford, I knew that Jims stor was timel. So, heres the short version of his story. It was HS graduation day on June 9, 1942 when the first draft notice arrived. Being of sound mind, Jim round filed it. Then, in November 1943, the second notice came. Next stop from his home in Ann Arbor, MI was Detroit to enlist in the Army Air Corp. He was classed as an aircraft mechanic candidate and told to get a release from his home town draft board. Jim said: I was a bit nervous about this but a sweet little old lady gave me a release without mentioning my delinquenc about not reporting earlier. After spending 6 hours in the buff during physical exams, he was sworn into the Air Corp on December 8, 1942. With the testing classification complete, it was off to the quartermaster for uniforms. A huge man picked me up by the blouse with one hand remarking that I seemed to have a good fit. I left with a barracks bag of GI issue and three pairs of shoes all of different sies! Training bases were at St. Petersburg, FL for basic and Lowry Field at Denver, CO. for BSM (bomb sight maintenance). I had built a couple of radios and an audio amplifier while in high school but had withheld that knowledge from the recruiter, so how did they put me in an electronic field? I was trained on the Sperry A5 autopilot and the Sperry S1 bombsight. Then, onto Boise, Idaho as a PFC and ended up mopping the operations office floor. Much to his surprise one day while mopping, he heard a very familiar voice talking on the telephone, turned around and recognized this tall slim fellow as Jimmy Stewart, operations officer at the time. It was June 1943. Now a corporal, additional bombsight training would take Jim to Washington, DC and the Pentagon. On July 7, 1943, he and a C54 full of officers headed out for England with stops in Maine, New Foundland, Prestwick, Scotland and finally London. While waiting for a train to Norwich leaving from Victoria Station, he found a barber and requested a shave. Wow! Cold water and m grandfathers old straight raor. Ver uncomfortable shave. He first of many as there was seldom hot water in the 409th living area. Initiall Jim was quartered in the brick barracks of the 20th Air Wing, just north of Norwich. The could be steam heated, but, often were not. I was cold or chill for the net 23 months. Finall, the transfer to Hardwick came thru and he was assigned to the 409th Bomb Squadron. BSM personnel were cross trained on the Sperry equipment, the Norden bombsight and the Minneapolis Honeywell C1 autopilot. It was tough times since there were no lesson plans or teaching eperience. I remember taking an enlisted bombardier up to drop practice bombs using the Sperry equipment. I told him how to use the sight and it was not much different from the Norden sight except the arming switch. I could see we were not headed toward the target so I looked into the front of the sight and saw that the telescope was way to the left indicating he had not engaged the autopilot and was not controlling the course of the aircraft. Then I saw he was holding the arming switch in and before I could warn him five bombs were released. Why five and not one? He evidently had not set the intervalometer correctly. I scrambled through the tunnel beside the nose wheel and watched the bombs down. They soon disappeared from sight 1///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////2 0 -I i~ d f; ii" :> l~H·~~ n THE E.T.O'll. OLDEST LIB OUTFIT 3 T,p S'corine B:.~ /\Jr Force 1'.orr/J c;,~~p ~ lrl•MIAN 0 . .Mowi.•, ~ Li,•Colpr-,:-1 A..(.., (1,111l11lll1l\.1·1rt 0/[,u:r :, o m~nd Northern franc

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Page 18 www.93bg.com but there were five white puffs of smoke in five adjacent back ards of private dwellings. Jim and crew learned that Sperr equipment could not be used for formation bombing as it was so fast and precise that it tended to scatter the formation when the lead aircraft made a turn. The other aircraft were caused to over bank by this scattering the formation and destroing a precise bombing pattern. Jim says that everybody had a nickname. He had worked at the Ford B-24 plant in Willow Run as a rivet mechanic before he enlisted. So when the Ford built bombers started showing up at Hardwick they had a wide bladed propeller we call paddle props. Jim was named Paddle Props by his team mates because he talked in his sleep. Other handles were Beet Up for a guy who looked like death warmed over after a three day pass to London The Moll for a guy who seldom spoke and Mouth for a guy who talked incessantly. When not on duty, Jim might be found in Blackpool or Manchester and in the company of what else, girls! On what sounded like a blind date, Jim paired up with 22 year old Margaret Laycock. Jim says he spent that evening wondering if he was a cradle robber. Well, Jim was smitten. It is October 1943 and Jim had been promoted up to Staff Sergeant. Every two weeks he received a weekend pass which he used to visit Margaret at her home in Rochdale Lancashire. His proposal to marry her was accepted during the winter of 1944 with plans to tie the knot the following June. In spite of the Normandy invasion activities, On June 13th Jim was able to travel to Margarets home only to discover she did not have the license yet. When the license arrived just in time for the church ceremony, there was no Vicar. Jim thought the Vicar had something to do with the paper problems because he did not like Yanks! He was found and the marriage took place. Over the next year, Margaret lived in the Hardwick area until the end of the war Jim had his share of close calls including one incident during a test flight at maximum altitude. At 60 degrees below ero, his ogen bottle malfunctioned. Everthing seemed to move in slow motion. I looked at the crew and they were like statue not moving. I lay down on the floor for the rest of the flight. When we got on the ground my head was pounding. I had not even had one drink the night before and here I was with a hangover. He witnessed plane crashes on base resulting in total casualties. On D Da, June 6, 1944, he awoke to see hundreds of planes in the air at different altitudes, some at a few hundred feet to 20,000 feet. Some planes were towing gliders. On Ma 9, 1945 the ground personnel were loaded into B-24s armed with lunches and flown to Germany for a look see of the damage we had done. There was nothing standing except the Cathedral in Colon. We saw no one while over Germany but the streets were full of celebrants in Brussels. June 5, 1945 found Jim and 15,000 others boarding the Queen Mary leaving out of Scotland for home sweet home. We were assigned thirt men to a state room which held 15 bunks. I slept under a ladder on deck with my blanket tied against a thirty knot breeze. I finally got warm the second day out as we sailed into more southern waters. Upon arrival in New York he was sent to Fort Dix, home for 30 days and then to Tucson, AZ. After a brief lesson in desert survival, it was off to Holiman Air Force Base at Alamagordo, New Mexico and B-29s. He was assigned to the bomb sight shop. Soon it was September, a discharge at a camp in Illinois September 19, 1945 and home. Jim was reunited with Margaret eight months later, the government having brought all of the new wives to America. Editorial comment: Space did not allow me to present several interesting events during Jim’s service time. If you would like to learn more, go to jim@soper.us or give him a ring. 919.362.4635. He’d be glad to hear from you. Jim Guddal Notes and Quotes A PROUD MOTHER told one of her friends, M daughters marring a second lieutenant. The friend replied, Howd the first get awa? A MINISTER visiting a large city spoke at a banquet on the night of his arrival, and told several anecdotes that he expected to repeat at meetings the next day. He asked reporter to kindly omit the anecdotes from their stories. A new reporters coverage included the line, The minister told a member of stories that cannot be published here. IT WILL NOW cost you 46 cents to mail a letter. Some people are complaining about the price, even though its a penn more than the old price. Youre not allowed to spend $4 on a cup of coffee and complain about a cent. - Jimmy Kimmel Reprinted from the AMERICAN LEGI0N MAGAZINE Jim Guddal

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Page 19 www.93bg.com Letters to the Editor 7/22/2013 Editor JoAnne, Your Page 1 story of Col. Al Asch rekindled memories of a gratifying experience at the Air Force Academy in 2002 when the 93rd unveiled its B-24 memorial plaque. Col. Asch selected K.O. Dessert, original 409th Squadron commander, and me to share the unveiling honor. That honor turned out to become a huge blessing to me, the beginning of incredible honors. When Cal Stewart got word, he was inspired to do a booklet about yours truly on very short notice, probably two or three days. He had to write copy, find pictures, and go to press. He had no time for proofreading by me. Consequently, there were some errors. I chuckled (later) when a Hershe, NE couple wrote: M, ou sure look like our brother, George. Cals endeavor was unbeknownst to me and I was surprised when the booklets were handed to busloads departing from motel to the Air Force memorial site. That evening at the dinner, I spoke briefly and recalled an ugly incident on Tinian when my B-29 crew received their Distinguished Flying Cross medals. I was left alone in my barracks and felt ostracized and demeaned. Cal thought I deserved at least a Silver Star. And he was so dismayed, he decided to launch a campaign to upgrade m medals. It wasnt eas. For three years, he battled delays and disappointments. Both Fernley Smith, then president of our bomb group association, and I urged Cal to give up, but he refused. He sent the War Department a 2-inch binder and finally the Distinguished Service Medal became a reality on August 12, 2005. What ensued were several incredible honors, including two awesome, the Presidential Citation and Audie Murphy Award. And Cal upgraded and revised booklets. His first, the one inspired b Col. Aschs unveiling honor, was 13 pages. The fifth edition, with editing by two journalists, Emil Reutzel and Jim Cornwell, was a masterpiece of 60 pages. The booklets opened the doors to four White House invitations in three years. And probably, the most important of all, the Smithsonian acceptance of all my memorabilia, three huge shipments which will be preserved for eternity. And what amazes me is that the incredible honors keep coming at the ripe old age of 96! So Col. Asch provided the springboard that inspired Cal Stewart. And his gesture has been forever heartwarming. He is the crucial catalyst. Without his support and that of other fellow Americans who went to bat for me, my war record would not have amounted to a hill of beans. It was, indeed, my pleasure to see the full front page devoted to Col. Al Asch. Thank you. Ben Kuroki

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Page 23 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form CAPS & VISORS Qty 1 Qty 2 Navy Blue with embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Teds Travelling Circus on adjustable strap $24 $45 Khaki with Ball of Fire III B-24 plus 93rd BG $19 $35 & Teds Travelling Circus on adjustable strap Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three gold victory stars  choose white or navy blue $16 $30 COFFEE & THERMAL TRAVEL MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 5) Stainless Steel Travel Mugs with B-24 medallion $22 $42 (NEW and very nice!) PUZZLES Jigsaw pules with colorful Ball of Fire III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes with stand. $22 $42 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 93rd BG Replica of Memorial stained glass window at Mighty 8th Museum Chapel  with suction cup $14 $25 BOOKS by 93rd BG Authors Teds Travelling Circus b Cal Stewart (member price) $69.95 $134.00 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $24.95 $47.50 Lucky Ears The True Story of Ben Kuroki $13 $24 *** Limited autographed edition! Order today! *** NEW!! Forever Twenty by Nicholas Timmer $21.95 $42.00 DVDS NEW!!  Ploesti Summit 5 Disc set with Bonus DVD of Vets panel on the wa it was. This set is a must for our librar. Member price ($35 + $5 shipping). Non member price ($55 + $5 shipping) (Discount on purchase of three or more. Contact PX for more info) ***All product prices include handling and shipping charges *** Pay by check or money to the 93rd BG order with the Coupon below. Pay by PayPal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total ______________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or Fax your order to: 763.694.9065

