Warbird Information Exchange

Anybody out there with a 1943 dated copy of "The Gig Sheet" - which was a class annual for Pampa Army Airfield, Pampa, Texas?

I'm specifically looking to hunt up a copy of this book for Class 43-I. I'd like to find a picture of a graduate named George W. Zellers of Holton, Kansas.

2nd Lt. Zellers was killed 18 February 1944 in a mid-air collision of two B-24 Liberators lost during a training accident north-east of Mesa, Arizona. The 21 year old co-pilot was one of 17 aviators who perished in this mishap.

I'm trying to collect more information about this young man as we found personal effects belonging to him from the crash site a few years ago. Thus far, we've found very little family information in an effort to try to return this piece ( a sterling silver bracelet with his name inscribed, along with that the name of a woman who gave it to him ).

A picture out of the "yearbook" would be one step closer in connecting the dots and telling the story. I've been searching eBay for the last couple of years for copies of "The Gig Sheet" but have yet to find one from Class 43-1.

Here's to hoping a member of this forum will have an example on his or her bookshelf and can share a scan of an image or two.

Thanks in advance!

- Robert in PHX

You might ask the local newspaper to print an item....

http://www.holtonrecorder.net/

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I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

Thank you, JohnB! We think alike.

Am happy to report the local paper is already on it. They are great folks to work with. My recent request caught their attention and they've been reviewing the high school year books within the last 24 hours. I haven't seen a picture of this young man yet, but one should be available shortly. I figured we'd round out everything with some of his cadet and training time with the Pampa publications but thus far haven't been able to find a copy of this graduating class "yearbook."

The local newspaper folks did find a "Viola" in the 1940 graduating class with the young man who became 2nd Lt. Zellers, and the detective work continues.

Stay tuned. I'll update if there's interest here on this board in doing so.

- Robert in PHX

You might give the CAF museum a call, at one point they had a tremendous collection of classbooks for many Texas bases.

Good luck
flyingsailor

Great idea, flyingsailor!

I'll give it a shot. Thank you for the suggestion.

- Robert in PHX

Robert - I looked in the CAF museum research library a couple of days ago and we did not have a Pampa 43-I book. Would have posted sooner but been busy battling cold and ice here.

Randy

Thank you for looking, Randy!

I greatly appreciate you taking the time to look through your resources. If one becomes available any time soon, I'm happy to donate it to CAF library after making my scans for this project. I'll keep checking eBay and a few other used and vintage book sellers.

Sorry about the cold and ice your way. Seems maybe a trip to AZ might be in order for you and I'm sure AZ Wing in Mesa would appreciate a visit!

- Robert in PHX

I took a look, & found this, it has a name to contact for more information. Hope that helps.

http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/gray/m ... m15nmt.txt

Robbie

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Thanks, Robbie!

I'd bumped into that one as well, and got a great note back from that fellow with a copy of the Pampa book. He's going to attempt to make a scan for me. He'd told me our aviator had previous training in Oklahoma City and then went off to Winfield, Kansas.

I suspect that means 2nd. Lt. Zellers had taken his primary training at Cimarron Field in OK City, and then his basic at Strother Field in Winfield.

I might get lucky in that it appears Strother Army Air Field published a true annual for 1943 with all of the graduating classes (and there were a bunch). I have a feeling that he's probably pictured here in this books as well. I see one for sale on eBay right now and might have to break down and get it... I'm doing a little math exercise and would assume his assignment to Davis-Monthan AFB into B-24s by early 1944 could have placed him at Strother the year prior.

Anybody in WIX land with a 1943 copy of the Strother annual able to confirm this?

Thanks in advance!

- Robert in PHX