I was watching a programme about police forensics on channel Quest, a couple of nights ago. The second part of the programme was about the murder of a ww2 veteran.
The camera then panned across his medal case, too quick to note what the medals were, one looked to be the purple heart.
The detective then picked up a leather wallet containing the picture below and he said how much he respected someone who had done 37 sorties over Nazi Germany, as a waist gunner in a B17 and managed to get home.
Whoops I thought, that’s not a pic B17 so a quick Google and found this.
‘Ho Hum’ of the 5th AF, 90th BG, 400 BSB-24J-120-CO
Believed to have been in the SW Pacific.
http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/38/3848/SQMYF00Z/posters/nose-art-ho-hum-pin-up.jpg
Ok, so just because he had a pic of nose art of a B24 near his medals, he could have still been a waist gunner in a B17 over Europe.
Walter J Yokum b 6th Nov 1916 – d 29th Oct 1993.
In WW2 he was a 1st Lt in the US Army Air Corps, then an accountant and was in retirement, when he was Shot, at the top of the stairs in his own home in Colorado by a druggie burglar.
He is buried in Fort Logan National Cemetery Denver Colorado with his wife Vera who died in 1986.
It is just my interest, but does anyone know where he actually served?
Just makes me angry, that a man who gave so much, for so many, had his life taken from him by someone he gave it for.
By: Richard gray - 30th December 2014 at 10:39
I can confirm that Walter was a waist gunner on a B17, the French made a similar Documentary on his murder. It does not show his medals or pics of HO Hum, but show pics of him and his crew.
By: Reckless Rat - 30th December 2014 at 09:31
Alternatively, ‘Ho-Hum’ could have been the aircraft of one of his friends from home or training. If he kept it I would assume it had some personal significance for him, but that’s pure speculation on my part.
By: 43-2195 - 30th December 2014 at 04:34
Without consulting my records, I doubt the 90th BG B-24 served in Europe before redeployment to the Pacific. More likely the Vet just kept a photo of the aircraft type rather than the actual aircraft he flew in. The 90th deployed to Australia in October/November 1942, they flew their aircraft from San Francisco. Upon arrival the B-24s went into modification at the 81st ADG in Brisbane(strengthening of the nose gear). To the best of my knowledge replacement B-24s were factory new ferried into the 4th ADG at Townsville.
By: Flying_Pencil - 29th December 2014 at 18:36
Terrible to hear about this.
Good detective work RRat!
Re6
You take a life; you pay with a life.
Population control.
Some say we need it.
Although eye for eye tooth for tooth will end up with toothless blind people.
Big problem is too many innocents are executed based on non-existing evidence.
By: J Boyle - 29th December 2014 at 15:04
Hope they go to trial in a state where they still administer the death penalty.
Not likely to happen in the case I cite, due to the age of the suspects.
And I’ll remind you, the penalty is rarely carried out these days. Perhaps one out of a thousand convicted…and then only after 20+ years of reviews and appeals.
By: trekbuster - 29th December 2014 at 12:30
Re6
Your attitude is part of the problem.
I fundamentally disagree with you on this issue, at every level apparently. You will not change my mind, I clearly will not change yours. Perhaps we should leave it there.
By: charliehunt - 29th December 2014 at 12:18
Richard – and it rarely seems top be debated rationally so is probably best not debated…
By: John Green - 29th December 2014 at 12:18
Re6
You take a life; you pay with a life.
Your attitude is part of the problem.
By: Richard gray - 29th December 2014 at 12:15
Thanks Reckless Rat.
It makes sense now, as there were two photos in the wallet, one which I could not see.
So am guessing that the other one was a B17. So HO HUM was Walters first plane.
Then when the transfer took place Sept 44, HO HUM was sent out to the Pacific.
As for the Death Penalty greater minds than mine have debated this and they still have no answer.
By: scotavia - 29th December 2014 at 11:45
The crimes are very sad and made all the more so by the bravery of those killed. However i cannot let facts be overlooked. if you have any interest in the debate about capital have alook at http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/study-88-criminologists-do-not-believe-death-penalty-effective-deterrent
I am not seeking a debate here but always seek to place facts .
By: Arabella-Cox - 29th December 2014 at 11:17
State sponsored murder ? Should be State administered retribution.
By: trekbuster - 29th December 2014 at 09:36
Hope they go to trial in a state where they still administer the death penalty.
So you are happy to follow one murder with another, state sponsored murder?
By: Reckless Rat - 29th December 2014 at 09:28
The American Air Musem site has 35419819 SSgt Walter J Yokum, 862 Sqn, 493 Bomb Group, 8th Airforce, based at Debach, near Ipswich.
Ah, here we go: ‘The 493d BG used B-24’s until they were replaced with B-17’s in September 1944‘
By: John Green - 28th December 2014 at 21:55
Hope they go to trial in a state where they still administer the death penalty.
By: J Boyle - 28th December 2014 at 21:35
Here we gad two teenage thugs beat a 88 year old WWII vet to death in the parking lot near an Eagles Club.
One turned himself in, the other was eventually caught.
Their defense (in part) The old man tried to rip them off in a drug deal. The family of one of the suspects repeated that in front of news cameras.
Mind you, there is no indication the victim was ever involved in the drug trade, and to be fair, the police looked.
I’d like to see the family of the victim sue the boy and his family for libel…but you can’t libel a dead person…so they’ll get away with defaming the memory of the vet.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/28/3m-bail-set-for-2nd-suspect-in-beating-death-wwii-vet/
The boys go to trial next month.
By: Arabella-Cox - 28th December 2014 at 21:27
I concur completely, Richard.
Similarly, Marion E. Carl, WW2 Pacific theatre, famous multi-kill fighter pilot and post-war test pilot, killed at his own front door trying to defend his wife by a low-life just a few years ago.
Makes you bl**dy sick to hear of these fine men’s lives destroyed by scum.
Anon.
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December 28, 2014 at 8:46 pm