Books on Ground Crews?

Django · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:48 pm

Anyone know of any books focusing on the ground crews in WWII other than this one?

Flying Tiger: A Crew Chief's Story: The War Diary of an AVG Crew Chief

http://www.amazon.com/Flying-Tiger-Chie ... 95&sr=1-16

Zachary · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:18 pm

I'm not aware of any books, but here are some Timeless Voices interviews with ground crew you might find interesting:

James Bleidner (armorer with 487th FS, 352nd FG)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 3474035001

John Callaghan (VHF Communications expert with 56th FG)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 8810248001

Frank Gyidik (crew chief with 63rd FS, 56th FG)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1364242909

Charles Hollingsworth (deckhand - USS Hornet)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1467274160

Kenneth Johnson (crew chief with 709th BS, 447th BG)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1317867891

Arthur Kuhnz (crew chief with 709th BS, 447th BG)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1317872868

Don Nafus (crew chief with 709th BS, 447th BG)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1561650366

Les Noyes (electrical man with 62nd FS, 56th FG)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1426326292

George Nunemacher (mechanic with 56th FG and 352nd FG)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1317880402

Norman Oberbeck (armorer/mechanic with 77th BS, 28th Composite Group)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1577898441

Chet Peek (engineering officer with 412th BS, 95th BG)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1828663493

Holedigger · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:46 pm

My sister-in-laws Grandpa was a crew chief on an 8th AF B-17, it was HIS airplane, they just let the flyboys take em out once in a while! I don't know of any books, but there should be. Without them, there would not have been much flying going on!

Django · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:03 am

I know, I'm getting tired of reading about pilots all the time.

Thanks Zach. I'll try to spend some time this weekend listening to those!

Holedigger · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:22 am

Seeing Jacks pics of crews, kneedeep in mud, maintaining with bamboo cranes and shear manpower to change out engines......makes me just shake my head! Don't know from personal experience, but I think those things are somewhat big, heavy, greasy and will KILL you, just as sure as a Japanese bullet, if it falls on you! Not just the flyboys that had ALL the "Fun"! :wink:

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:29 am

Chad,

Remind me to send you the draft for my Nebraska Airfield History. I have dozens of pages of info on the Sub-Depot and Line Maintenance crews from Harvard Army Air Field. I figured everyone would find it just boring crap compared to interesting things like ten-hour training missions :wink:

. I could sit and read it for hours. The engine change and turbocharger crews at B-29 training fields get my everlasting praise for the amount of work they did in '44/'45.

Maybe we should all pool our information and start a ground crew book here on the WIX?

This isn't in any book, but is a story I love to tell anyway.......
Meet the late Wayne Allen:

Wayne was an Ordnance officer with the 445th Group at Tibenham, England. One of the few stories he told of his time at Tibenham was being Duty Officer and walking the perimeter road late at night checking on guard emplacements. He and another officer were groping their way through the fog and thought they smelled a horse. Seconds later, the other guy ran into the south end of a northbound farmhorse that they never saw.

Share your stories!
Scott

Matt Gunsch · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 12:32 pm

My dad was a C-47 crew chief in Germany right after the end of the war and one of his stories was about a new Lt. My dad was working on the fuel system when this new Lt came up and asked to look in the cockpit, which he said was fine, just don't touch anything. The Lt climbed inside and my dad went back to work and a few minutes later he is on the recieving end of a 100 octane shower. The Lt had turned on the fuel selectors, the battery master, and the boost pumps. My dad hauled the Lt out of the plane and proceeded to clean the ramp with the Lt's uniform, with the Lt still inside said uniform, until he was pulled from the Lt, who by that time was covered in 100 octane and blood. My dad was hauled in front of the Base Commander, who upon hearing what had happened gave my dad a 3 day pass, and gave the Lt motor pool duty.

Holedigger · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 12:38 pm

THAT is FUNNY, good thing that your dad had a good CO that didn't just close ranks with the Officer vs Enlisted school! Sounds like a Black Sheep episode!!!

Django · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 12:48 pm

Great story Matt.

ZeamerB17 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 1:21 pm

Here's one:

http://100thbg.com/px/books/forgotten.htm

I haven't gotten it yet, so I can't vouch for it, and it focuses on one man, but it sounds good.

Django · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 2:18 pm

Cool, thanks Dave!

Where's Jack when we need him to liven up the thread with pictures. :lol:

AirJimL2 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 2:32 pm

There is Robert M. Smith's With Chennault in China: A Flying Tiger's Diary. I can't remember if Smith was ground crew or a radio guy, but he wasn't a pilot.

Jim

Holedigger · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 2:47 pm

Maintainers, keeping them "UP"
Bruce W. Greenho, Corporal (on picture)
"Pappy" Pharr, Crew Chief (in background)
Miss Minookey
447 Bomb Group
Plane No.
337795
H
709 Bomb Squadron

ZRX61 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:16 am **Posts:** 2308

Did any actually survive the war? It seems most of the vets I've met were either P51, Spitfire or B17 pilots.

Never once met a cook or a clerk

Holedigger · **Posted:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:36 pm

Sure are plenty that weren't pilots! :wink:

Guy in the shadow of the 17 owned and operated a gas station for 45 years after finishing as chief of a ground crew. Knew a B-26 bombardier, a gent trained to be a pilot, but the war was wrapping up so he got stuck navigating a B-24, but you are right, the ground crewmen and support don't tend to brag like the pilots! Is that a requirement or some kind of test you have to take to be a pilot? :lol:

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