In This Issue of
Saving Military History One Soldier at a Time
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Welcome to the May 2022 Newsletter.
Last month we participated in a special event, offering an eye popping exhibit that included the uniforms of three Medal of Honor recipients including Audie Murphy. There were items of General Omar Bradley and much much more. See the pictures in this issue.
We highlight a few recent donations...
Continue our examples of ribbon racks, this time with US Army examples. ...
Read a story about B-29s in the Korean War. ...
Volunteer opportunities for 2022 ...
Look at An X-File ...
And much more.
So read on ...
Thank you for all of the artifact donations we have received last year; a remarkable quantity and quality of history has been entrusted to our care.
We want to send out a special thank you to all of our volunteers who have been helping us on many projects. We could not have accomplished so much without your assistance!
Thank you for your support!
Artifacts help tell the stories, money makes the engine run, please
We tell history! Saving Military History One Soldier at a Time.
Remember those that made the #ultimatesacrifice #mia #pow #kia #sonsofliberty. #patriots #army #navy #marines #aircorps #airforce #coastguard #spaceforce #merchantmarine; all those that have worn the cloth.
Join us on this journey.
In Their Memory,
Robert Coalter, Jason Weigler
Executive Directors
"Saving Military History One Soldier At A Time".SM
"Saving History One Soldier At A Time"SM
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If you are looking to volunteer with a non-profit we would welcome your assistance. We have a need to transcribe over 150,000 of these index cards. Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Soldiers Medal, Bronze Stars and Purple Heart. Getting this information into our database will allow us to make this data searchable. Contact us to get started!
We are also looking for General Orders of World War II, digital copies are welcome; volunteers to transcribe this data.
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Missing in Action & Buried Unknowns |
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There are still thousands classified as Missing in Action or as Buried Unknowns. In our partnership with the MIA Recovery Network we have established data on our websites regarding MIAs.
The quest to account for those of our nation's Missing in Action is one of the most noble of endeavors. There are also a large number of recovered remains that are buried in ABMC cemeteries where the identity is unknown. These are known as X-Files.
The recovery of MIAs pose a number of challenges. For example, Navy or Merchant Marine ships that were sunk are unrecoverable and thus ship manifests are the primary and often only source of names for those that have perished but are still accounted.
Each conflict has had its own challenges. At the end of World War II the military had established more than 360 temporary cemeteries, but the dead were being found continually in farm fields, forests, small church cemeteries, isolated graves and the shores of combat zones. These dead were collected and the remains consolidated into the fourteen permanent European, Mediterranean, and North African Cemeteries maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission along with two permanent cemeteries in the Philippines and Hawaii.
Monetary donations are needed and very welcomed to support these efforts to create case files.
Please consider a DONATION today. Thank You.
CAMBRIDGE UNKNOWN X-00046
The remains of Cambridge X-00046 were found on a beach near the Hastings pier in the south coast of Sussex, England. Among his personal effects were a small leather case containing a silver dollar with the inscription, “Good luck to you R.L.Hart" The contents of the X-file contain the statement that the remains were brought to a military hospital for examination. The location of the pier is specific and easily estimated. The Missing Aircrew Report is extensive. The target was Munich, and the date was 11 July 1944.
According to the report, the aircraft sent a distress signal on or before dropping out of formation and into the undercast at 5,000 feet. Prior to that time, they had been in formation and on time and place as scheduled in the mission. The landing was a power-off since no fuel remained. On ditching the tail section and wings broke off. Six men were known to be alive and wearing flotation gear after the ditching. The bombardier spoke with each of them. Approximately 30 minutes after ditching, a rescue plane first dropped a dinghy, and then returned to attempt to rescue survivors. None were able to climb into the dinghy except the bombardier, who was the single survivor.
No mention of Hart was in the report.
The question then becomes; who is Cambridge X-00046? What is the significance of the inscribed leather case? The police report of recovering the remains does not give a specific date. It does indicate that the remains were in very bad condition, the head and lower legs were missing, and part of the arms was lost. The report concludes that the remains showed evidence of having been in the water a long time. The report of the position at the time of ditching was 52.45 N/02.22 E. This places the aircraft about 18 miles from shore and may indicate the reason the rescue plane was there so quickly. Seas were said to be not especially rough. This location is on the east coast of England, fairly far to the north.