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Page 24 www.93bg.com 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM PLEASE NOTE  STARTING IN 2010, MEMBERSHIP WAS CHANGED TO A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS Name_____________________________________ Address__________________________________ Year 2013 City ________________________Zip _____________ Phone Number______________________ Email Address_____________________________ Connection to the 93rd BG: Name of 93rd veteran ______________________________________ Rank _____________ Squadron __________ Time period in Service: ______ 19_____to_____ 19_____ Airplane Name(s)__________________________ Pilot(s) _________________________ Comments ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Thanks! (use back side for more info) Annual Membership (2013 only) $25 $________ 2 year discount rate (2013 & 2014) $45 $________ Child or grandchild spec’l(2013 only) $20 $________ Tax deductible Donation $________ The 93rd is a 501(c)(3) Organization. GRAND TOTAL $________ *** ___ Please MAIL newsletter ___ Please E-MAIL newsletter *** Make checks payable to: 93rd BOMB GROUP (Also pay by PayPal thru the 93rd Bomb Group website) Mail to: Jim Guddal KEEP OUR HISTORY ALIVE! Consider a 93rd BG membership for a friend or family member. P.O. Box 47336 (Make a copy of this form for additional Plymouth, MN 55447 memberships. Thank you!) _________________________________________________________________________ The PX: We have in stock, coffee & tvl mugs, caps with B-24 image, visors, BOF III B-24 puzzles, Memorial Window Sun catcher replicas, books & Ploesti DVDs. Go to the PX page in the BOF for ordering information or contact Jim Guddal-“jguddal@yahoo.com”

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Page 2 www.93bg.com Table of Contents Presidents Corner ................................................................................................................................................... 3 93RD BOMBARDMENT GROUP ASSOCIATION BY-LAWS ......................................................................... 4 93rd Bombardment Group Annual Meeting ............................................................................................................ 6 Treasrers Report  Jim Guddal ............................................................................................................................ 6 Treasurer's Notes ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 Notes and Quotes .................................................................................................................................................... 8 New Members Roll Call ......................................................................................................................................... 9 2014 Dayton, Ohio Reunion update: .................................................................................................................... 10 Membership Corner .............................................................................................................................................. 10 Greetings from the 93rd BG Historian! ................................................................................................................ 12 93rd Website Update............................................................................................................................................. 14 Hot Stuff Update by Jim Lux ................................................................................................................................ 15 Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project ......................................................................................................................... 17 News from Station 104 Hardwick England .......................................................................................................... 18 Folded Wings ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 Letters to the Editor .............................................................................................................................................. 28 Post Exchange (PX) .............................................................................................................................................. 30 Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form ................................................................................................................. 31 93rd BG BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS SUBSCRIPTION FORM ................................................. 32 DIRECTORY 2012 - 2014 OFFICERS President  JOHN MARX 109 Clearview St., Beaver Falls, PA 15010 724-843-3897; 109clearview@verizon.net President Emeritus  PAUL STEICHEN 1615 Birdhaven Way, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Vice President  JIM ROOT 15359 Red Fox Walk, West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-5990; jamesdavidroot@aol.com Secretary - NICK TIMMER 5615 Circle Dr. Newaygo, MI 49337 231 652-2309; timmer@netpenny.net Treasurer, Membership, PX Mgr  JIM GUDDAL P.O. Box 47336, Plymouth, MN 55447 763-694-9058; jguddal@yahoo.com Assistant Treasurer - NANCY GRIMES STRANGER 783 N. Sedona Court, Grand Junction, CO 81506 970-945-2883; nancystranger@hotmail.com Editor of the Ball of Fire  JOANNE SARGENT 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-945-5418; editor93bg@hotmail.com Convention/Reunion Coordinator  JIM ROOT (see Executive Vice President) Historian  DON MORRISON 1375 West Comet Rd, Clinton, OH 44216 Home 330-882-2536; Cell 330-819-6409 doniac1967@sbcglobal.net VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD FERNLEY SMITH CAL DAVIDSON OTHER CRITICAL ROLES Graphics/Media  KENT JAQUITH 2633 SW Obsidian #15, Redmond, OR 97756 541-923-4319; qajk38@bendbroadband.com Web Master  MICHAEL SELLERS 565 Carroll St. Apt #4, Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-975-7162; mtsellers@mac.com Photographer  BILL SARGENT / JOE DURAN 1458 Locust St., Denver, CO 80220 303-945-5418; joyridecp@msn.com REUNION COMMITTEE JOE & PHYLLIS DURAN 309 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 805-525-4681; dogpatchraider@gmail.com KENT JAQUITH (see Graphics/Media) FRED WIER 16 Woodfield Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-0253; fredwier@verizon.net

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Page 3 www.93bg.com Pede Corner The 2013 Reunion is now a pleasant memory for all who attended. Our 13th separate reunion was held in the Hartford, CT Airport Sheraton. Air travelers were able to be in the hotel within moments of landing. There was no need to catch a shuttle or taxi. Best of all, the Sheraton staff was very helpful and friendly attempting to accommodate our every need. Although this type of convenience is not often found, we will look for other locations with reasonably priced airport hotels. All attendees are encouraged to share your impressions. A survey was sent to attendees and more than half have been returned. The comments provide valuable insight as we plan future reunions. Ten 93rd veterans attended all or part of the reunion. There were two veterans, Donald Berry and Peter Rembetsy who attended for the first time. We were delighted to meet them. At our annual business meeting, members approved revisions to our By-Laws to remove the numerous references to the 2ADA and adjust duties among the officer positions. The newly approved October 2013 By-Laws and the annual meeting minutes are included elsewhere in this issue. Through the generous contributions of our members, the funds were provided to install the Hardwick Museum security system. Work is underway to provide state-of-the-art protection to the valuable collection of 93rd memorabilia. Our 2014 reunion is in Dayton, OH, and we voted to visit Omaha, NE in 2015. On a sad note, a former President of the 93rd Bomb Group, Al Asch (2000-2003), of Brentwood, TN passed away at age 93 on December 8th. Al was one of the first 93rd veterans I met when I became associated with the 93rd twenty years ago. He served as the President of the 2nd Air Division Association and for many years as our Vice President to the 2ADA. While on active duty in the Army and stationed in Virginia, I was honored to be present when the 93rd dedicated a Living Memorial-an American Holly Tree-at Arlington National Cemetery on October 10, 1997. Al represented the 93rd with appropriate remarks and hosted a luncheon where we were able to share his vision and thoughts about the 93rd fe. He conined o mee a enion nil 2006 hen Al a no longe able o ael. Al on, Pee, aended hi ea enion and gae a complee epo on Al lae accomplihmen. Hi life o, The Whole Nine Yards, was completed and ready for distribution. Ironically, my copy arrived on the day after his deah. Alhogh I haen finihed he book, e, hi i he o of a emakable man and a great American leader. As expected, Al finished his life well accomplishing his final goal and entering into eternal rest with a well done. His excellent influence and leadership of the 93rd will long be remembered. A e come o he conclion of anohe ea, o foc n o he fe. Ne Yea Reolion ae made, and e hope for a better year next year. For the 93rd, I believe we need to engage our minds and hearts on navigating our future course. We are well positioned to continue to educate future generations on the accomplishments of the 93rd and the sacrifices made by an outstanding group of airmen during a difficult and horrible war. As we watched the chaotic dissolution of the 2nd Air Division Association last year, we recognize the dangers of drifting into the future without a clear plan on the way forward. In the last several months we have been asked by other WW II veterans groups to consider combining our resources and holding joint reunions with separate programs for each group. In Tucson, when we held the Ploesti Summit, members from other groups successfully joined us for a combined reunion. With this precedent we are open to further exploring this possibility. Our by-laws encourage us to consider combining with the Heritage League of the 2nd Air Division Association. As a first step, I would like to hear what you think!  Do you believe we should combine with another group such as the Heritage League or another Bomb Group Association?  If so, when should we move to consolidation?  What are the important factors to consider when making the decision?  What steps should we take to preserve the 93rd idenificaion and niueness? Please communicate your thoughts with me by email, letter or phone. My contact information is 109clearview@verizon.net, 109 Clearview St, Beaver Falls, PA 15010 or 724-843-3897. For our veterans, this New Year marks 70 years from 1944 events. I pray you will have a very Happy New Year and that 2014 will be your best year, yet. John Marx, President

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Page 4 www.93bg.com 93RD BOMBARDMENT GROUP ASSOCIATION BY-LAWS October 19, 2013 Revised ARTICLE I  NAME The name of hi oganiaion hall be 93rd Bombardment Group Association, short title: 93rd Bomb Group. ARTICLE II  PURPOSE The purpose of this organization shall be: 1. To carry on the traditions and memories of the 93rd Bomb Group after the veterans of that war have deceased. The offspring of the generation which fought in World War II have expressed a keen interest in the 93rd Bomb Group. They participate as full members with voting privileges in all activities of management, financial activities, planning and the holding of conventions and reunions. 2. The 93rd Bomb Group will continue to advocate and to support an adequate, effective and efficient Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force at all times 3. To perpetuate the friendships and memories of service together in the 93rd Bomb Group. 4. To support the programs and efforts of the Memorial Trust of the 2ADA Memorial Library, located with the Norwich Central Library, England, the 93rd Bomb Group Museum at Hardwick, the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum at Savannah, Georgia, and any like organization that exists to perpetuate the memory of those who served in WWII. ARTICLE III  MEMBERS Eligible voting members shall be those men and women, military and civilian, American or British, who at any time served with the 93rd Bomb Group during WWII. Further, the immediate family members of 93rd Bomb Group, both men and women and lineage for that and subsequent generations shall be voting members with the payment of dues. Voting members shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age. A nonvoting associate membership shall be available to any friends or associates of the 93rd Bomb Group, or to any individual who, by virtue of association with the organization demonstrates his interest in, and makes contributions of a literary, artistic, or historical nature to the perpetuation of the 93rd Bomb Group. All applications for memberships shall be addressed to: Treasurer, 93rd Bomb Group and must be accompanied by the annual dues. ARTICLE IV  OFFICERS 1. Office em hall be for two (2) years from date of election at a duly called business meeting. Officers may be elected to additional two year terms. 2. The elected officers are: a. PRESIDENT. Shall preside at all meetings of the 93rd Bomb Group and all Executive Committee meetings. 1) Appoint committees as required. 2) In the event of a vacancy in any elected office, the president shall fill the vacancy by appointment. Such appointee shall serve until the next regular election. b. VICE PRESIDENT. Shall support and assist the President in carrying out his/her duties and shall replace the President if he/she becomes unable to serve for any reason. c. SECRETARY. Shall keep the minutes of all regular and Executive Committee meetings and shall conduct the correspondence of the 93rd Bomb Group and perform other duties as the President may require. d. TREASURER. Shall receive all moneys due the 93rd Bomb Group, including membership dues and fees, and shall deposit all such moneys in the 93rd Bomb Gop name in a bank of his/her convenience. 1). shall, by check, disburse funds as needed for the routine operation of the 93rd Bomb Group. One such dibemen hall be he Gop ne lee, The Ball of Fire Quarterly Express, and the postage costs for mailings of notices and like activity. 2). No moneys may be expended in excess of $250.00 for activities outside the normal operating expenditures without the approval of the Executive Committee. 3). Shall, in concert with the BOF Editor, keep the membership list current. 4). Shall make an annual financial report to the membership. 5) Shall cause the preparation and timely filing of all required federal and state tax reports. e. ASSISTANT TREASURER. Shall assist the Treasurer in his/her duties and shall replace the Treasurer if he/she becomes incapable of performing the duties of the office for any reason until an election can be held to replace the Treasurer. Also serves as back-up at the bank for the 93rd Bomb Group Bank Account (s). The Assistant Treasurer shall be a member in good standing selected by the Treasurer. f. BALL OF FIRE QUARTERLY EXPRESS EDITOR. Shall prepare, publish and distribute the Ball of Fire Quarterly Express in a prompt and timely manner. g. CONVENTION/REUNION COORDINATOR. Shall arrange for the scheduling, location, selection, convention programs and entertainment, hotel accommodations, bus transportation, entering into contracts for convention services and work with the Secretary/Treasurer for the collection of convention funds from the membership attending.

