| Chapter 26 | Preface |
Lt. Col. Theron Whitneybell adds up his score on the Crusaders' ToteBoard while Colonel Helmick and three other Oregonians look on. This was taken before Y-J Day.
The high point man of the 42nd's Texas Air Force adds up his score. These were the first men to leave the Group under the point system.
Lt. Col., then Major, Goldsworthy, Deputy Group Commander, adds himse!f up 135 points on the Tote-Board while Capt. Phil Lighty, Group Gunnery Officer, gets a few points of his own holding up the board.
Through July and into August the daily strikes went out to Luzon. Mohair, Trophy, Bygone, Proxy, and the other controllers-marked targets and delivered the ground forces' thanks. Twice leaders returned with the word that the controller had called that day's bombing, "the bcst support bombing he'd ever seen." That from men who had worked constantly with other bomb groups was indeed high praise. Nevertheless no word came back on tangible results. The most widely used phrase in mission reports was always, "All bombs were dropped in the target, and it was strafed with unobserved results."
Early in Au-~ust orders arrived alerting the Group for the expected move north to Okinawa-called "Bunkhouse" in the radiogram. Immediately the well-oiled mechanism that got the Group from the Fijis and PDG to Palawan began to function. By August 10 it had reached the point at which normal functions could be carried out, but from which the entire outfit could be moved to the dockside within 24 hours. There is a very fine line between efficient packing and chaos. The Crusaders learned that the hard way.
All administrative and line buildings were down, and operations were carried on from pyramidals. All quarters had their floors removed. A few tugs, an hour's work would have reduced the area to boxes, vehicles, and myriad rolls of canvas.
The movie still operated from its trailer. "The Affairs of Susan" was in the midst of a flashback when all hell broke loose. Yells were yelled, and guns were fired. Tracers from AA positions arced across the sky. Flares were shot off, and people ran around telling each other the war was over! Japan would accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration-if she were allowed to retain her Emperor. That seemed eminently satisfactory to the members of the 42nd Bomb Group; a hurried poll failed to locate anyone else who wanted him.
.In Manila parades formed, and GIs, Filipinos, officers and men celebrated in the streets. In Leyte, the customary yelling and shooting went on. In Leyte harbor
the Navy cut loose with everything in the locker. The bay was a magnificent display of tracers, flares, searchlights, and aerial bursts, as the news flashed around the crowded bay.
In every tent men leaned over footlockers from whose recesses were brought that last bottle of Stateside liquor. No waiting for the official announcement of surrender. Suppose the Big Three said the japs couldn't keep their emperor? Hell, let 'em split up another A-bomb.
All during the negotiations the war continued. On the 13th and 14tti missions were flown to Luzon. Again on the 15th flights were airborne for Luzon. The cessation of hostilities is covered by two radioed news releases filed that day, and the next.
FROM: BOMGR FOUR TWO
TO: COMAF THIRTEEN ATTENTION PUBLIC RELA'I'IONS OFFICER
LITERALLY STOPPED AT THE BEGINNING OF A BOMB RUN ON A JAP POCKET ON LUZON CMA CRUSADERS RECEIVED OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE END OF WAR AND ORDERS TO JETTISON BOMBS RETURN TO BASE PD MISSION WAS FOURTEEN HUNDRED EIGHTY FIRST SINCE GROUP ENTERED ACTION PD FLIGHT LED BY FIRST LIEUTENANT CHARLES B. KLEIN SIX EIGHT ONE THREE SEVENTEENTH STREET NORTHEAST CMA SEATTLE HAD ALREADY RECEIVED TARGET FROM GROUND CONTROL CMA HAD PLANES IN ATTACK FORMATION WHEN RADIO OPERATOR PICKED UP ORDERS PD STAFF SERGEANT HERBERT TARE ERICKSON ONE NINE ZERO NINE WEST SECOND STREET DULUTH MINNESOTA RECEIVED OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN CHARLES WILLIAM FROM RADIO SAIGON PD PARA LAST FLIGHT ON MISSION WHEN WORD REACHED IT CMA FOUND THAT IT WAS OVER BATAAN ACCORDING TO NAVIGATOR FIRST LIEUTENANT MYRON W. HARRIS NINE FIVE SEVEN NINE OLYMPIC BLVD BEVERLY HILLS CALIFORNIA PD QUOTE IT
