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Listing of Bomb
Groups
34th fighter squadron, fighter squadron, fighter, squadron, world war, war,
world war 2
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If you are a member of the 34th Fighter
Squadron or a relative of one of the members, please send me your email
address and I will place it on this page so everyone can keep in touch!
Also Send me your photo's and stories of veterans at Ie Shima.
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Survival Equipment - Survival Supplies Railroad
Calendars
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There are many
letters below where people need help finding informationabout veterans and
the 34th fighter squadron.
Click
Here for another page of letters
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10-Jan-2008I have something to say about the
instructors who trained our
fighter pilots that fought the Japanese at Ie Shima and Okinawa in
WW2. I was stationed aboard a supply ship that was anchored close enough
that we could see the island of IeShima. We were at our battle stations
constantly because we were being attacked by the Japanese suicide planes. I
witnessed the pilots of the P-47s the P-51s-and later the P-38s as they
returned from protecting our bombers during missions to
Japan. When a pilot was
credited with a Zek
kill he was allowed to put his
fighter plane through aerobatics before landing and it appeared there
must have been competition among these pilots. I say that because it would
be impossible for me to describe to you how great these young pilots were
doing their thing above the Island of Ie Shima and
Okinawa and they seemed to want to out do each other. I often
wondered how their fighter held together. They had to be well trained to
down the Japanese Zeros and also to get that kind of performance out of
their fighter planes.
They put on a great exhibition and we always enjoyed watching them. I know
they were a credit to their country and also their instructors. Well
trained pilots had a greater chance of staying alive.
A WW2 Veteran
Bob Shackles
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Dear Mr. Dyrek,
If I understand correctly you are looking for information on what
happened to the Bettys that were used as the two Japanese surrender planes.
I do not know but I do have a motor plate that my late father brought back
from Japan He said he had removed it from a Japanese surrender plane. The
plane was painted white with green crosses and he said it transported
Japanese at document signing at the end of the war. He said soldiers were
taking all the parts off of it. Dad was Signal Corps and put up
communications so that the planes could land in the Philippines, Japanese
islands, and Japan. I know Dad was in Tokyo but I do not know about le
Shima. I do not know if the plane in the water was later taken to it's
destination of Tokyo. If you find out what happened to them would you please
let me know. I will certainly let you know if I find any information.
The motor plate is written in Japanese and Dad has scratched some letters
on the back of the plate, starting motor, and bomber I think he letters may
be letters from the outside of the plane. They are American letters. Is
there any place I could check these letters to see if they are registry for
one of the surrender planes?
Thank you for any help you might give me.
Karen Shelton
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I was on the LST 979
at Ie Shima. We were loaded and ready to make the Invasion of the Mainland
when the A-Bomb was dropped. I wrote notes while listening to the pilots
direct the Jap Betty Bombers in the land. I have pictures of the Jap
officers sitting under the wing of their plane while waiting for the paper
work. I also have a picture of their pilot standing on the wing of the
Betty.
We were to carry
engineers in on the third wave. Our Skipper told us we would probably all be
dead because they expected to lose the best part of ten waves to take the
beach. I wont forget those days. I was a Radioman. I also
was on board the LST 1019 at the Invasion of Southern France before being
transferred off. I am now 81. I was 18 when at France.
Respectfully;
James Dean Walker
Service Serial
Number 6558506
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| 3-23-2003
Trying to locate any information regarding
PVT John Benjamin (known as "J.B.") Glover, Jr. He was originally from
Tennessee.
According to family accounts, he was
severely burned when a damaged plane made an emergency landing at Ieshima
on May 27, 1945. He died from wounds he received three days later,
on May 30, 1945. The family was not notified until several months later
of his death by "censored" telegram, and didn't get any details until after
the war. Those details were incomplete.
(His body was moved from Ieshima to Hawaii after the war).
I'm in contact with his sister who was
about 7 years when "J.B." went off to war. She has many questions, including
confirmation of his unit and "what he did" in the Army.
I didn't find his name in your "roll
call". Were there other units attached at Ieshima which may account for
his absence in your exhibit?
