Joplin's Bomber

Another Anniversary

2011-01-01T16:32:00.014-06:00

I know this blog is turning into a festival of apologies so I may as well add another one or two. I'm sorry to anyone who *does* read this blog that that there has been so little content for such a long time. I was a little shocked to see that almost a year had passed since my last entry and the time of my being shocked was three months ago.

Those with a keen eye and the willingness to persevere through all this will have noticed that another anniversary is approaching. It's nearly 5 years since I started this blog. It was intended to support or document my research activity into the life and times of "Joplin Jalopy" while I was resting between engagements, and sadly has lapsed quite a bit since I got back into the world of work in late 2006. In a way I'm glad since remaining unemployed for all this time would have been too much of a strain on all parties.

So, what am I going to do? And what material have I got?

I know a little bit about the Joplin War Bond Drives which culminated in the "purchase" of a bomber

I know that B-24J-1-FO AAF Serial 42-50535 was built on May 5th or May 6th 1944 at the large Ford B-24 production facility at Willow Run, Michigan,

This B-24 became Joplin Jalopy - I don't know how or when Joplin Jalopy got its name but I assume it was named in the USA,

I know that 42-50535 joined the 506th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group in mid July 1944 and flew its first combat mission at the end of July,

I have mission data and crew lists for each of the 66 (not 63 as quoted nearly everywhere else) missions it flew between July 1944 and April 1945.

Sometime in late 1944 the City of Joplin announced that a surplus bomber would be made available to the City for display as a war memorial. It's fair to assume that neither the Jalopy nor any of the other bombers obtained in the War Bond Drives would necessarily be the machine allocated to Joplin.

Joplin Jalopy flew back across the Atlantic on May 31st / June 1st 1945 and may have landed at Bradley AAF in Connecticut. At some point it was flown to Altus AAF in Oklahoma where its fate would have been to be smelted into aluminum ingots and turned into metal goods for the booming post-war American economy.
At some point, someone from Joplin became aware that the bomber it had "purchased" was sitting at Altus, and plans were made to fly the plane back to Joplin and use it as the centerpiece of a War Memorial. An appeal was started by the Joplin War Dads for this purpose.
On August 11th 1946 a crew from the Joplin Civil Air Patrol including Capt Frank C. Wallower Jr, a highly experienced veteran B-24/C-87 pilot from the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations, flew the veteran plane from Altus to Joplin. Conditions were not ideal. The flight was at least 30 minutes late and seemingly gusty winds caused a sufficiently heavy landing to burst one of the mainwheel tires.
The plane remained at the Municipal Airport in Joplin. the attempt to raise money for the memorial or museum failed. The plane eventually fell victim to souvenir hunters and farmers seeking parts for farm machinery.
Ultimately the plane became such an embarrassment that the hulk was dismantled and taken to a salvage yard in Webb City, Missouri before eventually being taken to Kansas City, Missouri where it was broken up.

It is of course a shame that nothing seemingly remains of 'Joplin Jalopy'. I live in hope that someone, somewhere has a piece which may eventually come to light. I know the folks at the Joplin Museum Complex would be more than happy to see such an artifact.

It's also easy to be wise after the even or bemoan the loss of a priceless relic. B-24s are rare enough in themselves and there is only one verifiable combat veteran B-24 surviving in the world today "Strawberry Bitch" in the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. True there are items of wreckage and the substantial hulk of "Lady Be Good" currently in Tobruk, Libya, but no other complete combat veteran airframe exists. Do correct me if I'm wrong. Had "Joplin Jalopy" survived it would have been as significant an artifact as its Altus neighbor B-17 "Memphis Belle" - which after a varied career in its hometown is now being restored by the NMUSAF.

So what do I need?

Well. I can still use almost anything. I still don't know very much at all about the very beginning of the story. What was the plane's likely path after construction? Do we happen to know who ferried it across the Atlantic to England in July 1944? It was more than likely a brand new crew fresh out of training who probably never saw the plane again after they left it at a base depot somewhere in the UK.

I haven't been searching deeply for the plane's combat history. What I have came from the good offices of the 44th Bomb Group Veterans' Association to whom I will always be deeply indebted. I have been in individual contact with a couple of individual veterans and researchers who have provided me with stories and further information and to whom I will always be grateful. There are more details which probably can be obtained.

I know roughly when the plane returned to the USA. the 44th BG was wound down and would have been reactivated as a new unit flying B-29s against Japan had not the A-bombs been dropped.

I would love to know how the City of Joplin became aware that its bomber was sitting on an airfield in Oklahoma and what steps it took to get that specific plane back to Joplin.

I found a few people who remembered the plane's return, and have a number of photographs taken on that day in 1946 by amateur and professional photographers.

Similarly I have collected reminiscences from people in the Joplin and Webb City area who remember the plane, playing on or in it, in various states. However I do not really know anything about the fate of the plane in Joplin, or the approximate date of its demise.

Hopefully the 5th anniversary of the blog known as "Joplin's Bomber" will spur me to get on and do something more. I hope that this reflection has been useful to you, dear reader.

65 Years Ago

2009-09-08T20:54:00.004-05:00

I must apologize to my reader for the lack of recent content in this blog. It is due in no small part to The Day Job. Much as I love it, working 40+ hours a week and all that commuting at weekends does tend to erode the time available.

It occurred to me that having watched President Obama on the TV ay the 65th Annoversary of the D-Day landings, we are currently working through the 65th Anniversary of "Joplin Jalopy's" career on the 506th Bomb Squadron.

So, this is September 8 2009 - where was the "Jalopy" 65 years ago?

On September 5th (Norm Kiefer's history says September 8th) the Jalopy had completed her 10th mission. This was 8th Air Force Mission 605 and 44th Bomb Group Mission 217 to the Marshalling yards at Karlsruhe, Germany under the command of 1st Lieutenant Raymond G Kuecker and his crew. This was the Kuecker crew's only combat mission in the Jalopy although they were veterans from another B-24 Bomb Group.

The Kuecker crew listed in the 44th BGVA website is:

1st Lieutenant Raymond G.Kuecker - Pilot

1st Lieutenant Winthrop S. Chamberlain - Co-Pilot

1st Lieutenant Harold B. Waldorf - Bombardier

Flight Officer Chester L. Barefoot - Navigator

Sergeant Frank S. Perman - Nose Gunner/Togglier

Tech Sergeant Howard B. Lee - Engineer/Top Turret Gunner

Tech Sergeant J.W. Racer - Radio Operator/Gunner

Tech Sergeant James DeBoer - Right Waist Gunner

Staff Sergeant John Flynn - Left Waist Gunner

Staff Sergeant William M. Crowley - Tail Gunner

Norm Kiefer's report also says: "Ten 506th ships joined 26 other aircraft from the 44th. The Group flew lead for the 14th Combat Wing and 2nd Air Division. Bombing results were excellent"

Raymond G. Kuecker

From an article in the 492nd BG Website:

"The Kuecker Replacement Crew R-07 arrived at North Pickenham on 27 May 44. They came in short one crewman. The open spot was filled by S/Sgt Schreiber from the Gossett Crew 708. After going through some in-house training they were assigned to the 857th BS to replace the missing Arnett Crew 717 lost on 19 May 44.

They began flying combat missions on 4 Jun 44. To our knowledge they flew 22 mssions in all for the 492nd. Obviously there were some personnel changes made, reflected by their transfer order on 10 Aug 44 that sent them to the 44th BG"

A footnote - Raymond G. Kuecker survived the war and spent many years in the Show-Me State (Missouri). He died in 2005. Requiescat In Pace.

Hello Robert Jandreau

2009-02-02T20:50:00.002-06:00

I got an email a couple of days ago from Robert Jandreau. He's the great nephew of Rudolph Jandreau - the Engineer/top turret gunner of the the Insley crew. George Insley and his crew (including Rudolph Jandreau) flew "Joplin Jalopy" on the August 30 1944 mission to Haute-Maisnil in France.

This is what I have on that mission, which is not much. All additions are welcome!

George R. Insley Captain Pilot
Frank J. Adams 1st Lieutenant Co-Pilot
Milton S. Feinstein 1st Lieutenant Navigator
Albert E. McCloud 1st Lieutenant Bombardier
Paul R. Kittle Tech Sergeant Radio Operator/Gunner
Rudolph R. Jandreau Tech Sergeant Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Allan S. Deutsch Staff Sergeant Nose Gunner/Togglier
Frank B. Bata Staff Sergeant Right Waist Gunner
John S. Young Staff Sergeant Left Waist Gunner
Charles C. Peters Staff Sergeant Unknown
George Federlin Staff Sergeant Tail Gunner

UMS 8/30/44 A small formation of 44th ships - 10 aircraft plus the PFF lead by Capt. Earleywine and Deputy lead by Lt. Smith - attacked Haute Maisnil, France, a Military Installation. The target was bombed via PFF and with unobserved results. Meager inaccurate flak was the only resistance encountered and our losses were nil.

Pleased to meet you, Robert.

Three years and counting...

2009-01-31T22:37:00.002-06:00

On 17 January 2006 I started this blog. At the time I'd just finished a contract and was looking around for a new gig (as they say) and the rest is history.

Nine months after starting I got a new gig and what a ride that's been. I ought to put a plug in for the Day Job - I wasn't then, but I am now IT Director at the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering and Technology in Kansas City, Missouri. Maybe I've said that already in an earlier post. It's the kind of job that takes a LOT of time and means that on several days I'm so sick of the sight of computers that the last thing I want to do is turn my own machine on when I get home. However it has its benefits and at least I am still working. I have much to be thankful for - I have definitely said that before fairly recently.

So here we are, three years after starting this blog. What a time I've had. I've met some wonderful people and heard some stories which make me certain that the story of the 'Jalopy' needs to be told for a variety of reasons. There are always new items that can be added and I hope that I can do the subject matter justice when the time comes to get it all written up. I think it's fair to say that now I know a lot more about the story I've realized just how much I don't know. But here's to th enext three years.

