Butsika

Aircraft mechanics George Butsika, John Aspinwall, Clayton E. Nash, pose next to a B-25G of the 491st Bomb Squadron at Yangkai AB, China, shortly after the squadron arrived in January 1944. M/Sgt Aspinwall was the maintenance Line Chief, responsible for all 491st aircraft maintenance.

There were no hangars at Yangkai AB, nor any airbase in China. This required all aircraft maintenance to be performed in the open, regardless of weather conditions. These 491st Bomb Squadron mechanics are changing engines on squadron aircraft #444, "Shark Mouth", in the spring of 1944. Frenchy Beaudetter, George Butsika, John Burns, John Aspinwall, Karl Hammett, Frank Bert, Frank Bates...

Frank Bates, Johnny Burns, and George Butsika at the Lucky Cafe in Liuzhou, China. Sept 1944. See the Lucky Cafe after the destruction of Ichigo here.

George Butsika working under wing of B-25. Yangkai, May 1944.

491st Bombardment Squadron mechanics - Gibbs, Butsika, McArdle, Lacher, Pete, Beausoleil, unknown, Kealy - at Yangkai in the spring of 1944. Of special interest is the number of machine guns sticking from the nose of the "green house." The original B-25Ds had one flexible gun in the center, operated by the bombardier or navigator. Later, 'official' modifications would add two...

At #444's engine change, Yangkai, China, July 1944. S/Sgt Domonique Beaudetter, T/Sgt George Butsika, S/Sgt Elmer Peterson, S/Sgt Joseph Burns, M/Sgt John Aspinwall, T/Sgt Karl Hammett, S/Sgt Frank Bert. (Info courtesy Tony Strotman)