[303rd-Talk] Masters of the Air

[rex pearce]

Bob,
The Battle of the Atlantic began on 3rd September, 1939
with the sinking of the liner Athenia by a U-boat.
By a coincidence I had been shown over this ship
with a school party  the previous month. As a ten-year
old schoolboy I had never seen anything so luxurious
before.
The Battle finished in May 1945 when the U-boats
surrendered on orders from their High command.
Americas war began on December 7th, 1941 with
the attack on Pearl Harbor.The first combat sortie by a
USAAF crew took place on June 29th, 1942 when
four men flew an RAF Boston to bomb Hazebrouck
marshalling yard. Operations formally commenced
on July 4th, 1942 when six American crews joined the attack on four 
Luftwaffe airfields in the Low Countries.
All planes carried RAF roundels, and were from 226 Squadron. Two 
American-manned Bostons were lost,
piloted by 2nd. Lt. F A Loehrl, and Lt. Lynn.
Three American DFC's were awarded, plus a DSC
for Captain Kegelman who had returned on one engine.
Aircrew were mainly young and very young men,
300 ops would have been sufficient for a big party.
Being young they were attracted to girls, and likewise,
girls were bussed in to celebrations, some innocent,
some not so. Mother Nature worked her magic.
Rex.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Van Pelt" <bvp6565 at yahoo.com>
To: "303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum" <303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 10:02 PM
Subject: Re: [303rd-Talk] Masters of the Air


>I have found so many errors in this book, it is making it hard to read.  I 
>even wrote to the author, Donald Miller, to question him on the Eighth 
>having the longest campaign of the war.  I always thought the Battle of the 
>Atlantic lasted longer than the aerial onslought you waged, but was 
>informed the Battle of the Atlantic ended in May 1943.  That just doesn't 
>jibe with the tonnages lost I have found on-line and in books!
>
>  Did you guys really have a huge party that he desribes for your 300th 
> mission celebration?  He makes it sound like lewd women were brought in 
> and it was Sodom and Gomorah at Molesworth.
>
>  And with all of the errors and historical revision, there have been many 
> things I did not know like the medical team evaluation of flyers.  Did 
> Eaker really get fired by Arnold and shipped off to the MTO and 15th like 
> he suggests?
>  Bob
>
>
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