1944

On May 20, 1944 the B-24 bomber 'Puck' took off on a sea sweep mission under leadership of the lanky pilot, Donald Richardson. The plane (#42-73317) and crew disappeared. The crew were: 1st Lt. Donald G. Richardson, Pilot 1st Lt. Frank L. Munson, Co-pilot 1st Lt. James P. ‘Jim' Gilbert, Navigator 1st Lt. Linus J. Austin, Bombardier TSgt. Cecil L...

A condolence letter to the family of Lt. James C. Vurgaropulos, who died during a mission in 1944 in China, from Barney M. Giles. See more about James C. Vurgaropulos here.

2st Lt. Stuart M. Moore, who was lost in the Yellow Sea, September 8, 1944, on a mission to Anshan, China, while on a mission aboard a B-29 bomber, #42-6234. Three other crew were killed when they bailed out prematurely into the ocean, but seven who parachuted out over land were rescued and taken care of for a time by...

1st Lt Billy Y. McCrary, sevice number 0-674696, who was lost in the Yellow Sea, September 8, 1944, on a mission to Anshan, China, while on a mission aboard a B-29 bomber, #42-6234. Three other crew were killed when they bailed out prematurely into the ocean, but seven who parachuted out over land were rescued and taken care of for...

A B-24 bomber crew receives medals for having sunk a 550 foot Japanese cruiser in the South China Sea on August 10, 1944. Here General Chennault pins the Distinguished Flying Cross on 1st. Lt. Lee Cunningham. Image courtesy of Tony Strotman.

B-24 crew receives medal after sinking 550-foot Japanese cruiser in the South China Sea on August 19, 1944. Left to right: Capt. Jay E. Levan, 1st Lt. John D Shytle, Jr., 1st Lt. Lee O. Cunningham, T/Sgt. Harry A. Neiss, 2nd Lt. William R. McCaffrey, Jr., S/Sgt. Lawrence F. Bowar, T/Sgt. Charles W. Hemsley, S/Sgt. Thomas J. Murphy, S/Sgt. Bruce...

A Memorial Day ceremony in Kunming, Yunnan province, China, during 1944. Image courtesy of Tony Strotman.

A P-38 under maintenance and fueling at a base in Guangxi province in 1944, most likely a base at Guilin. August 2, 1944. Image courtesy of Tony Strotman.

A B-25 of the CACW on a practice "skip bombing" run in India. Image courtesy of Tony Strotman.

Men of the 14th Air Force and Chinese civilians honor war dead during Memorial Day service in China. 1944 Image courtesy of Tony Strotman.