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Page 5 www.93bg.com h. HISTORIAN. Shall maintain historical records of the 93rd Bomb Group and author special articles for publication in the BOFQE, the 93rd Bomb Group Web Page and other appropriate media. 1). Provides instructions to members for their storage of archival information and organizes archival information about the 93rd Bomb Group for storage at an appropriate location. ARTICLE V  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 1. Shall consist of all officers named in the above two Articles. Any person holding more than one office of the 93rd Bomb Group is entitled to only one vote. 2. Shall act on all matters it might properly find before it. 3. Shall meet yearly or at the call of the President. The meetings should be held in connection with conventions to avoid unnecessary travel. A majority of one-half of the committee members shall constitute a quorum. 4. Shall manage the operation of the 93rd Bomb Group and oversee its financial affairs. 5. Shall not have the power to commit the 93rd Bomb Group beyond $2,000.00 for special items outside of normal operating requirements without the approval of the general membership. ARTICLE VI  SPECIAL COMMITTEES 1. NOMINATING COMMITTEE. Shall nominate persons to fill officer vacancies caused by the expiration of term of office or vacated prior to expiration. a. Shall consist of three active members in good standing appointed by the President. Every effort will be made to have at least one veteran serve. b. The chairman of the committee shall be appointed by the President. c. Nominee recommendations shall be made by the committee chairman to the Executive Committee for review and agreement before presenting them to the full membership for consideration. 2. AUDIT COMMITTEE. Shall, in coordination with the Treasurer, conduct a comprehensive review of the 93rd Bomb Group financial records. a. Shall consist of two members in good standing appointed by the President. b. The chairman of the committee shall be appointed by the President. c. Prepare a written report to be presented at the next general membership meeting. d. Audits are conducted every three years. 3. CONVENTION/REUNION COMMITTEE. a. Shall assist the Convention/Reunion Coordinator in convention site selection and, as required, hotel selection, entertainment arrangements, bus transportation, costs and the collection of convention fees. b. Shall consist of three or more members in good standing appointed by the President c. The Convention/Reunion Coordinator shall be the chairman. ARTICLE VII  MEETINGS 1. Annual 93rd Bomb Group meetings shall be called with a minimum of 90 days notice to all members. Each member shall be entitled to one vote on any matter presented. 2. ORDER OF BUSINESS for meetings with the 93rd Bomb Group President presiding. a. Call to order. b. Reading and approval of minutes of previous meeting. c. Communications, including major interfaces with other organizations and important news affecting the members of the 93rd Bomb Group. d. Teae Repo of membehip and financial information including numbers of members and those lost and gained during the past year. e. Report of the BOFQE Editor. f. Report of the Convention/Reunion Coordinator. g. Report of any additional committees. h. Old business. i. New Business. j. Report of nominating committee and receiving nominations from the floor. k. Election of officers. l. Adjournment. ARTICLE VIII  PUBLICATIONS 1. The 93rd Bomb Gop hall pblih he Ball of Fie Qael Epe a a mean of keeping membe informed of group activities and help in reuniting friends and crew mates. 2. The Editor shall be independent and able to call on anyone for information and advice. He/she is answerable to the direction of the Executive Committee for: (a.) producing the Ball of Fire on a quarterly basis and (b.) controlling and properly disposing of material submitted for publication. ARTICLE IX - WEB PAGE 1. The 93rd Bomb Group shall maintain a web page as an additional means to keep members informed of group activities and assist in providing information about the 93rd to anyone interested in learning more about the deeds and exploits of the men who served in the 93rd during WWII. 2. The Web Master is appointed by the Association Officers to maintain the web page, update the information therein, and continually seek ways to take advantage of new web technology. a).Maintains and updates organizational and membership information on the 93rd Bomb Gop eb site, making the information available to others over the internet.

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Page 6 www.93bg.com ARTICLE X  DISSOLUTION 1. The 93rd Bomb Group Association may be dissolved by a 2/3 majority of those members attending a duly constituted 93rd Bomb Group general membership meeting. 2. If dissolved, remaining assets are to be distributed to an organization with a purpose consistent with those stated in Article II above. 3. Consideration is to be given to combining with the Heritage League of the 2nd Air Division Association. The members are not required to join the Heritage League if they judge the course of action to be contrary to the 93rd ppoe. ARTICLE XI  AMENDING THE BYLAWS 1. Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 majority of those members attending a duly constituted 93rd Bomb Group meeting. ARTICLE XII  PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 1. Robe Rle of Ode, Reied, hall be he parliamentary authority for all matters of procedures not specifically covered by the By-Laws of the Association.93rd Bombardment Group Annual Meeting October 19, 2013 - Hartford, CT President John Marx called the meeting to order and reviewed the agenda. The 2012 Annual Meeting minutes were moved and approved as submitted. John Marx reported that membership stands at 280 which is a decline of 35 from 2012. Teae Re  Jim Guddal Jim distributed and reviewed the annual financial report. It was moved and approved. The Group has donated $7500.00 to the Mighty Eighth Museum to help with sorting and cataloguing 93rd eean pape and memoabilia. Cen chaiable pojec ae: he Ho Sff memoial, a security system at Hardwick, and a proposed documentary on Hardwick. The PX has new tee shirts, is self-sustaining, and Bill Sargent will be the new manager. Pay Pal is working well and members are encouraged to use it. Audit Committee Report George McLean and Gerald Veteto reviewed the financial records of the Group and reported that all is well. Ba f Fe Re  JoAnne Sargent, Editor In the absence of JoAnne, John Marx read her report. She encouraged veterans to send her their personal oie and phoo fo inclion in he Ball of Fie. Ha Re  Don Morrison Don monitors website questions and does his best to answer them. He encouraged members to ask questions and give him time to do research if there is a deadline. Heritage League  John Marx The League is the successor to the 2ADA and is a 501(C) (3) organization. They will have a reunion in Norwich May 24-30, 2014. 2013 Reunion Financial Report  Jim Root, Coordinator Jim announced that there are 59 full time reunion attendees and 8 part-time. This includes 10 veterans. He estimates, pending final documents, that the balance for the 2013 reunion will be $1434.00. This added to last ea balance of $1510.00 gie a pojeced balance of $2944.00 in the reunion account. Old Business Jim Guddal commented on the 93rd archiving project at the Mighty 8th Museum. He distributed a copy of an email from Vivian Rogers-Price, the research director at the museum, offering her appreciation to the 93rd Group for our contribution. She stated that all the materials submitted by 93rd veterans have been catalogued and are ready for research. Jim encouraged vets who send their memorabilia to the museum to send a donation with it to help cover costs. Jim L and Nanc Sange gae an pdae on he Ho Sff pojec. The goal is to raise $70,000.00 for the memorial in Iceland. The dedication is planned for 2018he 75th anniversary of the crash. Jim is speaking aond he con o aio gop abo Ho Sff and General Andrews, and is planning a fund-raising golf tournament. About $13,000.00 has already been raised from approximately 50 donors. He reported that Scott Sea i ending copie of Ted Taelling Cic o all who donate over $250.00. Don Morrison reported on the security system at Hardwick. He explained why it was necessary to install a commercial grade system to protect the site. It means that with the $2500.00 pledged by the 93rd and supplemented by additional donations, the project is about $1100.00 short of the estimated price of $6000.00. George McLean moved and Jean Koznarek supported a motion to seek the balance of the funds through donations. Motion approved. (Note: Prior to

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Page 7 www.93bg.com adjournment enough was pledged by the members present to cover the balance.) Don asked about scheduling the next Hardwick reunion. He requested that those who have an interest contact him with preferred dates. He believes that going at the end of May would be best because of the memorial service at Madingley. New Business Peter Asch reported that his father, 93rd pilot Al Asch, has authored a book. It will be available on November 11. Our PX will have it. Al would like to hear from members of the 93rd association. President John Marx reviewed the proposed changes in he 93d BG Aociaion b-laws. Some of the changes had to do with removing references to the 2nd ADA which no longer exists. It was moved by Fernley Smith and seconded by Peter Asch to adopt the revised by-laws of the 93rd Bomb Group Association as amended. Motion passed  changes approved. (The revised By-Laws are attached.) Michael Sellers introduced the concept of an educational ideo ih he ppoe of ecoding he 93d experience at Hardwick. He suggested that we engage a consultant to help put together a request for a proposal that would be distributed among various vendors. The proposals from the vendors would give specifications and cost estimates for completing the project. He suggested that we form an exploratory team to develop a conceptual plan and to solicit professional help. Those who would like to serve on the team should contact one of the officers. It was moved and supported to authorize the Association to spend up to $2500.00 to proceed with the initial concept development. Motion passed. 2014 Reunion and Beyond Reunion Coordinator Jim Root has already been working with officials in Dayton, OH. the site of our 2014 Reunion. At this point there is nothing specific to report regarding a hotel or dates but they will be published in the BOF. John Marx suggested a number of potential sites for our 2015 Reunion. Among the contenders were: Huntsville, AL; Dearborn, MI; Monterey, CA; Orlando, FL; New Orleans, LA; and Omaha, NB. Omaha was selected as our 2015 site. Meeting Adjourned Respectfully submitted, Nick Timmer, Secretary Treasurer's Notes Oadg, is the word that comes to mind to describe how reunion attendees responded to our call to raise a few bck fo he eci em inallaion a Hardwick air base in England. (There are now three Quonset huts located there and the WWII artifacts they contain need protection.) When we learned at the Reunion how much the project was going to cost, in addition to what had already been contributed by our general membership, the reunion attendees stepped up and happily provided an additional $2,600 to meet the challenge. Oadg and Thank you!!!!!! The Annual Financial Report is illustrated below. Respectfully submitted by Jim Guddal, Treasurer and Membership 93rd Bombardment Group Association STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND FUND BALANCE 10/8/2013 Cash Basis As of September 30, 2012 and 2013 Sep 30,'12 Sep 30, '13 ASSETS Current Assets Checking/ Savings Center National Bank Cert. Dep. 6,000 0 Center National Bank Savings 21,448 22,508 Center National Bank Checking 2,241 6,003 Reunion Fund 1,200 1,510 PayPal Balance 24 0 Wells Fargo MM Savings 0 10,756 Total Checking/Savings 30,913 40,777 Post Exchange Inventory (PX) 1,481 1,455