December Surprise

2008-12-28T21:46:00.004-06:00

I received an email today from author Nick Veronico, who is researching surplus B-24s and their use as memorials and teaching tools. Other history buffs will no doubt recognize Nick's name and anyone with a smidgin of librarian training will be running to WorldCat to see what he's written - and he has several titles to his credit. I checked and I have at least one of his titles on my shelves and have read him several times in FlyPast. I see on Amazon.com that B-52 Stratofortress at War is due out in June 2009 and is available for pre-order.

Anyway I'm pleased to say we have made contact and I look forward to exchanging information.

The Passing of a Veteran

2008-12-12T07:07:00.003-06:00

A brief note to mark the passing of a Veteran who was special to me - My Dad. Roy Smith (1922-2008), RAF fighter pilot in training who was waiting to be shipped out for the push back into Burma and the invasion of Japan when the war ended. Fortunately he returned to England and met a woman whom he married and who became my Mother. Mum passed away in 2005. My sister and I miss them. My beloved sister has had her share of personal tragedy having lost her husband (my Brother-in-Law John - a great bloke) at the end of 2007.

I'm going to be off - line for a few days while I go and attend to family business but the email account will remain open as always.

I'm looking forward to doing more 'Jalopy' blogging in 2009. In the meantime - we look back and remember with thanks all the veterans like my Dad who stepped up and did something because it was the right thing to do.

So we start bidding farewell to 2008

2008-12-12T06:56:00.002-06:00

My apologies to the readership for the stalled condition of the blog again. It's that time of year where the Day Job has been intruding. I don't know if my friend Phil O'Hare in Joplin reads this blog but I'd like to apologize specifically to him for failing to provide him with some interview questions for an interview he's still willing to do for me. Maybe I should post them here and now!

Anyone from the Joplin area reading this blog who can remember or has information on any of the following

1. What Joplin was like in World War II?
2. What the War Bond Drives were like?
3. How many and if possible what airplanes were named for Joplin at that time? (I can think of three but apparently there were more)
4. Any memories of "Joplin Jalopy" returning to Joplin in August 1946
5. Do you remember Frank C. Wallower Jr. (1907-1966) who was the Jalopy's last Pilot - in that he flew the plane from Altus, OK to Joplin as a member of the Joplin Civil Air Patrol

is more than welcome to drop me a line at the address somewhere in the upper right portion of the blog (it's not a link - this is a spam prevention measure) and let me know - I'd be happy to talk to you.

Media Coverage of "Sentimental Journey" in Joplin

2008-09-02T19:10:00.007-05:00

The local media covered "Sentimental Journey" and its visit to Joplin.
This is one of John Hacker's pictures of "Sentimental Journey" over Joplin. Kudos and thanks to the Carthage Press for making their content available under a Creative Commons license.

Here's John Hacker's Story about "Sentimental Journey" in the Carthage Press
http://www.carthagepress.com/homepage/x256657242

Taking a Sentimental Journey

2008-09-01T21:01:00.008-05:00

Question - you're a certified airplane nut and you receive information that a beautifully restored B-17 is going to be within 5 miles of your current location - what do you do?

Well, yes - naturally I went to the airport this afternoon to see if "Sentimental Journey" had arrived. It had. It was a beautiful day - although a little on the warm side (91 degrees is a little warm) but she just looked gorgeous.

More Information about "Sentimental Journey" is available from the Website of the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force

It was a very weird feeling walking through the old terminal building at Joplin Regional Airport now minus all the TSA security stuff, and to walk straight out onto the tarmac and look at this big beautiful hunk of aluminum gleaming in the sunlight. It was also unnerving that there were only a few people there - look at the picture. I was anticipating lines a mile long to get a tour of the ship.

We noticed as we left there was a corporate cruiser (private jet) parked in front of the old terminal too, and the crew from that were just walking back to the B-17 to have a look.

Susan took some pretty terrific pictures which are in her flickr photostream (and yes, she has given me permission to use them).

The bloke in the blue shirt on the left of the picture has some significance. Clue - It's not me.

Hacker and Smith

2008-09-01T20:59:00.002-05:00

And who should I find looking over the plane, asking questions and generally acting like a top newshound? the bloke in the blue shirt, John Hacker - that's who. I'm glad he still looks something like one of his editorial pictures in Joplin Daily. :-)

Anyway we exchanged a few friendly words and agreed to keep in touch. Here's the proof that we met. He's a nice guy, is John. I expect all kinds of loonies walk up to him and say "You're John Hacker, I'm [insert name here] " and he still manages to sound like he knows who you are and he's been thinking about you. He certainly did that with me. :-) I will keep a look-out for the Carthage Press article which should be out in the next couple of days.

John Hacker writes again...

2008-09-01T20:50:00.002-05:00

My reader of long-standing will remember John Hacker of the Joplin Daily, which ceased a while back. They covered the anniversary story back in August 2006.

Well, John's now working for The Carthage Press and he happened to write an article, which caught my eye and confirmed something one of our friends mentioned on Sunday.

Flying Museum to visit Joplin Regional Airport

"Sentimental Journey" came to Joplin today (and may stay for a couple of days, depending on the state of Hurricane Gustav's remnants) to publicize the opening of the new terminal at Joplin Airport.

Looking through some of the other press reports and remembering what Chris Wiseman from the Museum Complex said to me, it looks as if at least one picture of "Joplin Jalopy" will be displayed in the airport. I look forward to seeing this.

Karma, Kismet and probably something else that begins with "K"

2008-05-11T23:00:00.001-05:00

I don't expect to find two Jalopy developments in 24 hours. But there I was riffling through the posts on AAF.com when I saw a reference to an Album on Ebay and a note that it included a reference to the 44th Bomb Group. Time to open a new browser tab.

It gets better. The album appears to be the operational record of someone who flew 30 missions of his ETO tour with none other than Lt John Titter. And of course my trembling scroll-mouse finger took me down to August 1944 and there are two missions mentioned as having been flown in #535 "-C" (as she would have been then). Also shown are the strike / target photos of La Perth and Saarbrucken. There is no mention of the flak damage the "Jalopy" took on August 9th 1944 but I wouldn't expect that. This in itself is all pretty staggering.

The album contains a few items of general interest, including some shots of Shipdham and London, and various B-24s in the 44th BG. There are a couple of picture of 506th BS B-24s whose individual aircraft letters look tantalizingly like "O" - but there's not enough detail.

Sadly I don't think my $350 or however much it ends up costing will be winging its way to Italy, where the item seems to be located. But it's nice to have seen it.

Trip to Joplin

2008-05-10T21:36:00.002-05:00

On Thursday night I received an e-mail from Joplin (good start!) from Chris Wiseman, who is the curator of the Joplin Museum Complex (even better!) making contact with some general enquiries about the "Jalopy". He says he's thinking about an exhibit centered on the Jalopy some time next year.

I can report that this morning I paid Chris a visit at the museum complex and we spent a couple of hours chatting about the Jalopy and its sojourn in Joplin. We talked about some of the local personalities who have been in touch with me and fortunately Chris has kept track of some of them.

I was fortunate enough to look at a couple (three or four) of the Murwin Mosler collection negatives of the Jalopy's arrival in August 1946 which are hitherto (and actually still) unpublished. There may be even more as John Hacker's 2006 interview with Brad Belk (Executive Director of the Complex) indicated - and time (and the JMC's effort) may reveal them. Chris mentioned that the museum is employing an intern to catalog the Mosler archive, which will be something of a massive task as there are 100,000 images in the collection from Mosler's 60-year career in photography.

There are a couple of views of the starboard side of the plane which showed some details I was expecting, namely that the squadron code letters and the AAF serial number are still there - the black group stripe at the top of the starboard vertical stabiliser shows very definite sings of abrasion. There are also some interestingly bright spots around the rudder pintles which may be an indication of some preparatory work before the plane was flown to Joplin. I don't really know. The picture also confirmed that the 'star and bar' national markings had been stripped off the skin and wings. This was also the case with "Thunbderbird" when it was flown from Altus to Flandreau, SD.

One detail which I must have looked at several times in other pictures and which jumped out at me today was the individual aircraft letter painted on the nose just underneath the nose turret. On looking at the Mosler picture closely the letter is very clearly a "C" not an "O" - so when the aircraft letter was changed from "bar-C" to "bar-O" in October 1944 someone simply didn't alter the letter on the nose. Of course it's possible that there was some degree of abrasion or damage, but I think it's more likely that someone forgot, or no-one bothered to change the letter.

Anyway, just at the point when I was feeling the effects of the Day Job again, Chris managed to revive my interest in the project and has given it, and me, a considerable boost. I was glad I was able to supply him with one or two details (crew operation and target spreadsheet, for example) and lay the 63 mission myth to rest.

We talked about some of the people we know around Joplin and how maybe making a small push once again might shake a few memories loose. I'm all in favor.

Thanks again Chris.

"Jalopy" in the Joplin Globe

2008-03-26T18:44:00.003-05:00

Joplin, Missouri is celebrating its 135th Anniversary, having been founded in 1873

Apparently there was a mention of the "Jalopy" in the Joplin Globe today. I couldn't see it in the online version but I am assured there was some kind of side-bar quiz, one of the questions being how many missions did she fly. And it also seems the answer as given was 63. Apparently no-one read Andy Ostmeyer's 2006 article.

Hello Tom DeMier

2008-02-18T22:57:00.003-06:00

February has been an pretty exciting month. First I received the photo of the 'Jalopy' in flight with the 44th Bomb Group from Roger Fenton. (I'm still very happy about this!) Today I received a few a few comments and en email from Tom DeMier, of Joplin (where else?) regarding the flight from Altus to Joplin.

