B-26 at Cactus

Redtracer · **Posted:** Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:07 pm

I've been meaning for sometime to post some information on my great Uncle, Capt. Edward H. Morrison, B-26 pilot in the South Pacific. 70thBS, 38th/42BG, 5thAF/13thAF.

B-26 "Irene" before he and his crew left the west coast for Hawaii.

Telegram to his wife telling her he made it to Hawaii safe.

Capt. Morrison (he is driving the jeep) and crew on Guadalcanal in front of "Drag'n Fly".

B-26's on Cactus.

Merry Christmas 1942 from the South Pacific.

Looks like taken from a B-17 to me?

Guadalcanal.

From our local paper.

What was left of "Irene" After she crashed on her 26th mission.

Back home!

Here's to Uncle Ed :drink3:

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:19 pm

This is an awesome thread!!

Redtracer · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 12:02 am

My Uncle flew "Irene" B-26b #117564, 2,400 miles from Hamilton Field California to Hickam Field Hawaii, with 1,962 gallons of fuel on board, with a total flight time of 14 hrs 5 min over open water.

Tom Moore, radio operator on my Uncles aircraft wrote:

"We were definitely out of fuel! In fact, Morrison was threatening to land on one of those beaches and had, in fact, opened the bomb bay expecting John Burns and I to jump. No way! John and I were scared spitless seeing all that water and decided to ride out the crash if Morrison put the aircraft on the beach ... That trans-Pacific flight proved some things about Irene (#117564). She was the slowest aircraft, the biggest gas guzzler and had the sweetest radio equipment in the Squadron. Both engines quit when we entered the taxi-way at Hickam. I thank you, Stef, Sharp and Cressy for letting Morrison go in first."

TAdan · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:21 am

To your uncle Ed :drink3:

Thanks for sharing some of your families history. I really like that Western Union telegram, it must have meant alot for your aunt to receive that.

Also very cool to see his B-26 so well photographed.

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

Great thread. Great shots and thanks to you and your Great Uncle! :drink3:

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:03 am

Another thank you to your uncle. Thank you for the post, good to see that some great photos of the aircraft were obtained. :drink3:

Marauderman26 · **Joined:** Sat Oct 08, 2011 8:05 am **Posts:** 167

Thanks for posting!
SO RARE to see photos of B-26's on Guadalcanal. I've only seen a low res. picture of 41-17586 "Queenie"

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b ... 17586.html

Redtracer · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 4:11 pm

Sadly, I don't have anymore pictures of the B-26's. I do however have a few more pictures of life on Guadalcanal you might find interesting.

70thBS camp on Guadalcanal.

Japanese bomb hit on Cactus.

Japanese POW Guadalcanal 01/43

I do have a lot of early pictures of Kelly and Randolph Fields if anyone is interested?

Jiggersfromsphilly · **Joined:** Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:15 pm **Posts:** 951

Please Ken . These are terrific!!!!!

The Inspector · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 4:24 pm

Just love these small corner filler posts that help flesh out the overall picture, sounds like it was a good thing they didn't have to wait 30 seconds more getting off the ground or it could have been a very interesting dead stick landing @ Hickam, I take it that was before it was discovered that the mixture control lever had more positions than all the way back and 'up against the glass'.

It would be a treat to know the s/n of the B-26 with the cowboy nose art, as well as the nose art itself.
THANX FOR POSTING THIS!! :supz:

If you've got it, and have the time-please post it all!

Redtracer · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 4:35 pm

The nose art is "Arkansas Traveler II" I'll see if I can dig up her number! I think she had the most extensive nose art of the Sqaudron. It looks like most of the planes were simply named with yellow paint when they left California? Man, I got something super good if I can only get my scanner working!!!!!!!

The Inspector · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:09 pm

Not exactly a week @ SANDALS was it? I'll bet the artwork was applied with whatever color can of paint could be '
liberated' from base supply so they didn't arrive in theatre looking like Freshmen in College. :lol:

This really is cool!!

goshikisen · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 7:20 pm

I wonder if the picture labelled "A Japanese Zero" actually shows a Tony. It has the tapering narrow wings that were somewhat unique to the Hien and the nose seems very "water-cooled" like.

Redtracer · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:00 pm

I'm sure you're probably right. I think at the time any fighter with meatballs on it's wings was considered a "Zero" to him.

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B-26 at Cactus

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