"Let us make a vow to our dead. Let us show them by our actions that we understand what they died for... Strengthened by their courage, heartened by their valor, and borne by their memory, let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died." ~ Ronald Reagan

Moy's Crew - 603rd Squadron - Gulfport AAB, Miss. Fall 1944

Back Row (viewer's left to right):

1. 2nd Lt. Charles E. Berthoud, Navigator
2. 2nd Lt. Kenneth E. Mclaughlin, Bombardier
3. 2nd Lt. Archie D. Kritchman, Co-Pilot
4. 2nd Lt. Newell D. Moy, Pilot

Front Row (viewer's left to right):

1. Cpl. Benny Braica, Ball Turret
2. Cpl. Bill V. Wight, Tail Gunner
3. Cpl. Homer C. Rhodes, Waist Gunner
4. Cpl. Robert J. Nortarpole, Radio
5. S/Sgt. Joe Joseph, Engineer

Moy's Crew - 603rd Squadron - 21 March 1945 398th
Mission No. 173, Rheine, Germany ~ Aircraft flown: 43-38669 N7-G

Back Row (viewer's left to right):

1. 2nd Lt. Archie D. Kritchman, Co-Pilot
2. 1st Lt. Newell D. Moy, Pilot
3. Sgt. Robert J. Nortarpole, Radio
4. S/Sgt. Joe Joseph, Engineer

Front Row (viewer's left to right):

1. Sgt. Homer C.Rhodes, Waist Gunner
2. Sgt. Benny Braica, Ball Turret
3. 2nd Lt. Charles E. Berthoud, Navigator
4. Sgt. Bill V. Wight, Tail Gunner

398th Bomb Group Memorial Association Timeless Voices Project

Links:
A Flight Never To Be Forgotten, by Newt Moy
Newt Moy Interview ~ September 2003

BOEING B-17G ~ #44-6835 ~ FO-A "STARDUST"
Manufacture Date: 24-Nov-44
Aircraft added to Air Force Inventory: 11-Jan-45
Aircraft Arrived Overseas, ETO, 379th BG/527th BS at Kimbolton Huntingdonshire, ENG: 19-Jan-45
Returned To Zone of Interior (Kingman, AZ Mf#368): 13-Dec-45

Back row, l to r: 2nd Lt. Alford, Herbert B. ~ Co-pilot; 1st Lt. Royall, John M. Jr. ~ Pilot; Staff Sgt. Pitchford, Robert E. ~ Engineer/top turret gunner; Flight Officer Munson, James A. ~ Navigator/bombardier.
Front row, l to r: Staff Sgt. Sines, Elmer E. ~ Ball turret gunner; Staff Sgt. Gfrerer, Phillip C. ~ Nose gunner/togglier; Staff Sgt. Fullmer, Robert D. ~ Radio operator/gunner; Sgt. Kazar, Louis ~ Tail gunner

Gibson & Barnes Historical Goatskin A2 Flight Jacket: My attempt at keeping alive, memories of a plane, its pilot & crewmembers

Jacket/Patch Artist: Jerome Urbaniak ~ Please have a go at his amazing jacket art: http://www.picturetrail.com/jrome
Left: 379th Bombardment Group (H) Patch.
Right: Silver Bullion Pilots Wings; 1st Lt. Royall's Nametag & 527th Bombardment Squadron Patch

Symbolism contained in Group Patch (left):
Red outer circle = Rising Sun of Japan
Yellow dots represent a sun dial, with the B-17's (the 379th's combat aircraft) top turret firing at the '3'; the tail gunner at the '7' & the port waist gunner at the '9', signifying the 379th BG
Yellow bombs designate that the 379th is a Bomb Group (H = Heavy)
Small inner circle represents Hitler, his moustache and the lock of hair that always fell over his left eye
POTESTAS ACCURATIOQUE = "Power & Accuracy"


STARDUST = Named after Hoagy Carmichael's timeless tune (1927)
Aircraft I.D. Code = Yellow Triangle-K with the # '1' signifying, 1st Bombardment Division (a/k/a, 'The Big Triangle First') ... (4)46835 is Stardust's Serial Number
Radio Code: FO A
527th BS's Callsign: 'Heartstring'
Swastikas: Downed Luftwaffe aircraft
Thirty-Five Yellow Bombs: Represent the required thirty-five sorties, as flown by Royall's crew.
Mission numbers written on the bombs are sequential and represent the missions flown by Stardust & Royall's crew.

