The sacrifice of war seen through a bubble Jul 6, 2008
Ken Baeth survived 40 bombing missions over the South Pacific as a nose gunner in a B-24 Liberator during WWll ... On May 4, 1944, Ken Baeth was a 22-year-old gunner in a B-24 Liberator and a long way from his home in the sheltered mountain town of Libby. (Missoulian, MT)
The 4th: A Day for Gratitude Jul 4, 2008
My father was a 21-year-old 10th grade dropout, the co-pilot of a B-24 Liberator bomber who expected to die flying prep and cover for the first wave of the invasion of Japan, which the atomic bombs made unnecessary. Estimates are that we saved 7,800,000 lives, almost 90% of them Japanese, by ending the war without an amphibious landing. (Human Events Online)
US seeks pilot remains in India Jun 25, 2008
This process sets the groundwork for future recovery teams," said Major DeSantis. The first full excavation mission should begin after the monsoon and is scheduled to be finished by the end of the year, he said. There are more than 1,300 individuals missing - primarily from aircraft crashes - in and around the border area between India, Burma and China, an area known to pilots as "the Hump". The dangers of flying over the region have been recounted by veterans like Jack Barnard. While it is... (BBC News -- South Asia)
Aviator sky-high over rare plane (16) Jun 11, 2008
Though he s not officially part of the event, Miles hopes to take the plane and meet up with the organizers of the Wings of Freedom Tour, where World War II bomber aircraft, including the North American B-25 Mitchell, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, will be on display for tours and air rides Wednesday through Friday at McNary Field Airport at the Salem Air Center. DH Reader Comments. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
First Rights: United States shamed again in Europe Jun 7, 2008
My Dad was a pilot of a B-24 Liberator and I could only imagine what he was going through with thousands of other Americans. No shame here, just pride. (Hanford Sentinal, CA)
Women's signature effort May 27, 2008
He had gone to the jungle looking for the remains of airmen who had perished when their B-24 Liberator crashed into the side of a remote mountain range. He was greeted instead by the names of women from the aircraft factory. (Boston Globe)
What sights their eyes have seen May 26, 2008
Gronkowski served as a nose gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator in the Pacific Theater. Q. Describe some of your memories of World War II. (The Citizen's Voice, PA)
9 Local WWII vets will take Honor Flight May 14, 2008
A crew chief and flight engineer, Hornsby was stationed stateside during World War II. He trained new pilots, copilots and navigators in the operation of the B-24 Liberator, the Allies workhorse bomber in the European and Pacific campaigns. The 88-year-old Hornsby will be among the 91 passengers-of-honor on board for his first visit to the World War II Memorial next Saturday as part of the Central Alabama Honor Flight, which will take veterans for a daylong visit to the nation s capital. (Wetumpka Herald, AL)
Don Coin Walrod Apr 5, 2008
He piloted a B-24 Liberator in WWII, rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant, and served until 1945 in the 455 bomb group, stationed in Cerignola, Italy. After the war, Don started his career with the Extension Service in Delta, Colo. (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)
Crew took in man desperate to fight Apr 3, 2008
But his hopes of seeing combat in the U.S. Army Air Corps might have been dashed if a vote of Weir s B-24 Liberator crew had gone differently ... Weir, a Stephenville native known as Red among his crewmates, served as a navigator on B-24 Liberator bombers during the war. (FOX 11, AZ)
Chance of a lifetime tour coming to town Mar 26, 2008
Featured in the 19th annual tour will be the B-24 Liberator, the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-25 Mitchell Bomber. Along with the three bombers, said Rick Harris, project coordinator and the foundation s legislative liaison for logistics and acquisitions, we ll have the P-51 Mustang, the Huey Helicopter, the TA-4J Skyhawk, the S-2 Tracker, the F-4D Phantom II and the T-33. (Pasadena Citizen, TX)
