Great to see a 55th FG, 343rd FS scheme in the UK…and especially nice that it’ll represent Frank Birtciel’s ‘Miss Velma’. Having met both Frank and Velma Birtciel 3 weeks ago, I am very pleased to see them both honoured in this way.

Thanks to all at TFC for bringing the 55th’s green and yellow checkboard back to these shores.

Shabby
http://www.55th.org

From Roger Freeman’s ‘Mighty Eighth War Diary’

..page 375

‘The Fortress was 486BG’s Blue Streak, the first combat loss of 834BS in the 78 missions flown since entering combat. 2/Lt. David Paris and crew perished.’

It would suggest that it was only carrying a crew of 9. I know many Groups operated with Toggliers, rather than Bombardiers (they bombed on the mark of the lead Bombardier), but not sure which position they would have given up, or asked to perform that role (?).

According to Roger’s book, an 88mm shell exploded in the left main fuel tank.

Shabby
http://www.station131.co.uk
http://www.55th.org

55th FG Aces

Just got back from the States and the 55th Fighter Group Association reunion in St. Louis.

Whilst there I had the privilege to meet many wonderful veterans and their families.

There were 2 ‘Aces’ there, who scored more than 5 kills, Frank Birtciel (343rd FS) and Jack Cunnick (38th FS). Frank got 5.5 confirmed kills and Jack got 9. Both men got aerial claims against Me-262’s.

My Father and I shared many a long hour enjoying the veterans stories and memories and we shall treasure those moments for a very long time.

Favourite Frank story….

Post war Frank purchased a Stearman and was flying it across country in the States when he flew through a thunderstorm. The rain got so bad that his cockpit began to resemble a small swimming pool, so he flew inverted to try and drain off the water.

Favourite Jack story….

Jack was in low overcast and had got lost over Europe. In his words ‘he began to make all sorts of deals with God’, when all of a sudden he let down through the cloud layer and spotted a bombed-out airdrome. Thanking the Big Man above, he spotted a concrete hangar base (without hangar) and went to land on that. He missed and the first bomb crater turned him 40 degrees off straight and into the second bomb crater where he nosed up! He not only survived without injury, he also had the fortune of being behind his own lines and was back with his unit in days.

Also at the reunion were 2 Evaders and 2 POWs from the 55th (Bob Littlefield, Bud Loring, Bill Laubner and Turk Eliades). Their stories are as compelling and interesting as the guys that posted the larger claims and kills.

Photo below shows (L-R)

Jack Cunnick (38th), Dick Baribault (343rd), Don Gifford (343rd) and Frank Birtciel (343rd)

Shabby
http://www.55th.org
http://www.station131.co.uk

Try http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/dathistcharts.asp

Shabby

Apologies for cr@p quality of photo…but not often you see these two gracing the same patch of sky!

Shabby
http://www.55th.org
http://www.station131.co.uk

Reed has a landing strip !!!!!

That’s news to me! Blimey, apart from a Vets (soon to be relocated) and a radio mast, I thought that was as good as it got for the sprawling urban mass, better known as Reed….how wrong a bloke can be!

Hang on….it didn’t land on the village cricket pitch did it? 😉

ShabbyAbbey
(just down the road from your parents’ abode)