31ST FIGHTER VETERANS

    "FLIGHT LINE"

           OCTOBER  1993

 

HAPPY  HOLIDAYS !!

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31ST FIGHTER VETERANS  "FLIGHT  LINE"  (Formerly the"Three-O-Eighter") A publication for and about former members of the original 31st Fighter Group formed in July, 1941; its Headquarters, 307th, 308th, and 309th Fighter Squadrons, and successor organizations. During the 31ST Fighter Group's ETO tour from June, 1942 thru July, 1945 its Fighter Squadrons together achieved the highest number of aerial victories in the Mediterranean theater with a combined total of 571.  The 31ST Fighter Groups pilots flew Spitfires in the 8th AF in England, the 12th Air Force in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy; and P-51 Mustangs in the 15th Air Force. Thirty-three (33) of the 31ST's pilots became "Aces". The 31ST Fighter was the first: American fighters in England; to operate in ETO; to destroy an enemy aircraft; AAF Fighter Group in action in Algeria, Malta, and Sicily; to land in Italy; had the only AAF unit at Anzio; and the first AAF Group to operate with P-51 Mustangs in MTO. The 31ST FIGHTER GROUP EXEMPLIFIED ITS MOTTO "RETURN

WITH HONOR".  

                         

AROUND THE THIRTY FIRST

 

This section contains news/information of general interest to all members.

 

LOCATOR/STATUS CHANGES: Text in (ITALICS) is new or updates previously published information.

 

 

CURRENT 31ST ROSTER : I plan to publish a list of the most recent address of  former members of the 31st Fighter Group in the January 1994 issue of "Flight Line". January was selected because Christmas cards are most often the means of reporting address changes. Please advise me of address and status changes (deceased, etc.) NLT (that's not-later-than) my birthday Jan 10th. Further, it is highly recommended that no 31st veterans be "dropped" from member listings. Instead, move those names and addresses to an Archives File and note the last date the 31st'er was heard from.

 

DEATH OF HANNAH HAWKINS: Hannah Brown Hawkins died Friday, August twentieth 1993 in San Antonio, Texas. Hannah was the widow of BG John R. (Shorty) Hawkins, Commander of the 31st Fighter Group in 1941-42. Gen Hawkins was killed in an airplane crash in Peru shortly after WW11. Hannah had maintained contact with many of the former 31st Group officers over the years and was a head table guest at the 1982 reunion of the 31st FG Officers Association in San Antonio. (Condensed from  Ed Dalrymple's 10/01/93 letter, family death announcement, and a copy of the newspaper obituary.)           

 

ROY B. McCRUM - "HOMER": (Art Davenport) I was sorry to hear of Roy McCrum's passing. He was a Radio man in the 308th but I probably don't remember him well because he was a "Homer" and worked at Group Hq most of the time.

 

The 31st had a Van/Truck with a Homing/Direction Finding Radio Set installed. If a pilot was confused or lost within radio range the "Homer" operator could easily tell him which direction to fly to get home. The pilot wanting a Homing or Compass-Heading to our field would call the "Homer" operator who, using that radio signal and a manually operated antenna atop the van, could determine the straight-line bearing from the airplane to the field and call it back to him.  I'm sure it saved the lives of many pilots. As a "Homer" Roy must have worked on that van. At San Severo Group Hq operated the van but we had to provide our share of people to work in it.

 

NO HARM IN DREAMIN': An avid moviegoer in his mid-fifties trying to convince his wife to accompany him to a movie asked, "You wouldn't spend the night with Robert Redford for  a million dollars, would you?"  "Sure I would," she replied. "If I could raise the money."--- Ed Baer

 

 

(Copy of a Public Relations Office release by 31ST Fighter Group PRO         Captain Herman Slutsky. From former T/Sgt Charles A. O'Rourke, 31ST HQ

who typed the original in Sicily.)

 

           FROM P.R.0. 31ST FIGHTER GROUP APO # 525     6 August, 1943

 

An exciting story of the American assault on the south coast of Sicily was related to our correspondent by two staff officers leading an advance echelon of a famous American Spitfire Group which went into action on the island soon after a bridgehead was secured by ground forces. These officers, together with key ground per­sonnel necessary to service the aircraft on arrival and until normal staff could be brought in, were put ashore by LST at the same time as the amphibious trucks, guns and tanks of the first wave of ground forces.

 

This American Spitfire Group is the one which operated from Britain, and has since won fame in the Tunisian campaign, its high­point being May 6th, on which day 11 enemy fighters in the Tunis area were destroyed without loss of a pilot, or damage to a single Spit­fire. As told by the two Staff officers, their LST approached the Sicilian shore in complete darkness, without molestation. At day­break the huge convoy laid off the coast, while American Naval vessels shelled shore defenses. When these had been sufficiently re­duced, the LST bearing the Air Force personnel moved in to unload. Despite the patrol by their own Spitfires (being operated from a base outside Sicily) enemy fighter‑bombers made repeated strafing and bombing attacks on the LST, finally hitting and setting aflame an adjoining vessel which was unloading. The Spitfire men and officers assisted the ships crew in rescuing soldiers and seaman who had plunged off the stricken vessel, and recovered numerous wounded. It then became necessary to withdraw from the beach, the wounded were then transferred to a hospital ship. As a consequence the landing of the Air Force personnel took place the next day on the 11th.

       

                 Many tense moments on the beach followed the landing. At one time enemy forces were so close they were able to drop shells amongst the sand dunes only 50 yards from where the Air Force were assemb­led, and intermittent strafing attacks occurred during that day and the succeeding one. It later developed that an enemy attack was re­pulsed by three 155 MM cannons after enemy tanks had approached to within 2-1/2 miles of the beach. American tanks had not yet gone in­to action, and all that stood between the Americans and the enemy armor was those three lone guns.

 

Although the 1st Infantry Division Commander was not convinced that the airdrome only 6 miles inland, to which the Spitfires were to come, was safe for occupancy, officers & enlisted men on this advance echelon moved onto the airfield on the 13th for the pur­pose of setting up a Headquarters and planning the dispersal of air­craft, which arrived the following day, along with C‑47 transports carrying the air echelon. At this time shell fire was still falling just 2 miles north of the field. The following day our own tanks arrived on the field saying that they were ordered to capture it.

 

PLEA TO ALL HANDS: While you're sending out your Christmas cards send me one (a plain old postcard will do) and write a few lines about how you're doing, any address changes, or info for our 100+ subscribers. I promise to do my best to get all your messages in the January, 1994 Flight Line.

 

 

 

               307TH STATUS & BS BOARD

 

FRED J. LUZZI, JULY 1993: "Thanks for sending me your newsletter, I enjoyed it very much. Having been involved with the 307th reunions since we started in 1982 I can appreciate the job you do in publishing the "Flight Line". We have no newsletter but do have a reunion every year and have a great time. Enclosed is my check to subscribe to Flight Line." (S) Fred Luzzi 307th Armorer. (I talked at length with Fred at their reunion in Wichita. He remembers a lot of the 308th Armorers, Anderson, Fidler, Bender, and more.)

 

CLEM F. BARENBRUGGE, JUL 28,1993: Really enjoyed reading all the stories, etc. in the back issues of Flight Line. (Clem went over on the Queen E., made the whole 31ST tour and was discharged May 12, 1945.) I went thru the Queen E. #1 when it was in port at Fort Lauderdale... lots different than it was in 1942. SEP 25. 1993 Your Editor visited with Clem at the 307th reunion in Wichita, KS. Don't forget Clem---you promised to send me some stories for Flight Line and we can use some more 307th stuff in our WW11 memoirs.