I also remember the Joplin Jalopy. I have a 35mm photo of the Joplin Jalopy. It was taken by my father, O.L. DeMier, along with its crew the day it arrived in Joplin. O.L. DeMier was a pilot and a colonel [in] the CAP (Civil Air Patrol). Jalopy was purchased by the War Dads organization using donations, most of which was collected from students taken up at local schools.

One of the crew on the flight to Joplin was my uncle, Orville Veirs, who regularly flew a "Super C-47" over the "Hump" in the Burma theatre of WW II. My uncle was from Miami Oklahoma. He went to help fly the plane back from Oklahoma because of his multi engine military pilot experience.

It is sad that the plane was gradually vandalized to the point it was scrapped.

Tom - this is very interesting. You may know already - I've sent you an email!

The e-mail I hadn't been expecting from Roger Fenton

2008-02-06T19:16:00.008-06:00

This is just such a fantastic email I wanted to quote (almost) it was received.

Rob:

How are things going? Have kept up with your blog on the "Jalopy". I would bet a months pay that someone in Joplin MO. has parts to that ole beast. I thought you could use some good news I was doing some research and checking my photos (which I do need to catalog someday) and bingo I got her flying into combat. The letter on the tail is "O" so this was after 9 Oct 1944 as that is the date the letter was changed from C to O. I knew that pictures existed just have to find them all. I blew the photo up and the serial number on the inside of the tail reads 250535 which is her for sure. All those renditions of her flying into combat, now you have a real one for everyone to see. keep up the good work

Roger V/P Historian 44th BGVA

Son of a 44ther

Queen Creek Arizona

So here we have it. Joplin Jalopy in flight. I have to say this is a pretty exciting moment for me. I have never seen this picture before and I suspect that this is the first time it's been published on the Internet. I asked Roger a few days ago about the picture and if he had any more insights. What he said was he thought it was probably taken in friendly skies and may be returning to Shipdham. The top turret is apparently unmanned and it's facing directly backwards. The waist guns have been pulled in, and the rear turret is also facing directly backwards.

Thanks again, Roger!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T21:17:00.000-06:00

So here we are in 2008. Happy New Year to my reader and any casual visitors who may be dropping in from time to time. The blog has been almost active for nearly two years. I know a lot more now than I knew then, and hopefully I'll know more in January 2009 than I know now.

Many thanks to the anonymous contributor who set me straight on some issues of Wallower genealogy. (See the April 2007 entry) If you would drop me a line sometime I have a couple of questions, if you haven't gathered that already from perusing the blog.

Quite a way to end 2007

2007-12-12T20:21:00.000-06:00

The demands of The Day Job have receded a little, and also partly because of the cold weather outside (there's nothing like the threat of an ice storm to concentrate the mind!) I found myself re-establishing connections with long-suspended activities, like cruising round aviation history websites once more.

I probably should have seen this coming but I'm delighted to report that the 44th BGVA unwittingly provided me with an early Christmas present in the shape of PDF copies of not only Will Lundy's History of the 67th BS, but also Webb Todd's history of the 68th BS and not only that, but also Norm Kiefer's history of the 506th BS. Delighted is one word I'd use. It gives me a reason to get some of the research back on track.

Stalled Condition - Apology

2007-10-17T00:05:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry that I haven't done a thing about this blog since April. The Day Job is getting in the way seriously. When I get some more time (If I get some more time) I'm going to try and get a few things pulled together, but for now I'm marking time.

Having said this, if there is someone out there with something more to add then PLEASE don't hesitate to get in touch.

Sad News - Norman Kiefer

2007-04-30T08:11:00.000-05:00

I got the following email from Scott Kiefer this morning

Rob,

Last night Norm lost his final battle. He died with his family at his side. Can you please post this info on the Tidal Wave site, and any other site that you feel would be appropriate. We are working on getting his book published online, free for anyone to read. I will keep you posted. Feel free to pass along my email to anybody that wants to be kept inform, or either funeral arrangements, or his online book.

Thanks,
Scott

Please drop me a line if you want to contact Scott.

Scott - Once again please accept my sympathies on your loss.

Hello Scott Kiefer

2007-04-09T20:56:00.000-05:00

This evening I found an email because a new reader had left a comment on one of the earlier entries. Specfically http://joplinjalopy.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html - the 21 Dec 2006 entry in which I mentioned Kathryn McKee transcribing entries from of Norman Kiefer's book because I couldn't get hold of a copy over here.

Scott Kiefer is Norman Kiefer's youngest son and checked in to offer his assistance, and to let me know that his Dad is not in good health right now.

Scott - two things.

1. Do give my best wishes to your Dad. I have never met or corresponded with him, but I want you (and him) to know his research efforts have been very much appreciated by *this* researcher. Regarding his service as a member of the 506th BS I don't have words enough to express my appreciation for what he and all the people of that generation did.

2. If you possibly can - drop me an e-mail - you can see my address under the less-than striking picture of me in the top right hand corner of the blog, which is: joplinjalopy (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Sad Footnote

2007-04-02T21:09:00.000-05:00

One thing I haven't mentioned here was that there was a little pencilled note in the Cornell alumni office records for Frank C. Wallower Jr.

"Died in Ill. Auto Crash 9/24/66"

More Wallower Notes

2007-04-02T20:25:00.000-05:00

I noticed from the Cornell Alumni items I received that Frank C Wallower Jr lived in and around Joplin and Webb City for some time. I also noticed that his religious affiliation (as quoted in the Cornell Alum forms) was given as "Episcopal"

There aren't that many Episcopal Churches in the area, and as it happens I attend St Philip's in Joplin when I'm at home. So I just casually asked one of my friends at the Church to check the register and see if Frank Jr has been a member there. And of course, he had. He is in the books as having been a member in the mid-fifties, and his wife was confirmed there. I don't know the exact dates but it was interesting.

Then one day (April 1st actually and this is not a joke) I was leaving the church when I happened to look at a plaque which has been on the organ and which I've looked at many many times - and then a name leaped out at me:

If you can't see the picture for some reason the plaque reads:
"This organ was rebuilt and will be maintained as a memorial to Marie Lambert Wallower, March 14 1929. Her greatest pleasure was in giving pleasure to others"

That's Frank C Wallower's wife, I think. Frank Jr's mother. Amazing. I've been walking in and out of that church since about 1996 (before I lived in the US permanently) and had never read the plaque. Now the significance hits me.

Contact at Willow Run

2007-03-04T20:45:00.000-06:00

Through the good offices of B-24 BestWeb and its research Bulletin Board I did make contact with Steven Puhl, who works at the GM Transmission plant at Willow Run and is the historian of the Willow Run Plant. Steven says his office is very near the famous "Tax Turn" at Willow Run, where the production line made a 90-degree turn so that the factory (allegedly) stayed inside the same county and didn't stray over a county line and incur greater property taxes. I sent him one of my usual curious out of left-field e-mails and got a very nice reply, chunks of which are quoted below:

Your dates of 4/5 May 1944 are good...I know that c/n 2500 left the final assembly on 8 May 1944. Your ship, Joplin Jalopy, c/n 2420 would seem to fall on 5 May 1944, but the key will be the time of day it was built whether late on the "2nd shift" or the "1st shift" of the following day.

Unfortunately, the bulk of many records at the Yankee Air Museum Willow Run Room were destroyed in the catastrophic fire of 9 October 2004. Many of the records from our plant have long since been lost, thrown out as "trash," or just plain unaccounted for. I still have some access to old records so will narrow down what can be found.

It's weird how many threads get pulled together when you start a research project - I'd read about the fire at the museum in Ypsilanti. MI but never thought it'd have some personal effect on me.

Thanks for the note Steven, and I hope maybe something turns up sometime.

Meanwhile

2007-03-01T20:40:00.000-06:00

I posted a query about C-87 units in the CBI on B-24 BestWeb a while back and have had zip, nada, rien, gar nichts (or as they say in northern England, nowt) in response. Shame.

I was looking for Wallower enlistment records in the National Archives website and found a whole bunch of Bill's relatives (and extended relatives, no doubt) but no trace of Frank Jr. This makes me suspect that he really did join the RCAF as his grandfather said in his book - this makes things all the more interesting.

I could, I suppose, check out a few of the Jalopy crew members records in this same way. Should have thought of this sooner.

Brown Envelope from Ithaca, NY

2007-02-28T22:35:00.000-06:00

I got a phone call from my spouse today to say she'd collected an envelope from Cornell from the Post Box.

I shall be looking at it at the weekend. If anyone from Cornell happens to be reading this, I will be paying the invoice once I've actually opened the envelope.

Reply from Cornell

2007-02-16T21:39:00.000-06:00

Not too shabby at all. I had a nice reply from Cornell as shown below.

Dear Mr. Smith,

Thank you for your message, which has reached the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.

Frank Carmany Wallower Jr. attended Cornell University from 1927 until 1928, taking courses in Mechanical Engineering. He was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity.

We hold a file on this individual amounting to roughly 11 pages, mostly administrative in nature.

If you would like copies, please provide me with your full address, and I will see that the materials are reproduced and mailed.

I'd better get on with the reply.

Question Submitted

2007-02-12T21:03:00.000-06:00

I have submitted a question to the Cornell "Ask the archivist" Service. (as it says on the web page - " Information you submit via this form will be sent to librarians at Cornell University Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections")

Regarding Frank C. Wallower Jr's Military Service - I think I've narrowed the possible units down to two B-24 Bomb Groups and a C-87 group, C-87 reference is a little more taxing. There were only 250 (approx) C-87s built.

Thanks to Gary Goldblatt and the good offices of ArmyAirForces.com (and Gary's website www.cbi-history.com ) we find the only two B-24 groups in the CBI were the 7th or 308th Bomb Groups. While both groups received Distinguished Unit Citations (or Presidential Unit Citations, and thereby hangs a tale), only the 308th was awarded a Citation during the time Frank Jr was in-theatre.

