As the summer grinds on we hope you and your families have had or will have your vacation trips. We have started working on a new inventory system of which will first be populated with the uniforms of the collections.

We have added thousands of pages of material to the websites since our last newsletter and have many more projects in the pipeline as we continue to bring you history worth saving. We have made a few highlights herein with links to some amazing reading.

Want to learn about the criteria for receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal? We have you covered.

It's about time for the kids to get back to school and we will be starting to book the Mobile Museum as we take the field trip to the children in North Texas. If you or an organization that you may belong would like to sponsor one of these full-day events at a campus, please reach out to us.

This is issue 121 of our newsletter! We hope you enjoy it.



Want to help Support Our Mission?

Sons of Liberty Museum - Secure Donation

Army Air Corps Museum - Secure Donation

Thank you for all of the great artifact donations!

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! Contact us if you want to help.

Thank you for your support!

Artifacts help tell the stories, money makes the engine run, please

Donate Now!

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, Executive Director

Jason Weigler, Executive Director

Major Robert Weigler, Jr. US Army Ret. - Director

"Saving Military History One Soldier At A Time".^SM 

"Saving History One Soldier At A Time"^SM

All of the data through our various projects helps us recreate rosters; honoring as many servicemen and servicewomen as possible. We also want to provide you with historical narratives and other historical documents. This digital side of both the Army Air Corps Museum and Sons of Liberty Museum is 1/2 of what we do and we are committed to the continued growth of this part of our history preservation effort.

The artifacts, mobile museum and school eduction programs are the other 1/2 of our mission.

We have published over 1 Million web pages of history!

So What Can I Do?

1. Have photos, documents and other material for one of our many projects? Honor the veteran(s) in your family by sharing originals or digital copies of this material.
2. We welcome autobiographies or memoirs that you would permit us to place on the websites.
3. Volunteer. Many projects are remote work where you can work from the comfort of your own home. In fact we have volunteers from around the country.
4. Donate Artifacts. We accept artifacts for the collection and monetary gifts. You can honor-memorialize a veteran with a memorial marker for the mobile museum or have monies go to the general fund.
5. Donate Money. We need funding for artifact storage and display, our online programs and educational programs. All amounts welcome.
6. Sponsor a school field trip. Contact us for Texas schools.

Make a Secure Donation Today!

Thank You

Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Medal

Interpreting ones' service is always a curiosity for the family. We can assist you with navigating the maze of military terminology. A study for the criteria for the awarding of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal to the Army Air Forces in World War II was done by Barry Spink, then of the Air Force Historical Research. This study includes the multitude of changes and updates to regulations for the criteria associated with the awarding of these medals. We have reproduced this study on the website and augmented it with material and examples of the interpretation and implementation of said regulations. Some examples of this document follow:

"Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland, General MacArthur’s Chief of Staff, on 27 May 1944, issued US Air Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) Regulation 10-50, addressing DFC and Air Medal criteria. Closely following the War Department’s policy, the regulation noted that the “justification for the DFC for heroism must be evidenced by voluntary action in the face of great danger above and beyond the line of duty while participating in aerial flight. To warrant an award of the DFC for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight, the results accomplishments must be so exceptional and outstanding as clearly to set him apart from his comrades who had not been so recognized.”[113]

The Air Medal’s criteria were also set out in this regulation. While recognizing that the achievement required for an award of the Air Medal was less than that of the DFC, it “...nevertheless be accomplished with distinction above and beyond that normally expected. The Air Medal may be awarded to recognize single actions of merit or sustained operational activities against the enemy. Completion of any number of hours or sorties does not in itself entitle an individual to an award of the Air Medal, but may be used to substantiate operational activity.”[114]

Much like the Eighth Air Force’s 3rd Bombardment Division’s awards and decorations handbook, the USAFFE regulation also tried to assist decoration submitters with form and content of the citations. The publication noted that the DFC and Air Medal could be recommended by any officer having information of the facts. The regulation accepted recommendations based upon the statements of an eye-witness or someone who had personal knowledge of the act. Written testimonies in the form of certificates or affidavits were accepted by the awards board. In addition, the USAFFE regulation noted that enlisted men awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross were entitled to additional pay at the rate of $2.00 per month from the date of the act of heroism or extraordinary achievement (not sustained operations) on which the award was based.[115]"

Read DFC and Air Medal Regulations

The past month we have made many additions of large data-sets to a couple of our websites. Briefly they include some history of a number of campaigns and a chronology of events. Printed versions of this material run into the thousands of pages. Here are the highlights with links to complete text:

• Hiroshima and Nagasaki. in a few days, August 6 will mark the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and on the 9th for Nagasaki.

Did you know? While Los Alamos, New Mexico is often highlighted as the location of the Trinity test and construction of the atomic bomb. Did you know where and what was the Y-12 plant and where was it located? Oak Ridge at Blue Ridge, Tennessee created the process and materials that would be used. Read about the research and development along with the crews who delivered these weapons. Read about Atomic Missions

• How did the WWII Air War Unfold?