The remains, if in fact they were those of Corporal Hart, would have to have traveled about 120 miles toward the south from the point of ditching, then through to the 20-mile narrow stretch of channel between Dover in England and Calais in France, and once threading that needle, then travel another 110 miles or so to be found at the Hastings Pier. It may not be impossible, but it does seem unlikely. It is especially difficult to image that all this travel would be against the prevailing current, which typically flows from the south to the north.
#neverforget #bringthemallhome
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In mid-April we participated in a special event hosted by America's Future Series. This evening gala was to present the Magellas' Award for longevity and exemplary service to the nation to General Joseph Dunford, USMC. Keynote speaker, General David Petraeus, USA. We brought out a number of uniforms from our collection for a special exhibit for a special night. |
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L to R: Commander, Larry Pizinger, USN. Vietnam Service. Captain David P. Yonkers, USN, Vietnam Service. |
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L to R. Commander Paul Larkin Broderick, USN, World War II, Korea. General Omar Bradley, US Army, World War II. |
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L. to R. BG Theodore Antonelli, US Army, Retired as a Major General. World War II & Vietnam. Major General Kenneth Bowra, US Army, Vietnam, Grenada, Somalia, 1st Gulf War. |
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L ro R. General Maxwell Taylor, US Army. World War II, Korea, Vietnam. General David Petraeus, US Army, Iraq, Afghanistan. |
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L. to R. Admiral William Crowe, USN, Vietnam, Chariman of the Joint Chiefs. Roger Donlon, US Army. Medal of Honor Recipient, Vietnam War. |
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Left. LT. Audie Murphy, US Army, 3rd Infantry Division. World War II. Medal of Honor Recipient. |
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L. to R. PFC. Harold Agerholm, USMC. Medal of Honor Recipient, KIA, World War II. 2nd LT. Carey M. Buie, USMC World War II, KIA. |
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L to R. SSGT. Donald K. Hagee, USMC, World War II, Korea. CPL. Donald Daniels, USMC, World War II. |
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L to R. SSGT Marvin Schultz, USMC, World War II. SSGT Charles Nyimicz, USMC, World War II. |
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L to R. PFC. Harry L. Marowsky, USMC, World War II. MGYSGT. Patrick David, USMC, Vietnam.
Riker Display: SGTMAJ Daniel Blankenship, USMC, World War II.
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L to R. Colonel William Dabney, USMC, Vietnam. LCPL H. D. Casey, USMC, Vietnam. |
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L to R. 1LT John J. McNamara, USMC, Vietnam. SGT Shawn Rusek, USMC, Iraq. SGT Justin Parks, USMC, Iraq. |
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Sons of Liberty Museum
The Sons of Liberty has hundreds of uniforms and thousands of other artifacts in our collection from the U.S. Revolutionary War to Present day. Our web presence now numbers in excess of 365,000 pages. We continue to accept new material for education and research programs.
Our collection includes memorabilia from the front line soldier to the rear echelon clerk. Drivers, infantrymen, pilots, tankers, seaman, medical, artillery, armorers, engineers, quartermasters and much more. Those that were drafted or volunteered; those that did a single tour or made it a career. Those that returned with all types of injuries and those that gave their full measure being killed in action (KIA). All MOS are welcome from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines.
We are Saving Military History One Soldier At A Time. We are honoring the service of the Citizen Soldier.
#sonsofliberty
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Uniform of then Brigardier General Theodore Antonelli who retired as a Major General. Antonelli served as a company commander with the 1st Infantry Division during World War II in North Africa. |
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Theodore Antonelli received two Silver Stars during action in World War II. He was also wounded for actions in North Africa.