 

ROBERT W. & EUNICE OATMAN, SEP 6, 1993: "Surprised and glad to get your newsletter and am enclosing a check in hopes of getting more of them."  "Didn't make it back to Mich this year for the first time since we moved here 10 years ago. We usually go up in June and stay till October. We get together with some of the gang from the 307th that live close by. Sure would like to see Groesbeck and Pawli. Wish I had known they lived that close when we lived in Wayne! Maybe we'll get to see them next summer. Thanks for letting us be a part of the newsletter.

 

PETE CAPELLO, JULY 1993: Hi Elmer. The Flight Line is terrific. Really enjoy reading it. I can just see myself back in those days looking like bums in our "cut-offs" on the line servicing our planes. Maybe someday we can have a reunion for all of 307th, 308th, and 309th. We will have to work on that! (I talked more with Pete at the Wichita reunion and he is very sincere about having a Group reunion)

 

ALBERT T. FARNES, SEP 9 1993: Thank you for the newsletter which I enjoyed very much. Enclosed find my check to keep it coming. (Your editor visited with Farnes at the 307th reunion in Wichita. He was a member of the 307th after WW11, was in the USAF 6 years. He is interested in expanding the reunion membership to include all 31ST veterans and is to send me some information on a 31ST Fighter Veterans organization formed shortly after the Korean War. I plan to report on that in a future newsletter.)

 

GEORGE (Jabber) KUNTZ, OCT 12, 1993: Enclosed my check for "Flight Line" as we talked at the reunion in Wichita where we had a very enjoyable time as usual. Caroline & I stayed over with Fred Luzzi and Betty to visit The Swedish Village, The Cosmosphere, and the Amish village. I may take a trip to Reading soon, if so will try to visit Jim Leister.

 

FRED DEVAUL, SEP 25, 1993: We had a lengthy talk at the 307th reunion. The former 307th painter is still in the painting business. Also, he still has a lot of the drawings and specifications for painting both the Spitfires and the P-51's. He recalled how difficult it was to paint the designs the pilots wanted on their airplanes. What he liked best about the job was painting the "Victory" swastika's on the airplanes. "The 307th had a lot of victories and it kept me busy", he said. Fred assists and counsels wayward and homeless or  disadvantaged youths. He keeps busy and appears healthy.

               

308TH STATUS & BS BOARD

DONN PENNSINGER, 29 MAY 1993: I recently received a copy of your publication and enjoyed reading it a great deal. Bob Goebel told me about the reunion in Dayton and that Jacobs was there. I only live about two hours from Dayton and would have been there if I'd known about the reunion. Most of the pilots from the 31ST were assigned to the 3rd Air Force when we returned to the States. All of the Bases were in GA and FL so we saw each other frequently. Jacobs was an exception. He was assigned to Lake Charles, LA, but no one knew about it. We often talked about him and wondered what had happened to him. At the Dayton reunion we finally learned where he had gone! I called Joe Sheehan in Cocoa Beach and told him about it. Jake visited Joe recently as did I. I'm going to see Bob Goebel this September. I've talked to Jacobs on the phone several times but haven't visited him yet. Please give my regards to any 308th or 31ST people you talk with. (Ed: I was a B-26 Crew Chief in the 86th Sqdn of the 47th Bomb Gp (we only had 34 M/Sgt.'s in the 86th!) from Jan-May of 1946... flew a lot of air shows around the country. Capt. E.C. Alford was the Eng'g Officer, L/C Lutz was CO. I met my wife Helen Phillips there (born and raised in Lake Charles) before the 47th moved to Biggs Field, El Paso, TX  where we were married in Dec 1946.

 

JUNE SKILLESTAD, JULY 2, 1993: Enclosed is my check to continue sending we widows the "Flight Line" newsletter which I enjoy very much. I am surviving since I lost my beloved Wayne last November. . . who was "The wind beneath my wings". Jane Skillestad came to my rescue in Florida and helped me over a bad period of time. We plan on doing some travelling and both she and I keep busy with our homes, family and friends. Keep up the good work on the newsletter and take care. . . June

 

JEFF JORDAN, JULY 17, 1993: Just phoned to say how much I like the newsletter. I am sure glad somebody's doing it, otherwise all those things we did would be forgotten. I was glad to hear about Cade because I hadn't heard anything for a long time. Hey, when you went to Cody's you could have stopped here at my place too... it's only 30 miles from there! (Ed: Sorry Jeff, I didn't have my address book with me and the only one I could remember for sure was Cody in Newhebron so that's where we went.) My wife was from Louisiana and I lived there for a while after WW11 but moved back to MS after she passed away in 1985. I have 2 daughters near me here is MS, one is at Caseyville just outside Brookhaven. I had cancer of the throat and the radiation treatments destroyed my taste buds but otherwise I'm OK. I'd like to see us have a reunion at Vicksburg. We could have a good time and do some gambling on those casino boats. Keep the newsletter coming.

 

HENRY ROCHE, JULY 16, 1993: About 3 weeks ago Schult, Rodmyre, and VanAusdell came to Seattle and joined me for a Mini-reunion. It was wonderful. We were so busy reliving the past and "telling lies" that we never had time to do all the things we had planned. That means we will have to do it again, of course. It's so easy to relive the past when you "Flight Line" triggers so many memories - good and bad, but as bad as our living accommodations were, it was the friendships that made it all worthwhile.

 

IN HONOR OF NAVY PILOT DAVID ROCHE: In September of this year (1993) my brothers and sisters and families will meet in Las Vegas for a 50th Reunion with the crew of the USS ROCHE. The ship was named after my brother David who was one of the pilots of torpedo bombers from the Yorktown which intercepted the Japanese fleet at Midway. There weren't many survivors from that. The crew has invited us to join them. (Ed: Henry sent this item July 16th so by now the event is over... I just thought you'd like to know.)

 

BOB GALLAGHER, JULY 26, 1993: Roger got your letter about your problems with kumpewter skanning which is totally beyond me, Hell, I kin bearly spell kumpewter and am about to the point where I have to undress to count to 21! (Bob also conveyed his thinking on--- 1) Binder/cover for the newsletters made from a 3-ring binder with a stick-on color decal of our bumper sticker  above the Group and Squadron insignia's like on the cover of Flight Line.

(By the way Bob, when I redo the first newsletter (Oct 1990) I will put it on standard size paper. Am also considering taking the  whole mess to a printer and having it reprinted with "binding" space on alternating pages like a book. Another project idea to look into!)

2) Photo album with "Then" & "Now" photo's of the guys. (Bob did a lot of research on this one with various advertising people and the bottom line was that to get even marginal quality in an album using photo's 50 years apart, the expense would be too high, ie. sizes, color, print condition, etc. would vary, and no way of knowing "up front" how many would be in it. One guy told Bob, "If your name is not Perot, forget it and do something else."

 

Bob suggests making the "Then & Now" photo gallery a reunion project. Ask everyone who comes to the reunion to "stick" their "Then" and "Now" photo on the top half of a sheet of typing paper with information about the persons in-service and after-service years on the lower half. All these could be exhibited at the reunion, in a notebook, on a table, taped lightly to a wall, etc.. They could be copied, or even photographed. (Ed: Bob, I think you've hit on the only way we'll get anything like this done at all. I'll try to remember to put it in the reunion letter.)

