Great web site. I have always been deeply grateful to those
who served on the combat aircraft of WWII, the bombers and the
fighters. It took a very special kind of courage to endure
those agonizingly long and extremely hazardous missions. I see
the crews of these planes as "bigger than life".

To express what I feel about them I've composed several poems
and assembled them in a book titled "The Poet's Salute To Valor".
The first poem that I wrote is titled "Tribute To The Queen".
It is about the B-17 and her crews. Not long after I composed it
and gave it to the crew of The Sentimental Journey they started
reciting it over the P.A. as the Fortress flew over the crowd
at airshows. To say that I was honored it putting it mildly.
The next year I was given a free ride on The Sentimental Journey.
Phil Davies, a retired Ozark airlines pilot and friend was the
pilot. Bill Hane who at the time owned a P-51 was the co-pilot.

Among others I also composed The Memphis Belle, Shoo Shoo Baby,
The Liberator, When The Mustangs Came, The Avenging Angels Of
Shangri La, The Saga Of The Superfortress etc.

After I sent Shoo Shoo Baby to Paul McDuffee, the pilot of the
aircraft I received a call from him. We became friends and kept
in contact via phone and mail until his death. My brother and I met Paul in Memphis when the Memphis Belle Memorial was dedicat- ed.

I sent a copy of The Avenging Angels Of Shangri La to Jimmy
Doolittle not long after I wrote it and received a very nice
"thank you" letter from him. My wife and I also met Paul Tibbets,
Dutch Vankirk and Tom Ferrebee, the pilot, navigator and bombard- ier of The Enola Gay in Branson, Mo. last summer. Again these
guys are truly bigger than life to me. As a retired federal correctional officer I have seen all too many cases of what the
wrong kind of "heros" can do to the values of society.

Hollywood "heros" and their glamorization of blood and gore
as well as their personal values, their money and their fame
can't begin to rival the raw, unbridled courage practiced daily
by the men who flew the combat aircraft of WWII or those who
served in other arenas of combat. The courage and self sacrifice
of these men was REAL AND AUTHENTIC, NOT IMAGINARY or the product
of "special effects". Thanks to the history revisionists of sev-
eral very ungrateful, self indulgent, extremely greedy and dis-
respectful generations that fact has been lost on our youth.

Now their heros are the Hollywood "pot heads", dope addicts and "serial marriage" bed hoppers or those who kick, dribble or throw a ball and whine because they're only making ten million dollars a year and demand a pay raise.

Just wanted to comment.

Ivan Fail (former Marine of the 50's era)

Great job on the Web page. I was very happy to see the commercial on " The Ragged Irregulars of Bassingbourn " Book, by Marion Havelaar and William Hess. If you are interested in the History of the 91st. Bomb Group, then this is the book to buy. I may be a bit partial , you will find my name under 175 Photographs in that book. Yes I was a group Photographer in the 324th Sq. 91st. Bomb Group for over two years. Keep up the good work Jim & Suzi, I will help with questions when ever possible. I don"t think you will have any trouble reaching your goals.-----------------------Joe Harlick

god bless all the young men who flew in the heavy bombers of wwll. they gave their lives so that our country would remain free. bless their hearts and souls.

Hi there -

This site is terrific - so glad that my daughter found it!
Don't know which of us was the most enthused.

One other comment is that on the e-mail page we were unable to access "previous page" or "next page".

Thanks

Excellent site! I was so excited to find it. My dad who was in the 8th - 322nd Squadron did not know about it. I just called him in Florida. He is the editor of the 8th Air Force newsletter there and was working on it when I called. It's a rainy day there today and he didn't know what he was going to do with himself after he finished the newsletter. I sent him the site info and told him to "spend the day in Bassingbourn". He was elated!! Thanks.

Very informative website! I think you should expand the B-17 picture history and add more pic's to the site also. You should also add a section on the famous planes from the 91st: Like the Memphis Belle. You can visit my website (on the Memphis Belle) at http://people.ce.mediaone.net/aleites!

Have a great day.