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Claude Phenicie of Michigan served with the 271st Combat Engineer Battalion assigned to the 71st Infantry Division in World War II. |
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The 71st Infantry Division was assigned to the 7th Army during March of 1945. Note the green tabs on the shoulder/epaulets. These are known as leadership tabs denoting that the wearer led soldiers in combat. |
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Volunteers
We need volunteers to transcribe award and roster documents. You will place the material into a spreadsheet where it will be added to our database and website. We welcome new dedicated volunteers to work from home and help us with this project!
Interesting Links & Resources
Donations
We welcome donations of monies for operational costs. Artifact donations are sought in the form of papers, books, photos, gear, uniforms, jackets, medals, ribbons, weapons, equipment, scrapbooks, biographies, diaries and more. Please Contact Us
Revolutionary War, War if 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Cold War, Gulf War and current conflict donations accepted. From small to large multi-item donations, they all tell a story.
We need you ! We need your help to further our mission of preserving and bringing this history to the public. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit your qualifying donations are tax deductible.
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Army Air Corps Museum
The Air Corps Museum online presence encompasses over 355,000 web pages with thousands of photos and other materials. Our artifact collection contains hundreds of uniforms, albums, logs, medals and more from the Army Air Service, Army Air Forces and U.S. Air Force.
World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Cold War, Gulf War and current conflict donations welcome!
Volunteers
We need volunteers to transcribe documents, placing the material into a spreadsheet. We welcome new dedicated volunteers to help us with this project! Work from home.
Interesting Links & Resources
Donations
We welcome donations of papers, books, photos, gear, uniforms, jackets, medals, ribbons, weapons, equipment, scrapbooks, biographies, diaries, letters and more. Please Contact Us
You can make monetary donations. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit your qualifying donations are tax deductible.
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Stanley Greenhouse
90th Bombardment Group
"Jolly Rogers"
B-25 Bombardier
Stanley Greenhouse served in a number of assignments and ended up with the 90th Bombardment Group known as the Jolly Rogers in the Pacific during World War II. He would fly 46 combat missions for a total of 307:15 hours.
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Stanley Greenhouse uniform with bullion 5th Air Force patch. |
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Sewn-on ribbons, patches, rank and insignia adorn this Ike jacket uniform of Stanley Greenhouse. Interestingly, he did not add the Oak Leaf Clusters to his Air Medal Ribbon accounting appropriately for his 46 missions. |
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Bombardier Wings, Dog Tags and Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal medals. |
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Patches, insignia, ribbon bars, bombardiers wings and officers visor device. |
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Items have a story, what tale do yours tell?
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WHATS IN A RIBBON BAR/RACK? |
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The ribbon rack and various devices that may surround it are a mini-resume for the wearer. They can tell you a lot about the their service including the time in which they served.
Over the next months we will highlight some service racks from the different branches of service and various conflicts. This month we will highlight a few Marines.
Some basics. It must be noted that there were and are regulations for the wearing of these on the uniform. Some will adhere to the regulation while others may stray; this is not done on our part, but rather how they may have come to us in donations.
Ribbons are placed in order of precedence with the highest, most prestigious award situated toward the top left on the rack.
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A Combat Infantrymans Badge above the Bronze Star Ribbon followed by the Good Conduct, European Theater with 3 campaign (bronze) stars and World War II Victory ribbon. |
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A tank branch insignia on the collar above the ribbon rack. This soldier participated in both the Asia/Pacific and European Theaters in World War II. From the top left: Bronze Star, American Defense, American Campaign, Asia/Pacific with 1 campaign star, European/Mediterranean/Middle East Theater with 3 campaign stars and the World War II Victory ribbon. |
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A Korean War era summer tan uniform. The collar device of the infantry (blue back). The Combat Infantrymans Badge above the ribbon rack. Silver Star, Bronze Star with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Ribbon with multiple knots (awards), American Defense, American Campaign, World War II ETo ribbon with an Arrowhead for Normandy Landing and 3 campaign stars. Victory Ribbon, World War II Occupation, National Defense Service, Korean War with 3 campaign stars and United Nations Service. |
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A Combat Infantrymans Badge with 2 stars denoting awards in 3 wars; a very rare occurrence. World War II, Korea, Vietnam.