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Page 8 www.93bg.com Total Current Assets 32,394 42,232 LIABILITIES -248 0 TOTAL ASSETS & FUND BALANCE 32,146 42,232 STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS 10/8/2013 Cash Basis October 2011 through September 2012 October 2012 through September 2013 2012 2013 Receipts/Disbursements Receipts Donations ('13 Hot Stuff 12,651 + 93rd 2,505) 2,630 15,156 Interest 65 62 Member Dues 7,165 5,265 Reunion Excess Proceeds 3,376 2,645 PX Sales & Books 2,991 2,806 Total Receipts 16,227 25,934 Disbursements Bank Charges (Pay Pal) 25 23 Delivery & Postage 482 830 Newsletter Publishing 3,066 3,076 Membership & Office Svcs 2010 & '11 2,600 1,200 Website Maintenance 377 377 Data Base Software 492 492 Gift to Mighty 8th Museum ( Archiving) 2,000 5,500 Dues, Licenses and Permits 0 618 Print - Book Pmts to Publishers 606 63 PX Purchases 1,956 840 Shipping: supplies & costs 483 411 Reunion Deposits & Petty Cash 2,125 250 Reunion Supplies 723 56 Hot Stuff Expense 0 1,995 D & O Insurance 0 250 Adjustments 0 -133 Total Disbursements 14,935 15,848 Net Receipts (Disbursements) 1,292 10,086 Statements are not audited or reviewed. Notes and Quotes A BOY, hile dancing ih a gil fo he fi ime, aid, Yoll hae o fogie me, b I onl kno o ep: he fo o and he ango. No kidding he eplied. Which i hi? A DINNER in a restaurant had been waiting a while fo hi meal. Finall, he aie ened and aid, Yo fih ill be coming in a mine o o, i. All igh, he dine eplied. O of cioi, ha bai ae o ing? A LAWYER oe a noe o one of hi clien: Thogh I a o on the street the other day. Crossed over to say hello, b i an o, o I en back. One-enh of an ho. $25. Reprinted from the American Legion magazine

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Page 9 www.93bg.com New Members Roll Call Since the October 2013 reunion, seven new members have joined the 93rd BG family. We welcome the following: (Vets are shown in bold) Greg Robertson son of Veteran Carl Robertson of the 409th. Redd Tedd pilo a William. Donna Blumenfeld daughter of Veteran Ray Eck. Richard Brown nephew of Veteran Bill Brown. Carol Gerard bio pending Wendy and Al Miller daughter of Veteran Eugene Hugh Boyle REMINDER: FOR 2014, all new memberships purchased for children and grandchildren of a living veteran is just $20. 2014 Dues are due in January 2014. If you know that your $25 membership is due, thank you for sending it to us ad ae  he c f edg  ede. D fge, f  a f  (2) ea, he c   $45, a 10% discount. We thank you in advance!! Happy New Year!! Dues and More With the new year comes renewal of your annual Membership in this grand Association. Of course, payment of Dues is pa of hi annal ial. Fo j $25, ($45 hen o pa fo o ea) o eceie 4 ie of he Ball Of Fie, probably the best newsletter out there still being published by any WWII veterans group. Not only that, we have the PX with its quality selected merchandise and resources for those trying to find our information about Dad, uncle or other VIV (Very Important 93rd Veteran). Also, we now have the ability to send you live coverage of our annual reunions for members not able to attend. We started this project at Hartford in October. We expect to be able to do that for the Dayton reunion in 2014. We have a special request of each of our members. In ode o ae he co of mailing o a pocad eminde hi ea, e ak hoe of o ho need o ene in Jana 2014, o end in o de ing he copon locaed a he bottom of this page. The money saved in postage will go toward our ongoing charitable projects. Thanks for your help! Jim Guddal, Treasurer and Membership _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Cut along this line _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Dues Payment Coupon for the 93rd Bombardment Group Association a 501 (c)(3) organization 2014 Dues $25 $ _______ 2014 and 2015 Dues $45 $ _______ Donation to the 93rd BG Charitable Projects $ _______ Grandchild 2014 when submitted by grandparent $20 each X ____ = $ _______ Total submitted by check or money order $ _______ Des ma also be remitted ia PaPal at the 93BG ebsite. Jst click the Membership tab and then B No. Follo the instrctions for PaPal. Name____________________________________________________________________________________ Street address _________________________________ City ___________________________ Zip__________

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Page 10 www.93bg.com 2014 Dayton, Ohio Reunion update: Thanks to everyone for feedback on the Hartford reunion! We are in the process of reviewing the information to make the 2014 Dayton Reunion an even better time! We are looking at possible slightly earlier dates, a more relaxing time with less activities, a focus on the Air Force Museum, and tours of the Dayton area. Also, we are exploring more events & education sessions to be conducted at the hotel, with more time available in our fabulous memorabilia room! More detailed information to follow soon, as we continue negotiations and planning for the Dayton Reunion! Watch for updates on the website and future Ball of Fire newsletters! Jim Root, Reunion Coordinator 2013 Hartford Reunion Group Photo If anyone who attended the Hartford Reunion in October is interested in an 8 X 10 glo phoo of o gop (inclding veterans), please contact Jim Root. Price is only $4.00 each, plus shipping to your house! Contact: Jim Root 15359 Red Fox Walk West Olive, Mi 49460 616-218-0787 jamesdavidroot@aol.com Membership Corner Jim Sellers, son-in-law of Veteran John Sullivan, father of Michael, our Web Master, shares his surprise at the New England Aviation Museum during our Hartford, CT Reunion. A REUNION WITH AN OLD FRIEND By LCDR Jim Sellers (Ret), USCG Each year I think we all get excited when we meet at the 93rd Bombardment Group Reunion. We look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones, having talks in the hospitality room, sharing time with each other at banquets, going to fun places and visiting the closest aviation museum. This year, we visited the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT on Saturday before lunch. As I was walking into the museum, John Mar aked me, Jim, ho man aicaf in hee hae o flon? I eplied, I haen een ha he hae, thinking he meant what type of aircraft I had flown. Having been in the military for 22 years (Army and Coast Guard) and having flown several types of helicopters and C-130 aircraft, I had seen all these types of aircraft in museums we had visited. We had lunch and broke down into groups to tour the museum. As the tour was ending, we turned from one group of aircraft to the next, and my eyes captured a sight that I had not seen for a long time. It was the type of helicopter that I had flown a USCG Ai Saion Miami in he 80. A o WWII Veterans remembered the B-24 models, nose art and tail numbers of the aircraft they flew, I immediately recognized the tail number. My pace quickened as I walked up to this aircraft because I could not wait to meet this old friend again. As I looked at her, my memories came back quickly. I had flown the HH52A helicopter conducting search and rescue (SAR) missions, drug interdiction in the Bahamas/Caribbean, deployments on USCG Cutters interdicting illegal aliens, training flights and being designated as an Aircraft Commander/Instructor pilot. As I walked up to her, without thinking, I said, I have flown this helicopter. The tour guide looked at me with a surprised and excited expression on his face. He aid, I have never had anyone say that they have actually flown an aicaf in hi mem. Like a child aking fo a piece of candy, I asked him if I could get inside. He was already moving toward the rope gate. As I was getting into the helicopter, my memories of how it should look were confirmed. My eyes moved quickly looking at the seats, radio rack, and circuit breaker panel in the interior of the aft cabin. As I had done a thousand times before as aircraft commander, I moved to the cockpit and climbed into the right seat. I quickly looked at the engine instruments, flight instruments and electrical panel and everything was as it should be. I thought to myself, if this was outside and a pre-flight was done, I remember how to start her, and I definitely know how to fly her. I last flew CG 1428 on 28 Feb 1983. CG 1428 was one of eleven HH52A helicopters assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Miami. At that time CG 1428 was white with the Coast Guard racing stripe. CG 1428 was repainted Orange and re-assigned to CGAS Detroit. At USCG Air Station Miami, I logged 1196 hours in the HH52A helicopters from January 1983 to Feb 1986. There are two missions I completed as an Aircraft Commander in an HH52A that stand out for me. On 8 May 1985 in CG 1379, I interdicted a 35 ft. vessel the Goeano off Miami, FL ih 1837 lb of cocaine on board (street value of $650,000,000). I received a call from Vice President Bush congratulating me on a job well done. On 28 Jan 1986, I was the first Coast Guard helicopter, CG 1424, on scene after the Challenger disaster. I flew off the back of the USCG Cutter Dallas for a week during the recovery efforts.

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Page 13 www.93bg.com B-24 42-50372 Johnnie Reb 329h BS RE R Snowwoman? I guess we know what he wants Santa to bring him! Where was my Hut or ????? Locating huts and other locations at Hardwick If you are looking for where at Hardwick your hut was or other photos that were taken, please contact me (see below). I have been able to help many veterans and next generation with locations on the airbase. I use the photo(s), background details and shadows to determine pattern of buildings and a possible North vector. Then, I review the actual building plans and wartime aerial photos to find it. It is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but I enjoy rediscovering the past. Call me crazy!! It is very rewarding. In the next BOFQE, I will show how this method was able to determine the location of the very large Bomb (lawn ornament) that so many veterans have photos of in their collections. FREE Memorabilia cataloging and Research I am willing to scan any documents, records and photos of a 93rd BG veteran and return ALL of the original items (nhamed) along ih cd of all can/jpeg image along with any additional information I can add regarding names, plane serial # /artwork and places. There is NO chage fo hi eice! I can alo make ea cd copies for family members. I have done this for several veterans over the years. My contact info is shown below. NEW Museum Alarm System The 93rd BG association has funded the upgrade of the alarm system and the addition of a multi-camera surveillance system. This is a state of the art system and will provide many years of inside and outside protection for the 93rd BG musem H and hei contents. Thank you very much to the 93rd BG Association and to all of the members who made a special donation for this effort!!!! Happy Holidays, Don Morrison 93rd BG Association Historian 1375 West Comet Rd Clinton, OH 44216 Home (330) 882-2536 Cell (330) 819-6409 Doniac1967@sbcglobal.net

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Page 14 www.93bg.com 93rd Website Update At the time of writing this article, 69,096 people have visited the 93rd BG website since it's redesign in November 2009. A visitor recently was logged all the way from Pforzen, Bayern, Germany. Please go to www.93bg.com to see the recorded webcast from the 2013 93BG reunion in Hartford, CT!!! These are the entire recordings from events each day in the banquet hall at the hotel. Events recorded are: Opening Ceremony, Educational Session/Hot Stuff Update, Business Meeting, Dinner/Pratt & Whitney Guest Speaker and the Memorial Dinner. Just click the link from the homepage and it will take you to all the recordings. At this year's 93rd BG reunion in Hartford, CT I was able to get the new and improved webcasting project up and running. The 93rd BG purchased some new equipment this year and it greatly increased the quality of the webcast. First and foremost, the ability to add more cameras was a big improvement. Also sound this time around greatly improved. We do still have issues with picking up people when they speak out at the tables. This is something to overcome at reunions in the future. I have included some statistics of who was watching our broadcast over the 4 days. Included are some definitions below of key headings in the data so you can understand the charts better. All in all it was a great second effort. We have a few challenges to overcome but if we won the war we can win something as simple as this! Concurrent Views: Displays how many viewers are watching the stream at each second. As viewers join and leave the stream, this number will fluctuate up and down. Total Viewers: Shows how many viewers have watched the stream since the current broadcast began. if you stop and restart your broadcast, this number will return to zero. Reconnecting within two minutes will keep the total number intact. This number is cumulative so you will never see a downward trend. This number is not unique viewers. If a viewer watches the stream for a while, leaves and comes back, that same viewer can be counted twice in the total viewer number. Michael Sellers, 93rd BG Webmaster www.93bg.com Email: mtsellers@mac.com Bomb Group Total Views Bomb Group Datetlme Views Datetl e 2013-10-17 61 2013-10-17 2013-10-18 34 2013-10-18 2013-10-19 129 2013-10-19 2013-10-20 76 2013-10-20 Unique Views Views 26 18 53 40 Bomb Group Datetl e 2013-10-17 17: 00 2013-10-17 18: 00 2013-10-17 19:00 2013-10-17 20:00 2013-10-17 21:00 2013-10-18 09:00 2013-10-18 10: 00 2013-10-18 11:00 2013-10-19 08:00 2013-10-19 09:00 2013-10-19 10:00 2013-10-19 11:00 2013-10-19 17:00 2013-10-1918:00 2013-10-19 19:00 2013-10-19 20:00 2013-10-19 21:00 2013-10-20 17:00 2013-10-20 18:00 2013-10-20 19:00 Concurrent Views Views 3 5 8 8 7 6 8 7 1 5 7 7 6 12 14 9 3 14 15 16

