1944

Included below is part of the story of James D. Vaughn who disappeared, along with the rest of the crew with him on their B-24 bomber on a mission of the coast of China, in 1944. We have graciously been given access to many materials on Mr. Vaughn by his family, and will make it all available here. Please also...

We are very excited that, after years of hoping to find some kin of Lt. Wallace, who lost his life saving his crew, one last effort in fall 2015 has allowed us to get to know his daughter, Judy, and she has been gracious to share with us much about her biological father, whom she never met. She made a...

The day Old '59 left for home. Yangkai, March (?) 1944. Lloyd Kershaw, Eugene Montgomery, Peterson.

"When this was taken the wind was blowing cold, some time last spring. The boy on the left, Butch, is from Woonsocket, and Nash is from Maine. Center: Frank Bates, China 1944."

Overview of the American airbase at Yangkai (Yangjie) during WWII. Frank Bates notes, "Looking west across the valley. The newest planes' tail numbers are 336 & 340 and piloted by Alexander & Brillhart. Yangkai Army Air Base, China, early 1944." The 22nd and 491st Bombardment Squadrons arrived in January 1944 and shared the base with the 373rd Bomb Squadron (B-24s)...

Christmas in the barracks at Yangkai, China, 1944. James Devol, Louis Macaluso, Vincent Luccarelli. See similar image in Frank Willard Bates collection here.

Wreckage after horrific crash in which numerous American crew, Chinese passengers, and Chinese laborers on the ground, were killed and burned, the accident apparently happening in close proximity to the airfield/runway. During WWII.

A B-24 under maintenance by 396th Air Service Squadron during WWII, in China.

A B-29 bomber in China during WWII.

A B-29 in Guangxi province, China, during WWII.