Garnett (11) Mar 21, 2008
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps Reserves in 1942 and in 1943 was called to active duty where he served as the co-pilot on a B-24 Liberator, flying 31 combat missions with the Eighth Air Forces 491st Bomb Group based in England. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. (Altus Times, OK)
World War II bombers coming to Houston Mar 20, 2008
The tour features planes flown during the World War II including the B-24 Liberator, the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-25 Mitchell Bomber. Srivastava said that the B-17 and the B-24 are heavy bombers. (Pasadena Citizen, TX)
Silvio Farina, 88, veteran and Braintree businessman Feb 28, 2008
While en route to a bombing run at the Ploesti oil fields in Romania in 1944, his B-24 Liberator was shot down over Austria. He parachuted from the plane and was one of five survivors from the 10-man crew. (Boston Globe)
Wings of Freedom Tour comes to Keystone for 4 days Feb 21, 2008
SpecialThe Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour featuring these World War II aircraft - the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator - will be at Keystone Heights Airport Friday through Monday ... The tour features the vintage B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator and for the first time the B-25 Mitchell, which will be piloted by Gainesville resident Bob Oehl. (Florida Times-Union)
Warren F. Maust, 84 Feb 6, 2008
Assigned to four engine B-24 Liberator aircraft training, then crew training and overseas to Italy where he completed 50 missions flying as lead crew aircraft commander for 28 missions. None of his crew was ever lost or wounded; they often suffered clothing and equipment damage, narrowly escaping serious injuries. (Somerset Daily American, PA)
Washington’s Big Six dominate snow scene Jan 24, 2008
Rub the wing of the B-24 Liberator that crashed here in 1944. Rubbing the wing, mounted at the top of Bomber Bowl, is supposed to ensure a snowy winter. (Montana Standard, MT)
Old landing gear linked to 1945 airplane crash Jan 19, 2008
Roy Stafford, a former Marine pilot who for many years restored vintage aircraft and now consults for museums and collectors, said the landing gear came off a PB4Y-1, which was originally manufactured for use by the Army Air Corps as a B-24 Liberator but was converted for use by the Navy. An official with the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, after reviewing photos Stafford sent him, agreed that the gear came from a PB4Y-1. (Florida Times-Union)
Stanzas for the Constitution: A poet takes aim at the current political-and moral-landscape Jan 12, 2008
"There were so many they didn't know what to do with us." He eventually flew a B-24 Liberator with a crew of 10 out of a base in Loggia, Italy. He came home to pursue a career in journalism, first in Westchester County and later as editor of the Catskill Daily Mail. (Hillsdale Independent, NY)
Top Stories of 2007: Long journey home ends for WWII airman lost in Pacific Jan 6, 2008
King and nine other crew members boarded their B-24 Liberator bomber and joined with almost 200 other aircraft of the Fifth Air Force flying missions that day. Returning from bombing raids on Japanese positions on what is now Irian Jaya to their base camp at Nadzab, some of the U.S. Fifth Air Force pilots tried descending to tree-top level, but could barely see. (The News-Herald)
On War's Threshold Nov 11, 2007
As a bombardier instead of pilot or gunner, he was in the middle of a B-24 Liberator during a bombing run, when a swarm of German ME-109s shot down his plane over Italy. "One guy, a substitute gunner, got killed in the turret," Komlenich said. (Modesto Bee, CA)
William A. Eagleson Jr., bombardier during WWII; at 87 Nov 10, 2007
William A. Eagleson Jr., a bombardier on a B-24 Liberator in 32 missions during World War II, died of Parkinson's disease Oct. 18 at Riverbend Nursing Center in South Natick. He was 87 and was a longtime resident of Natick. (Boston Globe)
Historic plane tour stops in Moultrie Nov 2, 2007
Witchcraft, also known as the World War II B-24 Liberator airplane, will be on display in Moultrie through Friday morning as part of the Collings Foundation s 2007 Wings of Freedom Tour. The plane will be available to tour at Spence Field in Moultrie 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. today and 9:30 a.m.-noon Friday. (Albany Herald)