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Page 15 www.93bg.com Hot Stuff Update by Jim Lux (Excerpt from Jim Lux's newsletter) I decided a newsletter was the only way to keep everyone informed who is interested in following the B-24 Hot Stuff/Gen. Andrews Project. The goal of the project is to get long overdue recognition for the B-24 Hot Stuff, her crew and those killed when Hot Stuff crashed in Iceland on May 3, 1943. A fund raiser was set up for a memorial monument that will be placed near the crash site and pieces of recovered Hot Stuff wreckage are being offered for display in prominent museums throughout the United States. I want to thank all who have made donations and to the 93rd Bombardment Group Association for their support. The plan is to raise $70,000+ in time for the monument to be in place by May 3, 2018 the 75th Anniversary of the accident. I have a PowerPoint presentation I can forward to anyone interested in making a presentation to help raise funds. Thanks, Jim jlux@austin.rr.com Monument Fund Now $14,151.00 As of Nov. 1, 2013: Total Income $16,036.00. Expenses 1,885.00 Balance $14,151.00 The Hot Stuff/Gen. Andrews memorial monument fund is off to a great start since the kick off last January. Expenses include $1,838.00 for the plaque that was placed next to the site of the future monument in time for the memorial service commemorating the 70th anniversary of the accident and $ 47.00 for miscellaneous postage. U.S. Air Force Academy Visit on July 3, 2013 I visited the AFA in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the invitation of Grant Weller, Lt. Col., Ph. D. He is the Deputy Head of the Dept. of History. I presented the Hot Stuff/Gen. Andrews story to an audience of 12 to 14 staff members and held a question and answer session afterwards. The presentation went very well and I received a thank you letter and an invitation to return from Lt. Col. Edward Kaplan, Department Head. Jan Andrews Clark, granddaughter of Gen. Andrews below his portrait at the Air Force Academy Library. Meeting with Bill and Christine Gros on October 15, 2013 I had the honor to meet and interview Bill Gros and his wife Kristine at their home in Paoli, PA. Bill was the radio operator on the B-24 Liberator Eager Beaver and was the best friend of Ken Jeffers, the radio operator on Hot Stuff who was killed in the crash. He told me many stories about his time in England and North Africa with the 93rd Bomb Group. He also told me that it was common knowledge that Hot Stuff was the first to complete 25 missions and that it was going home to help sell war bonds but some crew members were bumped from the flight by Gen. Andrews and his staff. I also interviewed Kristine. She was a WASP during World War II and had many interesting stories about the trials and tribulations of being a female pilot in World War II. Meeting at the Smithsonian NASM on October 24, 2013 I met with Smithsonian NASM Museum Curator Dr. Jeremy Kinney. We discussed the possibility of having a Hot Stuff/Gen. Andrews display in the museum. There is a possibility, but it would be more of a general B-24 display rather than specifically about the story of Hot Stuff. The Museum currently has little information on display about the B-24. Jeremy expressed an interest in having something that might include the personal effects of passengers and/or crewmembers and a piece or two of wreckage. He was very interested having examples of tools Icelanders made from pieces of Hot Stuff wreckage they found at the crash site.

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Page 16 www.93bg.com I have contacted my Icelander friend Doddi Marteinsson and he is going to try to located some. Chances of finding any are slim, at best, but worth a try. The effort to have some kind of a display in the Smithsonian NASM is certainly worth the effort and Jeremy agreed to work with me to try to make it happen. Meeting at the Iceland Embassy in Washington, D.C. on October 25, 2013 The meeting with Erlingur Erling's son went very well. He was aware of the Hot Stuff/General Andrews story and suggested a fund raising event be organized in Iceland and with large companies invited to attend. I sent an email to the American Ambassador to Iceland Luis Arreaga requesting the Emba help and support for the fund raiser. Ambassador Arreaga has been a great supporter of the monument project. I am waiting for his response. Rich Marx's Report - Hot Stuff Marker Our 19-hour Iceland adventure occurred in September 2013. My wife and I had a short layover on a trip from the states to Denmark, where she celebrated her 25th boarding school reunion. In this short time, we traversed the southwestern corner of this beautiful country. I always thought it was a small island, but oh how wrong I was! We only scratched the surface of this land formed through so much volcanic upheaval. During our quick, yet momentous trip, we saw many wonders of the world including the Gullfoss (Golden Waterfall), glaciers, geysers, as well as the hot springs at the Blue Lagoon. We felt like we were contestants on our favorite show, The Amazing Race, doing so much in a short time, while in a foreign and exotic land. Mesmerizing though these wonders were, they paled in comparison to what the marker about the crew of the B24 Hot Stuff represented. We visited the marker near Grindavik, Iceland, which is also the site of the future memorial to those who died near here. This spot gave us a view of the crash site on Mt. Fagardalsfjall, where Hot Stuff crashed on May 3rd, 1943, after an aborted landing at Keflavik during a rainstorm. While much of Iceland is a land of beauty and amazement, the area where the crash occurred is quite desolate. This landscape resembles the grainy pictures I have seen of the moon and French World War I battlefields. Not much appears to have changed in this part of Iceland since 1943. Rch Ma (Jh ad Raa  ad Ea Fahe) a Mae The marker stands as a bleak reminder of a distant past. It is a testament to the sacrifice of 13 Americans, who gave their lives in a tyrannous fight as they tried to return stateside for rest and recuperation. Four of these men had recently completed 25 missions and were scheduled to tour the country selling war bonds. Three were military chaplains. Two were members of Lieutenant Geneal Fank M. Ande aff, ho aeled ih him. He was the Commander of the European Theater of Operations. The tail gunner survived. We are thankful that this historic location became a memorable part of our Icelandic adventure. Amidst such beauty on Iceland, it is sad that such a tragedy occurred.

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Page 17 www.93bg.com Hot Stuff Memorial Fund Project To view the "must see" video on YouTube about the B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff, go to this link: http://youtu.be/etX1lid-8fs HOT STUFF MEMORIAL FUND PROJECT Jim Lux. Pr(?ject Coordinutor Na111.:1· Strw1ge1: 93rd Bomh Group Assistulll Tr<!asun!r Donations are no,, being accepted to create and build a memorial in recognition of'·( lot Stun~-- the rirst 8th Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 missions in WWII. Four members of the original Hot Stuff ere,\ died when the plane crashed into a mountainside in Iceland on /\la) 4. 1943. In addition to cre\\membcrs. others killed in the crash were Lt. General frank M. Andre\\ •. three members of his staff. two U.S. Ann} Chaplains. and a civilian who served as the U.S. Military Chief of Chaplains. The deaths of Lt. General Frank M. Andre\\S and his staff created a crisis for American military leadership in Europe. Lt. General Dwight D. Eisenho,,er \\US C'-entually cha ·en to replace Andrews. Jim Lux. or Austin. TX. is spearheading the fundraising efforts for the memorial. Jim has traveled to Iceland. viewed the site of the crash. and actually found ome pieces of"! lot Stufi~•· which were shipped to the U.S .. courtesy oflcelandair Airlines. Jim is available to speak to groups about the project. If you would like fur-ther information about the memorial project. or you ,,ould like Jim to speak about the project to a group. please contact him. H: 512-327-1750 C: 512-731-8024 email: jluxraaustin.rr.com The ational Museum of the United States Air Force has received various parts of the plane. thanks to Jim's efforts on this project. The Ambassador to Iceland. Luis Arreaga. Iceland government officials. and a number of retired U.S. military officers and enlisted personnel are supporting Jim on the project. To participate in this important memorial project. fill out the donor card belo,, and submit with your check or money order. Please make your checks payable to the ··93rd Bombardment Group Association:· with a notation of··WWII 8-24 Memorial." Send your a check or monc) order. along" ith the completed donor card. to the address noted on the card. Those ,vho donate $250 or more will receive a copy of the rare bool "Ted's Travelling Circus." Our sincerest thank you for your support of this important project. r 7 B-24 Liberator "Hot Stuff" Memorial Charitable Donation Donation Amount: __________ _ Complete Name /please print clear/\·/---------------------City ___________ _ State ____ _ Zip ____ _ (:,tree() /he 93rd Bo111barc/111e11t Group lssociatiu11 is ii 50l(cJ(31 \'011 Profit Orgc111b1tirm. /)cmatio11.1 fin· the ., /lot swrr· 11/Cl/l(Jrial project are· r,n cleductihle. ji you clonate S150 or more. you will recl'i,·e a recl"ipt from the organi=atirm.furyour tw: record,. I . I CO/~\' <1(1·011r check is u Sl(f}lciem record /or d1matiu11s smaller rha11 S250. L 1\tlail check or money order to: 93rd Bombardment Group Association 783 '\urth Sedona Court Grand .Junction, Colorado 81:506 _J

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Page 20 www.93bg.com On the opposite side of this hut we are developing a British home front display and as you can see in the picture we have had a night air raid scene painted depicting the skyline of Norwich, the sky being lit by searchlight beams with barrage balloons and aircraft silhouettes. This will be a backdrop for the display of home front memorabilia and a big thanks to Jim Clarey for organising this. I am also in the early stages of organising some of our information on computer both for archiving and display purposes and we hope to make digital copies of photographs that have been donated assisted by a recently donated scanner/printer. This along with a laminator will also assist in on-the- fl label podcion fo o ne dipla arrangements. So a o can ee b he pice e ae e mch a ok in poge  and hope o complee all he ine ok on schedule to enhance the museum at station 104 Hardwick England ready for the 2014 season. You also might like to know about a new project funded by our Heritage Lottery Fund (unless you know about it already). It's a 3 year project looking at the impact of the arrival of the 8th American Air Force across the east of England in World War 2. It's early days, but your readers may like to keep an eye on how it develops. Currently its face book page explaining what it's about is: https://www.facebook.com/8theast with a web page being developed at: http://8theast.org/ Representatives of this project have recently been in contact with David Woodrow & Paul Thrower looking for potential projects to get involved in so I hope we can all benefit from any future collaboration. I hope you find this useful Regards, Derek Fulton d.fulton@tiscali.co.uk Folded Wings Asch, Col. Alfred, December 8, 2013 (Email from son, Pete Asch. He will submit an article for the Spring 2014 issue) We are deeply saddened that he had left us but his parting was very gentle and peaceful......he did not suffer. As I was told, he watched the DVD of the reunion many times during the time he had remaining and remembered all of the old veterans and many of the new members. At any rate, he is entitled to a military funeral with full honors.........at this time, I am still waiting for the date of his internment at Arlington. I am glad you gave me the March date since it would be most appropriate to submit an article for the Spring issue. At any rate, you can announce that he did depart 8 December 2013 at 13:18 hours. That would be the day after Pearl Harbor Day at 13:00 hours which is about the time the infamous speech but FDR was broadcast "Yesterday, December 7th, 1941, a date that will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan". I guess my Dad had another mission he had to fulfill. Bless You Aton, Charles E., November 17, 2013 (email from son, Dave Aton)