 

BILL SMITH, JULY 23, 1993: Here is a picture of me and my new Penna license plate P51-VET.

I didn't have time to put on the 308 bumper sticker but it's on there now!---Bill

 

ABE & BABETTE SHARE, JULY 9, 1993: Abe & I moved to Leisure World of MD. Abe has had two heart attacks, heart surgery, and a stroke. We are in a lovely home close to our family. PS by Abe: I'm not much at writing as you can tell (looks as good as mine!) We saw Rollie Lamensdorf a few days ago. He's about the same. Kindest regards, Abe Share.

 

MRS. FLORENCE BEUMER, JULY 15, 1993:" I received the "Flight Line" a couple days ago. I recognized quite a few of the names as I did before. Our son Scott just came back from a trip to Russia. He was chosen to go with a group, "To Russia With God's Love", from the Dothan District of Methodist Churches. He is a Lay Leader from our church, following in his father's footsteps. I'll be looking forward to the October letter, hoping for a good response."

 

CLIFF PETERSEN, MARCH 1993: Missed this one in both April and July. Cliff wrote to send the form on which to request medals, ribbons, etc.. He's OK.

 

AL QUINT, JULY 19TH, 1993: Just got the July Flight Line and it is great... I really enjoyed the write-up on Otis Cody and was glad to learn about Malcolm Cade. About that "Welcome Buddies" banner... it was me that told you Christenson made up the first one. He did make it for the first reunion I

hosted in Milwaukee in 1973. Don't know why he doesn't remember making it. Shafer hosted the 1990 reunion and afterward his Bro-in-law made a new banner. We probably put it up at Dayton before you got there, so you  didn't know it was a new one. I will write Richard Harvan and convey our thanks.

 

O. FRANKLIN BEUMER, JULY 17, 1993: This note is in response to your newsletter comment soliciting information about Herbert W. Beumer who was my eldest brother. His wife Florence shared the newsletter with me and mentioned she would appreciate if greatly if I would send you some information about Herbert. One of my memories is a letter we received from him after not hearing from him for a long time. In it he simply commented, "If you take the middle letter from my brother's name, you'll know where I am." Your unit was in Oran. My first name is Orian. (more on page 18)

 

BILL & LAURA WALKER, AUG 6, 1993: ...in part "We have our daughter from Florida with us along with her three children (under five). We have a family reunion the middle of the month and her husband will come for that. Then we will baby-sit while they vacation for about a week before returning to their home. Living so far away we don't get to see the grandchildren often enough and it's doubly enjoyable to see them."

 

"Your newsletter is really a pleasure to receive and I know all the guys appreciate it. We are looking forward to the 1994 reunion in Oklahoma City.  I had a nice newsy letter from Smokey, and Helen Quint wrote to update us on Al's surgery. He is getting along real well."

 

CLARENCE SHAFER, AUG 17, 1993: Clarence sent an item for the article I am writing on Herb Beumer. Said he had written it but his writing was so bad he had to get Millie to rewrite it for him. He also said, "See you next year in Oklahoma City, hopefully."

 

BOB GOEBEL, AUG 15, 1993: Bob Called to request info on the paint scheme for the P-51, if I knew anyone who had it. I referred him to Carroll Christenson who said he had the paint schemes on all the Spitfires and Mustangs. Bob will also send me the story on the search he made for gun camera film. Bob was enquiring about paint schemes for Dr. Norman Lewis of Louisville who has a P-51 (I think it's in Califormia) and wants it repainted the 31st scheme.

 

CARROLL CHRISTENSON, AUG 21: Chris called to tell me Bob Goebel had called him about the P-51 paint scheme. Dr. Lewis did call Chris later and discussed the project. and to remind me that I still had not sent him the addresses of 308'ers who live in MA or nearby states. (I will do it Chris!)

 

JACK FIDLER, AUG 22, 1993: Jack called "just to talk" as he hadn't written for a while. All was well with them and they were doing their annual fishing.

 

JAMES JACOBS, AUG 20, 1993: Jim call me in OKC to say he was here attending the annual reunion of the 45th Infantry Division. Jim was in the 45th in 1942, took the Air Corps Cadet exam, passed it and went on to become a pilot and was assigned to the 31ST and 308th. He was in the Nat'l Guard that was mobilized at Ft. Devens, MA at the time. He call to give me Ralph Dutton's telephone No. 1-704-644-9395. Seems the reason Dutton moved was that the property belonged to a church and they needed it for some other reason. Jim and Ralph made a trip to Sparta, Wis, (Dutton was originally from Sparta) last fall and visited Ralph's family and friends.

 

CHESTER W. CHURCH, 18 AUG, 1993: I have a correction for you. The picture I sent you of the B-24 was a picture of me and Ernie Webb, not Ed Hatch. Next month I will have a new address:  9914 US 23 South, Ossineke, MI 49766.

ROY PHILLIPS, AUG 19,1993: The passage of about a half a century has blotted out any details of the memory of friend Herb Beumer. There is a guy in Oregon that may be able to help. 

 

About Ralph Dutton... I had not heard anything about him being sick. A couple months after the Dayton Reunion I was by his home but no-one was there. The next time I was over there a new family was occupying the home. The neighbor, who was quite close to Ralph, was not at home. When I get back over there I will pursue it and see where he went, what happened. (Ed: See Jim Jacobs input of  Aug 20, 1993)

 

W.E. ANDERSON, SEP 7 1993: Pauline & I are doing fine...still "Airstreaming" and have a 5 day rally coming up in S. Illinois Sep 15 then Sep 22 will fly to Seattle for a visit with eldest son. After that it's head for Florida.

 

EDWARD J. OLBEY SEPT 7 1993: Enjoy "Flight Line"... keep up the good work. I  will try to come up with some material soon... Called Jim Carpenter who recalled that Herb Beumer was friendly with Defourneaux and Bleiler.

 

JOHN WM. PATTERSON, AUG 27, 1993: Got back from FL in April '93 and finally got caught up with things needing doing. My gal & I flew from Windsor to Winnipeg and visited her daughter & Son-in-law for 10 days, then flew to Vancouver, B.C. and spent a couple days with her son and daughter-in-law. Then we drove the Canadian Rockies from one end to the other (took 2 weeks), flew together back to Toronto where she went home to Montreal and I to Eastpointe. I had always wanted to see Jasper, Banff, and Lake Louise. July 26th I drove to Montreal and spent two weeks with my gal, then brought her back to spend two weeks with me at Eastpointe. She went back to Montreal on Aug 24th. I am looking forward to getting back to FL again this winter.

You're doing a great job with "Flight Line"... I enjoy it very much. I haven't heard from anyone much as I haven't been writing! It's been hot and very humid here this summer. I'm having the house and garage roof replaced.

Had to take off two layers so it is a messy job of about 4 days. The house is too big for me but it's mine and I don't care for the thought of moving. I had some eczema on my hands but it cleared up with treatment, had my eyes checked etc., everything's OK. Still golfing and staying active.

 

ROGER H. ROBINSON, SEP 12, 1993: (Condensed from Rog's 3 page letter.) My wife and I attended the 309th reunion dinner yesterday, had a fine time, met a lot of new people, and gained a bit of information about their group. I gave a talk on our 308th reunions and started a discussion about the three squadrons getting together for reunions. Same reaction as we had at Dayton, "No, we would rather stay as our own group", was the general comment. There were some who thought it might be OK. I suggested they come to the 308th reunion in October 1994. From your letter I learned you had already invited them in a letter to the host, Ozzie Ausborn. Enclosed is a copy of the 309th reunion membership.