Statistically of the C-87 units (mention of which is sparse on the Internet) the most likely is the First Ferry Group which was liberally spread all over the theatre. The 1st Ferry Group were awarded a DUC in March 1944 which also would coincide with Frank Jr's time in-theatre.

Of course if we get to see Frank Jr's military records this speculation may prove to be totally incorrect, but it gives me a feeling of looking somewhere. (!)

New directions

2007-02-08T21:49:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Bill Wallauer I have a few new directions to consider:

1. Frank C Wallower Jr was a graduate of Cornell , Class of 1931 (?). Cornell have a rather nice "Ask the Archivist" Web form for researching Alumni.
http://www.alumni.cornell.edu/archivist.cfm

(1a). The Inner Librarian in me wishes to report that Bill's quoted Cornell Alumni News article is from:
Cornell Alumni News V 47 No.4 (August 15 1944) P.74 http://dspace.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/3588/21/047_04.pdf

2. I need to ask someone who knows about B-24s and C-87s in the CBI as I know almost nothing about air operations in that theater of the War, apart from what I have picked up in general histories. I don't know how many units out there were flying B-24s and C-87s, much less which units picked up a Presidential Unit Citation, but the time frame quoted in the Cornell Alumni News article (May 1943 to May 1944) could narrow things down a little.

3. Army Air Forces Redistribution Station No. 2, at Miami Beach, Fla. sounds interesting. I'd heard of the CCRC (Combat Crew Replacement Centers), and the Replacement Depots (Repple-Depples) in England, but this is something new. Much of the organization of the ZI (Zone of the Interior) is a mystery to me so it's not a surprise. Miami Beach sounds like a good place to put a Redistribution Station.

It's touching (call me sentimental) that a veteran of the CBI should meet a veteran of the ETO in a field in Oklahoma some time after the end of the war. Frank Jr's experience on the type would probably make him the natural choice to fly the Jalopy back to Joplin.

Relative of the Jalopy's last pilot?

2007-02-06T21:10:00.000-06:00

[Note This post has been edited at a later time to remove some of my previous senseless drivel]

Someone called Bill left a comment on one of my earlier posts about researching in Joplin.

In the comment (and you can read this yourself, why am I telling you this here?) Bill's the Great Grandson of E.Z. Wallower. Despite knowing nothing about the Wallower family tree I have leapt to the conclusion that he's a relative of Capt. Frank C. Wallower Jr - who as my regular reader will know was the Joplin CAP pilot who captained the Jalopy on its last flight from Altus to Joplin in August 1946.

Charlie Nodler told me that he was in touch with a branch of the Wallower spelled Wallauer so I've been trying to google various Bill Wallowers and Wallauers with mixed results.

Anyway - Bill. Please drop me a line. I want to talk to you. My e-mail address is over on the right hand side, under my profile picture.

Previously unpublished detail...

2007-02-04T20:56:00.000-06:00

I have known this for some time, I found the answer previously, and I've never mentioned it on the site. There were 250 planes built in the B-24J-1-FO manufacturing block at Willow Run. Joe Baugher lists the serial and construction number (c/n) ranges at 42-50509 (c/n 2394) to 42-50759 (c/n 2644). That's 250, right?

Anyway - laying these numbers in two columns on an Excel spreadsheet gives us the information that 42-50535 was construction number 2420. The 2, 420th B-24 built at Willow Run.

Aagh - I just checked a back entry on B-24 best Web and I posted the enquiry (with the c/n) on 6 Feb 2006 - a year ago almost to the day.

In his reply on March 26th Al Blue says he has records of B-24s in the range.

Rob - 42-50511 was accepted on 26 April. 42-50532 was accepted on 5 May 44. 42-50548 was accepted on 6 May.

So '532 was accepted on May 5 1944 and 548 was accepted on May 6th. I would think it's reasonable to assume that Willow Run were producing something close to 23 bombers a day (the famous "bomber an hour" of legend. We can probably assume that the Jalopy was accepted into the USAAF Inventory on May 5th or 6th at the outside.

At least we have a start-point for the timeline.

Happy February

2007-02-04T20:29:00.000-06:00

I do apologize for the slow progress of the blog!

Happy New Year

2007-01-01T22:43:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year to everyone.

I couldn't allow New Year's Day to pass by without a post - especially as I posted in Christmas Day.

Thanks Kathryn

2006-12-26T19:49:00.000-06:00

Kathryn's CD and notes arrived in the mail today. Hopefully I'll get to see what there is at the weekend. Thanks again!

Joe Baugher's revised entry for 42-50535

2006-12-25T23:01:00.000-06:00

I was browsing something else on the Web tonight and happened to look at Joe Baugher's utterly excellent website on USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present (http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html) and thought I'd have a look at the entry for a certain aircraft. Readers who haven't lost the will to live through all my rambling will remember I emailed Joe on August 3rd and was pleasantly surprised to get a reply the same day (within a few hours actually)

Yes! Page updated October 2006 (where have I been?!)

See the results at: http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1942_3.html

That'll do nicely for my last Christmas present.

Happy Christmas to all.

That's Cambridge, England.

2006-12-21T21:33:00.000-06:00

Research progress note, hold the pontificating. I had an email from Kathryn McKee which, apart from wishing me a Happy Christmas (BTW Happy Christmas to my loyal readership!) also said that she was sending me a disk with her notes from the Norman Kiefer book. Wonderful. I do appreciate what you've done. Lovely.

The Year in Review

2006-12-18T20:09:00.000-06:00

So, almost a complete year of blogging my attempts to compose a history of a special B-24. I think I can safely say I know a lot more now than I did back in January. I think there's more information to be had out there. There are places I haven't been, people I haven't talked to, e-mails I haven't sent and also (I might add!) e-mails I haven't received. So it's not over by any means. The pace of my research might have slowed to a crawl but it hasn't stopped.

60 years ago - the plane had been sitting in a field in SW Missouri since August, and sitting in a field in Oklahoma for a year before that. Sometime in the next couple of months her condition would have deteriorated to the extent that the city fathers had her remains hauled off and scrapped.

"Thunderbird" lasted 10 years in Flandreau, SD and "Joplin Jalopy" lasted around 6 months, and maybe a little longer in the scrap/salvage yard. As recently (OK not recently) as the seventies, there were combat veteran B-17s in France and Switzerland which were scrapped because no-one was interested in buying or saving them. How things have turned around since then.! Someone hauled a B-17 out of a lake in Labrador a couple of years ago and they're going to rebuild it to flying condition! There are a couple of other B-17 projects across the USA and recently I saw some pictures of "Doc", the B-29 under restoration in Wichita, KS (yay!) which is making great strides. But for an accident of time there might have been a couple of B-24s ripe for preservation. Still, while there are idiots like me searching for grains of information, we canvat least remember that these machines were here.

Blog housekeeping and research direction.

2006-11-16T20:08:00.000-06:00

In the absence of any real news (and look at the date on the last post) I have moved the blog from the "old" blogger to the "new" blogger. They tell me it's more reliable and has a lot of cool new features.
If I find any I'll mention them. Everything seems to be working, so that's good.

No News is No news

2006-10-30T22:39:00.000-06:00

Sadly not much to report right now. Everybody and everything has gone quiet. It's time to spin up a few more of those plates on the sticks.

I just watched a documentary on PBS called "Last Best Hope" in which a former USAAF P-47 pilot returned to Belgium, and which featured some of the surviving members of the "Comete" escape line, which apparently returned 700 allied airmen to England, although the line itself lost around the same number of people to the Gestapo.

This is the PBS Website link to the documentary. The film was was produced by Rendez-Vous Film LLC, who also created a related Website

What struck me was the personal testimonies of a couple of elderly Belgian ladies (who obviously weren't old in 1944) - one of whom said (in translation and my paraphrase) "It is the duty of the old to make sure the young remember when times weren't so easy".

It seems trite looking at the words on the page but hearing an old lady who reminded me of my late mother saying something like that, and looking at the German newsreel footage of people being rounded up in Brussels and packed into a train makes the sentence something of an understatement.

So anyway, watching that film renewed my commitment to see some more of the Jalopy project come together, for the same reason. We shouldn't forget.

As November 11th comes round again (and being British for me it's Armistice Day or Remembrance Day - for those in my adopted land it's Veterans' Day) we should remember the words of Laurence Binyon

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

The People We Encounter

2006-10-04T21:31:00.000-05:00

Did I say something about new people? I was talking about England with one of my new co-workers the other day and she mentioned she'd been, among other places, to Norwich because her father-in-law was in the Air force during the war. If I'd been sitting down I'd have sat up straight and done all the "oh yes?" things, but I was standing up - so straightening up and saying "oh yes?" seemed reasonable. Oh yes, he was a tail gunner in a B-17 flying with the 100th Bomb Group from Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk.

So tonight I googled him and found three separate images of the man, a couple of images of one of the B-17s he flew on, and 20 individual references to him on the 100th BG website at www.100thbg.com Not only this, but there is also a video clip (I say clip, it's an interview lasting 67 minutes) now deposited at the Library of Congress as part of their Veterans History Project

To quote my departmental head, more when I know more...

Don't Give Up The Day Job

2006-10-03T19:13:00.000-05:00

Don't get discouraged by the fact that another month has passed and I appear to have done relatively little. I'm not discouraged at all. The move to the Satellite Residence in Kansas City has its positive and negative points:

Negative points

Apart from the personal stuff, which goes without saying, I am separated from a lot of my research material a lot of the time - which can be a drag if I'm watching a posting on one of the many interesting bulletin boards and think "I know the answer to that!" and find I can do nothing about it because my books and a few files are at the Main Residence in Pittsburg. This is very frustrating to the inner and outer librarian. I know I could bring them up here but I don't want to do that. I've split the collection bringing a few paperbacks of the moment and some of the comfort-reading novels, and that's enough.