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Page 21 www.93bg.com Please be advised Charles E. Aton of Louisville, Ky., passed away on Nov. 17, 2013 at 91. He was a 1st lieutenant and B-14 bombardier stationed at Hardwick starting February 1944, and was injured when his plane, badly damaged by enemy flak, crashed in southern England on May 12. Bertolino, Clement S. "Buzz", September 4, 2013 BERTOLINO, Clement S. "Buzz" died at age 91. He was a docent at Pima Air and Space Museum. Buzz was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Mary. He leaves a son, two daughters, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Donations may be made to Pima Air & Space Museum. - Cogburn, Dr. Cecil, June 11, 2013 (from Jim Root: Dr. Cecil Cogburn was the "Assistant" Engineering Officer under my dad at Hardwick. I last saw/spoke with him in October of 2009.) Dr. Cecil O. Cogburn, 94, died at the Willard Walker Hospice Home. He was born in Caddo Gap, Arkansas on May 22, 1919 to Harrison Cogburn and Ora Ledbetter Cogburn, and was their only surviving child. Dr. Cogburn was a professor of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering at the University of Arkansas from 1947 until 1989. After his service in the United Sae Ai Foce ding Wold Wa II, he aended he Uniei of Akana hee he eceied boh hi Bachelo and Mae degee in Mechanical Engineeing, hile conining on in he U.S. Ai Foce eee. A he ecipien of a National Science Foundation fellowship, he received his doctorate degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of London in 1970. He was married to love of his life, Kathryn Cunningham Cogburn, for 62 years until her death in 2004. His only child, Thomas Harrison Cogburn, died in 1990. He had many interests in life  he loved traveling, flying small planes, cars, and teaching. A recently completed engineering addition at Corley Hall on the Arkansas Tech campus in Russellville has been named in honor of Dr. Cogburn in recognition of his continued support for nuclear engineering education and his financial gif. In man a, D. Cogbn i knon a he fahe of nclea engineeing edcaion in he ae of Akana. Among D. Cogbn mo laing conibutions to higher education in Arkansas was his introduction of nuclear engineering courses at the University of Arkansas. His financial gifts helped Arkansas Tech develop a Master of Science degree in nuclear engineering. Dr. Cogburn also influenced several generations of his students to become engineers and engineering teachers. He is survived by his daughter-in-law, Carol Nevin Cogburn. Geyer, Donald Clarence , November 26,2013. (Email from Phyllis & Joe Duran) He was 90 years old. Don was a part of the Don Gaston crew, 409th Bomb Squadrons. He flew 34 bombing missions with the 93rd. Joe and I had the privilege of meeting Don at the 1st 93rd Reunion we attended in Colorado Springs. We always will remember his kind and generous nature. Over the years we had many wonderful conversations, something we will always treasure. Don's complete obituary can be found at: http;//www.legacy.com/obituaries/rgj/obituaru.aspx?n=donald-c-geyer&pid=168307974&fhid=15275 Heffner Jr., Francis, August 18, 2012Francis "Earl" Heffner, Jr. was born on October 3, 1923 in Detroit, Michigan. His proud parents were Francis E. and Lavina J. (nee Cooney) Heffner and they were of Irish and English descent. He died on Thursday, August 30, 2012 peacefully at his home in Troy, Michigan. He was 88 years of age. Earl was a resident of Troy for over 50 years and was a former resident of Detroit. He was a 1941 Honors graduate of McKenzie High School in Detroit. He graduated with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit. He was a proud veteran of the US Army Air Corps, during WWII, serving as a navigator on a B29 Bomber. He retired in 1983, after a lifelong career as a mechanical engineer for General Motors. Earl enjoyed woodwork, photography and traveling with the Nomads. Earl was the beloved husband of Regina "Ginni" Heffner (nee Pachuta) and they were married for 54 years. Dear cousin of Robert Cooney and Stuart Cooney (Janet). Brother-in-law of Martin Pachuta (Irene). Also by nine nieces and nephews. Lowder, Gale P. (email from his son, Claude Lowder) My name is Claude Lowder, and would like to add to your Folded Wings column on 93rd website My father Gale P. Lowder who passed 2004, he was a waist and nose gunner with the Clement crew,329th BS..Thank You for adding him.

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Page 22 www.93bg.com Macks, Morton August 7, 2013 (Email from Joe & Phyllis Duran) Morton was one of the 93rd's original Pilots, 330th sq. He began his tour of duty in 1942 in the ship called EL LOBO #23692. By April 1943 he had completed 27 missions and was awaiting rotation back to the States. In Aug. of that year Morton would become part of the 93rd's Officers that would work in Operations for the Ploesti Mission in Bengazi Africa. Because of the great loss during that mission 330 sq CO Ramsey Potts asked Morton to stay on and continue to fly Combat Missions for the 93rd. On Aug.13,1943 he would climb back into a B-24 called the Duchess #24147 and fly the Wiener-Neustadt mission. It was my great pleasure and honor to have had a chance to get to know this man and I would have to agree with Cal Stewart's quote of Col. Ted Timberlake that "Capt. Morton Macks was our court jester and his generous smile were valuable tools". Every photo I have ever seen had Morton with that smile. He was also most gracious with his time and help on my numerous phone calls and questions about the 93rd history as well as his recollections of my Uncle Joe Avendano.. Those phone calls I will truly miss. Metro, Charles Sidney "Sid",1922 - 2012 (email from W. John Phillips) (second row far right) On January 28, 1945, ten crewmen aboard a B-24 Liberator with the 328th Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group took off from Station 104 Hardwick, East Anglia on their way to Geman industrialized Ruhr Valley. It was the beginning of their 24th mission together. They had heard the stories about the dark days of the air campaign in 1943/44, when 65 B-17s were lost over Schweinfurt/ Regensburg and 54 Liberators, including a number from the 93rd, were lost attacking the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Each downed bomber carried a 10-man crew that was, like them, a cross section of American oh. B b Ne Yea, 1945 the war was steadily grinding to certain Allied victory. Heavy bombers of the 8th Air Force pummeled German cities and industrial centers during the day with thousand-plane formations that took almost an hour to pass overhead. 8th Air Force P-51 Mustang escorts gave bomber crews a security umbrella all the way to the deepest targets and back that ce in 1943/44 hadn enjoed. And hen he n en don, RAF Lancae emed he beaing hogh he nigh. With dwindling stocks of both fuel and pilots, Luftwaffe resistance was crumbling. B he fae of a ied ha da fo pilo Joe Roacke and hi ce. I an FLAK o fighe ha plaged their B-24 shortly after crossing into occupied Holland, but gremlins (later rumored to be sabotage). Number 1 engine sputtered to a stop, then # 2. Neither could be feathered and the drag of the windmilling props steadily pulled the bomber out of formation and toward earth. Rosacker gingerly turned the unbalanced ship back West toward England. Then , #4 i. The een going o make i. Oe Nai-held Schouwen Island on the Dutch coast, Rosacker ordered his crew to bale out. The empty bomber nearly circled back into the descending airmen before crashing. German soldiers fired on them as they floated down. All were captured. They were taken by train to Germany and force-marched to a Luftwaffe

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Page 23 www.93bg.com Stalag in Moosburg. Along the way, outraged German civilians demanded they be handed over to be killed. British Spitfires strafed them. American and British bombers bombed them. Long interrogations, beatings, solitary confinement and geneal piaion aaied hem a Moobg. Ye all ied and afel ened home a a end o eme private lives that the war had so surrealistically interrupted two years before. One of the returning Rosacker crew was 23-year old waist gunner, SSgt Sid Metro of Moundsville, W. Virginia, a small coal mining town on a bend in the Ohio River a few miles south of Wheeling. His story is just one of millions that make p he ich moaic ha i he geae geneaion. Sid a bon Chale Sidne Meo on Decembe 9, 1922, he onge of 6 childen of Michel and Aleanda Meanko. Sid fahe and mohe had emigaed from Kiev, Ukraine ding he ocial pheaal folloing he fi Rian eolion in 1905. Like o man of Ameica ne immigan fom eastern Europe who found work in the coal mines and steel mills of W. Virginia and Pennsylvania, Mischel became a coal mine. He Ameicanied hi name fom Meanko o Meo afe aiing in he U.S. Sid ge p poo, b b all accounts he grew up happy thanks to the closeness, care and support of his five older brothers and sisters. He also grew to a strapping 62 and 190 lb. He loed po and oon leaned ha ahleic and edcaion cold be a icke o of Moundsville and life in the mines. Sid was the first of his siblings to stay in school past the 8th grade, graduating high school and going on to the University of Kentucky on a basketball scholarship. And then came the war, and Sid enlisted in March, 1943. The Army Air Corps needed aircrews and after basic training he was sent to aerial gunnery school where he earned his sergeant stripes and gunne ing. He a hen en o Lincoln, Nebaka in Apil, 1944 and aigned o the crew with Joe Rosacker as pilot. The Rosacker crew was then sent to an OTU (operational training unit) in Boise, ID where they flew practice missions day and night and came together as a practiced combat team. From Boise, the combat-ready crew traveled to Topeka, Kansas to pick up a gleaming new B-24J they would ferry over to England. There i no miaking Sid in he ce phoo aken in Topeka in Jl, 1944. He aller and broader than any of his crewmates. Then it was off to England and seven weeks later, Sid and the rest of the Rosacker Crew took off from Hardwick on their first combat mission. Almost five months to the day and 23 missions later, Sid and the others jumped from their stricken bombe. A he end of Apil, 1945, Paon ank cahed hogh he ie a he Moobg Salag, feeing he Roacke Crew and almost 100,000 other prisoners. For them, the war in Europe was over. Sid mustered out in December, 1945 and went home with an Air Medal and three oak leaf clusters, a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with three Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart for a shrapnel wound in the knee courtesy of a Luftwaffe FLAK gunner. Sid resumed college on the GI Bill, playing football for and graduating from the University of W. Virginia. He eventually headed to New York City to find work. One evening he attended a reception at the Roosevelt Hotel and a pretty young hostess pinned a rose on his lapel. Their eyes locked. He asked her out. Two dates later he proposed and Barbara Evans of Elmira, NY accepted. Her father, a successful Elmira retailer, was concerned enough that his daughter was so quickly swept off her feet that he hired a private investigator to find out who this brash young stranger was. He needn hae oied. Sid and Babaa ee inepaable fo almo 60 ea, and an anniea oe in hi jacke lapel held a special place in both their hearts. Sid spent the bulk of his career with the All Steel Furniture Company, raising his famil in Glen Ridge, NJ nil eiing a he compan NE Regional Diic Sale Manage. He a a lifelong NY Gian fan, holding season tickets for many years. But mostly, Sid lived for a simple devotion to his family, dinners out and romantic getaways with Barbara and being a father to his daughters Susan, Patricia, Nancy and son David. The bond between the crewmates forged by war lasted a lifetime. Every Christmas, they exchanged cards and sometimes phone calls with well wishes and family news. Occasionally, Sid was invited to an upcoming reunion, but he didn go. The ea olled b and hen on he ee of he 50th Anniversary of WW II, his former crewmates invited Sid to collaborate with them on a book of remembrances intended to give their families, and others, a better perspective and understanding of the meaning of their service a half century before. Against All Odds was published in 1996, and stitched together poignant recollections fom all he Roacke Ceall b one. Fo eaon of hi on, Sid Meo declined o participate. The decision at the time disappointed both his crewmates and his grown children, according to daughter Nancy. But it was a decision they respected. I had he piilege of meeing Sid Meo onl ice a he home of o fiend, Sid daghe and on-in-law Nanc and G DAndea in Monclai, NJ. Sid ala oe a mile ha elcomed ange ih a genine amh and humility. He seemed almost shy, but you could sense the strength that lay underneath. It made me want to know him bee and o i a ih eal adne ha I leaned of Sid paing in Decembe, 2010. I a a piilege o hae me him. He and all WW II airmen have been my boyhood heroes for 60 years, those ordinary, extraordinary young men I grew up with who helped defeat Nazi Germany. My Dad was a fighter pilot with the 9th Air Force, and he never talked about the war or went to reunions, either. He had put a tight lid on that chapter of his life to contain the pain of things he saw and did. But as he neared 60 years of age, the good things of the experience, the comradery and pride of service, began to percolate through in simple ways that gave signs of healing, like displaying his wings and ribbons and squadron patch for the first time. He never did speak of the war but like Sid found a way, his own way and to put the experience in a life cone o finall be a peace ih i. B i ook decade. If Sid cemae ee iniiall diappoined ha he didn participate in writing their book, it passed quickly. They certainly understood and respected why. He earned his privacy and they appreciated that Sid was already a material contributor to the book by virtue of their shared experiences. It is his book, too, because Sid was and will eternally be a member in good standing of the Rosacker Crew. Below is a link to he book ien abo he Roacke Ce, Again All Odd. Sid was a waste gunner on this ce.. http://www.narrativepress.com/profile.php?book_id=1-58976-126-X

