Marlene Dietrich & B-17G "Pakawalup II"

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:07 am

B-17G-1 s/n 42-31077 615th BS 401st BG 8th AF lost to flak over Munster, Germany on Sept 30, 1944 2Lt Mohler and crew lost

ZeamerB17 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:49 am

'Ol Marlene packed quite a wallop herself, eh?

Dave

west-front · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 7:18 am

Pin sharp clarity in the photo, thanks for posting it Jack

Pakawalup · **Joined:** Wed Jun 25, 2014 3:21 pm **Posts:** 1

My dad flew the Pakawalup II when he was stationed in the UK during WWII - 1st Lt. Vincent L. Ledray. He was part of the 401st Bomb Group and was in the 615th Bomb Squadron stationed in Deenethorpe. He was co-pilot and pilot.

p51 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 25, 2014 4:44 pm

I love the ETO ribbon she's wearing. It was pretty common for USO show folks and war correspondents to be 'awarded' stuff like that.

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Wed Jun 25, 2014 5:31 pm

of course during the early wartime hysteria, many labeled her as a german spy. she had to debunk that rumor a number of times!!

lmritger · **Posted:** Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:18 pm

The cut-down British style jackets worn by the Capt on the left and the Lt on the right are both attractive and somehow unusual, but it took me a few to figure out what was odd about them... neither man is wearing the USAAF branch insignia pins or "U.S." pins on the lapels! That strikes me as quite unusual- was this just a crew thing, a 401st BG thing, or was it common for guys with cut-down Class A jackets like this?

Gotta go do some digging on that... thanks for posting it!

Lynn

CoastieJohn · **Joined:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm **Posts:** 1380

tom d. friedman wrote:

of course during the early wartime hysteria, many labeled her as a german spy. she had to debunk that rumor a number of times!!

She was an interesting lady with an interesting life. She also starred in Destry Rides Again with that famous Brig General, pilot, actor fella. :wink:

Might watch that again just for grins.

(Wiki)

Quote:

In 1944, the Morale Operations Branch of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) initiated the Musak project,[28] musical propaganda broadcasts designed to demoralize enemy soldiers. Dietrich, the only performer who was made aware that her recordings would be for OSS use, recorded a number of songs in German for the project, including "Lili Marleen", a favorite of soldiers on both sides of the conflict.[29] Major General William J. Donovan, head of the OSS, wrote to Dietrich, "I am personally deeply grateful for your generosity in making these recordings for us."[30]

At the war's end in Europe, Dietrich reunited with her sister Elisabeth and her sister's husband and son. The family resided in the German city of Belsen throughout the war years running a movie theatre for Nazi officers and officials who oversaw the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Dietrich interceded with Allied officials on behalf of her relatives, sheltering them from possible prosecution as Nazi collaborators.[31]

Dietrich was awarded the Medal of Freedom by the US in 1945. She said this was her proudest accomplishment.[28] She was also awarded the Légion d'honneur by the French government as recognition for her wartime work.[32]

Richard W. · **Posted:** Thu Jun 26, 2014 7:43 am

All the USO touring and broadcasting for the Allies made her very unpopular in Germany after the war.

I remember there being a lot of news stories about it when she was buried in Berlin and a small turnout to pay their respects.

bipe215 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 26, 2014 8:53 am

lmritger wrote:

The cut-down British style jackets worn by the Capt on the left and the Lt on the right are both attractive and somehow unusual, but it took me a few to figure out what was odd about them... neither man is wearing the USAAF branch insignia pins or "U.S." pins on the lapels! That strikes me as quite unusual- was this just a crew thing, a 401st BG thing, or was it common for guys with cut-down Class A jackets like this?

Gotta go do some digging on that... thanks for posting it!

Lynn

Another version, worn by my Dad, 483rd BG Sterparone, 1945

[img][IMG]http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x377/bipe85/scan0001-1.jpg[/img][/img]

CoastieJohn · **Joined:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm **Posts:** 1380

lmritger wrote:

The cut-down British style jackets worn by the Capt on the left and the Lt on the right are both attractive and somehow unusual, but it took me a few to figure out what was odd about them... neither man is wearing the USAAF branch insignia pins or "U.S." pins on the lapels! That strikes me as quite unusual- was this just a crew thing, a 401st BG thing, or was it common for guys with cut-down Class A jackets like this?

Gotta go do some digging on that... thanks for posting it!

Lynn

It could have been an OPSEC issue?? That is the USAAF did not want the aircrews to wear any unit/location identifiable artifacts on their clothing should the aircraft get shot down. The enemy could use things like that to their advantage.

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Marlene Dietrich & B-17G "Pakawalup II"

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