The ribbon rack of Silver Star w/1 OLC, Bronze Star with a V for Valor device and 2 OLC, Joint Service Commendation, Army Commendation with V device and 1 OLC, Purple Heart, Good Conduct w/multipl knots, Asia Pacific Theater with Arrowhead device (invasion)and 1 campaign star, World War II Victory, World War II Occupation, National Defense, Korea with 4 campaign stars, Armed Forces Expeditionary, Vietnam Service w/4 campaign stars, Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Gallantry Cross with star. Philippine Liberation with Arrowhead and campaign star. United Nations Service, Vietnam Campaign. Below ribbons, Army Master Parachutist Badge.
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Vietnam Era NCO uniform. Combat Infantrymans Badge over US Army Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service, Good Conduct w/Knot, National Defense Service, Armed Force Expeditionary, Vietnam Service, Army NCO Professional Development, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service, RVN Gallantry Cross with Palm, Vietnam Campaign. Followed by Marksman Shooting Badge with Rifle qualification bar and Army Master Parachutist Badge. |
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The right breast side of the jacket (tunic) was reserved unit citations and could be used for foreign awards. This is a Vietnam Era uniform and contains the Presidential Unit Citation with 1 OLC, Meritorius Unit Citation with 1 OLC, RVN Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm and RVN Civil Actions Medal Unit Citation with Palm. Name tab, Army General Staff Identification Badge. |
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A typical uniform of the Vietnam War Army Infantryman. The Combat Infantrymans Badge over a Good Conduct, National Defense Service and Vietnam Service. He would have had at least one campaign star on the Vietnam Service Ribbon but likely never received the papers - orders for them. Below are the Expert and Sharpshooter badges with the appropriate qualification bars each denoting the weapon for which that badge was awarded. |
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Museum Expenditures-Donations |
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As a non-profit it's important to let our patrons know where some of their money is going.
This riker-mount display box is one of the most important pieces that we use. They contain ribbons, medals, patches, pictures and other small memorabilia items.
Last year we purchased 534 of these items. We will fill them all in less than 12 months.
$5000.
Constant Contact charges us $1200 annually to create, store and send this newsletter.
Our web servers, domains and hosting cost $7100 / year.
The annual total for just these three components is $13,3000. Naturally, we have other expenditures, but 100% of monetary donations go to operations. All staff and directors are volunteer.
Monetary donations are needed and very welcomed to support these efforts.
Please consider a DONATION today. Thank You.
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Superfortress versus MiG over Korea
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Superfortress versus MiG over Korea
By Thomas Lamlein
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was one of America's bombing heroes of World War II. Five years later, the B-29 was still a powerful offensive weapon for the US Air Force, and it became the backbone of UN heavy bombing operations during the Korea War. As the USAF stepped up its strategic bombing campaign against North Korea, the B-29 would face a new opponent, an advanced jet fighter, in the shape of the Soviet-built Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15.
Communist air defenses
At the end of 1951, North Korea had approximately 70 radars in service, but by the following summer, this had jumped to approximately 110 scattered across the North, some as close as four miles to the front. In one report, Navy ECM operators assessing their North Korean opponents concluded that the North Korean radar network was "of good quality and intelligently used."
All this was bad news for the B-29 crews. Key intercept radars along the Yalu, together with the presence of large MiG bases at Antung (Dandong),Tatungkou, Takushan, and Mukden (now Shenyang), established the zone that soon became known as "MiG Alley". Given the short radius of action of the Communists' most effective fighter, the MiG-15, the area covered by the "Alley" was typically within sight of the river.
The resulting battle for air superiority never threatened UN control of the air over the actual battlefront, but the importance of interdiction targets in MiG Alley as well as the need to hit airfields brought the bombers, both B-29s and B-26 Invaders (in WWII this aircraft was called the "A-26"), into northwestern Korea and the heart of MiG defenses.