Positive points

Apart from the obvious Job And Money, which also go without saying, although I would say that both the job *and* the money are still very much on the positive side of the attitudinal balance-sheet right now.
Having my very own high-speed internet link makes blogging a lot easier.
Living in a larger metropolitan area increases the chance of meeting people who might be able to point me in new and interesting research directions (related to the Jalopy project and possibly to one or two others)

Meanwhile
Michael Parrish and I have had a little correspondence and he thinks he might have some further photos which might just be of interest to me. Actually they're ALL of interest to me but there might be some specific items which sound very exciting.

Hello Michael Parrish

2006-09-24T21:41:00.000-05:00

I can't let the weekend pass without bidding hello to Michael Parrish who contacted me late last week. Michael is the son of Milton Parrish and asked me a few research questions (which I'm happy to say I was able to answer) and also if I minded him using an image from the Flickr pages to make up a few personal note cards for his father. I was (and am) delighted to assist.

This is the image in question.

I'm a Librarian, this is a cloud (Blog Enhancement)

2006-09-23T22:17:00.000-05:00

Another little enhancement for the blog appears low down on the right-hand side. My profession is getting very enamoured of bolt-on, strap-on features to websites and I'm no exception. You may have noticed the little world map in the right-hand sidebar with the red dots showing who has been reading this blog round he world. (Naturally, the answer is not many people - although a couple of readers have appeared from unexpected places) The latest feature is the "Tag Cloud" which many librarians also like hugely. It's a little collection of keywords, which are made bigger and smaller by how often they appear in the blog. ZoomClouds seems to be a free service and they claim it's ad-free - the cloud is ad-free anyway, but you may notice a few "ads by Google" links which appear on the right-hand side when you click on keyword tag. If you then click on the blog entry you will be taken straight to the blog without any further ads - well at least that was what was happening on Friday night. The ads that you may see are nothing to do with me (I would like to stress this) and if any of them seem inappropriate please feel free to take up the matter with Google or ZoomClouds. I'm too cheap to pay for upgraded "premium" accounts so the price you pay is the odd commercial. I suppose if I don't like it, I can always delete the cloud.

Another month, more research

2006-09-04T23:15:00.000-05:00

My excuse for the gap in reporting this time is purely personal. New job, new place to live (during the week) new things to do. This is also the first blog entry on "my" computer, since previously this PC sat in our study and was purely the imaging workstation. Now it's got a PC Ethernet card, Norton AntiVirus and 58 Windows updates which I downloaded yesterday. I'm just glad I didn't have to to this on our old dial-up connection.

I did get an email from Jeanne Newby a few days ago with the text of the original article she wrote for the Webb City Sentinel. I'd still like to get hold of the article itself but that will be a little more time consuming now that I'm not in the geographical area.

My esteemed colleague Kathryn McKee, Sub-Librarian of St. John's College, Cambridge, arranged for Cambridge University Library to borrow a copy of the Norman Kiefer history of the 506th Bomb Squadron, and she's been spending a little spare time looking through it with copius briefings from me. I haven't asked her, and she hasn't offered, to photocopy the book because that's illegal. She has been making some notes based on my mission spreadsheet based on Roger Fenton's information. She has (legally I may add) copied a few of the crew pictures. I now have three additional crew pictures. These are the crews of Raymond J Ciesielski, John Titter (again) and according to the label the "Edkin" crew which I assume to be that of William D. "Don" Edkins. We still haven't tracked down the picture of the "Jalopy" in the book. Never mind. I'm sure there's more detail out there.

John Hacker does it again

2006-08-13T23:35:00.000-05:00

Well, Well.

Having looked at the Friday article in JoplinDaily, I didn't expect to see another piece today. It's fitting in a way that an article is published about the Jalopy on the 60th Anniversary of the article in the Globe (or News-Herald, I'm still not clear which).

Anyway, John Hacker published a short opinion piece about the Jalopy in the Sunday edition of the Joplin Daily news aka JoplinDaily.com today, 13th August 2006.

Memories of Joplin's historic bomber fading as greatest generation passes

And in it he says, among other things

It's very possible that some of the pieces of the Jalopy, taken by people while she was parked at the airport, are still out there today. These may just be scraps of metal, possibly a gauge from the cockpit, or some other memento...

The memories of that plane and that era are still alive, but they are fading fast. We need to preserve them before they are lost forever to the sands of time.

Well said, Sir.

11th August 2006

2006-08-11T20:45:00.000-05:00

So, it was 60 years ago today that a certain B-24 landed in Joplin amid some ceremony, but 30 minutes late.

By another quirk of fate I wasn't in Joplin today - I was in Kansas City, MO interviewing for a job.

John Hacker of JoplinDaily.com did a fine job of writing up the story and which you can find at the JoplinDaily.com site. Good Job, John and thanks very much.

The story raised one issue again which I hadn't realized would be so difficult to resolve - where in Joplin was the Jalopy?

Hello John Hacker

2006-08-09T13:58:00.000-05:00

I had a phone conversation with John Hacker of JoplinDaily.com about the Jalopy today. John says he's an aviation nut like me and a history nut too, by the sound of it. He seemed pretty interested in the upcoming anniversary of the Jalopy's arrival back in Joplin.

Pleased to meet you, John.

Contact with Jeanne Newby

2006-08-08T10:03:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to tell you that I received an email from Jeanne Newby - historian, researcher and columnist of Webb City, Missouri. Jeanne kindly sent me a copy of another picture of the staboard side of the Jalopy with three boys (labelled as Merle, Dean and Marty) playing on the nose , and what looks like another boy in the cockpit. In this view it's clear that the starboard inner engine (and that part of he starboard wing) is still there, as part of the propellor is still visible. I'll try and post the picture when I work out whose picture it is and get permission.

She has also given me a lead on another person who remembers visiting the Jalopy in the salvage yard.

Thanks for getting in touch, Jeanne.

Eight days from today

2006-08-03T15:44:00.000-05:00

Eight days from today, at around this time (3;30pm Central) it'll be exactly sixty years since "Joplin Jalopy" touched down at the Municipal Airport in Joplin for its last ever landing. In some ways that last landing was the indicator to its fate, since Captain Frank Wallower experience some wind-shear and slammed the ship down on the runway so hard he burst one of the mainwheel tires. Anyway, before we start dwelling on this and I get too maudlin, maybe it would be worth pausing for a moment to acknowledge the fact that a combat veteran B-24 did return home, unlike many of its siblings, and so many crews. It would be really nice if this could be commemorated in some way. But so far all I have heard from the Joplin end of the story is silence. The veterans themselves - Milton Parrish, Jerry Folsom, Perry Morse, Bob Vance, Sterling Dobbs, and the representatives of the 44th Bomb Group Veterans' Association are all happy to remember the part the Jalopy played in their lives and their parts they played in the Jalopy's story. And yet Joplin itself seems not to be unduly bothered. This is a little disturbing. There may be reasons that I just haven't found yet. I hope that in the next few days I can try and convince a few more people that they shouldn't ignore the contribution all the veterans made, and the people like Anibal Diaz who made the ultimate sacrifice.

And now it's August

2006-08-03T15:29:00.000-05:00

I saw a post on another blog about the importance of regular posting in order not to drive away my reader. Hmmm. This is a little like the Chicken and Egg situation. At least I can say I have dome a couple of things and haven't been sitting idling away my time writing job applications all day.

Yesterday I emailed Joe Baugher and gave him a small correction to his mammoth and impressive site on United States Army and Air Force Serials from 1908 to the present

He had listed 42-50535 as lost on March 24 1945 with the MACR number relating to Sergeant Diaz' death. It's one of those emails I've been meaning to send but didn't work up the nerve for some reason.

I'm glad I did. I received a reply from Joe inside three hours thanking me for the update. I'm delighted I was able to help, Joe. Your site is a wonder to behold.

Letter from Milton Parrish

2006-07-26T15:31:00.000-05:00

A quote from Milton Parrish's letter to me which I think is worth sharing.

"On the mission with the Napalm [14th April 1945] I took a hit in the bomb bay which ruptured one of the wing tanks [the Napalm was carried in old fighter-type drop tanks] and spattered a gelatinous looking substance in the bomb bay. I advised operations and was instructed to contact the tower before landing on return. I contacted them and was made to wait until all the other ships had landed before landing. No one knew anything about Napalm at that time"

Contact with Milton Parrish

2006-07-25T11:55:00.000-05:00

I received an email last week from Mary Lu Pfeil, who is the daughter of Milton Parrish. She said her Dad had received a letter from me and would be in touch soon. Yesterday (Monday) I received in the mail a very interesting letter from Mr. Parrish and a couple of photographs. One is of Milton Parrish standing alone and the other shows Milton Parrish with Flight Engineer / Top turret Gunner Charlie Moffett, Radio Operator/Gunner Norman Chown and Eugene Gorah whom Milton lists as bombardier and the 44th BGVA lists as Navigator. Both of the pictures are taken by the port side nose of a B-24, and above them can be seen the US Army dataplate on which can be read: "US Army B-24J-1-FO" "AF Serial No 42-50535" No doubt which machine this is.

Also, because this is the first picture I've seen in detail showing the port side of the nose, I can confirm that the Jalopy did have a bomb log - it shows 51 missions when the photo was taken. Jalopy 's 51st mission was on March 4th 1945 to Tuttlingen with the Chandler crew. So we can surmise that the picture was probably taken in early March 1945. If this is the case, then Milton Parrish must have flown "Bar O" at least once operationally, as co-pilot with George F Brown as pilot, on February 21 1945 to Nurnberg.