SEEMED FITTING TO RECEIVE THE NEWS OF
THE END OF THE WAR OVER BATAAN HARRIS
SAID LATER PD QUOTE A FULL CYCLE HAD TURNED AT LAST PD UNQUOTE PARA CRUSADERS HAD FLOWN ONE FOUR FOUR FOUR THREE SORTIES STARTING WITH BATTLE OF MIDWAY THROUGH THE SOLOMONS AND WEST AS FAR AS CHINA COAST PD DAY BEFORE OFFICIAL SURRENDER CAPTAIN REAN PETER SIELER FIVE TWO SEVEN LENOX AVENUE CMA MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA DROPPED LAST BOMB ON JAPS AT TWELVE TWENTY ITEM PD PARA REACTION OF ENTIRE CRUSADER GROUP SAME AS THAT OF THOUSANDS OTHER QUOTE OLD UNQUOTE MEN IN PACIFIC QUOTE THANK GOD PD NOW WHEN DO WE GO HOME QUERY UNQUOTE WACHS
FROM: BOMGR FOUR TWO
TO: COMAF THIRTEEN ATTENTION PUBLIC RE
LATIONS OFFICER
VICTOR JIG DAY CAUGHT THE CRUSADERS
FAMED JIG ABLE FOX MITCHELL UNIT WITH THEIR PLANES UP PD FROM THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY THERE WAS SELDOM DAY CRUSADER BAKER TWO FIVE NOT ON DESTRUCTION BENT SORTIE AGAINST THE JAPS PD THEY WERE FLYING FROM GUADALCANAL IN MARCH ONE NINE FOUR THREE WHEN CAPTAIN WILLIAM ROGER STONE FIVE ONE EIGHT NORTH SIXTY SEVENTH STREET CMA MILWAUKEE CMA ALREADY A FIVE MONTH VETERAN WITH FORTS CMA JOINED THE GROUP PD STONE CMA GROUP ORDNANCE OFFICER CMA WITH THREE FOUR MONTHS AND ONE TWO THREE POINTS IS PROBABLY OLDEST POINT OF SERVICE OFFICER IN THIRTEENTH PD HE HAS SUPERVISED THE LOADING OF ALL OF ONE ZERO ZERO ZERO REPEAT ELEVEN THOUSAND TONS REPEAT TONS OF BOMBS THAT HAVE CASCADED FROM CRUSADER BOMB BAYS SINCE JOINING PD ON VICTOR JIG DAY OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT CAUGHT HIS PLANES AT START
OF BOMB RUN LUZON PD BOMBS EITHER JETTTSONED OR BROUGHT BACK AS RADIO HALTED STRIKE PD PAR QUOTE THIS IS SWEET DAY FOR ME UNQUOTE STONE SAID AS HE WATCHED THE UNUSED BOMBS LOWERED FROM PLANE PD QUOTE I HELPED LOAD FIRST OFFICIAL THIRTEENTH BOMBS PD I AM GOING TO HELP UNLOAD WHAT I HOPE IS LAST ONE PD PAR QUOTE THE KNOWLEDGE THE WAR IS OVER LEAVES ME NUMB PD I DOUBT IF ANYONE WITH THREE YEARS TN SOLOMONS CMA NEW GUINEA AND HERE IS CAPABLE OF CARING HOW SOON HE GETS HOME PD I HAVE BEEN OUT HERE TOO LONG PD IT IS ALL BURNT OUT OF ME PD UNQUOTE PAR GROUP COMMANDER COLONEL PAUL FOX HELMICK CMA CORVALLIS OREGON CMA VETERAN OF TWELFTH AND EIGHTH AIR FORCES HEARD THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY RADIO PD QUOTE ITS A GREAT DAY AND A GREAT AIR FORCES VICTORY PD IT HAS BEEN ONLY A MATTER OF TIME FOR MONTHS PD NOW THE TIME HAS RUN OUT PD I ONLY WISH COLONEL KEGELMAN COULD HAVE BEEN HERE TO SEE IT PD UNQUOTE PAR COLONEL CHARLES GEORGE KEGELMAN CMA EL RENO OKLAHOMA CMA WAS CRUSADER COMMANDER SEVEN MONTHS PRIOR HIS DEATH OVER MINDANAO MARCH NINE CURRENT PD HE LED FIRST AMERICAN MISSION OF WORLD WAR TWO OVER GERMANY JULY FOUR ONE NINE FOUR TWO PD PAR GROUPS NEWEST MAN PETER FOX CHARLIE WILLIAM ABLE LOUGHRAN CMA EIGHT ZERO ONE NORTH WASHINGTON AVENUE CMA HUTCHINSON KANSAS FORMER GUNNERY INSTRUCTOR CMA NOW PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFFMAN WHO ARRIVED AUGUST FIFTH CURRENT CMA HAD ONLY THIS TO SAY CMA QUOTE ITS WONDERFUL NEWS PD EVERYONE TALKING OF GETTING HOME PD GUESS I WILL BE AROUND A WHILE PD UNQUOTE PAR WHEN
A rare opportunity was grasped the day this photo was taken. All the "gears" were caught in one group. Standing, left to right, are: Lieutenant Colonel Waddleton, S-3; Colonel Helmick, Group C. 0.; Lieutenant Colonel Goldsworthy, Deputy Group C. 0.; Major Lyon, Executive Officer; Colonel Champion, Colonel Helmick's successor: kneeling: Captain Mclaughlin, Assistant S-3; Major Weymouth, Air Inspector; and Major Cady then S-5, later C. 0. of the homebound 100th.
