Gentlemen from Hell: Men of the 487th Bomb Group , livre ebook

Turner Publishing Company - C.C. Neal

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222 pages

English

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This book is a touching compilation of personal accounts of the men who served in the 487th Bomb Group during World War II. These accounts exemplify the dedication and sacrifice these men made in the face of grave danger while serving their country during the largest 8th Air Force mission during the Battle of the Bulge. It's been 60 years since these men left a portion of their youth in various parts of Europe, but their words make it feel lke WWII ended only yesterday. From humor to heartache, the reader runs the gamut of emotions when living vicariously through the stories of the brave men of the 487th Bomb Group - the Gentlemen From Hell.

Sujets

Histoire

WW2

Segunda Guerra Mundial

487th Air Expeditionary Wing

Military history of the United States

Military

World War II

United States Armed Forces

History

Seconde Guerre mondiale

Informations

Publié par	Turner Publishing Company
Date de parution	01 octobre 2005
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781681623962
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0998€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

G ENTLEMEN F ROM H ELL
G ENTLEMEN F ROM H ELL
Men of the 487th Bomb Group
Leaders of the Largest Eighth Air Force Mission of World War II
By C.C. Neal and 487th Veterans in their own words
T URNER P UBLISHING C OMPANY www.turnerpublishing.com

Turner Publishing Company Staff Randy Baumgardner, Editor Frene Melton, Designer
Copyright 2005: C.C. Neal Publishing Rights: Turner Publishing Company All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
ISBN: 978-1-59652-197-1
Library of Congress Control No.: 2005928402
0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
D EDICATION
To my father, Thomas William Craig, who instilled in me the feelings of passion, admiration and respect for my country, flag and freedom.
For those who never returned home.
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book has been put together as a tribute to the men of the 487 th Bomb Group, as well as to all those who have served our country. It is full of personal accounts, in their own words, with vivid descriptions of their trials and tribulations during World War II.
To those who have supported and helped me with your enthusiasm and patience during this endeavor, I will be forever grateful.
Jonathan Foster, who was indispensable. His tireless work in assisting me and passion for the subject made continuing the project a joy - even during the frustrating times. I am in awe that he was able to juggle being my assistant, with all the tasks involved, while finishing his master s degree at UNC-Wilmington.
Peter Etters and Brendan Drury were encouraging, as well as patient as they literally taught me how to use the computer and transcribed the veterans taped interviews for the book. Both of them were always so pleasant and willing to help at a moments notice.
Jake Austad and Randy Baumgardner at Turner Publishing Company have been absolutely the expert professionals. They re so knowledgeable about the business and have made publishing my book fun.
My girlfriends, Candy Raymer, Pru Patterson and Susie Karn, ask me almost every time I talk with them how the book is coming along. Mel Riegel, wife of one of the veterans in the book, kept me going with her many phone calls and notes of encouragement.
The members of my family were so helpful in seeing me start this project to its completion. My mom, Louise Craig, always said you could do anything well if you just put your mind to it. My husband, Larry, has seen me through laughter and happy times of getting to personally know these veterans better, as well as the tears when the news has come that one of them has passed away. He has read every chapter and taken many messages as well as a genuine interest in my project.
My cousin, Jeff Carpenter, who s really like a brother to me, thanks for your concern as well as emotional support. My lifelong confidant, Idella, you know I thank you.
Last but certainly not least, my daughter, Sherry Barrow, and her husband, Klay, and my son, Tommy Honey, and his wife Kate, have been my rock and inspiration during the three years of compiling these stories - they are literally the sunshine of my life.
The veterans stories you will read were told to me in personal taped interviews or sent to me, in their own words. Their accounts are their own as each veteran remembers. Because of this, the factual information may seem to vary once in a while. To the men of the 487 th who let me tell your story, I will be forever in your debt and honored to get your story out there, to go down in history and to be remembered forever.
T ABLE OF C ONTENTS
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Introduction

836 th Squadron
Paul Tomney
Bob Densmore
John C. Broom
Junior Gossell
Jim Bradford
Paul L. Biri
Jim Erskine
Jack Kohl
Donald Frantz Partain
Stanley E. Rolfes
Duane Kaiser
Neil F. Matz
Karl Kandler
Jim Wandless
Joe Gaffney
Jim Hyland

837 th Squadron
Jim Brooks
George Phillips
Leonard Davis
George Battschinger
Clark Yocum
John Beeson
Walter Zmud
Julian Headley
Tom Valentine
Howard (Pete) M. Peterson
Alan H. Wheasler
David B. Dahlberg

838 th Squadron
Julian Messerly
Thomas William Craig
Richard Atkins
Pete Riegel
William Henry Hughey
James Spurlock
Roy Hon, Sr.
Art Silva
Isadore Lerner
William Bowers
Francis Eberhart
Roy M. Levy
William C. Rich
Chuck Haskett
Mike Quering
Walter C. Moore
Paul White