Campus germs: When to tell parents Dating: Find your "boo" on Halloween Oct 27, 2007
I will be doing a flight tomorrow on a B-24 Liberator. WWII bomber. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Hero recalls day of fateful flight Sep 30, 2007
4 of 7 Capital Region stories. World War II veteran Dave Millington of Altamont holds a 1944 photo of his crashed B-24 "Liberator" aircraft Friday, Sept. 28. (Albany Times Union)
WWII hangar repairs, paint job planned Sep 22, 2007
" He said that in 2003, costs for repairs would have run about $50,000 to $60,000. At the time, he also got figures on how much it would cost to build a comparable hangar for storing planes and got figures ranging from $650,000 to $850,000. Carl Young, another pilot, suggested to the Board of Commissioners in 2003 that the facility be kept for use to store airplanes, as is now being done. His comments during the April 2003 commission meeting did not stop the commissioners from approving a motion... (Bainbridge Post Searchlight, GA)
Vets reunite after 63 years Sep 16, 2007
German rounds struck the B-24 Liberator in the bomb bay, just moments after the explosives had been released. Marshank and Ringo, who had flown in D-Day bombing raids and were supposed to be sent stateside after 35 missions, said adrenaline quickly took over. (Helena Independent Record)
Flight of honor for local WWII veteran Sep 15, 2007
Ogonek fixed B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator and B-29 Superfortress bombers for the Army Air Forces from 1944 to 1946, preparing the planes and crews for service in the Pacific and Germany. His service took him from Stamford to Hobbs, N.M.; to Biloxi and Gulfport, Miss. (Stamford Advocate)
Former senator to discuss war Sep 13, 2007
The B-24 Liberator had little insulation. "The only thing that kept us alive, we wore heavy, sheepskin-lined suits head to toe." The suits also had electric heaters that plugged into the bomber's electrical system. (Rapid City Journal, SD)
Wings of Freedom Tour Visits Oxford Sep 12, 2007
Mr. Damato last week was among hundreds of area residents who visited the Waterbury-Oxford Airport to view the B-24 Liberator, the North American B-25 Mitchell and the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress owned by the Collings Foundation ... Seeing the B-24 Liberator "brings back a lot of memories," Mr. Damato told Voices. (Voices, CT)
World War II Women Honored On Long Island Sep 1, 2007
King and five other women who performed wartime factory work -- almost always for less money than men working at the same tasks -- will gather at what is now Republic Airport in Farmingdale on Friday and take rides in a B-17 Flying Fortress and a B-24 Liberator "as a tribute to their war efforts," said Hope Kaplan, a spokeswoman for the American Airpower Museum on the grounds of the airport ... " According to the Collings Foundation, a nonprofit "living history" organization based in Stow,... (CBS 2, NY)
Rosie the Riveters Fly in WWII Planes They Built Sep 1, 2007
King and five other women who performed wartime factory work were to gather Friday at what is now Republic Airport in Farmingdale and take rides in a B-17 Flying Fortress and a B-24 Liberator "as a tribute to their war efforts," said Hope Kaplan, a spokeswoman for the American Airpower Museum on the grounds of the airport ... According to the Collings Foundation, a nonprofit "living history" organization based in Stow, Massachusetts, which owns the two bombers, the B-24 Liberator is the only one... (Fox News)
Blast from the past - World War II era planes on display in Johnstown Aug 16, 2007
The B-25 Mitchell, Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator bombers are on the ings of Freedom Tour, sponsored by the Collings Foundation. According to the Web site, the organization was founded in 1979 to support living history events involving transportation. (Somerset Daily American, PA)
Readers Have Chance To Win Aug 2, 2007