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Page 24 www.93bg.com Porter, Donald Lindsay 1922-2013 (Submitted by Sarah Waterbury) I'm sure someone must have said "War is Hell." Not mine!! Mine was a good war, an adventure that opened my eyes on the outside world and was undoubtedly responsible for my taking a job with Chase that kept me/us abroad for 35 years. DLP Don was a bomber pilot! I fle comba ih he 8th AF the last year (1944-45) of he a. I fle 32 miion over Germany including targets in Berlin and most other major German centers, admittedly, I was pretty frightened going into most targets but was only shot-up once (my 18th mission, over Augsburg March 1,'45) and crash landed safely on some farmer's field a hundred miles or so east of Calais in liberated France. All-in-all my group took its share of the 1,000 or more B24s lost and the 10,000+ crewmen [who peihed]. He fle he B-24 Liberator out of England - 409th Bomb Squadron - 93rd Bomb Group. I fle home in Ma '45 (England/Wales/Scotland/Iceland/Greenland/Labrador/Connecticut) and was discharged a few months later, (after towing targets out of Deming New Mexico flying B-25s and B-26s.) Don loved the ladies! I m add ha hile in England, dodging ome V one and aiing o a fe V2', I also did a lot of dancing in Norwich and mostly at London's Hammersmith Palais. 'Twas a great ballroom filled in my day/nights with beautiful young ladies (many if not most in WAAC/LA/other uniforms); plus we Yanks, a few Poles, and some Frogs; the Brit lads were all off fightin' some far away war!!! I almost always walked a lady home on the blacked-out dark streets smooching with an ear cocked for the odd Nazi V2. One memorable night I was making out with one such beauty in a dark street side entry-way when a V2 whistled down and blew out all the windows of the Marble Arch Hotel, [as] I was to learn later, preferring, at the time, not to be interrupted by lesser matters. We were many blocks away from the blast, thank goodness, or I might not be writing this incriminating note. Somehow I obviously got back to my OC pad on Jermyn Street, off Piccadilly. Next day I took a look at Marble Arch area rubble, caught a train back to Norwich and out to my 8th AF 93rd BG base at Hardwick, southeast of town; To ge ead fo a bi of ok befoe a fe moe nigh a Hammemih. Don had some close calls! This is from his scrap book. The caption is, "Liberators over Germany". He took photos from the cockpit. V-ones were also part of daily life during my time as well. Up below the Wash in north east England where, perhaps, most of our bomber bases were located (including mine) were an attraction. Most nights Jerry planes would fly V ones up and off the north sea coast and set them flying at us and other bases, I assume. For much of my early days (Oct-Dec '44) I and others would run for our convenient, but largely water-filled bomb shelters when we heard the

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Page 25 www.93bg.com approaching pop, pop, pop of the V's engines. Gradually as most passed right on over we quit going out and just waited in bed or at our make-shift desks, That mostly worked fine and we didn't get uncomfortably wet as we would have standing in the ankle deep water in the BS. One night while sitting at my bedside desk in my Nissan Hut residence otherwise with my 7 fly brothers-in-arms, and perhaps a young lady that our resident Romeo Hughie Long may have had aboard, there came the pop, pop, pop. Then to our surprise the pop stopped, that signaled that the Vs engine had stopped and it would now come down and explode!!! Where the hell is it, I'm sure we all said to ourselves. Well it turned out that it was a mile or so east of our Nissan, off the base!! Thank whom/what so ever!!! The explosion nonetheless knocked me and my chair back and onto my bed, with the contents of my two shelf bookcase spread across my chest and bed, including the picture of back-home girl friend Joyce McKercher. A picture by the way that I just mailed back to Joyce last year, regrettably without mention the adventure the picture and I had survived!! Only Close-Call experienced from the Vs, except perhaps that of the previously described Mable Ach V2. Don was clear-eyed. A a mae of poible inee: e ala aid hee ee hee fling risks. In order of importance: 1) pilot error 2) mechanical failure 3) enem acion (back row second from left) Don cared deeply. On aeage 6600 Ameican eice men died per MONTH, during WW2 (about 220 a day). From Germany's invasion of Poland Sept. 1, 1939 until Japan 's surrender on Sept. 2, 1945 = 2,433 days. America lost an average of 170 planes a day. A B-17 carried 2,500 gallons of high octane fuel and carried a crew of 10 airmen."  276,000 aircraft manufactured in the U.S.  43,000 planes lost overseas, including 23,000 in combat  14,000 lost in the continental U.S. These are very moving statistics. People who were not around during WW2 have no understanding of the magnitude. Thi gie ome inigh. D chde, Ma Pe, Lda Pe Deh ad Saah Pe Waeb ae gaef f hag had ch a wonderful father. And we are thankful to him and all those who fought and served in WWII. 93BG 329BS Hardwick, England 7 I 44-5/ 45 2nd Reunion-Colorado Springs, Colorado 9/11/87-9/13/87

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Page 26 www.93bg.com Rhoades, Ray J., September 21, 2013 (email from daughter, Debby Smith) It is with great sadness and pride I report the passing of another one of the Greatest Generation's Heroes, my Dad: 1st Lt. Ray J. Rhoades Serial # 0722890 93BG-330 Squadron Navigator on B-24 "Solid Comfort" April 1944-Nov 1045 He passed peacefully at home surrounded by loving family 9-21-13 Wife: Mary B. Rhoades Thank you, Debby for the Rhoades Family Thompson, Glen, September 29, 2013 (from Jim Guddal: Glen and Robert "Obie" Oberschmid Pilot of the 329th were the last two of their crew.) The Biography of S/SGT Glen D. Thompson, Jr. by Diane Thompson King On this past September 29, 2013, we said our final goodbye to my dad, Glen Thompson, known to most as Tommy, Dad, Grandpa, or Uncle Tommy. He had just turned 88 years old in August. According to him, he was one of only two remaining members of his WWII flight crew from the B-24 bomber that flew together on 30 missions over Germany, France, Holland, and Belgium. Now the pilot, R.E. Oberschmid, is the lone survivor. I am the youngest of the three children born to Tommy and Mary Thompson, who met and married several years after his return to the U.S. from the war. My two older brothers and I sat through more war movies than I can econ, ince m fahe famil oned heae in eeal towns all over Oklahoma. One was about a mile from our modest little home, and my mother would ake  hee o i in hee moie hile Dad oked a he manage. I don emembe ee being told, I just always knew that Daddy had been in this war in an airplane. Becae Dad a he ie one and m mom he alke, he didn alk abo hee hing much when I was a child. As I grew older and less absorbed with my own doings, I began to ask him about more of the details of his time in World War II. Dad loved to talk about it to anyone who showed any interest, but it was not in his nature to initiate a conversation. I have other friends whose fathers were very closed-up about their time in WWII and seem to have suffered deep trauma from it, refusing to ever discuss it. My dad was the opposite. My brothers and I all agee ha hi eemed o be he highligh of Dad life  a time when he was on point with a higher purpose, perhaps even the ape. While he nee peended ha he an afaid of hing he a o did, he ook ha in ide and became ie animaed in he elling. Someime in he lae 80, m paen econneced ih he cemen and hei ie and attended several reunions in various locations around the country. One of the things I had the foresight to do was to give Dad a unique present back in 1994 for his 69th birthday. It was a blank book with lined pages, with my request for him to fill it out with his memories so that I could preserve it for his grandchildren, who were too young at the time to have the good sense to learn more about their grandfather. To my delight, he filled it out completely, starting with a little about his childhood and the last couple of pages on his marriage and childen bih. The e of he book a filled ih hi experiences in service of the U.S. Army Air Corps. It offered details, stories, and information I would never have known otherwise. I made copies of this book, which was written in his beautiful perfect cursive, and gave one to each of his children and grandchildren at his graveside memorial as we laid him to his final rest. It is from this account that I will share some of his memories. During his high school years at St. Grego Caholic high school in Shawnee, Oklahoma, he developed his love of airplanes by building many model airplanes, collecting pictures and information in a scrapbook, and making quick identification his hobby. After graduation in 1943, at the age of 18 he pursued his dream of becoming a pilot by volunteering and taking the test to be an Army Air Corp cadet and was accepted. A local banker who was the head of the draft board asked him if he could use his name as a draftee so he could fill his quota. He later washed out of cadet training because of his being listed as a draftee instead of a volunteer, as well as a problem with his depth perception and