 

The flood waters did not hurt the part of Des Moines where the 309th reunion was held. Most of the damage was between there and downtown. Our city of Davenport had problems downtown and downstream from the city. Our gambling boat had to move upriver for awhile and no boats were allowed on the river. A golf course on an island downriver from downtown was deeply flooded and probably will not be restored as more flooding is probable next year because the ground is so saturated. Going through Iowa there were big pools of water in the fields and we had to bypass Cedar Rapids.

 

I will write Charlie Bender and let you know what I find out. (Roger, I tried to phone Richard Robinson at the 5301 S. Broadway address in Wichita and was told by the area code operator that the address was a commercial facility, don't remember the name, and I declined to ring the number. I did not have time to actually check out the address on 5300 S. Broadway. Also tried in vain to get in touch with Douglas Strong who has moved to Hutchinson, KS.

 

ROGER GALLAGHER, SEPT 30, 1993: Roger (son of Bob Gallagher) writes he is an active alumni and musician in the Ohio State University Alumni Band which has an annual reunion at an OSU football game at which they do the full pregame and half-time shows. Also, he is a musician in a year round "Active Band" doing parades and concerts all over Ohio. Further, he plays in a "Hyper-Active" Band group which performs four or five times a week for store openings, birthday parties, business meetings, etc., sometimes two a day! Income is used for college band student scholarships and band support. The Active Alumni Band will perform in a parade in Osaka, Japan Oct. 10, and give a concert there Oct. 11. Roger didn't say what instrument/s he plays.

 

CARROLL CHRISTENSON, SEP 1993: (Condensed from Aug. and Sept. letters) In August Chris  sent me color drawings of the "fighting black cat" 308th Squadron Insignia and the original "Return with Honor" insignia of the 31st.  In September he wrote,"Elmer, the crown on the cat insignia is red. I got some letter heads I had printed in Italy and the crown is red. It replaced the top hat that was on it when the cat insignia was first designed."

 

"Thanks for the letter and address labels. Would you please send me the addresses etc. of some of the guys who live near me so I could write or call them. I would like that. I've got a lot of pictures of the guys going home on rotation. Yes! Some of you too. That other Howell guy in our outfit always had a camera around his neck. . . he should have plenty of pictures. I don't remember his first name."

 

(Ed: That was S/Sgt Niles D. "Hollywood" Howell, the hero who got the Silver Star when a General saw him helping wounded men out of the water after their LCI was bombed in the Sicily landing. Some of our guys said he lost his balance on the rail and fell in while taking pictures of the scene. Talk about "falling in crap and coming up smelling like a rose!" Later, as First Sergeant in Sicily, I recall him insisting the U.S. replace his camera which was ruined by the salt water.)

 

               309TH BS & STATUS BOARD

 

LEROY MARSH, AUG 8, 1993: Obviously other 309ers enjoy your 6Flite Line6 as much as I do. Like you say, you have to put something in to get something out. So here are some things on our stay in England. (see page 12)

               WORLD WAR 11 FLASHBACKS

50 PERCENT SURVIVED: Jim JACOBS came to the 308th at Castel Volturno in January, 1944 and left it from San Severo five months later in May, 1944.  There were eight pilots on the order assigning Jim to the 308th and half of them were lost in combat. Of the group of eight, Don Pennsinger, Joe Sheehan, Joe Day, and Jim survived to return to the U.S.

 

EGGEATER WAS M/S FRANCIS "DUTCH" DUINDAM: (Art DavenportP When we went to Casablanca we could buy eggs from the Arabs. Our cooks served us fresh eggs for the first time in a long time. Fresh eggs were not available in England. Some of the radio bunch bought some eggs and brought them back to camp. Dutch boiled up a batch of them and someone said he ate 18 of them before supper! That night others of us had extra eggs also. Roy Root offered to cook eggs for us and fried them in a mess kit with a blow torch for heat. We thought it was pretty good to be eating eggs in our pup tent after going to bed!

 

ALL THAT WORK FOR NUTTIN!: Carroll Christenson tells this story about someone in the 308th,  that constructed several boxes with a false bottom in which he could conceal the individual parts for a .45 automatic and send them home a few pieces at a time. Everything was going well, he thought, until an officer censoring mail sent the guy a package with the completely assembled .45 in it and a note saying "don't ever try this again!" (Chris thought it was Herb Beumer but your editor recalls Don Ricke tried a similar scheme at SanSevero. 

P-38'S BOMB US:(ART BLEILER) The day the Allies took the Monte Corvino airfield it had been a day of see‑saw. The Germans had the field four times and we, five.  I was on that forward echelon.  Stood at the corner of an old hangar, four or five of us. Looked up and saw a P-38 diving at us.  We scattered and his bomb hit near where we'd been standing.

 

(Ed: I was 308th 1/Sgt on the forward echelon and was surprised to find some of our people already at the airfield when we arrived with what was supposed to be the "first" vehicles. Only a few of our forward echelon was on the airfield when it was bombed. Most 307 and 308 men were loading equipment at the beach staging area.  The 12th AF had not been informed by the British (who controlled the beachhead) that the allies had secured the airfield, so the P-38 mission was not called off. The German and Italian airplanes and trucks on the airfield ramps indicated they still occupied the field.)

 

JACOBS DROPS IN ON 45TH DIV:  At the end of a mission flown from Castel Volturno Jim decided to "fake" an engine problem and landed at Anzio hoping to visit with some of his buddies in the 45th. Luck was with him as his old outfit, the 171st Field Artillery was stopped alongside the roadway near the landing strip and he was able to visit with many of his old friends.

 

PYRO-TECHNIC NUT & PRACTICAL JOKER: Lt E. M. "Jack" Frost was a "nut" about  firearms and munitions. At Termini, the officers were billeted in a hotel which the  Germans had used. They frequently found dangerous devices the Germans had left in the closets and ante rooms. This story is told.

 

About ten officers shared a suite on the 3rd floor with Lt Frost. One afternoon Frost comes in with his shirt stuffed with "souvenirs' and sat down on his bunk with his back to the others. In a few moments they heard something fall, then a "hissing" sound, and Frost yelling something . . . on the floor by his bunk a hand grenade was spinning and blowing smoke! Everybody but Frost high-tailed it out of there--- some even bailed out the 3rd floor windows. After a few minutes passed and nothing happened they went back to find Frost on his bunk doubled up with laughter. He had removed the explosive charge from the grenade, reattached the fuse, and made the whole thing up just for a joke. The guys that jumped out the window didn't think it was so funny, though they weren't seriously hurt.

 

JACOBS TRADES GREEN FOR SILVER: I remember a bunch of us going from San Severo to Casablanca to pick up new P-51's. These were "silver" (unpainted aluminum) and beautiful compared to the OD Mustangs we'd been flying. Over the Mediterranean on the way back I recall doing loops & rolls just to get the feel of the airplane. I don't remember why but we landed at Pomigliano at Naples for the last night of the trip. We left for San Severo next AM and while climbing up to altitude  my engine began running rough and coolant was coming out the exhaust stacks. I went back in to Pomigliano... dead stick. I RON'D with the P-40 bunch I knew at Pomig, then caught a ride to San Severo leaving the P-51 there for an engine change.