What this picture does not show is the alleged cartoon character which was reportedly carried and was reported in the Gibbons "Angling in the Archives" articles. I'm starting to wonder if this was a piece of journalistic license by somebody.

Milton Parrish also confirmed that he was one of the pilots to bring the Jalopy home from the war - flying from Shipdham to RAF Valley (Anglesey, Wales), then to Iceland, Greenland, and Bradley AAF, Connecticut. Public thanks are due to Milton Parrish and Mary Lu Pfeil for their kind co-operation.

Dennis in the Jalopy

2006-07-25T11:39:00.000-05:00

Finally, the first photograph of the Joplin Jalopy in this blog.

Here is the photograph I mentioned the other day showing a very young Dennis Boyer sitting in the cockpit of "Joplin Jalopy". (See the comments on previous posts for estimates on date, time, etc.)

I couldn't say exactly where this photo was taken but I have my suspspicions. I think we can see the shadow of one of the starboard inner propellor blades being cast across the aircraft name. I also think that the Jalopy has been subject to the attentions of vandals and souvenir hunters at this point. The nose seems to be tilted forward / downward (indicating that the nosewheel has collapsed) and young Dennis is either leaning backward, or he's vertical and the plane is in a more nose-down attitude than we think.

See the picture in a larger size on the Joplin Jalopy Photoset on Flickr

Dennis - i would like to thank you publicly for sharing this and the other pictures. I appreciate this very much.

Hello Dennis Boyer

2006-07-21T10:53:00.000-05:00

Shortly before I started this blog I had read an article on the Web called "Elegy for the Joplin Jalopy" on the genealogy site rootsweb.com.

In the story, Dennis Boyer (the author) describes how as a young boy he was taken by his father on a trip and suddenly "found" the old Jalopy sitting in a field. He describes clambering up inside the plane and exploring the interior.

read the whole story here - it's not very long.

For some reason I didn't think much more about it until a few days ago when I emailed Dennis. I think I realised his site (see the whole site) was still active.

Dennis very kindly replied and also sent me a couple of pictures, one of which shows a young boy looking out of the starboard side cockpit window of "Joplin Jalopy" I was very pleased to see these.

We've been discussing where Dennis is most likely to have visited the plane. On the basis of that discussion (and sharing Jeanne Newby's Webb City Sentinel Article with him) we suspect he visited the plane (and was photographed in it) at the old Joplin Municipal Airport (or the field next to the airport) before it was moved to the salvage yard in Webb City.

Watch this space for more news - and Hello Dennis.

Microfilm records

2006-07-17T22:48:00.000-05:00

I finally got round to printing the 50+ pages of documentation which were on microfilm that I borrowed from Byron Blake and scanned. What I have now is the 506th Bomb Squadron History and War Diary documenting the squadron's history from formation in 1942 to the end of January 1945. At different points (and with different authors, all of whom are named) the document alters its format as it progresses. I wondered if I was looking at several documents compressed into one, but the pagination indicates I'm looking at a single document. It started in a very generic way, gets detailed in the middle and finished looking pretty generic one again. On the "plus" I do see a few mentions of "Ship #535" being accepted into the Squadron in July 1944, (which means this is Joplin Jalopy and not 42-7535 "Peep Sight") being air tested, noted as receiving heavy battle damage in August and having a #4 engine change some time later. There are a few crew names which look different. Interestingly the period February - April 1945 isn't included in the microfilm. Having seen some of the other squadrons documents on the microfilm (especially some squadrons flying B-25s in the 5th Air Force in the SWPA) it makes me wonder how much more remains in another place or how much was discarded. More questions to ask.

Jalopy In Flight - again

2006-07-12T16:41:00.000-05:00

Joplin Jalopy, originally uploaded by Rob.

While there was a spare moment I've been creating a few more impressions of "Joplin Jalopy" in flight. You may notice that the Flickr badge (on the right-hand side of the page) has changed a little - I worked out how to restrict the display to just "Jalopy" images - then I didn't have a lot so I thought I'd make a few more.

Please feel free to have a look at the Joplin Jalopy pictures on The Joplin Jalopy Photoset page

All these impressions are screen grabs from the WWII Combat Simulator called "Pacific Fighters" (hence the Pacific-looking land masses you can see occasionally) - the paint scheme (skin, in the jargon) for the B-24 is by me, based on the default skins that come with the game.

I'm still wondering about the Ball Turret - at what time was the Jalopy's Ball Turret removed - so in some views you may see a suggestion of a Ball Turret, and in some views you won't.

Pilot names and missions flown in "Joplin Jalopy"

2006-07-10T11:55:00.000-05:00

I thought it about time to make this list available on the blog. This comes from information kindly supplied by the 44th BGVA some time ago.

The list shows the pilot's name and the number of missions flown in the Jalopy. This is not a reflection of the total number of missions flown on their respective tours of operations.

Atkins, Charles N (2)
Bakanic, George Jr (3)
Beiber, George M (6)
Brown, George F Jr (4) (Killed In Action 4/5/45)
Chandler, Max E (2) (Killed In Action 3/24/45)
Edkins, William D (4)
Graham, Alan C (1)
Hill, Ogden K (2)
Hoisington, Robert L (3)
Horsley, Clyde M (6)
Insley, George R (1)
Jarvis, Edward P (1)
Kuecker, Raymond G (1)
Kyes, Barnard W (1)
Lowe, Ivan C (1)
Mack, Firman B (2)
McKenna, Thomas J (2)
Meagher, Robert E (1)
Menzel, Conrad (2)
Parrish, Milton (5)
Pyle, Leonard G (1)
Ryan, John J Jr (1)
Scherzberg, Virgil J (1)
Smith, Thomas L (1)
Thompson, J S (1)
Thorne, Jack C (2)
Titter, John C (3)
Wallace, Laurence F (2)
Wimsatt, Louis J (2)

Local news

2006-07-09T22:18:00.000-05:00

On the Joplin / Webb City side of things I made a couple more small steps.

1. I remembered to look up Jeanne Newby (contributor / columnist for the Webb City Sentinel) in the Joplin phone book and wrote to her last week. I do hope we can get a useful dialogue going. I am ashamed to note that it's been almost exactly four months since Leslie Simpson sent me the article she'd collected.

2. Speaking of Leslie Simpson, I attended the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Post Memorial Art Reference Library in Joplin last week and met a former co-worker at Joplin Public Library named Bob Arnold. Bob is a really nice guy who was volunteering at JPL four afternoons a week while I was there and is still doing it now. Interestingly Bob was the only person with a direct JPL connection who attended the celebration. I did see Jo Mueller who worked at JPL at the same time as me and who left to be the director of the Spiva Art Gallery in Joplin. But no-one from the current JPL bothered to turn out. As they say here, shame on them.

Sorry - rant over.

I was catching up with Bob Arnold and started talking about the Jalopy project and he said "Oh yes, there was someone arrested for trying to steal one of the engines" Bob remembers that someone allegedly backed a pickup truck up to the plane and tried to steal one of the engines. The person or persons unknown were arrested. I expect there must have been a report on this in the local paper - or maybe this is the report which caught Charles Gibbons' eye when he was angling in the archives. Who knows. It marks out another area of activity for me, anyway. Given the passing of time and the decay of so many (of my) brain cells, it may be a good idea if I would recapitulate what I think I need to do for the benefit of my reader and my own sanity. More on this later...

And now it's July

2006-07-09T22:08:00.000-05:00

How the time passes. I had a dream back in January that I'd actually get something published in time for the 60th anniversary of the Jalopy's arrival in Joplin. This would be next month. My reader will note that there's hardly anything on the blog, much less on paper. I am full of good intentions again, however, so be warned. On the positive side the North-East Florida Library Information network (NEFLIN) in the shape of April Brooks, Library Manager of the Madison County Library (Madison, FL) was very helpful replying to my questions about Mr Milton Parrish. I should have another letter ready to send him in the next couple of days. It was a salutary exercise to re-read the original. I've also been sifting through the 44th BGVA website again getting further information about crews and missions. It made me realize I haven't made much progress in tracking down crew pictures as I'd intended. More on this later.

Technical malfunction

2006-06-30T21:44:00.000-05:00

Let this be a warning to all who use USB flash memory devices - learn from my mistakes. We all back up our data don't we? ("Oh yes!" they all chorus.) Something went slightly wrong with my USB flash memory drive (the nice shiny chrome and leather-housed 1GB device.) I suspect a certain PC had some issues of its own as I noticed a couple of Windows "delayed write failed" error messages to the drive letter which happened to be my flash drive on odd occasions. The upshot of this seemed to be that my copy of Portable Firefox (with which I have been immensely pleased for the last 6 months) refused to launch and started giving me "application error" messages. I backed up the contents of the very important files to the other spare 256Mb flash drive I happen to carry with me. The trouble is, when I got home - some of the files are missing or corrupt on BOTH flash drives. Now, praise the Lord, this is where another backup - on the hard disk of my home PC - came in very handy. I have lost some data - but not as much as I thought and none of it irreplaceable. I shall stop being quite so trusting about flash drives for the moment - or maybe it was a certain PC - at least I know where it was, and I won't be going there in the foreseeable future in any case.

Hello Peter Bodle

2006-06-29T20:33:00.000-05:00

I am happy to say that I made contact with Peter Bodle, author of the September 2005 FlyPast Article (entitled "Junior Aircrew") which started this whole thing. Good News and Hi Peter.

May - June 2006 Update

2006-06-26T19:17:00.000-05:00

The Irish Radio DJ and TV personality Terry Wogan used to say "Look at the time (whatever time it was) and not a child in the house washed".

So here we are at the end of June - almost, not a post on the blog for a very long time and all I can offer are excuses and a promise to do something better in the time that's ahead.