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Page 27 www.93bg.com the fact that there were already more than enough pilots in training. In September 1944 he went to four months of basic training at Amarillo Army Air Corp base. It should have lasted only nine weeks, but somehow his records were lost and there was no record of his being there. He might have ended up staying there the entire war if he had not finally gotten in to speak with a C.O. Captain about what was going on! He finally was sent to Harlingen AAF base in Harlingen, Texas, for 12 weeks of gunnery school, where he graduated top in his class in March 1944. He was one of the last two to join a ten-man crew in June of 1944 in Casper, Wyoming, of which 2nd Lt. Robert E. Oberschmid would be the command pilot. Dad was the top turret gunner. This crew, assigned to the 93rd Bomb Group, 409the Bomb Squadron, 20th Combat Wing, 2nd Air Force Division, 8th Air Force reported for duty at Hardwick, England and flew together on 30 missions, occasionally with additional crewmen. Their first mission was on August 4, 1944 over Rostock, Germany. The target was a ball bearing plant for aircraft and ank. Accoding o Dad account: Yo alk abo en geenhon ho didn hae he lighe idea of ha e ee in fo and ha o epec, b e een he fi no he la, e old do o dmbe be o ie. Thank he Lod, e did! One of the most dangerous and memorable missions they flew was Mission #9 to Groesbeck, Germany on September 18, 1944. Down below on the ground was a desperate situation for the Allied troops that turned out to be one of the worst disasters of WWII for them. As recounted in the movie A Bridge Too Far, the British Field Marshall Montgomery had mistakenly counted on allied paratroopers being able to surprise the Germans and take the bridges at Remagen and Arnhem, Holland. Instead, a horrible carnage took place when the 82nd and 101st Airborne troops were cut off and onded b Geman pane. Dad ce and man ohe fle in lo leel, eeop fling, ing o go belo German radar units to try to re-supply these forces. Unfortunately the Germans already knew they were coming. The panzers shot down 21 P-51s and 24 B-24s, and caused more troops lost in this battle than in Normandy on D-Day. According to Dad: Ve lile of he pplie e ied o ge o hem managed o fall in hei hand inead of enem hand. . . We fle 50 feet off the ground and received gun fire from every kind of gun you can imagine from tanks, to machine guns, to rifles and piol, all he a in and all he a o. We fle oe a Holland illage (don kno he name of i o hi da) b e were so low yo cold ee he fiendlie aing o , hen behind hem old be Geman infan banging aa ih hei ifle and piol. On hi ame occaion, e fle b a ci hall ih a Geman bgemeie in he bell oe shooting directly at me with what looked like a shotgun of some kind, and when I whirled my twin .50 caliber machine guns around and fired about 2 bursts of 10 rounds, the tower simply disintegrated in a mass of smoke, bricks flying as if it had exploded. I finally realized how powerful two fifty-caliber machine guns firing armor-piercing incendiary can be at point-blank range. The man and the tower disintegrated, all but about two feet from the bottom of the building was leeled. Another mission worth mention is #25 on March 3, 1945 to Magdeburg, Germany. Their plane was lead for all the 2nd Air Division, who on this day were in front of the whole 8th Air Force, probably including 3,000 heavy bombers and 2,500 fighter planes. Flying at an altitude of 31,000 feet in order to clear the clouds, Dad spotted three unidentified aircraft a he o oclock poiion. The fle diecl nde Dad plane, b he cold ee no making o idenif hem. Afaid they might be friendlies, and because they were not pointing any guns at their nose, they did not fire at them. Later, these three planes turned around and hit the group behind them, knocking down three B-24. A he fle oad Dad plane a i oclock, he ail e gnne, Allen Soenon, knocked don he fi o, hen a he hid one climbed vertically and a diecl aboe he op e, Dad nailed him. Hi commen a, Tha a he fi ime e fond o he ee three ME-262s, German twin jet propelled fighters, faster than anything in the air up to that time, and the first time to be used in combat against the 8th Ai Foce. On landing and epoing fo biefing, eeone a ecied fo o kill. The pilot, R.E. Oberschmid, received the Distinguished Flying Cross for the three planes they downed. Somewhere in the queue of Dad 30 miion, he ffeed an appendicii aack and ended p haing an emergency appendectomy, which caused him to miss one of the missions. In order to make it up, he was assigned to fill in on another crew for one mission. When he reported for this duty, he found his pilot was to be none other than the famous actor, Jimmy Stewart! Dad said he was an excellent pilot and an all-around great man. Thee ae man ohe ineeing oie in m dad accon, b pace limi me fom expounding fhe. I mi Dad and feel he lo of no j him, b hi geneaion geane. I am so glad for these precious first-hand accounts of what he and others lived through during this e memoable and impoan ime in o naion hio. M onl ege i ha I didn ak him more questions, because he was too quiet and unassuming to offer unsolicited information. To those of you who are reading this who lived through similar experiences, no matter where and when, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. May we never forget your service and your sacrifice, and of those who did not make it back home. And o m dad, a ee goodbe. May you spread your wings and fly!

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Page 28 www.93bg.com Letters to the Editor From: Wgros1@aol.com Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 23:09:57 -0400 Subject: Rupert Thacker article in latest Ball of Fire To: editor93bg@hotmail.com Dear Joanne; My name is Bill Gros and I was the radio operator on the Eager Beaver of the 328th Sq.,93 BG. I am the last survivor of the crew and Rupert one of the waist gunners. He attended at least one of our annual crew reunions before his death. I believe we had contact with Juanita for a couple of years after his passing.. I also talked with a daughter who lived in or near Lynchburg Va. at the time. If Elbyrne is interested in asking me questions about his father's service, I would be happy to talk with him. I have some pictures left of the crew, and would send him one if he would like. The Eager Beaver was renamed Fearless Freddy, and served as assembly ship for the 446th BG. and it did crash. A picture of the Eager Beaver dominates a wall mural in the 2nd Air Division memorial library in Norwich, England. There is also a model B-24 painted as Fearless Freddy. I had the pleasure of seeing both on a visit in 2009. In closing Joanne I would like to express my thanks for the wonderful job you are doing as editor of the Ball of fire.. The name keeps alive the memory of Joe Tate, its pilot and the crew. too. What a great bunch of guys we had. Sincerely, Bill PS My home phone is 610 407 0618 address 302 Paoli Pointe Dr. Paoli, Pa. 19301 Date: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 19:41:23 -0700 From: jccdowell@yahoo.com Subject: 93rd Info Request To: joyridecp@msn.com; webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com Hello, My great-uncle, Clarence Eugene Fischer, was ( I believe) part of the 93rd, stationed at Atwater, Ca following WWII. Fischer was career military. I have tried to track down his records following his time spent as a B-17 pilot with the 306BG during WWII, but with no luck. I have plenty of WWII info, but nothing after. Looking for anyone who knew him or knew what he was assigned to during the 1950's Any help is appreciated. Thanks, JC Dowell Subject: 93rd Bomber Group request From: kellycdoyal@gmail.com Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 15:33:42 -0500 To: joyridecp@msn.com To whom it may concern, My husband's great uncle, Lt Faine M. Doyal, was in the 409th SQDN of the 93rd BG and is desperately looking for any information anyone could give about him, his crew, and the missions he performed before he was killed. My husband is also named Faine Doyal and is an attack helicopter pilot in the US Army. Please forward any information to his email, floyd4311@gmail.com or call him at 334-379-7528. Kelly Doyal Killeen, TX Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:04:46 +0000 Subject: 93 BG Request From: jbirdsaway2@gmail.com To: joyridecp@msn.com; webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com Hello, my name is Scott St.Aubin. My great uncle George McNulty served with the 2nd Air Division, the 8th Army-Air Corp., and the 93rd Bomb Group and was a nose gunner on the Liberator B24 on an airplane named "Coo Coo and the Crew." I am interested in finding out of any of the crew of "Kerler Crew" are still with us, and if so, I'd be interested in getting in touch with anyone that was on that crew depicted in this photograph: http://www.93rdbombardmentgroup.com/crewphotos6.html. I am currently in Afghanistan as a Aeromedical Evacuation Helicopter Pilot with C Co 1-168 GSAB, and I fly every combat mission with my great uncle's personal log book he flew with over Germany. He passed in 2000, but I'd just love to have a chance to meet anyone that flew with him in the war... even if they weren't on his airplane, but knew him. Thanks! CW2 Scott St.Aubin DUSTOFF!

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Page 29 www.93bg.com To: joyridecp@msn.com; webmaster@93rdbombardmentgroup.com Subject: 93rd BG Request From: onyxsax@aol.com Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 17:54:21 -0500 Dear 93rd BG, I am a volunteer historian with the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Montgomery County, MD, just outside of Washington, D.C. I have been researching the crash of a Capital Airlines DC-3 that occurred on June 22, 1957 on a routine training flight. The accident took the lives of the instructor pilot and two first officers who were training to upgrade to captains. The spot where the crash occurred is now on land that is part of Little Bennett Regional Park in Clarksburg, MD, and we are looking to erect a memorial on the spot, hence the park's interest in this incident. One of the trainee pilots killed was Henry A. Podgurski. We know that Podgurski was initially in the RCAF before transferring to the AAF and the 93rd BG / 409 BS. We are also aware of the story of the Liberty Lad on the Ploesti Mission where he was Kenton McFarland's co-pilot. What we are looking for is additional information about his time in the 93rd...other missions, any photos, etc. I have been in contact with the Podgurski family, including his widow, who is still with us at 93 years old and regularly correspond with one of his grandsons. They are also interested in finding out more about his service during World War II. I do know that he was close friends with "Morty" Mordavancey, the navigator on the Liberty Lad and also an RCAF veteran. I've been in contact with Mordavancey's nephew and if there is additional information available regarding Mordavancey, that would be appreciated as well. The one mystery we are trying to unravel is that Morty had a photo album of his time with the 93rd. Mordavancey's family (Morty died in the early 1980s) indicates it was given to Podgurski's widow after the accident and they never got it back. Podgurski says she did give it back. I'm wondering if it ended up in someone else's hands and it made its way to someone attached to the 93rd. I do plan on going through the various newsletters for information and pictures, but if you have anything additional, it would be greatly appreciated not only by myself, but by the families as well. Regards, David Cohen 24051 Newbury Road Gaithersburg, MD 20882 301-807-8335 onyxsax@aol.com P.S. - Podgurski went on to fly CB-24s / C-87s with the 27th ATG and then went to the Pacific to fly B-24s with the 494th. If you have any contacts for either of these groups, that would be great! More Photos From the Hartford Reunion! The Post Exchange (PX) Report We had a very successful PX weekend at your Ocobe Bomb Gop An Renion in Hafod, CT. Aendee bought books, travel mugs, puzzles, B-24 kits, sun catchers, bomber shirts, coffee mugs and 22 of the brand new B-24 Liberator tee shirt. The Silent Auction was also a success! Profits from both the PX and the Silent Auction go to 93rd BG charitable & educational projects. ANNOUNCING 2nd generation Bill Sargent as your new PX manager. Join me in giving Bill a very warm welcome! Be sure to check out the PX page on our 93rd BG website and the Ball of Fire to see the array of products offered. 1////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////, 1//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////ll

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Page 31 www.93bg.com Your Post Exchange (PX) Order Form CAPS & VISORS Qty 1 Qty 2 Navy Blue with embroidered B-24, 93rd BG & Ted Taelling Cic on adjable ap $24 $45 Khaki ih Ball of Fie III B-24 plus 93rd BG $19 $35 & Ted Taelling Cic on adjable ap Visors w embroidered 93rd BG and three gold victory stars  choose white or navy blue $16 $30 COFFEE & THERMAL TRAVEL MUGS 4) Ceramic Coffee mugs with 93rd blue shield $15 $28 5) Stainless Steel Travel Mugs with B-24 medallion $22 $42 (NEW and very nice!) PUZZLES Jiga ple ih colofl Ball of Fie III B-24 on mission over Ploesti oil field. Comes with stand. $22 $42 (These are customized exclusively for the 93rd) SUNCATCHER 93rd BG Replica of Memorial stained glass window at Mighty 8th Museum Chapel  with suction cup $14 $25 BOOKS by 93rd BG Authors Ted Taelling Cic b Cal Sea (member price) $69.95 $134.00 Ploesti by Cal Stewart and James Dugan (See 93rd Web site & Amazon) Above the Clouds by Wayne Baker $24.95 $47.50 Lucky Ears The True Story of Ben Kuroki $13 $24 *** Limited autographed edition! Order today! *** NEW!! Forever Twenty by Nicholas Timmer $21.95 $42.00 DVDS NEW!!  Ploei Smmi 5 Dic e ih Bon DVD of Ve panel on the way it was. This set is a must for your library. Member price ($35 + $5 shipping). Non member price ($55 + $5 shipping) (Discount on purchase of three or more. Contact PX for more info) ***All product prices include handling and shipping charges *** Pay by check or money to the 93rd BG order with the Coupon below. Pay by PayPal on 93BG website by using the Donation Tab in the Membership section. Then mail or fax the Coupon to PX Mgr Jim Guddal to complete the order. Thank you! Item purchased Qty X Price each = $ Total 1. 2. 3. 4. Grand Total ______________ Mail orders to: Jim Guddal, 93rd BG PX P O Box 47336 Plymouth MN 55447 Or Fax your order to: 763.694.9065

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