Buck Helmick rides again! Colonel Helmick is shown preparing to take off on one of the Crusaders' frequent visits to Balikpapen.
Major Don Lyon, who succeeded Colonel Whitneybell as Group Exec. is snapped in his office.
Maj. James E. Robison, 75th CO, who won distinction on July 1, 1945, by being the only pilot from the 42nd who managed to penetrate the weather between Palawar, and Balikpapen. --He carried cameramen, and correspondents to cover D-Day at Balik
Lt. Col. Thomas Waddleton. Group S-3 at the end of the war, was the first "old" Crusader to return to the 42nd. He was one of the original pilots who landed at Hawaii on the first trans-Pacific hop. He stood an alert at Midway, hoping to get a crack at the train and transport half of the Jap armada, which, however, never came within range. He flew from Fiji and the 'Canal in 26's.
Maj. Charles R. Wolfendale, Group Operations Officer, whose 95 missions set a tough record to beat. He would have made it an even loo had not Colonel Harvey grounded him on the contention that "anyone with 95 missions ought to stay on the ground."
The lares and penates of a Crusader. Capt. Sol Reiches relaxes among his belongings.
Maj. Roy Harris, Group S-4, whose procurement problems were never light, and whose cheerful disposition seemed never ruffled.
Capt. Carl Fitzreiter, 69th Engineering Officer, whose maintenance record was one of the best in the Group, and who once formed half a duo who brazenly stood in line at a FEASC liquor ration at Hollandia, and made off with 26 guilders worth of loot. Furthermore, he borrowed the money.
Lt. K. B. Chambers succeeded Capt. Douglas
Panton as Royal Australian Air Force Liaison Officer with the 42nd. His batman popped into the office each morning at 1000 with a billy of tea.
Chaplain Houde with Pfc. Ed O'Malley and his "family" at Sansapor. His claim for 48 points when his pet dog had four pups was disallowed.
The chapel at Sansapor rose among the jungle giants and twining creepers of New Guinea.
FIRST JUBILANT CELEBRATION WAS OVER HUNDREDS OF CRUSADER GROUND CREW MAJORITY WITH NEARLY THIRTY MONTHS IN PACIFIC VOICED THE UNIVERSAL SHOUT QUOTE HOME STREETLIGHTS SIDEWALKS SWEETMILK PD
The most devastating war in the history of mankind is over. The writer is going to preach no sermon, nor hold forth on the ardent hopes of all peoples that it is the final one. It's over, finished, kaput, and for the few seconds it takes you to read these words, that's enough. When you raise your head, you're looking into your future, knowing that you're only one man, and that you can't do everything. But you can do something, and, God helping you, you will do it.