 

When the P-51 was ready after engine change Thorsen told me, "Your airplane's ready to go over at Pomig, whistle up a ride over there and bring it back." I had been flying an old "green" Mustang so I told him to give it to someone else. (Ed: If it hadn't been for the several days it took to change that engine Jake might never have got his "silver" P-51!)    

 

FOR PATTON FANS: Pilot Henry ROCHE tells this story. "When I came home in May, 1944 I was on a Liberty ship in a 110-ship convoy which took 21 days to reach New York City. I was the only Air Corps officer aboard with about 30 Tank Corps officers from Patton's organization. Each morning they got up, shaved, dressed in complete uniform and stayed that way all day. It was a sight to behold. They told me they did this out of respect for Patton whose training had saved their lives. They loved him!"

 

MEMOIRS OF ENGLAND: By Leroy Marsh, 309th.

 

ENGLISH MESS!: To a man we didn't like the stinking fish on the Queen Elizabeth, and we didn't like the porridge and bony mutton stew at High Ercal not far from Atcham. That first night most of the squadron went into Wellington to the Crown and Anchor pub for "fish & chips". Later that night an armorer on guard in the bivouac area halted them and made them throw their dog tags in a pile. It was a tangled mess to sort out in the morning.

 

TEA ANYONE?: Soon after we arrived, in a nearby hangar, I saw a black A-20 that the  British used for a night fighter. One of the  blokes was standing on the wing looking at some big wrinkles in the skin. He said it was flown as a night fighter and an ME had chased it downstairs in a power dive that rumpled the wing. Suddenly he jumped off the wing like a shot and ran. I thought it was an air raid and followed him. It was just the 6bloody Nawfie wagon". and all of us soon learned to rush for the wagon for "tea and kikes", it was a break and kept us thawed out.

 

ONE RECORD BAND: When we moved in Doc Petit immediately got a 72 rpm phonograph record player and played Woody Herman's "Woodchoppers BaIl6 every day from dawn to dusk. The "JAP6 (J. A. Preston gasoline 6chore horse") ran the power generator unevenly, causing all his other records to wheeze and howl. It was the only tune we could tolerate.

 

ROTOL OR DEHAVALAND PROP?: In checking out the Spits, one day a pilot couldn't get the gear to extend. He rocked the wings pretty good, flew inverted and really jinked the plane around good to no avail. Finally, with a plane at his wing tip, he bellied in, almost greasing it on the red dirt along side the runway. I was surprised very little dust kicked up.

 

ROYALTY VISITS: One day, the King and Queen slowly rolled up in their big shiny, black Rolls sedans. I remember the pilots had trouble keeping the red dust off their shoes as they lined up before the King and Queen who shook the hand of each one.

 

CLOSER TO THE ACTION: Weeks later, we moved to Westhampnett in a convoy of British lorries. This bunch of rookies (us) was impressed with the barrage balloons in the sky, the many Bofors gun emplacements around the field, and every open field had cables strung on tall poles to prevent Jerry making airborne landings. The grass field was pretty, surrounded by trees, and had a wide black stripe painted across the middle. Some of the pilots said they had trouble finding it. The radio men put up two Nissen huts named "Angel Hut" and "Ye Olde Whore's Nest.

 

That same night the Bofors had a practice firing--unannounced. Everyone scrambled--right now-- to the underground bomb shelter nearby."Shorty" Powell was the last man into the shelter. Later he said, "I just didn't want to be the first one out of the Nissen Hut, so I waited a few seconds. Then I realized everyone else was gone!"

 

WHO WENT THERE?: Angel Hut was right next to the guard gate. One night the bloke guard hollered, "Halt, halt, halt" in quick succession, and without a break we heard his rifle go "Bang, bang, bang" also in rapid succession. That was all. And nobody was shot or missing next day.

At night the men often went into "The Nags Head" pub in nearby Chichester (Chicken chester). At first some were rather casual as they were challenged by a British guard who strolled the perimeter tarmac. But not for long, because the bloke was quite adept at laying the bayonet on the barrel of his Enfield rifle snugly against a GI's throat.

 

HERE'S HOW YANKS!: It didn't take long before three RAF Spits' (Eagle Squadron, we thought) flew over and "beat up" our field. They would take turns dropping over the trees, fly tight to the deck and dry run a strafing of our Spits'. After barely pulling up over each plane, some of them would bank vertically to slip through the trees. They kept constant pressure on the field. It was a "wizard" demonstration of some wild flying. It made your hair stand on end. )Ed: Art Davenport tells of a similar incident where some Polish RAF pilots "beat up the drome" at Westhampnett.)

 

"PUT ON" FOR LIFE: Margaret Bourke White of Life magazine and some other journalists visited us. She took a posed photo depicting a "scramble" with our C.O. Harry Thyng sitting in WZ-A and Jim Thorsen, Frank Hill, and John Paulk running past to other Spits'. Years later, I recognized WZ on an RAF Spit illustration on the back cover of a paper-back book. Inside the cover was this photograph and a write-up about the scene.

 

Note: Leroy promises to write more about these pilots.

 

       WE REMEMBER....

 

          STAFF SERGEANT HERBERT W.BEUMER, AF35044798

 

By: SMS (R) Elmer J. "BUZ" Howell, a former Non-comissioned officer of the 308th Fighter Squadron, 31ST Fighter Group.

 

  This article is written to relate some of the experiences of Herb in his 37 month tour of duty with the 308th Fighter Squadron, 31ST Fighter Group in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during World War 11. It will attempt to describe Herb's work in the 308th,  the environmental and living conditions at the time, exposure to enemy action, and includes comments about him by friends who were there. Many of you can probably recall the times and places. Due to space limitations of the" Flight Line" this article is condensed from information sent me about Herb from former members of the 308th.

 

ENGLAND- JUNE THRU OCTOBER 1942: The 308th was in England at Westhampnett Airdrome in October 1942. I was a T/Sgt., Flight Chief of "B" Flight's 10 Spitfires and 15 or so Crew Chiefs and helpers. The 31ST Fighter Group was preparing to move to another location and everything was being crated for shipment by water. Flying was now curtailed. We were preparing to return our Spitfires to the RAF. Ground support Officers and Enlisted men were receiving "assault" training as for an invasion landing. Herb's duty job was MOS 050, (Military Occupational Specialty), Carpenter. 

 

On October 5, 1942  I was designated as a Port Liaison Officer with the responsibility to go to the POE and assure every 308 piece of equipment was loaded on board a ship. I would bring back coded shipping documents for use in recovering our equipment

at the destination. I needed our list of crates, numbers, etc..  308th Supply Sergeant J. B. Pryor took me to Pfc. (Private

1st Class) Herbert W. Beumer.

 

Herb and several helpers were at Squadron Supply assembling various size crates and boxes from a flat-bed truck load of prefabricated parts. When asked about the list I needed he said, "I'll let you know when I send the final list to the Orderly Room and you can get it from them. These boxes still have to be stenciled with the squadron code name and equipment code numbers assigned by Supply." Within a week I got the list of over 200 boxes and crates Herb and his men had assembled and stenciled.

 

ORAN, ALGERIA: The 308th departed Grenoch, Scotland October 26, 1942 on the HMS Orbita. After a miserably cramped 12 day trip with meals of stewed fish, mutton, and bully beef the men were glad to climb down rope ladders into LST's (Landing Ship, Tank)  and head for shore. We were at Arzew, Algeria, about 20 miles east of ORAN. Wading the last 50 yards to shore and then waiting  several hours. we finally boarded trucks for Tafaroui Airport. In a few days we moved to La Senia airdrome about 8 miles west where our equipment had been delivered. Some boxes were opened immediately  because they contained the bicycles of several of the men in hidden compartments which Herb Beumer had cleverly built into each of the boxes. (Only certain officers had been authorized to ship bicycles).