Want to follow a chronology of the Army Air Forces in World War II?

We have completed this material for 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944. (We should have 1945 completed somtime in August). Army Air Forces WWII

"12/8/1941   The Far East Air Force, based on Luzon in the Philippines received word of Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor at 0300-0330 local time. Shortly before 0930, after aircraft are detected over Lingayen Gulf heading toward Manila, B-17’s at Clark Field are ordered airborne to prevent being caught on the ground. Fighters from Clark and Nichols Fields are sent to intercept the enemy but do not make contact. By 1130 the B-17’s and fighter sent into the air earlier have landed at Clark and Iba fields for refueling. Around 1145 a formation is reported headed South over Lingayen Gulf. Fighters are ordered from Del Carmen to cover Clark Field but fail to arrive before the Japanese hit Clark shortly after noon; a few P-40’s manage to get airborne and 2d Lt. Randall B. Keator of the 20th Pursuit Squadron shot down the first Japanese aircraft over the Philippines. The 19th Bombardment Group of B-17's has been decimated."

• Want more information about the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Read another lengthy narrative about 7 December 1941.

"For the first half of 1941 the military strategy and preparations of the United States were aimed toward belligerent participation in the Atlantic war and maintenance in the Pacific of a defensive posture based on Alaska, Hawaii, and Panama. Then, during July, Pacific strategy and preparations began a rapid shift that profoundly affected the outlook and thinking of American commanders both in Washington and in Hawaii. Through decoded intercepts, Washington knew early in the month that Japan had decided upon further aggression to the south. In the light of this knowledge, during the last week of July the United States decided to try to defend the Philippines in the event of war with Japan, and at the same time it applied stringent economic sanctions against Japan which were intended to deter the Japanese but which actually had the opposite effect. During August and September, the War Department developed an entirely new concept for defending the Philippines and checking a Japanese sweep southward. It now planned to station large numbers of Army heavy bombers (B-17's) in the Philippines. This plan in turn required the quick preparation of intermediate supporting bases at Midway and Wake Islands along the direct air route from Hawaii to Manila and similar preparations as soon as possible along a secondary route to the southwest toward Australia."

Read More About the Pearl Harbor Attack

• How did we defend Hawaii after Pearl Harbor?

"When General Marshall and his principal subordinates met in Washington on the morning of 8 December 1941, their greatest immediate concern was to discover ways and means of putting the Hawaiian garrison back on its feet. They agreed that the Hawaiian Air Force must be reconstituted as soon as possible, and General Marshall directed the Army Air Forces to give highest priority to the movement of enough planes to Hawaii to build up Army air strength there to one full group of heavy bombardment and two full groups of pursuit. Hawaii's own most urgent plea was for "all possible heavy bombardment fully equipped," and fortunately this was the easiest of its requirements to meet quickly. War had interrupted the prepared flow of heavy bombers to the Philippines, and it was a simple matter for the Army Air Forces to continue it to Hawaii. By 21 December enough B-17's had been flown out from California to bring the heavy bomber force on Oahu to a full-group strength of forty-three planes. To get other army reinforcements to Hawaii in similar quick order was a much more vexing problem.1"

Read About Defending Hawaii

• Read about the Guadalcanal Campaign

• Read about the Invasion of Normandy, the Cross Channel Attack

• Read about the Siegfried Line

• Read about the Battle for the Ardennes

• Read about the Battle for Okinawa

Want to create a permanent memorial for your veteran or family member? Instead of a brick that wears away from foot traffic, memorialize that special veteran on the side of the USH-Constitution.

Bronze

This is a 2 1/2" x 22" name placard. This is a 2 row display with the first line containing the name and the second a unit, conflict and branch. The top row is approx. 1" tall and the 2nd line 3/4".

2 1/2" x 22" - $750

Silver

This is a 2" x 36" name placard. This is a 1 row display with the line containing the name, unit, conflict and branch. The lettering is approximately 1 1/2" tall.

2" x 36" - $1375

Gold

This is a 5" x 36" name placard. This is a 2 row display with the first line containing the name and the second a unit, conflict and branch. The top row is approx. 2" tall and the 2nd line 1 1/2".

5" x 36" - $2000

In all of our research, we continue to find first person accounts of dates in history. The following are the transcribed copy of the official combat report of a couple fighter pilots.

357th Fighter Group 09/13/1944

ENCOUNTER REPORT

PILOT: CHARLES E. YEAGER, 1st Lt, AC, O-887005

A. COMBAT

B. 13 September 1944                  Field Order #566

C. 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group

D. 1245

E. South of KASSEL, GERMANY

F. C A V U

G. Me. 109

H. One Me. 109 destroyed

I. I was leading Cement Blue Flight when I spotted a Me. 109 diving straight down around 15,000 feet. I rolled over and was pulling around 70”Hq. I caught the E/A on the deck diving around 450 to 500 M.P.H. I closed up fast and started firing around 300 yards. I observed strikes on engine and fuselage. The engine started smoking and windmilling. I overshot. Lt GAILER fired at him until the E/A attempted to belly in. The E/A exploded when it hit the ground. I took a picture of the crash.