Bomber offensive
Wary of MiGs, US bombers did not venture further north into the MiGs' lair until March 1952. But while March was a good month for UN forces, with Seoul retaken for good on March 14th, the ides of March were not good for the Superfortress crews. On March 1, the B-29 crews received a foretaste of the difficult battle that lay ahead. The target was the critical bridge at Kogunyong, and eighteen B-29s of the 98th BG launched from Yokota, Japan.After running into headwinds, the bombers were late for their rendezvous with their F-80 escorts. The result was that after the bombers completed their runs, nine MiGs jumped them. Ten bombers were damaged, but fortunately none were lost-a tribute to the big bombers' robust structure. Even so, three were so badly damaged that they had to land in South Korea.
The next big strike in the same area was on March 23, and B-29s from Okinawa met no opposition. The Communist defensive radar net was in a shakedown phase, but its performance was bound to become more consistent. On March 29, the 19th and 397th BGs struck against the Yalu bridges. The river was thawing, and the Chinese could no longer get across on the ice. Visual bombing was not possible, however, and most bombers struck P'yongyang airfield instead. Three B-29s of the 19th BG, one with Group Commander Col.Payne Jennings, Jr., aboard, were carrying giant Tarzon guided bombs and found clear weather at Sinuiju, site of a notoriously tough bridge. One bomber had to turn back with mechanical trouble; another dropped its bomb and missed.
Increasing flak and fighters
Missions by the three groups against bridges on March 30 encountered lightMiG opposition, but even in small numbers the MiGs took a toll. The B-29swere up again attacking bridges near Sinuiju and Uiju on April 7; only one MiG got through the F-84 screen, but it brought down one of the bombers. On April 12, Bomber Command made a maximum effort against the railroad bridge at Sinuiju, with twenty-four B-29s from Yokota and twenty-four from Kadena sent to the target. Loaded mainly with 2,000-pound general-purpose bombs and one Tarzon guided weapon, all but two of the bombers took off. In all, thirty-nine B-29s struck the primary target while one plane aborted the mission and two failed to reach the rendezvous or found another target.
Enemy flak was heavy, and more than seventy MiGs attacked the bombers. The F-84s were unable to cover the overly extended formations, and even the F-86 Sabres on top cover were unable to intervene in time. The lead bomber. Dragon Lady, took a MiG's 37mm cannon shell through the cockpit that killed its bombardier and mortally wounded the aircraft commander. The copilot and radar operator took over, pressed on, and bombed the target. MiGs swarmed over the formation, and the Superfortress gunners fought back skillfully and savagely with their remote-controlled .50 caliber MGs. One gunner, Sgt. Lyle Patterson, picked up a rapidly closing MiG "very close" to his bomber. "I put the center dot of my sight right on his cockpit," he recalled later. "My tracers appeared to be hitting exactly where I wanted them to. What happened after that was spectacular. The MiG started tumbling tail over nose." One damaged Superfortress of the 307th BG tried to make it to Suwon airfield, near Seoul, but crashed before getting there; most of the crew bailed out. A B-29 of the 19th BG bombing ditched after sustaining heavy damage, and one of the B-29s attacking Sinuiju was lost. Seven bombers were damaged, withtwo forced to land in Korea before returning to base. Much of the bombing on the primary target was good, but the bridge still stood.
Assessing the cost and continuing the fight
With three aircraft lost, further deep-strike B-29 missions were cancelled. Air Force command also concluded that the F-84s were unequal to the task of engaging the MiGs. Flak also took its toll, while not bringing bombers down, it forced them to fly higher, reducing their bombing accuracy and creating greater stress on the engines. Still, the task of winning air superiority was not to be abandoned. The MiG and anti-aircraft threat was such that, on April 17, Air Force command authorized free use of spot jamming of enemy radars, just as Bomber Command was launching an offensive against airfields in North Korea that continued until April 23. The Communists began theirground offensive the previous day, and this seemed the optimum time to hit them. Consequently, the Communists found themselves fighting without air support. The result of such an imbalance of air power over the battlefront was predictable. Within two months, the UN succeeded in pushing north of the 38th parallel. That the UN succeeded in doing so was a tribute to the success of American fighter and bomber pilots-the former for shooting the Communist air force out the air, and the latter for bombing its bases, even at heavy cost, thus denying it the ability to operate freely in the southern part of North Korea.
