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Blonde Bomber
322nd Squadron
1st Lt. Wine's Crew
Caravan
Serial # 23057 LG N
Back Row - Left to Right
S/Sgt. William "Bill" Harvey, Gunner; T/Sgt. Norville E. Smith, Radioman; S/Sgt. Charles H. "Chuck" Steele, Tail Gunner; S/Sgt. Elsworth Fair, Gunner; S/Sgt. Joseph F "Joe" Kerr, Ball Turret Gunner; T/Sgt. Ovila S. "Frenchie" Corbiere, Flight Engineer and Top Turret Gunner
Front Row - Left to Right
2nd Lt. Charles W. Deegan, Co-pilot; 2nd Lt. William C. Ryan, Navigator; 1st Lt. Robert E. "Bob" Wine, Pilot; 2nd Lt. Leonard S. "Lenny" Salleng, Bombardier
Photo contributed by the son of Leonard Salleng
Blonde Bomber Factoid - Photo taken 22 June 1943 when the crew delivered the Blonde Bomber to the 91st BG in England. The crew was formed in Pocatello, Idaho where they received their basic training and then moved on to Caspter, Wyoming for advanced training. After a short leave, they were to report to Salina, Kansas where they picked up their plane and began their journey to England. Engine trouble caused a stop in Detroit for repair and then on to Maine. It was in Maine that the crew chose to name the plane the Blonde bomber after 2nd Lt. Lenny Salleng, who was blonde and a bombardier, who having worked for Disney as an animator and for MGM in the art department, designed and painted the nose art on the plane. There are different versions of the origin of the Blonde Bomber nose art, such as the one that Tony Starcer painted it, but the Salleng story as apparently been verified by living crew members (Chuck Steele, Frenchy Corbiere) that it had the nose art on its arrival in June 1943. (above info provided by Ginny Salleng Peterson)
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