95th Bomb Group Newsletter THE 95TH BOMB GROUP MEMORIALS FOUNDATION, INC. is a 501(c)3 organization whose purpose is to educate the public regarding the history of the 95th Bomb Group (H) and its role in the air campaign over central Europe during WWII. 2018 REUNION REGISTRATION FORM INSIDE VOL 7 / ISSUE 2 “JUSTICE WITH VICTORY” SUMMER 2018 ◀ Cover Photo by Janet Norman-Philips Re-enactors at the 75th Anniversary celebration at Horham. TABLE OF CONTENTS TH NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT 3 95 BOMB GROUP MEMBERSHIP & REUNIONS 4 2018 REUNION FORM 5 SUBMISSION CALL & YOU TOO 6 ARTICLES 7 8TH 13TH COMBAT How To Build an 8th Air Force Heavy Bomber Base AIR FORCE WING by Jodi Gonzales 7 If Not Me, Who? If Not Now, When? by Gerald W. Grove 9 A Letter from the 493rd Bomb Group The Big Splash by Herb Harsh 10 From the 95th BG Research Team by Rod Hupp 13 TH TH STORIES FROM HORHAM 15 334 335 SQUADRON SQUADRON A Visit to Horham by Nancy Freemantle 15 Press Release: Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the 95th Bomb Group Arrival at Horham 18 LEFT FORMATION 20 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM 21 336TH 412TH PX 22 SQUADRON SQUADRON 2 / 95TH BOMB GROUP NEWSLETTER The continued lifeblood of this Foundation rests with our younger family members and friends, who are engaged and active in keeping the memory alive of the sacrifices made by each of our 95th Bomb Group airmen. Notes from the President TOBY MUMFORD PRESIDENT Here we come Philadelphia! The newsletter. You will also find process, which will enable us to 2018 Reunion is right around the additional information posted as it create the best platform to tell our corner, so make certain you have becomes available. Great thanks to story and attract new members. October 4th–8th marked on your Vanna Walker for her hard work on calendar. The hotel in Valley Forge the Reunion and to Rod Hupp for The 95th BGMF continues to have has been reserved and plans for his help with the website Reunion an ever-growing relationship with daily activities are progressing. I updates. the 390th BG. Our thanks to them encourage each of you to consider for the fine working relationship attendance at the Reunion as the It would be wonderful to see each of surrounding the Tucson beginning or the culmination our members invite one new family Museum and their willingness of a holiday in the Philadelphia member or friend to join us at the to accommodate our occasional area. Plan on visiting such sites in Reunion this year. The continued requests to enhance the experience Philadelphia as the Liberty Bell, lifeblood of this Foundation rests of a visit to the 95th BG Room. We Independence Hall, Elfreth’s Alley, with our younger family members look forward to cultivating this or the Museum of the American and friends, who are engaged and relationship in the coming years. Revolution. The history in the area active in keeping the memory alive is fabulous when you consider that of the sacrifices made by each Our congratulations to the Heritage Gettysburg is a little over two hours of our 95th Bomb Group airmen. Association for their wonderful west of Philadelphia. Combining the celebration of the 75th anniversary Reunion activities with a historical In the coming months we will be of the 95th BG's arrival at Station 119, revisit can make for a wonderful completing a review of our website Horham. We’ve also gotten great family holiday. Susan and I look with the intent of making it even reports back on the Americana forward to seeing and visiting with more user-friendly. We want the site Day events on June 24th and the all of you in Valley Forge. to be attractive and inviting to new wonderful dance party on June 23rd, viewers so that they will want to visit with The Devil’s Cut Combo. We have placed all the Reunion the site regularly and become even registration information on more engaged in our Mission. I am See you in Philadelphia! our website and have included encouraging our younger potential a registration form with this members to take part in this review H. Griffin (Toby) Mumford, Jr. 95TH BOMB GROUP NEWSLETTER / 3 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADVISORY BOARD H. Griffin (Toby) Mumford Nancy Freemantle President [email protected] [email protected] John Mollison Phil Samponaro [email protected] Vice President [email protected] Nancy McKnight Smith [email protected] Becky Wright Grove Secretary Dick Westerberg [email protected] [email protected] NEWSLETTER EDITOR Nancy E. Freemantle Rod Hupp Sara R.W. Olson Treasurer [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Vanna Walker Granddaughter of Ray B. Waters Jody M. Thompson [email protected] Tail Gunner, 335th Squadron Board Member [email protected] Ann M. Cook Board Member, PX Manager Save The Date When we go to downtown [email protected] Philadelphia you can choose to see the Liberty Bell Center, Beth O. Rosenzweig Board Member, Independence Hall, the Franklin Reunion Committee Registrar Institute Science Museum, [email protected] Rittenhouse Square, or any of the Vanna Walker many other places to visit. You can Board Member, Reunion