Most of this text was drawn from the USAF publication "Steadfast and Courageous: FEAF Bomber Command and the Air War in Korea 1950-1953"
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B-29 Superfortress formation over Korea |
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Bombs away: B-29s hit targets in North Korea |
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Superfortress fashion: A B-29 crewman ready for a high-altitude
mission over North Korea
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B-29 tail turret: The triple .50 caliber Browning MGs in Superfortress tail turret during the Korean War. |
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Communist interceptor: The deadly MiG-15 in Korea. |
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Defector: On September 21, 1953, Lt.
No Kum-sok defected to South
Korea with his MiG-15. He was given $100,000 and the right to live in the
USA. His aircraft now resides at the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
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Rescued History & Museum Quality |
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We rescue a lot of military artifacts; items destined for the trash heap. From torn papers and faded ribbons to moth damaged uniforms decades pass and the condition of items deteriorate. These artifacts still have a story to tell.
Many museums only want items in pristine condition, we say differently. Some so called museums only want materials from a well known commander written up in history books or the fighter ace or a man who would fly to the moon or a Medal of Honor recipient.
While we have artifacts such as these we also have the items of the draftee who answered their nation's call and served their tour and then went home. Some were not so fortunate. in our mission of "Saving Military History One Soldier at a Time" it is about all who have worn the cloth of our nation's military. Artifacts help us bring stories to life no matter their condition.
We accept donations of artifacts in ALL CONDITIONS.
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This 15th Air Force tunic was recently donated to us by a person, so technically they rescued it. The jacket was left at a fast food restaurant many years ago and the manager kept it hoping the owner would return. Alas, that never happened. Instead of disposing of it, he donated it to us. There happens to be a laundry number in it and we are hopeful that we may be able to determine the serviceman and thus SAVE some more history! Stay Tuned. |
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The Cinema, another way to describe it is it's our own Netflix.
130 combat films represented by 209 clips and 1436 minutes of footage will keep you watching for hours.
Army, Army Air Forces, Navy, Marines. WW2 and Vietnam. There's something for everyone.
This is a subscription service of $14.95/month.
Take a few minutes and go see what's "Now Showing" and decide if you want to signup and start watching. Go now !
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301st Bombardment Group, B-17 Flying Fortress. England, North Africa, Italy during World War II.
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USS Hilbert. Destroyer Escort, DE-742. Pacific Theater of Operations, World War II.
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Preserve This History, Honor the Service, Provide Education For Future Generations |
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Thank You For Your Support ! |
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Thank You For Your Support ! |
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---- What is Liberty ? ----
"definition. the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views."
Merriam-Webster defines it as " the power to do as one pleases, the freedom from physical restraint and freedom from arbitrary or despotic control.
---- So what is a Son of Liberty? ----
In our context and beginning these were the men and women in America who wanted the freedom from the King of England. They desired a right of self-determination for their lives. They fought for this liberty and codified it in the Constitution of a new country. To keep this liberty they created a military to ward off the any would-be belligerent. Since the War of Independence until and including the present day the men and women who have worn the cloth of our nation's military are its Sons of Liberty. They have fought enemies in other nations, they have fought each other and they have stood as sentinels of the watch.
We celebrate the service of these individuals, we tell the historical story of these selfless patriots.
---- The Sons of Liberty Museum ----
Over a decade ago we chose a name for this organization and our sister the Army Air Corps Library and Museum. We believe these names accurately describe these men and women who serve. We will not change any name to satisfy a radical viewpoint or computer algorithm. We don't allow for any revisionist history, we tell the factual stories.
We are Saving Military History One Soldier at a Time.
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Need a Good Book?
Check out these titles.
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I was a navigator in the 459 Bomb Group 758 Bomb Squadron flying B-24's from Torre Giulia Field, tower named 'Coffee Tower', a gravel airfield near Cerignola, on the Foggia Plains of Southeastern Italy during the period August 4, 1944 to May 16, 1945. I flew 50 combat missions over targets in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia and Northern Italy.