I was using a K-14 sight and it is very satisfactory. The pattern is much too spread on the P-51D.

I claim one Me. 109 destroyed (shared with 2nd Lt. FRANK L. GAILER)

J. Ammunition Expended: 731 rounds .50 cal MG.

CHARLES E. YEAGER,

1st Lt, AC.

Read More About Chuck Yeager

80 Years ago

August 4

339th Fighter GRoup

A. Combat.

B. 4 August 1944.

C. 505th Fighter Squadron.

D. 1315-1330 hours.

E. About 20 miles south of Hamburg; deck.

F. 5/10 cloud; visibility good.

G. One ME-109.

One FW-190.

H. One ME-109 destroyed (shared with Lt. Tongue).

One FW-190 destroyed.

I. a. 2nd Lt. Lawrence J. Powell, O-817095, 505th Fighter Squadron.



I was flying Upper White two on a ramrod to Hamburg. At 1300 we left the bombers to chase bandits and went down on the deck to strafe an airfield during which time I lost my flight leader while dodging flak. I stayed on the deck and just after someone called in “bandit” a 109 cut across in front of me, from left to right. I made a sharp right turn and immediately got my sights on the e/a. I closed in rapidly from astern to about 400 yards and gave him a short burst, observing hits on the wing. The e/a made a sharp left turn and I let go with a long burst at 30 degrees deflection with a 2 radii lead at about 250 yards, observing many hits on the cockpit and around the wing roots. At this point the 109 straightened out and started a gentle dive, finally crashing into the trees.

When I came home I was told that I shared this e/a with Lt. Tongue. All of the action took place at about 400 feet.

We went down to strafe two locos and were making our passes when I spotted an FW-190 firing on a P-51 in a left turn. I pulled a 45 degree deflection shot on the e/a but my tracers went behind his tail. I closed in to 200 yards and gave him a long burst at 30 degrees deflection and 2 ½ radii, observing hits on the tail. All through this the e/a stayed in his turn as if he hadn’t seen me. I pulled a three radii lead and gave him another long burst with hits observed on the cockpit and fuselage. The 190 straightened out and went into a steep dive. At about 100 feet the canopy flew off and the pilot bailed out but his chute never opened. As the 190 hit the ground there was a violent explosion. This action took place at 400 feet in the Hamburg area.

I claim one ME-109 destroyed (Lt. Tongue) and one FW-190 destroyed.

LAWRENCE J. POWELL, JR.

2nd Lt., Air Corps,

505th Fighter Squadron.

MM-1776

Mobile-Museum 1776, 28ft of military history!

Veteran Memorials

With the mobile-museum we have a place for a visual honorarium and memorial for your veteran. Honor your veteran family member with a permanent marker on our new mobile-museum.

Like bricks or pavers, this permanent memorial will be seen by many at schools, veteran and civic events. Get your Veteran Memorial Today!

Read more about Sons of Liberty Memorials

Read More About Army Air Corps Memorials

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.

Transcription of monthly unit histories and other documents are projects to help us recover and preserve history and are fantastic accounts written close to the actual events rather than decades later as memories may fade.

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.

#neverforget #bringthemallhome

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 500,000 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; killed in action (KIA). All MOS are welcome from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines.

Monetary donations help us preserve and display these pieces of American History. Thank you for your support.

We are Saving Military History One Soldier At A Time. We are honoring the service of the Citizen Soldier.

#sonsofliberty

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

Researching History: https://www.sonsoflibertymuseum.org/military-history-records.cfm

Honor Roll: https://www.sonsoflibertymuseum.org/honor.cfm

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.

Army Air Corps Museum

The Air Corps Museum online presence encompasses over 500,000 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

Trace a Family Members Military Service: https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/veteran-research.cfm

Honor Roll: https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/honor_roll.cfm

Donations

We welcome donations of papers, books, photos, gear, uniforms, jackets, medals, ribbons, weapons, equipment, scrapbooks, biographies, diaries, letters and more. Please Contact Us

Monetary donations help us preserve and display these pieces of American History. Thank you for your support. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit your qualifying donations are tax deductible.

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. They are great to help reserve items as well.

Each year we purchased 500 of these items. We will fill them all with great artifacts 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 $8200 / year. Our hosting requirement of storage will only increase over the coming years as we continue to add to our online material.

The annual total for just these three components is $14,400. Naturally, we have other expenditures, but 100% of monetary donations go to operations. All staff and directors are volunteers.

Monetary donations are needed and very welcomed to support these efforts.

Please consider a DONATION today. Thank You.



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, and there is a special place in our hearts for the KIAs. We are honored and humbled to have artifacts from a number of these heroes. 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.

---- 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 their liberty and 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 15 years 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.

Need a Good Book, DVD?

Check out these titles.

We would like to send a shout out to our website design partner, InterNet Partners, who has helped us with a variety of database programming and web design over the years.