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New Book on CD !
"THE LUCKY ONES - 8th Air Force Airmen" -
is a collection of stories gathered from the wartime experiences of a few US Airmen who served in the 8th Air Force Bomb Groups in England during WW II.
The stories in this collection, narrated by the Airmen themselves, recount the harrowing adventures the Airmen endured in their most trying missions over Europe. These are stories of encounters with enemy fighters, struggles to control flak-damaged planes, grueling crash landings, and desperate bail-outs from burning planes.
Many Airmen, fortunate enough to survive these experiences, were captured by the Germans once on the ground. Their treatment at the hands of their captors is painfully re-told here.
Miraculously, some Airmen managed to evade captivity and escape the Germans, sometimes as an entire crew.
In the course of the war, more than 30,000 young Americans lost their lives over Europe. As one Airman said: "The real heroes... were the many... who died in combat".
These are the stories of other heroes who survived what seemed certain death. These are the stories of THE LUCKY ONES.
The English version of approx. 260 pages including 200 photos is available June 2002.
The book is available on CD ONLY (one big WORD file ready to print as a book). See cover on www.usairmen.com and select BOOKS.
Price US $ 20.00 (prepaid) including shipping to your address in the States.
Delivery time approx. 1 week.
Please contact Author Erik Dyreborg usairmen*tdcspace.dk
Glad to see your on the web.I've changed my E-mail address.I'm aLife Member of the 486th BG(Assn). I have been trying to locate some of the crew that I flew with from Sept.44 until Sept.45.They are Harold L. Koonce,Melvin G Lazarcheff,James Butler,?? St. Germaine.My Co-pilot is Lloyd R Carter, crew chief Merle Wilson.I believe the rest of the crew have passed on.(to the best of my knowledge).We opened the base at Sudbury in May 1944 and I left there after completing my missions in Sept 44. You have done great service by createing this web-site. retired Flt. Engr. Gunner..Bob Wilson
Assistance! The crew is looked up, with which Howard Johnson R. flew 8 of the 473, on the May of 1945 handbills to Germany. The airplane the B 17 fell into a place of name Brunkensen and smashed. Look a survivor up, who can answer with questions. Thanks for the assistance Matthias Baars
Trying to find any information about my family, Spungin. Please contact me via the email above if you have any.
Thank you for the site, I enjoyed it.
I joined the 486th in Nov 1943 and was assigned to the 834th Squadron.Also in the squadron were Bill Hilfinger, Francis Farell and Cyril Fairhead. We had gone from Primary flying school together. Also Charlie Havens the Group Intelligence Officer had been my football coach in college. So my sojurn in combat with the 486th was very interesting. My crew was the first to finish their tour in the 834th and we left Sudbury the 30th of Aug44. I played football for Charlie again in 1947 before I graduated and received my Regular Air Force Commission. My co-pilot Bill Forrest has just passed away on 2May so my thoughts turned immediately to our geat friendship and experiences.
I proudly became an associate member of the 486th BG Foundation following their annual meeting in Worthington, OH last fall. Thanks to Charlie Macgill of the 834th BS I have found this web site. Excellent production and thanks to all involved. Mack Parkhill
Congratulation for this site. I really enjoyed it and will come back Please have a look at the Heavy Bombers 486th forum and my message of April 30th 2002. You could maybe be of some help. Just not to forget them... Gildas
I was very happy to see the picture of my uncle, Lt. Frederick Veal, and his crew. I had not seen that picture before. Thank you.
We don't seem able to access P. 2 of this site. I was a navigator on B17g's in the 486th. Would like to find George Yep and John Wesley Falls. Abbe
Hello,
My name is John Krieger. I think my dad was an FE/Top on Lt. Swett's crew of the 832nd. I really appreciate what you fellows have done here. LeRoy G. Krieger died back in 1977 of a heart attack when I was young and really never knew him very well. Being able to at least see the names and some pictures of some of the guys he served with really helps me piece his heritage together. Thanks again...
John Krieger
It seems funny after all these years, the interest never wanes,about the 8th Air Force. My Dad(George W Pray-833rd)fondly remembers his experience's with the 486th.
On the Aircraft marking page you state: "The Hakenkreuz (broken cross), or SWASTIKA, was the symbol of the NAZI (National Arbeits SoZialistische ParteI)"
But: NAZI is only the short form of "Nationalsozialist". The party's name was NSDAP = Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Partei. "Hakenkreuz" is not translated with "broken cross" but with "hook cross". Please correct that.
CORRECTION ON THE NAME OF THE PLANE!
I am writing to update the information on my father( James T. Westbrook SR.) Dad is in your data base, however, some information has been left out. Dad was a SGT in the 834th squardren, a togglelier. Their Plane was called Miss IRISH He did not know where the mane came from, it had that name when they found her. His crew ended the war with the plane and flew it on its 100th mission. Dad states the station number as 174, Sudburry England. I do not know all the decorations he received, however, he does have a Purple Heart for shrapnel he collected. They are still picking plex. glass out of his eyes from the glasses he was wearing. Thanks for your efforts in keeping the memnory of the 486th alive. Sincerely Jim Westbrook Jr.
I am the great-grandson of Arthur Hock Sr. who was a member of the Dunbar aircrew in the 833rd. I had the great opportunity to know my great-grandfather for the first 21 years of my life. It has only been within the last few years that I have tried to learn more about his time in the Service. According to my grandfather, he rarely ever talked about his experiences. Your website has provided my father and I with some wonderful information, not just regarding my great-grandfather, but the entire 486th as a whole. I just wanted to thank all of those people who put this site together, and to thank all of those people who served this country. If anyone out there has any additional information about Arthur Hock Sr., please feel free to contact me. Thank you all.
Daughter of Chester W. Brundage
You have a wonderful website. It was quite a thrill to find my uncle's name--Edward J. Kaullen--Flight Engineer under Stieber in the 834th listed. All through my childhood, I heard stories of about Uncle Ed being on an airplane in the war. Thank you for bringing history to life!
My father, Lt. John Dale Cook, was a Lead Bombardier with the 486th (& I gather)the 833rd Squadron out of Sudbury. He arrived early enough to get a little star for participating in the Battle of the Bulge, but only had about a dozen missions before the war ended in Europe. Members of his crew included Hugh Campbell (Navigator?) and Carl Gertz (sp?). The Pilot's first name was Wally. They were immortalized in a picture appearing in the American Heritage book AIR WAR OVER HITLER'S GERMANY. That pic still hangs in the AF museum in Dayton.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks! John Dale Cook III
Appreciated seeing picture of Lt. Walter R. Dickerson and his flight crew.
My wifes grandfather, Louis L. Kirchofer, was in the 832nd and my wife and I would like to know who we could contact to get the photos you have on you web site. Louis died on 1997 and Helen, his wife, is still with us. We thought that it would be nice to present these photos to all the family members for Chrismas. If there is a name that you can give to us so that we can contact them it would be greatly appriciated. Or if this is not possible maybe you can let the person know that provided the pictures that we would like to contact them. Our phone Number is 505-784-3496.
Thank You,
SSgt Chad J. Sims Dedicated Crew Chief USAF
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