UP, UP AND AWAYTen Suffolk Life readers will have the opportunity to fly either in this B-24 Liberator or a B-17 Flying Fortress from World War II on September 1 ... Ten lucky winners will be chosen to climb aboard one of two World War II bombers - a B-24 Liberator or a B-17 Flying Fortress - on September 1, and take off from Republic Airport in Farmingdale, courtesy of Stop Supermarkets. (Suffolk Life Newspapers, NY)
L. Dayton Blanchard Jul 22, 2007
He flew 25 missions in the Pacific as 1st Pilot in the B-24 Liberator. Later he attended Marquette University and was recalled to active duty in 1949 to attend Meteorology School. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
Two-day mission Jul 18, 2007
Joe Pfiffner of Waterloo, who flew 28 combat missions in a B-24 Liberator bomber during World War II, recalled one fateful flight he missed. The crew he had trained with was assigned to transport a supply of gasoline. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Pieces Of History Touch Down In Omaha Jul 11, 2007
The Wings of Freedom Tour features a B-17 Flying Fortress and a B-24 Liberator. Both planes played an important role in winning the war. (7 KETV Omaha)
WWII Planes Invade Fort Collins-Loveland Airport Jul 5, 2007
Bombers like a B-24 Liberator are pieces of history. They taxied in to the airport Wednesday with passengers, most of whom, have never flown in a warplane. (CBS 4, CO)
Remains of WWII airman returned to Pa. family 63 years later Jul 4, 2007
Richard Sargent was an engineer on board a B-24 Liberator named "Here Tis." It was returning to an airfield at Nadzab, New Guinea, after bombing enemy targets near Hollandia. The aircraft altered course because of bad weather and was flying to Saidor when it disappeared, according to the Defense Department. (NEPA News, PA)
Visitors see WWII bombers up close Jul 3, 2007
"Don't be afraid, it's not hard," Zane said to his 6-foot plus father Mike Huston as they made their way along the narrow catwalk through the bomb bay of the world's only flying B-24 Liberator on Sunday. Roland Carlson, a Korean War era veteran who served in Germany, also admired the heavy bomber B-24 Liberator nicknamed "Witchcraft," the medium bomber B-25J Mitchell nicknamed "Tondelayo," and the heavy bomber B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Nine O Nine.". (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
Honoring Quiet Valore Jul 3, 2007
A few months later, Tom found himself in the Army Air Forces where he became a Certified Flight Engineer on a B-24 Liberator crew. He went to England as a part of the 489th Bomb Group, and sharpened his skills as the top turret gunner. (Ithaca Times, NY)
Ask the Pilot Jun 30, 2007
Founded in 1979, Collings is best known for its vintage World War II craft, including a B-17, and the only flyable example of a B-24 Liberator, both frequent stars of the air-show circuit. Though headquartered in Stowe, Mass. (Salon)
On the wings of history: Rare planes arrive at Museum of Mountain Flying Jun 28, 2007
Civil Air Patrol members Nick Mihalic, right, and Bentley Alsup, left, watch as a B-24 Liberator pulls up to the Museum of Mountain Flying at Missoula International Airport on Wednesday afternoon ... Just after lunch Wednesday, Missoulians got to hear the rumble of the last flying B-24 Liberator bomber as it lumbered into the valley. (Missoulian, MT)
Jack LaMar Huish May 28, 2007
He flew in the B-24 Liberator as the top gunner. After the war, Jack attended BYU for a year, then returned to Douglas to work with his family in their commercial laundry and dry-cleaning business. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
‘Final Goodbye’ May 23, 2007
Before being shipped overseas, though, he was seriously burned before bailing out of a blazing B-24 Liberator during a training exercise over Arizona. Plastic surgeons repaired the damage to his face as best they could, but he was left with a distinctive, somewhat gaunt, look. (Wilkes Barre Citizen's Voice, PA)
World War II Pilot Receives Distinguished Flying Cross May 11, 2007
Art Cader earned the medal for his heroism during a World War II bombing mission he was part of Sept. 30, 1944. Cader distinguished himself with courage and flight skill," said Master Sgt. Nancy Crowell, the 6th Air Refueling Squadron first sergeant. "Today, more than 60 years after these events, we have the tremendous opportunity to finally, and properly, honor his service. (DOD DefenseLINK)