Project Option: 6×9 in, 15×23 cm
# of Pages: 386
IsbnSoftcover: 9781714032860
Publish Date: Dec 12, 2019
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Most aircraft of World War II had pictures of sexy girls, tributes to sweethearts, songs and home. The planes were fondly referred to in a feminine manor. That was not the case with this B-17 tail number 42-25233. He was Rigor Mortis.
This is the story of Rigor Mortis and his men who flew over 120 missions from North Africa and Italy in 1943 and 1944.
Project Option: 8×10 in, 20×25 cm
# of Pages: 382
IsbnSoftcover: 9781714727803
Publish Date: Apr 20, 2020
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A Novel of MACVSOG in Vietnam. By Gene Pugh a Special Forces Recon Team Member.
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Surrender Not an Option
Survivors guilt is not the only thing that is bothering Allen Purvis. He has to relive in his mind the battles in a denied area when he was assigned to MACVSOG the ultimate secret organization during the Viet Nam war. He is put to the test when he commands his friends to sacrifice themselves to save the others of the unit. Wendy Salas, nurse at the 95th Evacuation Hospital sees the horrors of the war everyday. Her pain is personal. A chance meeting on R&R in Hong Kong brings these two people together as soul mates in a hope that one of them can save the other. Purvis like the others wondered why they were saved and the answer was there all the time.
- Paperback : 312 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1539108333
- ISBN-13 : 978-1539108337
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.71 x 9 inches
Gene is a member of our advisory board.
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By Tom Laemlein
Tom is a member of our advisory board.
Many of the photos and illustrations in this book, some of them in color, are strong enough to be displayed in full page format. The images deliver the gritty details of USAAF armaments’ use down to their nuts and rivets, and the high-velocity rounds they fired. This is a unique photo-study, with many of the photos never-before published.
U.S.A.A.F. Aircraft Weapons of WWII
This book focuses on the war-winning weaponry of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. With 144 pages containing more than 250 photos it offers stunning visual details of the machine guns, cannons, bombs, and rockets carried into battle by USAAF bombers, fighters, and attack aircraft.Many of the photos and illustrations in this book, some of them in color, are strong enough to be displayed in full page format. The images deliver the gritty details of USAAF armaments’ use down to their nuts and rivets, and the high-velocity rounds they fired. This is the first photo-history of its kind, with many of the photos never-before published.
Combat conditions dictated that many aircraft were adapted into roles for which they were not designed. As necessity is the mother of invention, aircraft were modified in both their roles and their armament. B-25s became ground attackers, A-20s became night fighters, and every wartime USAAF fighter was adapted to carry bombs.
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301st Bombardment Group DVD
Enjoy this history of the 301st Bombardment Group in World War II with this discovered archival film footage. The first footage is in North Africa where the 301st moved after a short beginning in England. From Maison Blanche to Biskra, Algeria in 1942-1943 then Lucera, Italy in 1944 and many missions in between. Watch the men on the ground and in the air with both black and white and color footage. There are also some scenes with sound. Listen to the commanders recap the North African Campaign and a crew interview.
Watch the mission to bring back repatriated POWs. View the destruction of war on the enemy at the various targets of the 12th and 15th AF heavy bomber units.
View some great color footage of General Spaatz and General Eaker in the desert of North Africa. Listen to Generals Eisenhower, Spaatz and Doolittle talk about the Tunisian Campaign. Watch the bombs drop on missions including the oil fields and production facilities at Ploesti, Romania. View destruction on the ground. Watch as liberated POWs of the 15th AF are brought back to Italy.
This DVD contains a mixture of black and white and color film footage.
There are a number of minutes that contain sound. Runtime: 218 Minutes (3 hours, 38 minutes). Price: $39.99
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By Kenneth Breaux
The author takes the reader on a compelling odyssey, beginning with a wartime mystery which endured for nearly sixty years. A compelling and often gripping story of loss and discovery.