 

Herb believed in being well prepared and realized building materials and hardware would likely not be readily available in a combat area. He had ordered extra supplies of tools, different sizes of nails, screws, bolts. etc. for shipment with the squadron's supplies. His foresight turned out to be invaluable in Africa where we couldn't obtain those things.

 

The carpenter tools supplied by the Army Air Corps were very basic tools only and of course at that time there was no such thing as a SkilSaw. In England Herb bought and bartered for better tools. He often traded or gave items from his rations or packages from home, cigarette rations (he didn't smoke), or food items from the mess hall. It was'nt that Herb didn't have the money but that he felt sorry for the English people who were strictly rationed on sweets, eggs, meat, and so-called luxury items.

 

Herb was assigned to the Orderly Room but his work area was in Squadron Supply. The Supply Sgt. had very little say about Herb's duties. With Carpentry his trade, Herb's services were constantly in demand by the squadron and higher level officers. Most of his work assignments came from the Squadron Adjutant, Lt Vostel , Supply Officer Lt Arnold R. Johnson,  and First Sergeant Jim Sreiner, and usually came to Herb from Orderly Room Chief Clerk Alfred E. Lambert. It was not unusual for higher level officers, learning of his capability, to search him out and ask him to do things for them, bypassing the Squadron officers completely. No matter where the requests came from, suffice it to say there was a constant backlog of projects waiting for him to do such as building makeshift tables, chairs, desk signs, picture frames, crates and boxes of all sizes, and many other special requests. In N. Africa there was very little lumber type material. Projects weren't begun  until the requestor brought the materials to complete the job.

 

Herb was so swamped with priority projects that Adjutant Lt. Vostel ordered 1st/Sgt Sreiner to excuse him from details such as guard duty and KP. One of those "priority" projects was a huge status board on which Sreiner kept track of personnel status with colored golf tees. Herb's ability and hard work soon earned him a promotion to Corporal and then to Sergeant. Herb got along well with everyone and adjusted quickly to working under adverse conditions.

 

From January to November 1943  we lived in the field in Algeria and Tunisia, moving our base of operations 14 times. The entire squadron did not usually remain together but were separated at two or three different operational forward bases while the headquarters of the squadron remained at a rearward location. Herb spent most of his time in N. Africa at these "rear echelon" locations working at repairing things broken or damaged during our moves. The one-time exception to the above was in February, 1943 when the entire squadron moved some 400 miles east of LaSenia to a natural airfield called Thelepte in Tunisia.  

 

THELEPTE, TUNISIA:  When the 308th arrived here they were some 20 miles  westward of the "front" lines! The situation is well described in Rolland G. Lamensdorff's "HISTORY OF THE 31ST FIGHTER GROUP", pages 14 and 15.

 

"During the first week, the enemy attacked the airdrome, with eight or more aircraft, on several occasions.  The enemy's direction of approach varied but usually four enemy aircraft, Me-109's, strafed while four other aircraft, FW-190's, provided top cover and dropped delayed action fragmentation bombs. On two such attacks, several parked aircraft were badly damaged.

These unexpected enemy attacks required that the personnel be widely dispersed. Any concentration of material, planes or personnel created a target.

 

Thelepte airdrome was, at one time, occupied by the Germans. They had constructed a number of underground huts on the perimeter of the field. These huts were very crudely constructed and barren but afforded satisfactory protection against enemy attacks and the violent Tunisian sandstorm which were prevalent during that time of the year. The huts housed two to four officers. The enlisted men occupied pup tents, widely dispersed, some distance from the field. The food consisted of cold "C" rations. Water was very scarce; it had to be transported forty-five miles from Tebessa by truck. Each man was allotted only one gallon per day for drinking, cooking, washing and shaving; very few shaved.

 

Occasionally, the Tunisian sandstorm, which the natives called siroccos, became so violent that it was impossible to walk against the wind. When a sirocco appeared, the aircraft had to be securely tied down; the aircraft guns had to be placed in wraps and the barrels stuffed with cloth to prevent infiltration of sand. The old timers were not kidding when, later, they would tell the new arrivals from the States...

 

""You should have been at Thelepte, it was really rough, there!""

 

During the 31ST's entire tour of overseas duty, its living conditions  were never worse that when it was stationed at Thelepte." (End of quote}

 

From the above it became obvious (after the fact) that personnel with duties such as Herb's should never have been moved this near the front lines. We had sort of "overdriven our headlights" and didn't see disaster just over the hill. When the American Ground Forces retreated before the advancing German army on the 15th and 16th of February, 1943 the 31ST Fighter Group had to evacuate Thelepte Airdrome by noon February 17th.

 

This is the time of which Chester Church writes, "My greatest memory of Herb took place at Thelepte Airdrome, the time we had to evacuate. Herb and I were sharing a cave-like structure left by the Germans. We had two cots and a kerosene lamp in there and thought we really had it made. One morning we were awakened by dirt falling on us. Herb went out to see what was wrong and came back in white as a sheet. He said, "Chet! "Everything is on fire and everybody is gone!" We packed up our things quickly and took off towards the road out there. We were able to catch the last truck out."

 

I will add that if they did indeed catch the last truck off Thelepte that I was also on it. I had been assigned as NCO of a six-man detail to remain behind and direct the gunners of a 37 mm Anti-tank Battery where to hit the non-flyable airplanes left behind to assure they were destroyed. I remember more men coming to ride out with us. It was about 10AM and all our people were already gone when the Artillery Officer ordered the three Anti-Tank guns to start firing. In minutes, an A-20, a P-40, and 3 Spitfires were afire plus dozens of barrels of 100 octane fuel. We jumped on the truck to leave but the drivers side front tire was flat!  We changed it quickly. In my mind I can picture about ten or twelve men on the truck but cannot remember the name of a single one! We picked up several more along the road and spent the night with a 105mm "Long Tom" Battery 20 miles west of Thelepte. The next day we went further west to  Tebessa. The 31ST moved back to Thelepte for a month in March 1943 then on to other Tunisian bases as the Germans evacuated. All of Tunisia surrendered in May 1943. By Mid-June we were preparing for the invasion of Sicily.

 

SICILY: Ponte Olivo, Agrigento, Termini, July 14, 1943. Most of the 31ST (and Herb) were brought to Ponte Olivo, Sicily airdrome by C-47's. The Air Echelons (which I was on) landed on the beach the day before with the invasion troops. For the first week the local water was bad and we had to boil or treat all drinking water with purification tablets. Herb figured out a better way. "Eat the grapes, he said." "The water's good in them."

 

We endured several nights of bombings by the Germans before moving to  Agrigento. This was wine country with plenty of vineyards and wine cellars. Herb often visited with the local grape farmers. His friend Joe Amato (he parlotta Italiano) was in high demand now as an interpreter. Herb actually tried many of the farming methods such as plowing with an ox.

 

Herb carried a small notebook which he called his "workbook" where he recorded the details of jobs assigned to him. I remember him asking our Orderly Room personnel at Termini, Sicily for another notebook... he had filled the first one in a little over a year. If I had those notebooks now... I could write this easily!