Mission Particulars:

Left: 1st Lt. Silver Bullion Bar & 8th Air Force Patch (a/k/a, 'The Mighty Eighth')
Right: Early U.S. Army Air Force Patch

It's All In The Details (photos by Jerome)

Normandy ... 11/JUNE/44 ... D-Day + five




Martin B26 Marauder and One Last Drag Before Heading Into Who Knows What

Another B-26 Marauder flying in 'Operation Strangle' during the spring of 1944. Flying with the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces under the tricolor of France, these Frenchmen just destroyed a vital rail bridge at the Piteccio viaduct in central Italy. Have a go at the bombardier/nose gunner straining to catch a glimpse of his handiwork.


B-26 Marauder and a B-24 Liberator (below) suffer mortal hits (flak) from eighty-eights



Contrails








"Forts" from the 390th BG stay the course as their Little Friends engage the Luftwaffe

First In Flight, Wilbur Wright ~ Kitty Hawk, NC 10-Oct-02



North American P-51D Mustang ~ Also known as, "The Cadillac of the Skies"
Packard Merlin P-51D: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNe1aAMCVNA&feature=related


Republic P-47D Thunderbolts ~ "Wanna make ace, get in a Pony (P-51) squadron. Wanna make (home) base, go with a Jug..."
Thirty-Seconds of Chills!! P-47s at Run-up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkdXrMbDOvo&feature=related




Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress ~ "The best bomber which was ever built. She could handle extensive damage and still stay in the air." General Ira C. Eaker
B-17 Tribute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xeQ3s8zkhM


Consolidated B-24D Liberator ~ Though the B-24 had a slightly higher top speed and greater range than the B-17, they weren't quite as rugged and had a propensity to catch fire upon taking hits ... as such, Luftwaffe pilots would go out of their way to engage B-24s. Because of their appearance, the Liberator became affectionately known as "the crates that B-17s were shipped in" and when flying joint missions with B-24s, B-17 crews would quip: "The Liberator is the best (Luftwaffe) fighter cover a B-17 could have!"
B-24s In Action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FENnZKNXsFQ&feature=related

Northrop P-61C Black Widow ~ The United States' first designated nightfighter and in this role, the P-61 was without peer.


Lockheed P-38L Lightning ~ Wehrmacht ground troops called her, "The Twin-Forked Devil"
Ode to the Lightning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhORZrWOUfo&feature=related



The Supermarine Spitfire ... what a thoroughbred!



Restored Spitfire Mk IX footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StnYrDhU76c


(Above) Messerschmitt Me 109-G 'Gustav' ~ Throughout the hostilities, it was the '109 that served as the Luftwaffe's backbone. (Below) Yet another 'Gustav'



Restored Bf 109 G-10 "Red 7" footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzgYkfq9OVw



A Focke-Wulf Fw 190-D9 (top) & 190-D12 "Dora" ~ Along with the Ta-152s, Doras were considered by pilots on both sides of the conflict as the most formidable piston-powered fighter in the Luftwaffe's inventory.

Focke Wulf Ta 152H (Bottom) ~ Though the B-29 did pay a visit to the ETO, it never did enter into hostilities. However, having caught wind of the B-29, the Ta-152H, a high-altitude fighter/interceptor bearing FW's lead designer's (Kurt Tank) initials, was built specifically with the Superfortress in mind ... the Ta 152H had a top speed of 478 m.ph. and a service ceiling of 48,600 feet.




Dornier Do-335 Pfeil (Arrow) ~ In the ETO, this was fastest piston-powered fighter of the war. Following VE day, a captured Do-335 was flown from Oberwiesenfeld (near Munich) to Cherbourg, France, escorted by two P-51D's. The Do 335 easily outpaced the escorting Mustangs, arriving at Cherbourg 45 minutes before the P-51's.
D0-335 Footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhQqti7cWCI