839 th Squadron
Kay Voss
Walter Baker
Donald Kilburg
Al Rasof
Gerald Obrecht
Walter Wise
Bobby Wayne Heard

669 th Aero-Engineering Squadron
William Michaels

Epilogue
Index
I NTRODUCTION
On December 24, 1944, the Mighty Eighth Air Force sent 2,034 B-17 and B-24 bombers and 936 fighters over Germany. This was the single greatest force of airplanes ever dispatched in history, and the 487th Bomb Group was selected to lead the way. Bernie Lay, a member of the 487th, and author of Twelve Oaks High had this to say about the group. Every Bomb Group that flew to the United Kingdom in World War II began as a number. When the smoke of battle had cleared, and the weeds had begun to sprout in the cracks of the runways at Lavenham, the number 487 was no longer an impersonal set of digits. The number bespoke the highest peak of achievement of a lifetime for all the men who served at Lavenham, England. And in the cold, black and white figures at Headquarters, Eighth Air Force, which measured performance, the number 487 identified a group of airmen whose record in combat had been surpassed by none.
In the 487th Bomb Group, there were four squadrons - the 836th, 837th, 838th and 839th. The 487th Bomb Group was one of 46 bomb groups in the heavy division of the Eighth Air Force, which was one of several Air Force groups in the U.S. They were even rewarded with an imposing nickname. While in Alamogordo, New Mexico, waiting to fly to Europe, some British soldiers noted, This place is hotter than Hell, and there s no place for a Gentleman here. To which one veteran replied, We must be the Gentlemen from Hell. The name stuck as a nickname for the 487th.
The assignment of the Mighty Eighth Air Force was to defeat the German military which was under the Nazi regime that had conquered 27 countries. The Eighth received the name Mighty Eighth because it was the largest air armada ever assembled during World War II. In fact, the Eighth Air Force was so large it was the largest armada ever assembled in any war: over 350,000 served in the Eighth, 26,000 lost their lives, and another 28,000 became prisoners of war.
You will read an overview to some of the men s personal stories in the introduction to each of the four squadrons. Remember, these are their own stories - some personal interviews, and some written and sent to me, 60 years later. Their stories are verbatim as to how they told them to me during interviews, which began at the 487th Bomb Group Reunion in Omaha, Nebraska, on August 10, 2002. You ll read more about my travels during the last three years of putting this book together, the camaraderie I ve developed with these veterans, and why I wanted to write this book in the Epilogue.
The last personal interview, which was taped in Omaha, Nebraska, is the only one not in a specific squadron. This is the story of William Michaels, who was in Aero Engineering and a squadron mechanic for all four squadrons of the 487th.
If this book does nothing else but make each reader want to thank the next veteran they see for all they did for our freedom, then my goal will have been met. I also have pledged 50 percent of the proceeds of my book, after expenses, to the 487th Bomb Group Treasury. It has been an honor and a privilege to compile the stories of some of the men of the 487th Bomb Group of which my father, Thomas W. Craig, was a member. He always told me that it was the ones that didn t make it home who were the supreme heroes. His friend and fellow 487th crew member, Julian Messerly, was one of those men. Also, there are accounts of five POWs, including Jim Hyland, George Phillips, Leonard Davis, Jim Brooks and Walter Moore.
My father passed away seven years ago, and after deciding to do this book, I went to his bedroom and went through his WWII books about the 8th Air Force, 487th Bomb Group, to see if there were any clues that would help me with pulling his chapter together. There were enough notes written by him in the margins for me to tell his story.
Each man s story is intriguing, fascinating and also grueling. After reading their individual stories, you will have a deeper understanding about what they endured and survived for our freedom. These men are getting older. They are dying at a rate of more than 1,000 a day, and it s of utmost importance to have their experiences recorded in history and never forgotten.
836 TH S QUADRON I NTRODUCTION
In reading first-hand accounts of their World War II years, you ll marvel at the unbelievable memories of these veterans. It s amazing how, 60 years later, these men each can recall how high they were flying on certain missions and details of each one. As you read their stories, you ll discover that they recall very specific moments in their military history. The memories of war are permanently etched in their minds.
First is the account of Paul Tomney, who trained as a flight engineer. Read Tomney s account of missions in December 1944 and you ll discover why this notice was sent to their base: For their glorious record in the month of December, the men of the 487th Bombardier Group were commended with great enthusiasm by General Arnold, Lt. General Spatz, and Gen. Eisenhower and Major Gen. Patridge, Commanding General of the 3rd Air Division. Tomney also flew with the next man interviewed, Bob Densmore. The chapter by Densmore is a pilot s riveting accoun

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