I recently returned from the 384th Bomb Group reunion in Dayton, Ohio, where I was invited to make a presentation on behalf of Hangar Thirteen on 19 October. Lucky Thirteen was a veteran of this unit and they have been after Ray to attend a reunion for quite some time. Ray rarely has time off because of his work so I went in his stead. Chris Wilkinson was kind enough to invite my dad and I and the group really went out of their way to make us feel welcome. The 384BG really are wonderful people, and I must commend their efforts at preserving records and making them available to researchers online. Check out their website by clicking the picture of Sea Hag (42-31274) below:
The trip saw visits to the National Museum of the US Air Force, where the veterans posed for photos by Memphis Belle and the ground’s 384th memorial, and the Champaign Air Museum of nearby Urbana, Ohio. The Champaign Aviation Museum is located on an airfield that was formerly the site of Grimes Aerospace, the company that produced nearly all of the US military’s aviation lights during the Second World War. Grimes was purchased by Honeywell in 1997, who now owns most of the war’s major avionics companies, including Sperry and Bendix. The Champaign Air Museum is the home of the B-17G Champaign Lady (44-85813), which rolled off the assembly line at Lockheed-Vega too late to see combat. The bomber was used as an engine testbed by Curtiss-Wright for many years before ending her career dropping retardant on forest-fires. The team at Urbana has been hard at work since 2006 and are really making great progress. They rolled out their Type A-13A ball turret for visitors to crawl inside and get a feel for its conditions.
Five veterans were able to attend. With the youngest at 94, it was incredible to see how energetic they were. One even walked all four hangars of the Air Force Museum, each of which is roughly the size of a football field!
(From Left to Right):
SSGT Peter J. Bielskis
Ball Turret Gunner
Boeing B-17G-105-BO
43-39203
Globe Trotter
BK-L
546BS/384BG
TSGT Bill J. Wilkens
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Boeing B-17G-105-BO
43-39236
Blinkin’ Betsy
SO-A
547BS/384BG
1LT Henry C. Sienkiewicz
Bombardier
Boeing B-17G-75-BO
43-37971
JD-T
545BS/384BG
1LT John J. DeFrancesco
Pilot
Shot down on 8 January 1945
Boeing B-17G-40-VE
42-9800
Fightin’ Hebe
SU-J
544BS/384BG
TSGT Don E. Hilliard
Radio Operator
Boeing B-17G-45-BO
42-97309
Kathleen
JD-C
545BS/384BG
These guys were a lot of fun. Bielskis surprised everyone the last time the reunion was held in Dayton by climbing inside the ball turret at Urbana. He promised to do so again for me, but wasn’t up to it when the time came. As such, he worked the hatch and gave everyone instructions on how to get in. He was happy to hear that there were teams out there who had restored their turrets to working order – so for you guys with working turrets, look Mr. Bielskis up when you’re in Michigan. Similarly, Mr. DeFrancesco asked about getting some stick-time in a B-17. If anyone gets him in the cockpit anytime soon, I want to be there!
This was truly a special reunion for DeFrancesco. His aircraft was named for the group’s Armaments Officer: CPT Nathan H. Mazer. Mazer flew seventeen operations as a passenger, willingly going into combat despite not actually being required to do so. His determination was enshrined by naming one of the group’s B-17s Fightin’ Hebe. Mazer’s daughter was also in attendance, a wonderful lady of similar determination, having a career in the Air Force and a lifelong affinity for the Republic F-105. She, alongside DeFrancesco, were surprised with a box from Germany containing recently discovered parts from Fightin’ Hebe.
CPT Nathan H. Mazer with Fightin’ Hebe (42-9800).
The group’s photographer and head researcher, Keith Ellefson, generously offered to donate a complete Aldis Lamp Kit to Lucky Thirteen. Ironically enough, it was very likely made by Grimes Aerospace of Urbana. I’ll post more about it when it arrives.
On an related note, we also brought to Ohio some more parts for installation into Swoose and Memphis Belle. Research by Karl Hauffe found that both teams have been collecting the wrong canvas first aid kits. Because of this, I found one of the correct types on eBay and purchased it with the understanding that the team in Dayton will make enough copies for both airplanes. It is expensive but worth it. Parts I brought with me to Dayton included labels for the bombers’ Bullard First Aid Cans (located in the waist section) and the Stanley Thermos Bottles. Below is a photo showing the pattern cans and one of our replica labels.