A recapitulation of missions flown, sorties, and weight of bombs dropped by the 42nd Bomb Group follows:
69th Prior to August 572 3250 4,869,395 August, 1945 5 36 32,900 Total 577 3286 4,902,295 70th Prior to August 491 2858 4,411,980 August, 1945 6 36 35,650 Total 497 2894 4,447,630 75th Prior to August 487 2789 4,460,270 August, 1945 7 40 41,200 Total 494 2829 4,501,470 10~-'tli Prior to August 397 2417 3,935,400 August, 1945 8 46 51,450 'I'otal 405 2463 3,9861,850 390th Prior to August 500 2927 4,577,475 August, 1945 8 44 38,800 Total 508 2971 4,616,275
Group Prior to August 1461 14,241 22,254,520 August, 1945 20 202 200,000
Total 1481 14,443 22,454,520
Most active month for the Group: November, 1944, 169 missions 1134 sorties 1,541,040 pounds bombs dropped.
Total number rounds of ammunition fired in combat:
9,674,115
DENOUEMENT
The end of the war did not see the end of operations for the 42nd. The men who had come out with the Group were, for the most part, still in the Pacific, and apparently were apt to stay there. Some changes had taken place. There were new faces here and there, and even in the flush of victory, all who remained did not make it home.
August ran to its close with the customary crop of rumors regarding rotation, but with little being done about
Interior of Group Club and Mess at Palawan. The mural was painted by Sgt. Russ Ahlbum.
The alter at Palawan was an artistic masterpiece, complete with "stained glass" window.
Interior of the chapel and the choir loft at Palawan. Sawali walls and Nipa roof made a beautiful appearance.
it. Meanwhile the movement was cancelled and re-erection of the camp took place. Quonset huts were obtained from the Navy, and seven of them were erected in the Group Headquarters area as offices. Administrative and line buildings went back up, and the Group settled down to pseudo-peacetime operations.
We were to be the Philippines Occupational Air Force; we were being transferred to Clark Field; we were going to be sent to Hickam Field-, we were going to stav where we were until we took root and sprouted coconuts. Rumors were a dime a dozen, and you could take your choice.
In early September a radio came in requesting that all enlisted men with 85 points or more be cleared and sent to Leyte. Weather kept planes grounded, and three times men took off and were returned when the planes were unable to penetrate Manila weather.
On September 8 a news release indicated that officers would soon move out. After the first quota in July, rotation for officers seemed to dissipate. In August the 42nd's quota was 1, but the more sardonic insisted that quota would be doubled in September. Fifty-four Group ground officers had more than the requisite 85 points.
Finally, on September 17 radio orders from 13th Air Force asked for 100 eligible officers from all organizations on Palawan. Our portion of this quota amounted to 23 officers, all with point scores of more than 100. However, before the men could be cleared and delivered to Manila, the orders were rescinded. The island quota was greatly reduced, and three men, Captain Stone, Major Deters, and Lieutenant Proctor took off for Manila September 20.
On September 10, Three Eight Zero took off at 0800
for Florida Blanca Field. Her last position report located her just south and west of Mindoro, on course. Last radio
communication of any type was held 25 minutes before her ETA. Three Eight Zero did not arrive. On board her were 10 men, Maj. Robert F. Van Dusen, pilot; Lieut. Curtis V. McEnulty, co-pilot; Capt. James A. Freedman, navigator; T/Sgt. Edward E. Meyers, engineer; and S/Sgt. Harry E. Brunsman, radio operator, who were members of the crew, and Maj. Arthur G. Taylor, Group Intelligence Officer, Capt. William D. Trone, 70th Intelligence Officer, Capt. E. L. Chapman, Group Adjutant, Capt. J. W. Anderson of the 69th, and Lieut. J. L. Schuler of the 390th. The passengers were en route to Manila on official business.
'I'he loss of all of these men was most keenly felt. Bill Trone should not have been on the airplane; he should have been on the first point quota. He had one of the highest point totals in the Group, but an administrative error placed him on the flying personnel list, and he was bypassed.
Art Taylor, another high point man, was sweating out the three months following his promotion to major.
Earl Chapman, who with Major Taylor had come over with the 100th, had well over 100 points, as did Captain Anderson.
The end of the 42nd Bombardment Group (M) came quickly and quietly. First the 100th Bomb Squadron was made into a Category Four unit, and, late in November was returned to the States with all that remained of the original 42nd personnel.
Soon after, a similar fate befell the 390th.
In January, according to a letter from Lieut. Col. Harry E. Goldsworthy, then commanding, the Group and the three remaining squadrons moved to Osaka, Japan, and became a part of the Fifth Air Force (cf. FOREWORD).