Veterans' treasures in demand May 6, 2007
It's not gonna do me any good now," he says.An old crew chief for the 461st Bomb Group, the Venice resident once kept American B-24 Liberator bombers flying out of Italy. His team should have had six mechanics, but they all had to make do with four. He never saw combat. "I'm not a hero," he says. "Don't make it out like I was. It took me a year and a half to get my Good Conduct Medal. (Herald-Tribune)
63 years later, a hero is revealed Apr 30, 2007
On July 15, 1944, the crew's B-24 Liberator, dubbed the Flak Man, lived up to its namesake, according to the Air Force. Intense attacks from Luftwaffe planes and antiaircraft fire on the ground severely damaged the bomber, knocking out one engine and communication. (Boston Globe)
INSIDE BELTWAY Apr 29, 2007
On July 15, 1944, the B-24 Liberator crew assigned to the 779th Bomb Squadron, 464th Bomber Group, 15th Air Force, took off from Pantanella, Italy, to take part in what would become the heaviest day of bombing of oil refineries in Romania. "En route to the target, the crew encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire, severely damaging the plane and causing the loss of one engine," Rep. (The Drudge Report)
Nu Mine man killed in World War II identified through DNA Apr 16, 2007
Smith was the gunner on the B-24 Liberator during World War II. On April 16, 1944, he and nine comrades were returning from a mission bombing enemy targets when the plane was shot down. All 10 were presumed dead, but their remains were not found until five years ago. (NEPA News, PA)
For 60 years, she kept a town on its toes Apr 14, 2007
When Mary Morlock started teaching dance in 1947, President Truman was still in his first term, Pratt ey was still making parts for the four R-1830 radial engines powering the B-24 Liberator, and East Hartford was an expanding suburb as the town welcomed back its sons and daughters from the war front overseas. Dance was not exactly at the top of most 'to-do' lists. (East Hartford Gazette, CT)
Airman's remains returned to family after decades in New Guinea jungle Apr 11, 2007
King and nine other crew members boarded their B-24 Liberator bomber, named Here Tis, and joined with almost 200 other aircraft of the 5th Air Force flying missions that day ... " she asked in a moment of desperation a couple of months ago. Her nephew, Dennis Nemeth, put feelers out on the Internet in search of any other relatives of airmen on that plane. The family got one response. Aaron Archer of Cushing, Okla., lost his brother, 2nd Lt. George Archer, the plane's navigator. He, too, had hit... (The News-Herald)
Two Texans among remains identified at WWII plane crash site Apr 10, 2007
The men were aboard a B-24 Liberator plane that disappeared April 16, 1944, while returning from New Guinea following a bombing run. It wasn t until 2001 that U.S. officials were notified that wreckage of the plane was found in the Morobe Province. (KHOU.com, TX)
A willing response to our nation's call ... Anniversary ... ';var marqueewidth="350px";var marqueeheight="20px";var marqueebgcolor="#FFFFFF";////NO NEED TO EDIT BELOW THIS LINE////////////var pauseit=1;var marqueespeed=1 //slow speed down by 1 for NSvar copyspeed=marqueespeedvar pausespeed=(pauseit==0)? copyspeed: 0var iedom=document.all||document.getElementByIdif (iedom)document.write(''+marqueecontent+'')var actualwidth=''var cross_marquee, ns_marqueefunction populate(){if (iedom){cross_marquee=document.getElementById? document.getElementById("iemarquee") : document.all.iemarqueecross_marquee.style.left=parseInt(marqueewidth)+8+"px"cross_marquee.innerHTML=marqueecontentactualwidth=document.all? temp.offsetWidth : document.getElementById("temp").offsetWidth}else if (document.layers){ns_marquee=document.ns_marquee.document.ns_marquee2ns_marquee.left=parseInt(marqueewidth)+8ns_marquee.document.write(marqueecontent)ns_marquee.document.close()actualwidth=ns_marquee.document.width}lefttime=setInterval("scrollmarquee()",20)}window.onload=populate;function scrollmarquee(){if (iedom){if (parseInt(cross_marquee.style.left)>(actualwidth*(-1)+8))cross_marquee.style.left=parseInt(cross_marquee.style.left)-copyspeed+"px"elsecross_marquee.style.left=parseInt(marqueewidth)+8+"px"}else if (document.layers){if (ns_marquee.left>(actualwidth*(-1)+8))ns_marquee.left-=copyspeedelsens_marquee.left=parseInt(marqueewidth)+8}}if (iedom||document.layers){with (document){document.write('')if (iedom){write('')write('')write('')write('')}else if (document.layers){write('')write('')write('')}document.write('')}}Thursday, March 01, 2007 Homer Reynolds pays tribute to his five brothers by purchasing a bench at the Butler County Celebration of Freedom Memorial on the courthouse lawn. courtesy photo A willing response to our nation's call Mar 1, 2007