Any information would be appreciated.
Mr. D. E. Dawkins
for Charlotte Glover Groves
Overland Park, KS
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9-29-2002
On April 17,
1945 I was a Naval fighter pilot from VF24 leading the second section
of a four-plane division of F4F Hellcats. We were from the USS Santee CVE
29, a carrier of the Sangamon Class keeled originally to become
an Oiler.
Our mission
was to fly to Ie Shima and report to a Ground Director for his selected
assignments. The call came to attack just ahead of a ground Marker sheet
to quiet a group of Japanese who were mortar firing our
troops just fifty to 75 feet away.
I recall saying
to the director that he would get our links and casings on
the troops heads as the terrain allowed only a run over his position.
He responded that would not be as bad as he was getting now.
A shallow run
would surly increase his danger and a steep run would offer a better
angle but would require a higher altitude break-off to effect a recovery
from the dive this would also increase the range and shorten the
time of firing. I chose a 60 degree angle which was routine for dive-bombing
but slowed well below the usual 320 Knots. The close
proximity of our troops obviated the use of bombs or rockets which we carried.
After two delicate runs we got a thanks and goodbye. When I landed
back on the Santee around midday I heard that Ernie Pyle had
been killed on Ie Shima. No particulars were available.
My god! I did it.
It wasn't until
early evening that we heard that he was killed by a sniper
while in a Jeep. Years later I heard of the machine gunning.
Hope that this
helps complete your picture.
Irving "Cowboy" Mayer-
irvmayer@cox.net
Incidentally
I was searching for info on Jack Singer a War Correspondent
who was also killed in action. He was a cousin to my first wife by
marriage.
In the search
I ran across Raymond Clapper another war correspondent. He was killed in
front of me on Jan 29, 1944 by a fellow pilot of mine in a pre-dawn
launch into a storm and post launch midair collision from the Belleau Wood
CVL 24. but that's a story for another day.
Click
Here to visit the Ernie Pyle Home Page |
8-16-2002
Hi:
Was a member of Capt.Orrel Caldwels flight Lt. Pence was my
wing man. Brought back many memories with this wonderful layout.
many thanks
bike4@frontiernet.net |
7-9-2002
Dear Jeff
Would you please inform Frank Dauro in Opelik AL. THAT I WAS IN
THE 318TH FIGHTER GROUP IN THE 73RD FIGHTER SQD.I ON SIAPAN AND OKINAWA
THE SAME TIME HIS FATHER VINCENT WAS THERE, I TOO INVOLVED THE HURRICANE,
PLEASE HAVE HIM CONTACT ME I HAVE A SCRAP BOOK OF PICTURES AND DOCUMENTS.
MY NAME AND ADDRESS IS AS FOLLOWS. I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THIS FOR
ME. YOURS TRULY,
MR.LeROY G. Larson
11162 south SPAULDING AVE.
CHICAGO, IL. 60655
EMAIL barfliesp47@netzero.net |
| Info needed for
Kenneth
Cox who flew with the 494th 867th Bomber Wing and Group
Major
William C. Braxton an instructor pilot for the P-47 back in the 1940's. |
11-19-01
Dear Readers,
I'm trying to run down some info on
Col. Harrison R. Thyng's P-47N when he was the CO of the 413th FG.
He, as you probably already know, was a squadron CO of a US Spitfire squadron
in the UK and North Africa. That was the 309th FS. I flew in the 309TFS
in Vietnam. I build historic plastic scale models. I'm trying to find the
paint scheme of Col Thyng's P-47N. Would you happen to have any info
to help?
I've stumbled onto two artist profiles
of 413th Thunderbolts. Both purport to be of 21st FS planes, but they have
completely different schemes. One has a medium blue tail with a wide black
band at its
leading edge with a two letter code
on the fuselage. The other has a solid yellow tail and wingtips, with a
light blue heart in the middle of the tail. I seriously doubt that they
are both correct. (see attach)
Thanks in advance for any help...
--
Joe Vincent
"Politicians and diapers need to be
changed at regular intervals, and for the very same reason..."
Col. Harrison Thyng Links
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