 

In Termini, Sicily in July 1943 I was 308th 1st/Sgt, we were in tents on the hot and dusty airfield. (Most of our officers were quartered in buildings in town) We found an open-topped circular steel tank about 8 feet across and 4 feet deep in good condition. I asked Herb to figure out how to mount it on a raised structure so we could fill it with water, let the sun heat it, and have hot fresh water showers. (Our last showers were cold water at LaSenia in January.) Herb did some figuring and sketched the framework for a tower to support the tank full of water 8 feet in the air. In 3 days the enlisted men had their shower!

 

Sgt Harold J. Taylor scrounged the planks, bolts, spikes, etc. we needed from a local lumber yard for "fixing" the engine and putting some gas in their gin pole truck. Herb and Ed Ordian with some helpers built the tower. Taylor used the gin pole truck to move the tank and place it on the tower. Charlie Mica filled it with water with our Decontam tank truck. Assorted hose, pipes, and valves made up two shower lines and waste water drained thru a pallet into the sand. Someone stenciled BEMERS BATH (sic) on the tank. The men were so grateful for the shower they didn't even "hog" the water! I don't have a photograph.

 

SALERNO BEACHHEAD: Herb worked hard in the 110+ Sicilian heat readying our crates and boxes for the Italian invasion. . . then we sat waiting for 5 days in the Milazzo staging area. 101 men made the D-Day invasion at SALERNO with me as their 1st/Sgt but I don't recall if Herb was with us. It was a precarious ten days before we could move the 7 miles to Monte Corvino airfield.

 

POMIGLIANO: We moved here October 14, 1943 and lived in a school building. Herb built our first Enlisted Men's Bar. Ray Snyder recalls that the road ran alongside the flight line on the airdrome where we parked our airplanes. There was no latrine out there and it was quite a distance to any building. Herb made us a "privy" with a toilet seat box over a half-barrel screened off with a GI latrine screen tarp. It went with the line gear to Castel Volturno!

 

Art BLEILER writes, "The three of us, Herb, Ed (Edward P. Ordian), and myself got along well with each other and became good friends. When it came time to crate up our equipment for the next squadron move (and there were many) the carpenters needed help and somehow I always got volunteered. At Pomigliano I believe it was, we met an Italian who had worked in the King's wood shop. He was a very fine wood carver. Herb was always interested in any skill pertaining to his trade and he may have picked up some pointers on wood-carving from that craftsman. They didn't need to speak each others language to understand the techniques and use of woodworking tools.

 

CASTEL VOLTURNO: We got pyramidal tents here and with winter coming on Herb was kept busy making tent floors, furniture, and enclosing Jeeps.  Plywood came from crates. Framing lumber was ripped from planks by a Jeep powered belt-driven saw.

About the time everything was done we were moving again, this time to 15th Air Force.

 

SAN SEVERO: P-51 drop tank crates supplied materials for tent floors and sides, Jeep enclosures, "picnic" mess tables, and latrine enclosures. Art Davenport writes that after he became Comm Chief at SanSevero their bunch was trying to build a Radio Shack out of plywood. He tried to file their handsaw but didn't know how. Wes Sims took the saw to Herb and he filed it so it cut like new. Herb made plywood bodies for the Jeeps to keep the cold wind out. That took some planning and doing!

He made temporary buildings with sections that could be disassembled, moved to a new location, and reassembled. Engineering Officer C. M. (George) Bushick recalls the building parts were stacked for the move to Mondolpho but the Engineers refused us flat bed trucks to move them. Group Exec L/Col Fred G. Stoffl contacted a West Pointer friend in CE... we got our trucks!

 

MONDOLPHO: Herb reassembled our buildings at Mondolpho and then set about building a mess hall. Former Exec/Officer Major Lamensdorf writes about it. 

 

MAY 5, 1993: Since the end of the war, I have often thought about Herb Beumer and regretted not bringing Herb to the Washington area to build houses. He was a great craftsman. At Mondolfo, each squadron was told to build a Mess Hall for the enlisted men. As Squadron Executive Officer it was my job to see that was done.  Unfortunately, the Group Supply Officer told me "there was a war going on" and he had no supplies for such an undertaking.  I managed a little reverse "Lend-lease" with the British Supply Depot nearby. With the capable help and planning of Herb Beumer a 60 by 40 foot mess hall with running water, screened windows, and the comforts of home was built in record time.  Although Group CO Col William A. Daniel was not pleased with my going over the head of the Group Supply Officer he told me, "Herb Beumer built the best mess hall he had seen in Europe."

 

ART BLEILER: During our time in service Herb and Ed Ordian were the squadron carpenters. I remember that they built us a real nice mess hall at one of our airfields... can't remember where.  Isn't it terrible what embarrassment a loss of memory causes?

(Ed: That was at Mondolpho in 1944)

 

RELIGIOUS MAN: Of the 308'ers who wrote me about Herb Beumer, several who felt they had been "close" to him, Art BLEILER, Jim Leister, Carroll Christensen, and CHESTER Church, all mentioned that he was a quite religious person. Herb would attend church service for the troops and it didn't particularly matter to him whether  the service was Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish. Herb believed in God, and Jesus Christ as our savior. If there was a church service Herb was likely to attend. He would often help the Chaplain set up the "church" area. Herb  carried his New Testament with him and would read it often. I can remember talking with him in his tent while he sat on his bunk, bible in hand.  Herb was not one who often quoted the bible . . .  however, he was very knowledgeable about both the New and Old Testaments and even then could quote many  passages from memory. I never heard him say a single word of profanity.

 

JOHN WM. PATTERSON, Former 308th Radio Section Chief: I really didn't know Herb Beumer well but can recall that, when asked, he was willing to do whatever it took to get the job done.  He was always a very nice and pleasant person, helpful whenever I needed anything done in his line of work. He was "always a gentleman".

 

CLARENCE SHAFER, AUG 17, 1993: Received your card and will do my best in recalling the personality of Herb' Beumer. I recall that Herb' as one of the few who listened more than talking. He was always busy doing his required duties or doing something for someone else that he wasn't required to do. He also had a good sense of humor. When I proposed to sit on a fuel tank trailer and use a fan to blow the fumes away while a welding job was done on the other end Herb saw humor in the situation. He said, "I'll make you up a box toilet seat with a pot in it. You can sit on that and it will catch anything that might seep through your G.I. drawers when he lights that torch!"

 

ART BLEILER: I have visited Herb's parents in Indiana . . . Wonderful people! The last time I was honored to see Herbert alive was at the Sunday morning before we departed from the Orlando reunion. That was in 1984. Herb gave the parting prayer for all of

us, asking God's blessings and protection for us on our homeward journey. I will contact Mrs. Beumer when I go to Dothan to visit my Brother-in-law who lives nearby. I consider myself very privileged to have spent so much time with such a wonderfully motivated Christian person as Herb. What a tragic end! I know he is up there looking down and grinning.

 

Herb believed in his faith; The Ten Commandments; and the precepts of his church... and lived by them the three years I knew him in the 308th. Herb's unwavering Christian life style stood out as an outstanding example to all who knew and served with him in the 308th Fighter Squadron from June 1942 through August 1945.

 

HERB' ONE OF THE LAST "9": When the 308th finally rotated to the US in August 1945 Herb' was one of the last nine members of the original 308th Fighter Squadron that went to England in June 1942. He had been overseas 38 months, accumulated 133 "points" for priority of discharge from the service, and earned the following campaign and service decorations: Air Offensive Europe; Algeria-Fr. Morrocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Southern France; Northern France; North Appenines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat Balkans; European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; American Defense; Bronze Service Arrowhead; Presidential Unit Citation w/Oak Leaf Cluster; Victory Medal; Good Conduct Medal.