About the Author:
Kenneth Breaux served as a Naval Officer during the Vietnam era, where he first became acquainted with the plight of MIA's and their families. He spent over twenty years on active and reserve service and retired from the Navy with the rank of Commander.
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"Courtesies of the Heart"
In the early morning hours of September 11, 1944, US Army Air Forces P-51 pilot Lt. William Lewis climbed into an overcast sky with the 55th Fighter Group on a mission escorting bombers. He had already flown more than 100 hours of combat over Europe. Over the channel he joined a vast fleet of more than 1,000 airplanes including the B-17’s of the 100th Bomb Group bound for Germany. This day’s combat would be one of the largest aerial engagements of the war, conducted at the very edge of operational range. By the next day, all of the aircraft were accounted for or known to be lost. Among the missing was Bill Lewis, who would remain an MIA for almost sixty years.
A chance discussion in a Texas home on New Years Eve 2001 regarding the movie “Saving Private Ryan”, a renovated Czech schoolhouse in the village of Kovarska, experts from the US Army in Hawaii, and Czech volunteers extended and fulfilled the Courtesy of the Heart begun by a gracious German citizen in September 1944 in the Thuringer Wald of Germany.
This is the fascinating story of how a Tulsa World War II pilot came home on Memorial Day 2004, only a few months short of sixty years from the time he flew his last mission. The book began a new role for the author, whose retirement has since become centered around the families of the missing in action of World War II and the search for their remains, and the origin of a not for profit company called MIA Recovery Network and a second book slated to be released by years-end 2021, called “Known But to God: America’s Twentieth Century Wars and the Search for the Missing”.
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By James & Barbara Farrell
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"James Joseph Farrell"
James Joseph Farrell was born October 27, 1921 and grew up during the Great Depression. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1939.
He served with distinction in North Africa in 1942-1943 with the 301st Bombardment Group, 32nd Bomb Squadron flying 51 missions as an aerial engineer, top turret gunner.
He earned his pilot wings in 1945. This is his story.
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MIAs - Missing in Action
We have information on over 90,000 MIAs. This includes most all the World War II MIAs and some from World War I, Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War.
With our strategic partners, the MIA Recovery Network, we want to tell the last chapter in the life of these Citizen Soldiers.
We would also like your help in telling the first chapters of the lives of those still Missing in Action. Do you have service photos of a family member that is or was MIA? News articles? Service related material?
Material on Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines MIAs:
Air Corps:
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X-Files - Buried Unknowns
There are many citizen soldiers whose body was recovered, but they are unidentified. There are thousands of these unknowns buried in American Battle Monument Cemeteries around the world. They are also known as X-Files.
Material on Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines X-Files can be found:
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Awards, Rosters
Unit Documents
We need you ! A continued big thanks to our fantastic army of volunteers. We have much more so if you can type and have a couple hours each week we can use you !
Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force
We have received material on many units and are hoping to compile much more.
Unit Citations, Awards, Transfers, Rosters
Many groups received unit citations during their particular conflict. The paperwork, in triplicate, would include a roster of all assigned and attached personnel. We are seeking and requesting copies of those roster documents. Please search your papers, talk to your association and help us out with this information and get them to us pronto!
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Attention Website Owners &
Veteran Associations
Many WWII veterans organizations have shut. Many these organizations had developed some type of website, some with enormous amounts of data and history. Sadly, many had/have not made provisions for their website to be continued and thus when the bill stops being paid, the website disappears and all the work and information is lost. We want to help and we need you to help us. If you know of a disbanding group, please have them get in contact with us; we would like to bring their website and information under our wing. If they want to continue to maintain it we can give them access to continue that as well. One of our top goals for this and every year is to preserve this history not lose it!
Not a WW2 unit? That's ok. We are also interested in your history and want to help preserve it. Korea, Vietnam and all other conflicts.
If your organization has physical materials such as uniforms, patches, photos and other memorabilia do you have plans for them when you cease operations? We would be honored to be the custodian of your group's history.
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Contact
Sons of Liberty Museum
Army Air Corps Library and Museum
Directors' Line: 214.957.1393
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