Chair take a city sightseeing “Hop-On, [email protected] Hop-Off” double-decker bus tour, Linda Endris or walk through the historic areas. Board Member, Member Liaison If you decide to venture out on [email protected] october 4th - 8th, 2018 your own, the hotel shuttle will Nina Rothman th take you within five miles of Board Member, ex oficio US RFC 95 Bomb Group Reunion the hotel, and that includes the [email protected] Norristown Elm St. train station. Louis R. (Dick) Westerberg By Vanna Walker We will be remembering all of Board Member, those who have gone before us Nominating Committee Chair [email protected] Join us in the greater Philadelphia in the Memorial Breakfast and area for the 95th BGMF 2018 Service, and don’t forget all of the Dan Dodds Reunion. This year, we will meet great fireside chats, meals, and Board Member, Legal Counsel [email protected] at the DoubleTree by Hilton, the Gala Dinner/Dance. Valley Forge, from October 4th–8th. Ending our time together will be David Livesay the Sunday Fun Day lunch cruise Board Member We will visit the Valley Forge Budget & Finance Committee National Historical Park, which on the Spirit of Philadelphia [email protected] is, as its website explains, “the along the Delaware River. See Philadelphia from a different Allan S. Moller site of the 1777–1778 winter Board Member, 390th MMF Rep encampment of the Continental point of view! [email protected] Army. The park commemorates We are looking forward to seeing all of you in the greater AD HOC COMMITTEE CHAIRS the sacrifices and perseverance of the Revolutionary War generation Philadelphia area this October! Rose Marie Livesay and honors the ability of citizens Travel safely! [email protected] to pull together and overcome For all the latest information Janie McKnight adversity during extraordinary on the 2018 Reunion visit: [email protected] times.” www.95thbg.org 4 / 95TH BOMB GROUP NEWSLETTER Philadelphia Reunion October 4 - 8, 2018 Philadelphia, PA GUEST 1: NAME, ADDRESS, EMAIL , PHONE GUEST 2: NAME, ADDRESS, EMAIL , PHONE GUEST 3: NAME, ADDRESS, EMAIL , PHONE GUEST 4: NAME, ADDRESS, EMAIL , PHONE RELATIONSHIP TO 95th (Please include Vet’s Name, Squadron � �nit, �re� Posi�on, �ank) SPECIAL NEEDS: DAY Time ACTIVITY & TIME COST GUEST 1 GUEST 2 GUEST 3 GUEST 4 Thu 4th TBD Bus: Airport to Hotel (Space Limited)* $30 Thu 4th 6-8pm Meet & Greet Recep�on $30 Fri 5th 8-11am Memorial Breakfast / Service $30 Fri 5th 11-4pm Valley Forge Na�onal Historical Park $20 Sat 6th 9-4:30pm Trip to Downtown Philadelphia $30 Sat 6th 6:30-12am Gala Dinner / Dance $65 Sun 7th 11-4pm Spirit of Philadelphia Lunch Cruise $70 Mon 8th TBD Bus: Hotel to Airport (Space Limited)* $30 Per Person Reunion Registra�on Fee Re�uired * * Veterans and their Spouses/ Widows DO NOT pay the registra�on fee! $50/$75 REGISTRATION FEE INCREASES TO $75 AFTER SEPT 5th BALANCE DUE by SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 $355/ (�e�istra�on, �embership(s), �ona�ons,�ransporta�on �ees) $0 $0 $0 $0 REGISTRATION FEE INCREASES TO $75 AFTER SEPT 5th $380 NOT A MEMBER YET? JOIN US! MEMBERSHIP: Individual $35 Household $50 Mail registra�on form to: �i� membership(s), please add informa�on on the back. Beth Rosenzweig, Asst Treasurer 95th BG Memorials Founda�on PO Box 55032 DONATIONS: ____In loving Memory, ____ In Honor of Sea�le WA 98155-0032 (Include Vet’s Name, Squadron, Posi�on, add info on back.) Make checks payable to: $0 95th BG Memorials Founda�on and mark “Mission Philadelphia Reunion” in memo. TOTAL DUE BY SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 $0 SEE YOU THERE! Non-Refundable : This fee co�ers addi�onal ** Registra�on Fee DoubleTree by Hilton Valley Forge: hotel costs �i.e. mee�n� rooms, AV equipment, etc). The block name for the hotel reser�a�ons is "95BGMF". QUESTIONS: PLEASE CONTACT VANNA WALKER REUNION CHAIR: [email protected] or 214-725-1942. �se the block name if you call for your reser�a�ons at 1-610-337-1200 or the central reser�a�ons at *Arriving by plane: _____ train: _____ bus: _____ car: _____ parking / hotel: _____ 1-800-774-1500. If you prefer to use the website, please Date of Arrival, Airlines & Flight #: ______________________________________________ follow this link: Date of Departure, Airlines & Flight #: ___________________________________________ h�p://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/ P/PHLVFDT-ANN-20181003/index.jhtml (Please remember to fill out your �i�ht informa�on abo�e for bus to and from the hotel) Follow Us: 95th Bomb Group CALL FOR Memorials Foundation SUBMISSIONS Dear Members, Friends and Family of the 95th Bomb Group: You Too Do you or your family have • PICTURES & STORIES From Our Members • WARTIME LETTERS • NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS & Facebook Friends • UNSOLVED MYSTERIES • PROJECTS OF REMEMBRANCE that you would be willing to share with us? Gardner Family Seeking OUR NEWSLETTER NEEDS YOUR Crew Contacts SUBMISSIONS! Contributing a submission is a great Posted by Phil Samponaro way to memorialize your loved one and create lasting connections with 334TH SQUADRON REQUEST: the 95th Bomb Group community.