 

In further tribute and accurate biographical epitaph to this article about Staff Sergeant Herbert W. Beumer, I include portions of a letter from his younger brother 0. Franklin Beumer, 1566 Old Plank Road, Newburgh, IN 47630‑8654, July 17, 1993.

 

 

THE GEM CANNOT BE POLISHED WITHOUT FRICTION - - - Chinese Proverb

 

Editors note: These five pages of 4,050 words about Herb Beumer were condensed from a ten page rough draft consolidation of your input material. The first draft and several photographs (which take a lot of space) were sent to Florence Beumer.

MORE BOOKS RECOMMENDED: Henry Roche: "I've read Larry Guarino's book, (A POW'S STORY-2801 DAYS IN HANOI) and do correspond with him. What that guy went through and survived makes him the greatest hero I have ever known." "I've also obtained a copy of "FIGHTER COMMAND" by Jeff Ethell and Robert Sand which I'm sure all your readers would truly enjoy. Bill Skinner had many of the pictures he took in that book." My son-in-law gave me a copy of "AIR & SPACE" magazine for Aug/Sept 1991 and there on the front cover was "Lippy" Lipscomb. His picture led me to the story inside where I found a picture of 308th guys in front of the Ops shack in Italy. That in turn led me to "FIGHTER COMMAND"... It was a wonderful experience.

 

BOB GOEBEL'S SEARCH FOR COMBAT FILM:  As co-hosts  of the Oct '94 reunion both George Bushick and I had hoped to obtain and show some of our WW11  31ST FG combat film, (Gun camera) as part of the program. We figured Bob GOEBEL would be a good initial contact as he probably tried to find his own gun camera film when he did the research for his book, MUSTANG ACE". I phoned Bob and here is his report on the matter as of August 22, 1993. 

 

With regard to the combat film search, this is essentially what I found out.

In early 1990 I contacted the USAF Audio-visual Library at Norton Air Force Base and was assured that all film from WW11 was held by them.  I was further advised that in order to search the files for any 31st F.G. gun camera film, I would have to get authorization from HQ USAF, and pay $100. fee to cover the cost of administrative support at Norton. I sent an application along with the fee and in due course, I was sent a letter of authorization from the Pentagon. I made an appointment be telephone with Norton and on the appointed day, drove out and began my review. I reviewed their catalogues and asked for everything that could have remotely had any connection with the MTO, the 15th AF, or the 31ST. I looked at film for about eight hours or until I got cross-eyed, whichever came first. The only thing I found was about a four second shot of Col Daniel getting an ME-109 and a 309th pilot (Dustrude) with a shot of about the same length. It was quite a disappointment to me considering the time and effort I put into it.  In the press of demobilization right after the war, a lot of things probably got misplaced or destroyed as having no value, (like scraping up brand new P-51's with a bulldozer) and I suspect that our film went the same way.

 

Perhaps we could rekindle the old feeling of sitting outside in the dusk of a 1944 summer day and watching gun camera film before the feature movie started by running some of the films and/or videos still available. I have some "Wings" segments on the P-51 which have a lot of gun camera film in them.

(Ed: I agree and ask you to be sure and bring them to our OKC reunion)

 

307TH FS HOLDS 12TH ANNUAL REUNION: Seventy people attended the reunion hosted by Ray Stebleton and Bill Matthews at Wichita, KS on Sept. 23-24-25, 1993. (See updated roster in "AROUND THE 31ST" Section.) It was a happy time with sentimental renewals of old friendships and recounting of "war" stories. Between social sessions many of the group visited local shops, "Cowtown", and the Wichita Greyhound Track. The reunion was topped off by a Saturday evening banquet.  Your Editor and wife Helen enjoyed visiting with the reunion group Friday, Sept. 24. Bill Locke will host their 1994 reunion ln Dayton, Ohio. The date will be announced later. 

 

309TH FS HOLDS 8TH ANNUAL REUNION: (Condensed from The 1993 309th FIGHTER SQUADRON / 31ST FIGHTER GROUP REUNION report by Gerhard & Marie Ausborn.)

Forty-two people attended the reunion hosted by Gerhard and Marie Ausborn at W. DesMoines, IA on Sept 9-10-11, 1993. The center of activity was the "Hospitality Suite" where attendees renewed old friendships and spent many happy and sentimental hours looking over pictures and papers relating to events experienced during the years 1941 - 1945. Ralph Apple brought home-grown melons for a pool side feast Thursday afternoon.

 

On Friday the group toured The Living History Farms, Urbandale, IA with many walking the path through the pre-1800 Indian Village, up the grade to the 1850 Farm, on to the 1900 Farm and Crop Center where a tractor drawn tram took them to Walt Hill Village. After an enjoyable lunch at the nearby Iowa Machine Shed Restaurant they returned to their Motel to rest and relax before boarding a tour coach to attend the Ingersoll Dinner Theater. Steel Magnolia was enacted after the buffet dinner. Members were free to choose from a variety of local activities on Saturday. The final event of the reunion was the 6:00PM banquet after which Marie Ausborn showed slides of previous reunions at Long Beach, CA; Durango, CO; and of the 31ST Fighter Group's 50th anniversary return to England in June 1992. Richard Sieck gave a very interesting report on the history of the 31ST Fighter Group covering events from Selfridge Field, MI in 1941 through rotation back to the U.S.A. from ETO in August, 1945.

 

Roger Bobinson of the 308th and his wife Betty attended the banquet. Roger suggested the 307th, 308th, and 309th Fighter Squadrons join together and have one reunion to be know as the 31ST Fighter Group Reunion. This resulted in a lengthy pro and con discussion. The members present opted to continue as in the past with the 309th Fighter Squadron/31ST Fighter Group. Some members showed an interest in attending the 31ST Fighter Group Reunion planned for 1994 in OK.

(see Editor's comment below) Vance and Anne Lee volunteered to plan the 309th's 9th reunion in Oregon. Date and location will be announced later.

 

Editor's comment: The reunion planned for Oklahoma City  October 13-14-15, 1994 is a 308th Fighter Squadron/31ST Fighter Group Reunion, not a 31ST Fighter Group reunion. Hosts C. M. (George) Bushick land E. J. (Buz) Howell cordially invite former members of any unit of the 31ST Fighter Group to visit our reunion. Reservations will be required for participation in tours or catered functions.

 

308TH MEMORIAL AT USAF MUSEUM: As of October 15, 1993 Smokey STOBER and Al Quint report that 1) the site has been selected, 2) the stone and mounting are selected and paid for, 3) the memorial plaque wording and graphics have been reviewed by Museum Rep's and approved, 4) all preliminary fees are paid, 5) the graphic artist is preparing a draft memorial plaque for approval, and most importantly 6) official dedication of our 308th Fighter Squadron memorial is scheduled for Friday June 8, 1995. Smokey is still accepting contributions to the memorial fund. After the dedication a report will be published showing the total amount of funds contributed and specific expenditures. Funds not used for the memorial (it will be close) will be transferred to the 308th Squadron Fund.

 

GROUND SUPPORT ROSTER: I am still compiling and editing the roster. Thanks for all your inputs. The way things are going it should be ready by April, 1994.  

GENERAL ORDERS: Reading a Revolutionary War article talking about their Orders...  Can anyone remember the "General Orders" from Army Basic days?