A last letter to the editor from Lieut. Wayne F. Bolton, Group Adjutant, told of the deactivation of the 42nd, its re tion to a One and One status, the distribution of its personnel, either to other organizations or back to the States. IN PACE REQUIESCAT.
Before the altar the Bridal Party stops. Sylvia is on the a~'m of Colonel Helmick, who gave the Bride away. The wedding dress was whittled from a "salvaged" parachute.
In her wedding dress, made entirely from an AAF parachute, the bride poses before the altar. Before her marriage to F1ight Officer Robert E. Pedersen, Chicago, she was 2nd Lt. Sylvia Martinson, Army Nurse Corps, Kempton, North Dakota.
The couple left next day for a week's honeymoon in war torn, hotel-less Manila. Accompanying them on the C-47 were Miss Rygmyr, four Australian Army Officers, who had to be reassured that they were not "intruding," and 4,000 pounds of high priority freight.
WHITHER THOU GOEST I WILL GO . . .
Wherever the 42nd went, the temple of the Lord moved with them. From Guadalcanal to the Philippines, Chaplain Houde made certain that a chapel where men could go to worship sprang up in the wilderness.
In the Solomons and New Guinea the chapels were rude structures, erected from native timbers and canvas, but sanctified, withal, with the spirit of God.
At Palawan an edifice was built second to none in the islands. Chaplains Houde and Ivey and their band of the faithful labored long and arduously, and when they had finished, the beauty of the new All Faiths Church was the wonder of all who saw it. --On the day of its dedication clergymen from all over the island came to assist in the ceremonies.
The high spot of its social calendar was the wedding of Flight Officer R. E. Pederson and his fiancee, Miss Sylvia Martinson, an army nurse. They had become engaged in the States, had been separated by the whims of the service, and had met again by chance in Manila. --Chaplain Ivey officiated at the wedding; Colonel Helmick gave the bride away.
Ultimately the 42nd Group moved on, but the church they left behind them will for many years furnish a House of God to the good people in the vicinity of Puerto Princessa.
The 390th Enlisted Men's Club Palm Palm was the most attractive on the Island.
WHEN HUMIDITY GETS HIGH in THE TROPICS . . .
From time to time, to stave off the deleterious effects of boredom and danger, someone would reach in under his bed and bring to light an old can of 3.2 beer or a long hidden bottle of coke, and proceed to have himself a time. Someone would notice him, and remember that coke he'd been saving for a rainy night. Here and there hands would be thrust out of tents to assure the owners that it was raining, or at least the humidity was quite high. Soon there would be a gathering of kindred souls, a little drinking, much hilarity, and the customary swapping of twice told
lies. From a hitherto quiet corner, a scream of anguish would indicate that a declarer had discovered all the trumps were in one hand; from another came supplications to Richard from Boston, and Joseph from Kokimo. Eventually everyone got hungry, and next morning everyone named Smith would have a hangover.
It is most unfortunate that all too many of these gatherings were never photographed for posterity. We present a few that were.
The bar in the Palm Palm Club would have graced any similar spot Stateside.
Colonel Champion, second from the left, takes over on the sax to prove he can still tear off a few hot licks.
The Crusader Band playing for a dance at the Seventh Fleet Officers' Club, Puerto Princessa. The members are listed below. Front Row, Left to right: Guitar, Cpl. Jack Howard; 2nd Sax, SISgt. Frank C. Phelps; lst Sax, SISgt. Irwin L. Sperry, Jr.; 3rd Sax, Lt. J. H. Britton; 4th Sax, Lt. Buet A. Swartz; Piano, Cpl. Ted Farrand. Back Row, Left to right; Bass, Pfc. Darrel Last; Drums, Cpl. Don Lotta; 2nd Trumpet, Sgt. James A. Brown; lst Trumpet, SISgt. Henry M. Carr, Jr.; 3rd Trumpet, Lt. Anthony Y. Lorenzo, Jr.
On Sansapor amusement was a personal matter; bridge, a crap game, singing about the piano, occasional beer, a few, a very few nurses, and the inevitable movie took the pressure off the long evenings.
COPYRIGHT 1946 BY THE CRUSADER, 42ND BOMB GROUP
Typography, engravings and printing by
Army & Navy Pictorial Publishers
Army and Navy Publishing Company Building
234 Main Street Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| Chapter 26 | Preface |