From there he observed construction of a B-24 Liberator airplane from start to finish at Willow Run, Mich. and then was sent to Kerns, Utah, where he was assigned to the 460th Bombing Group, 15th Air Force also known as the Black Panthers. (El Dorado Times, KS)
Find solves WWII mystery, says filmmaker Feb 22, 2007
But experts had been unable to determine whether the wreckage was General Ramey's B-17 Flying Fortress or a B-24 Liberator named the Punjab. "Because no-one could identify it from my film and photos, we went back there and this time I was armed with all the knowledge of how to identify a plane," Mr Cropp said. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Bomber flights `a once-in-a-lifetime thing' Feb 6, 2007
The B-17 Flying Fortress is in town along with a B-24 Liberator as part of the 120-city Wings of Freedom Tour, organized by the Collings Foundation of Stow, Mass. Exploring the aircraft and riding in them are rare experiences, said foundation volunteer Bruce Syrett. (The Miami Herald)
Painting sale to benefit veterans memorial Jan 28, 2007
PORTLAND - Artist David Magee has produced a painting to commemorates the Portland Veteran's Memorial that is both unique and very special. It is a measure of his skill as an artist that Magee has also produced a work that is at once both heroic and sobering. (Middletown Press, CT)
Wings of Freedom Tour lands at Marco Island Airport Jan 26, 2007
The Collings Foundation's "Wings of Freedom Tour" of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Nine O Nine" and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator WWII Heavy Bombers, will fly into Marco Island Airport for a visit from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, to offer local citizens an opportunity to visit, explore, and learn more about these unique and rare treasures of aviation history. The B-17 is one of only 9 in flying condition in the United States, and the B-24J is the only fully restored flying example of its type in the... (Marco Island Sun-Times, FL)
The warbirds come calling at KH Airpark Jan 26, 2007
According to McRae Resident Joan Jones, it was a breathtaking sight when the first warbird, a snub-nosed B-24 Liberator, broke through the clouds, flew over the airport and then circled for a landing. About ten minutes later, the second plane, a B-17 Flying Fortress followed suit. (Bradford County Telegraph, FL)
WORLD WAR II STARS FLY IN Jan 24, 2007
Chris Kochheiser walks around the B-24 Liberator, the same type of plane as his father was assigned to during World War II. He spent his lunch hour Friday with the Wings of Freedom Tour, which drew crowds to the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport all weekend. MARY HURST/staff. (Florida Times-Union)
World War II planes to land in Venice Jan 23, 2007
WHAT: The Collings Foundation's Wings of Freedom Tour, featuring the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator, will land in Venice for display and tours ... Landing in Venice on Wednesday, two World War II planes, the B-17 and the B-24 Liberator, will be on display until Friday. (Herald-Tribune)
Freshman Congressman Claims Bold Confrontations with Rove, Cheney... Jan 13, 2007
After giving each a chance to give a brief statement on their activism which included everything from WW II vet Stanley Holcomb describing the destruction of Germany from his B-24 Liberator to others who simply felt it was their moral duty, such as Juanita Makaroff, who told Kagen, America is not the country I was taught to love and respect as a child. In the last six years, so much of what has happened has been un-American. (The Drudge Report)