Return to Sender
I tried to follow up a lead with a former pilot of the Jalopy - Mr Milton Parrish, but the addresses I have for him in Florida both resulted in the USPS returning my letters (with writing on them) saying "insufficient data" or most recently "no such number" which is straight out of the Elvis Presley song. Having googled a little with my librarian hat on, I suspect I might be using the good offices of the North East Florida Library Information Network fairly soon.

My intentions over the next couple of days/weeks (subject to finances, gas prices, weather, and the FIFA World Cup) are to make at least one trip over to Joplin and try to track down some of the errant, missing and evasive personalities I identified in weeks gone by and see if I can get some more information out of them.

You might also like to check out this article in the York (PA) Dispatch http://www.yorkdispatch.com/viewpoints/mclaughlin/ci_3927851 which mentions a couple of names who may or may not be familiar to blog readers. Ruth Davis Morse and her husband Perry. Perry Morse flew in Joplin Jalopy as rear gunner on the George Beiber crew.

8-Ball Tails does it again

2006-05-17T21:41:00.000-05:00

The 44th BG Veterans' Association kindly covered the story of the Jalopy and my research in their Spring 2006 issue. They are a truly remarkable group of individuals, and I'm not just saying that because I got my name in print.

BTW I should say my Dad's name is in there too because he met some of the 44BGVA members in 1992 while they were in Norfolk for their part of the 8th Air Force 50th Anniversary reunion. He and my late mother were staying at an hotel in Wymondham (pronounced Wind-ham) and so were some of the members of the 44BGVA. Apparently one breakfast time he was approached by a couple of gentlemen with American accents - since he looked the right age they wondered if he was part of their group. He assured them that although he wasn't part of their group he was on the same side (he was an RAF fighter pilot) and much merriment was had by all.

I should also mention that my Grandfather is mentioned there too. He once owned and ran a Barber's Shop in Attleborough, Norfolk. Attleborough lies between the airfields at Snetterton (96th BG), Deopham Green (452nd BG) and Old Buckenham (453rd BG) - and many other USAAF and RAF fields were close by. Shipdham is not very far away, neither is Watton. Anyway my Granddad once gave a USAAF officer a haircut and wondered why all the other servicemen in the place were excited. When the officer left - hey told him - he'd just given a haircut to Jimmy Stewart. (At that time he was Exec Officer at the 453rd BG). Apparently Granddad wasn't a follower of the movies so he didn't recognize JS at all.

I would like to say thanks to Ruth Davis-Morse once again, and furthermore thank her for sending me an extra copy of the newsletter for my Dad.

A little more on IARCs

2006-05-16T22:58:00.000-05:00

I posted a follow-up about IARCs and my letter from AFHRA on the B-24 / PB4Y Research Bulletin Board.

I also asked B-24 authority Allan Blue - who'd come to my aid previously when I was looking for some data on Joplin Jalopy's distant relative "Thunderbird" (see the post Jalopy had a Brother posted on 24 Jan 2006)

Allan told me that all the IARC microfilms are of the same origin. Any records missing at AFHRA will therefore be missing at NASM and at the National Museum of the USAF. Apparently some of the reels are practically unreadable. One of these is the reel that should contain 42-50535. Allan has this reel and said:
"I spooled it up on my microfilm reader this morning. It is impossible to extract any data whatsoever. This means that the records of 2303 B-24s are lost forever!"

One of our IARCs is missing

2006-05-14T16:24:00.000-05:00

Bad news. My reader will know that one of the first things I did some time back was request the Individual Aircraft Record Card for the Jalopy (aka AAF #42-50535) .

I drew a blank with the National Air and Space Museum and the other day I had a very nice letter from the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) saying that they can't find it either. Both the researchers at the NASM and AFHRA indicate that the Jalopy's IARC is one of a number which are not in the correct place.

This is a disappointment. It means that I won't be able to find out exactly when the aircraft was accepted by the USAAF. I have an approximate date based on aircraft manufactured in the same batch so I can make an educated guess, but it's not the same. I won't be able to find out where the aircraft went in the USA prior to its assignment to the Eighth Air Force, and it also means that I won't be able to find out where it went after its return to the USA on May 31 1945.

April - May 2006 update

2006-05-14T16:07:00.000-05:00

April - May 2006 update

My gallant reader is probably wondering what's been happening in the last month which has caused me not to update the blog. Well, I had my reasons.

Anyway - what's happened? At least one or two steps forward.

1. Someone shared an opinion that the B-24 in the Fort-De-Royan picture is probably "Joplin Jalopy". That satisfies several cravings that I've had for a while - a picture of the whole plane, and a picture of the plane in combat.

2. I met (in the virtual sense) Byron Blake. This is in itself a good thing (public salute to Byron) since he is researching another crew from the 506th BS / 44BG and their activities and has blog of his own on that subject. He's blogging his research at http://stamos-lisbon.blogspot.com - and I must say it's pretty interesting.

Byron very kindly loaned me a 16mm microfilm reel he obtained from the National Archives. It is a collection of records of Bomb Squadrons numbered from 501-510 so naturally includes the 506th. I have been scanning the relevant entries from the sections about the 506th and have found a couple of references to Ship # 535 which in the time frame (1944-45) must be the Jalopy. I have a collection of VERY large TIFFs on my USB drive which I really must examine again.

3. I had an email from 44BG veteran and historian Will Lundy. He's very much engaged in transferring the records of the 44BG Veterans' Association (and his own) to the Army War College
at Carlisle, PA. He was just wondering what I was doing - so I hope that I managed to explain in a lucid manner what this was all about.

Biggest news

2006-04-12T13:49:00.000-05:00

Biggest news of the research cycle recently. - I think I found a picture of the Jalopy in flight. Not just in flight but actually dropping a load of ordnance (in this case napalm) on a German garrison at Fort-De-Royan (France) on April 14th 1945. If it's true this is very exciting. Early indications seem to be that the plane in question might actually be the Jalopy, piloted on this occasion by 1st Lieutenant Milton Parrish. The picture in question appears on page 200 of Adams' and Mackay's "The 44th Bomb Group in World War II" (Schiffer 2003) . In the book it's about three inches across but after some examination with the magnifying glass there does appear to be a ship marked GJ*Bar-O in the formation.

I received an e-mail after posting a question about the picture on the B-24 research and bulletin board (better put the link on the sidebar) which seems to confirm my theory. It sounds promising but I will remain calm and composed.

So, what's new?

2006-04-12T13:43:00.000-05:00

At least the weather in this part of the country is much better now. Very soon it'll be up in the 90s and we'll all be complaining.

I have been reading through the materials I got on Inter-Library Loan (some of which I mentioned in the March 10th posting). Most of them have gone back (so maybe I should start searching OCLC for more esoteric stuff!) but one last book remains for a few days yet.

No news from Webb City - I had put this on the back burner in the hope that Sue from the Webb City Library would get back to me, but nothing happened. There's no excuse now, so it's time to hit the phones.

Roger Fenton from the 44thBGVA advised me from his notes that the Jalopy CRASH LANDED back at Shipdham after the August 9th 1944 raid. There is clearly something very interesting here which needs to be followed up. I haven't checked for other gaps in the Jalopy's service record which may indicate battle damage or extensive repair / maintenance.

Roger also tells me there is a picture of the Jalopy in the Kiefer history of the 506th Bomb Squadron.

Forgive the recent silence

2006-04-12T13:39:00.000-05:00

My regular reader will forgive the dearth of posts in the last few weeks while I've been chasing up and down the four-state area of Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma trying to scare up a job or a contract. This research activity must be funded somehow. I don't think sponsored ads by Google will make much of a difference - this may account for their absence on this page!

If you read this stuff...

2006-03-29T10:06:00.000-06:00

...And wonder where I've been. I can only apologise. Last post on march 10th and here we are on March 29th.

I can't say much has happened. I've been chasing down the legacy of Herbert W. Davis and through the efforts of the 44thBGVA I think I know a little bit more. It appears that someone called Herbert Davis was in the 68thBS, 44thBG on the ground side somewhere. Having been told he's there I now see him listed in the personnel of the 68thBS.

Not much further on the local research. I have been out of town unsuccessfully chasing down another job and while I've been away I haven't made much progress. Still, since I'm staying in the area I can pursue some of my own lines of enquiry again.

Still more information

2006-03-10T11:30:00.000-06:00

The indefatigable Leslie Simpson sent me a newspaper clipping from the Webb City [Missouri] Sentinel dated 10/24/2004 entitled "What happened to the Joplin Jalopy?" written by Jeanne Newby as part of a column called "Ancestors, Legends & Time"

The article is clearly a follow up to an earlier article about the Jalopy. In this article a local man has recently called Jeanne to tell her of a childhood memory of playing on the plane when it was located at a Salvage Yard in Webb City called The Swappers Salvage Company. This would have been, so the article says, in around 1949 or 1950.

This adds another new angle to the "Jalopy" story. It was here for longer than I'd thought, and the possibility that pieces may exist in the locality has risen from "zero" to "slim"

Mission Detail - August 9, 1944

2006-03-10T10:54:00.000-06:00

I got a copy of Webb C Todd's book "History of the 68th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group : The Flying Eightballs" on Inter-Library Loan (it came from the Combined Arms Research Library at Fort Leavenworth, KS!) and found a couple of interesting details. There is a list of every one of the 44th BG bombers, and under the entry for Joplin Jalopy it says "Suffered heavy flak damage, Saarbrucken, 8/9/44"

This would have been 8th Air Force Mission 533, the 44BG's Mission 205 and the Jalopy's 6th. The crew on this mission was 1st Lieutenant John C Titter's crew of the 506th Bomb Squadron - this was Titter's 37th and last mission.

The primary target for this mission was Sindelfingen but the war diary says "22 aircraft and 2 PFFs dispatched but the formation had to turn back 50 miles west of the target due to adverse weather conditions. 17 A/C and 2 PFFS bombed the briefed secondary target" (Saarbrucken)

This (the flak damage) explains why the Jalopy's next mission was 8AF Mission 568 (Group 212) on August 24 1944.

