As a member of the Air Training Corps and a volunteer reserve officer in the RAF this inspires us all. I am with 2484 Squadron ATC, which meets and parades on Bassingbourn airfield.The ATC is organisation for boys and girls aged 13 to 22. Although it is now an army depot we are still the Air Force presence that reminds everyone of the history of Bassingbourn and the sacrifices that were made here.

My father was a pilot in the 91st. We six children have heard so much about everything that my dad and his men went through. It is true, you were the Greatest Generation. I think it is so wonderful that people have taken the time to create this site.
All of the men look like movie stars in the photos! What a different time it must have been. Thanks
Maureen Nee Caputo
New Kensington, PA

My grandpa, Marvin D. Anderson was the navigator on the "SPIRIT OF 44". If any of you guys that flew with the spirit of 44 know my grandpa(marvin anderson) please contact me asap..And thank you to all the guys that fought in world war II.

~THANKS!!~

I WAS IN THE 91st FROM MARCH UNTIL OCTOBER 1944.
I MADE 30 MISSIONS FINISHING ON JULY 8TH. MY PILOT WAS JOHN POWELL. WE FLEW 10 MISSIONS IN THE 324TH SQUADRON AND ON MAY 1st WE WERE TRANSFERED TO THE 401st FOR THE REST OF OUR MISSIONS.
SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR CREW WERE CO-PILOT: CHUCK NEISWINDER(?), BOMBARDIER: JOE SPATA, NAVIGATOR: PHIL SHERIDAN,
TOP TURRET; TOM LINDSEY, RADIO: LEO FONTAINE, BALL: ALBERT TALBERT, TAIL: ALVIN SEXTON. I WAS THE WAIST GUNNER. OUR ORIGINAL TAIL GUNNER, MIKE SCHUMACHER, WAS SHOT DOWN FLYING AS A FILL IN ON ANOTHER CREW. AT THE TIME WE HAD ONLY COMPLETED, I THINK, FIVE MISSIONS. BEST REGARDS TO ALL 91st MEMORIAL MEMBERS. I'VE BEEN A LIFE MEMBER FOR MANY YEARS.

Mal Tuohy,Georgetown, Texas.I have just found out about the BGMA and have joined it. The web page is great and I hope to contribute something to it as time goes on. I made 35 missions in '44 as top turret gunner/engineer . I don't remember the name we had on the nose, but I do remember we had a beautiful Indian Sqaw. The pilot of my plane was Lt. Robert Schuck who I have recently been able to contact by internet. I am trying to locate the rest of my crew. The co-pilot was Walter Gallager who was shot down on a mission that he flew while we were in BlackPool on R&R with 29 missions finished. My Navigatpor was Lt. Skippy Mahan and bombardier was Lt. Pete Peterson.Ball turret was Harold Gross, Tail Gunner was nick Sasik. Radioman was Peter Pasoli, and waist gunner was ?Harvey.Would love to hear from any of my crew if you read this.Been back to Bassingborn once several years ago.Pls let me hear from you. Mal

Just received my April 2000 Ragged Irregular and found out aboutthe Web Site. Great! I was amember of the 401st from March to December 44. Bombardier on Sam Newton's crew. Bert Stiles was our co-pilot, and Grant Benson the Navigator. We first flew and nmed "Times-A-Waistin" with the Snuffy Smith picture.

Just saw your Tony Starcer page. It is wonderful to see that he is remembered, as it is his artwork that gave so many of these B17's their personality. As you correctly noted, he did the nose art on the Memphis Belle. When the restoration was going on in 1986-87, he agreed to re- apply the famous Petty girl he'd done in '42, sadly he passed away just months before the plane was ready. In his place, another Starcer, his nephew Phil, took up the torch and painted the leggy lady on the nose of '485. It is really fitting to see the name "Starcer" beneath her. On a similar subject, we were lucky enough also to have Joseph Giambrone re- apply the 25th bomb to her just as he is seen doing in the Wyler documentary. He was, of course, the Belle's ground crew chief.

A truly great web-site! As an ole Top Turret Engineer on a plane called "The Old Battleaxe" in the 401st BS. 91st BG whose's pilot was Lt. Memford Borgeson, we managed to get back somewhat safely after 35 full missions......We flew from Nov. l l944 thru April l945./...Oh...can it really be that long ago? Several of our crew are now gone, but myself, the pilot, navigator, tail gunner are still around. I'be been back to Bassingbourne once....hope to go again someday. Aalso I need to go to Margraten, Holland. That's where my waist gunner, George Wong is buried. We lost him on either the 34 or 35 mission, I can't remember which. Well enough remembering, A salute to all who are still around, and to all who have flown their last mission. An ole battleaxer...

I enjoyed your web site. I was a waist gunner on a B-17 with the 398th bomb group based at Nuthempstead. I remember on one mission we had a shot out hydrolic system "no brakes", which required us to land at bassingbourn as you had very long runways. We landed safely, using all the runway. An army truck picked us up and took us back to our home base. On the way back he went off the road in the dark and dumped us all. I recieved three broken ribs, the only injury I had in thirty mission. This happened October 21, 1944. It is good to see you keeping alive memories of the MIGHTY EIGHTH. J.C.V.

I enjoyed your web site. I was a waist gunner on a B-17 with the 398th bomb group based at Nuthempstead. I remember on one mission we had a shot out hydrolic system "no brakes", which required us to land at bassingbourn as you had very long runways. We landed safely, using all the runway. An army truck picked us up and took us back to our home base. On the way back he went off the road in the dark and dumped us all. I recieved three broken ribs, the only injury I had in thirty mission. This happened October 21, 1944. It is good to see you keeping alive memories of the MIGHTY EIGTH. J.C.V.