Inter-Library Loan footnote - I haven't been able to get hold of a copy of Norman Kiefer's "Green-Nosed Flying Eightballs - A History of the 506th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group". Someone told me there was a copy on eBay for a starting bid of 399 dollars - I can't bear to look!

Jalopy In Flight

2006-03-10T10:45:00.000-06:00

Since there are no pictures of the "Jalopy" in flight, I thought I'd make a few using my copy of "Pacific Fighters" after editing/creating a Jalopy "Skin" in Paint Shop Pro.

There are a couple more of my efforts on my Flickr page. Click on the picture and it'll probably take you there.

More Archival Treasure

2006-03-10T10:16:00.000-06:00

From Charles Gibbons' "Angling in the Archives" again:

City Officials in November 1944 were pondering an offer that could place a surplus warplane in a city park as a war memento after the war. "They used to put old cannons in parks as mementos of wars, but now it's going to be airplanes" reported the [Joplin] News Herald. Mayor John M. Temples advised the City Council today the federal works administration has notified him that the surplus war property administration is going to offer 'surplus war planes for memorial purposes' to tax-supported bodies such as municipalities The council referred the proposal to the park board and the board of education for further consideration.

The Jalopy's extended family (1)

2006-03-08T10:48:00.000-06:00

Looking through Charles Gibbons "Angling in the Archives" yesterday I was struck by a couple of articles which I had previously missed.

It seems that "Joplin Jalopy" was not the only warplane, or item of war materiel to be bought via the sale of War Bonds in Joplin between 1942 and 1944. How does 75 Jeeps, a P-51 Mustang, two B-17s, one or two other (as yet unidentified) four-engine bombers (one of which may have been Joplin Jalopy) and a 10,000 ton Victory ship sound?

I was slightly astounded too.

I haven't yet seen the original articles in the "Globe" but Gibbons shows the following

August 1943
7,000 Pupils of the Joplin Public Schools aimed to collect $75,000 in war stamps and bonds to pay for a P-51 Mustang. They actually collected $162,578.20 between September 1942 and May 1943. The P-51 was named "The Joplin Public Schools" and North American Aviation sent a photograph to E.A. Elliott, the superintendent of schools. With the money left over from the deal they paid for 75 Jeeps. (!) The article says "Many of the purchases were of 10 and 25-cent stamps, which school children bought from their allowances in place of candy bars".

August 1943
Two days after the P-51 story, the paper reported (and pictured) the first of two B-17F Flying Fortresses "which Jasper County, by its purchase of war bonds, has put into the sky to blast the Axis out of the war. Bearing the name 'Jasper County Missouri' this Boeing...was purchased by the sale of $300,000 in series 'E' war bonds in this county in the second war loan drive last spring A second and similar Fortress was purchased by the city and county in bond sales in the month or six weeks which followed the war loan campaign"

Researching in Joplin

2006-03-08T10:07:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I did some research in Joplin to follow up a few leads. Firstly I started at Missouri Southern State University and met their archivist, Mr. Charlie Nodler. I was wondering about the relationship of Frank Wallower Jr to Frank C. Wallower. Charlie confirmed what I suspected, that Frank Jr. is Frank C.'s son. He showed me a couple of family photographs and in one of them there is a young man who could easily be the uniformed CAP Captain of later years.

Charlie also let me look at a copy of "Angling in the Archives" by Charles Gibbons, who worked for the "Joplin Globe" for many years - and I found a couple of extra items of information and a few surprising bits of new information.

Enthused by all this (and because I only had a one-hour parking spot at MSSU) I went over to the Joplin Public Library to get copies of the pages I'd just seen.

Learning more and more

2006-03-01T14:04:00.000-06:00

I got a very nice phone call from the Mighty Eighth Air Museum in Pooler, Georgia this morning. I've been wondering where Herbert W. Davis may have deposited copies of his materials - sadly it wasn't with them. I have written to another couple of places and also asked the Southern California chapter of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society if he was a member.

I did find out that the Museum in Georgia will shortly be celebrating its 10th anniversary. My congratulations and thanks for taking the trouble to get back to me.

I also picked up a useful lead from them, which I ought to have encountered before and didn't. This is the Eighth Air Force Archive at Penn State University.

Reply from Altus

2006-02-23T15:56:00.000-06:00

I had a very cordial email from MSgt Richard Guinan, who is the Historian of the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus AFB in Altus, Oklahoma. Sadly he doesn't have any records of what happened at Altus 60 years ago, although he says he's very interested to learn that a few more planes apart from "Memphis Belle" escaped the incinerator at Altus.

This is not unusual (I wouldn't expect an individual unit historian to have histories of the base they happen to be at) but I salute MSgt Guinan here for his reply. I will forward some of my "Town Bomber" notes to him to show how many planes did escape the incinerator, and some of which still remain to this day.

Speaking of Altus Survivors

Here is "The Bomber" - aka B-17G-105-VE 44-85790 which was flown from the WAA lot at Altus in 1947 and mounted above a gas station in the Portland suburb of Milwaukee, Oregon - it's been there ever since, although the gas station has gone and been replaced by "The Bomber" restaurant. The B-17's nose was removed in 1996 for restoration.

Photo by George Yobst , taken on Feb 1 2006 -
Many thanks George, for braving the recent monsoon and getting some pretty wonderful pics.

You can see a few more pictures of "The Bomber" (courtesy of George) and some other illustrations in my flickr photostream. This is also accessible from the little pictures on the sidebar of this page (you may have to scroll up a little to see them)

CAP News

2006-02-21T10:25:00.000-06:00

I had an email from Major Debbie Leslie who is the CO of the Joplin CAP Squadron (Col Travis Hoover Composite Squadron - Travis Hooper was one of the Doolittle Raiders and was the pilot of the second aircraft behind Doolittle's).

Major Leslie has done some research and has saved me a certain amount of trouble by contacting CAP HQ at Maxwell AFB and finding out they haven't got anything in their records. Shame but at least we know. She did contact a couple of older members of the CAP who remember Major Chris Oltman, a former commander. One member she spoke to told her that his unit had removed one of the Jalopy's engines and dismantled it. This is very interesting. I haven't seen this written in any of the records anywhere else. I don't suppose there are any pieces left but it adds another piece to a fairly complex picture.

Progress of a kind

2006-02-16T13:20:00.000-06:00

Not much blogging done in the last few days. there are many reasons, but I have been getting some research done - honestly!

The National Air and Space Museum don't have a copy of the Jalopy's Individual Aircraft Record Card (IARC) - so I've written to the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell AFB, Alabama as well.
No response from the Joplin Historical Museum Complex.
No response yet from the Joplin Civil Air Patrol
I have written to a couple of the crew members whose names and addresses were passed to me by Jerry Folsom.
I have emailed the Historian at Altus AFB if any further RFC / WAA history exists there.
Leslie Simpson found a reference to Frank C. Wallower (son of a Pennsylvania newspaper magnate) and who owned a lot of land and mines in the Joplin area. His former home is now part of the campus of Missouri Southern State University. See this article. I assume that Captain Frank Wallower Jr (CAP Pilot) was related in some way to Frank C. Wallower.
There is also an archive at the University of Missouri, Rolla. I can see that a trip to some academic institutions in Missouri may be in order.

B-24 Exhibit at Willow Run!

2006-02-08T16:17:00.000-06:00

Part of my wider research project is looking for records of other bombers which may have been exhibited in towns and cities across the US after the second world war.

I knew that the Edsel Ford post of the American Legion obtained a B-24 known as "Old Number 139" for a memorial at Willow Run - its identity is a mystery to me (at the moment) but I have a couple of pictures of a "silver" (NMF) B-24 with a large number "139" painted on the nose being wrangled into postition with a couple of tractors. Sadly "Old Nunber 139" was scrapped in 1950.

I found in my copy of 8-Ball Tails that there was at least one other B-24 exhibited at Willow Run. It was a weary 44th BG B-24 named " San Antonio Rose" (it had previously been "Limpin' Old Sadie")

All the more reason to contact some historians in the Detroit area.

Work to be done (3)

2006-02-07T10:40:00.000-06:00

I have a couple more leads to pursue about the thefts of items from the plane in 1946/7. These are the Jasper County, Missouri Court records, or the City of Joplin PD and City records depending on who arrested whom.

Jerry Folsom wrote to me and sent me a few more names and old addresses of 44th BG pilots and crews. I keep forgetting he was president of the 44thBG Veterans' Association. Some letter writing to be done.

It also struck me that I should be following up on the Michigan and Oklahoma ends of the story.

Altus AFB, OK had a pretty extensive website at the time when I wrote this blog item in February. By the summer of 2006 it had been removed (along with some of the interesting content).

There is also a Public Library in Altus which is part of the Southern Prairie Library System and furthermore the Museum of the Western Prairie is located in Altus.

At the Michigan end of things there is DALNET - the Detroit Area Library (This is their member list) So this also sounds like a good place to start with Willow Run related enquiries.

8 Ball Tails

2006-02-07T10:32:00.000-06:00

On a happier note: Yesterday I received a copy of the latest edition of 8-Ball Tails - the newsletter of the 44th BG Veterans' Association. I'm not just saying this because I'm biased, but it is a pretty impressive publication.

Reading through it, I found it a little odd but comforting to see names I recognise from my research.

Thank you, Ruth Davis-Morse. I appreciate the gesture.

First Spam e-mail received

2006-02-07T10:28:00.000-06:00

I received my first spam e-mail to the Yahoo account sometime yesterday. Apparently someone has 86 million dollars holed up in a bank account in some remote location and wants my help to get it out of there. Good grief.

You'd think these people would have given up by now, but apparently not - if there's one born every minute (as the saying goes) there are a lot of new suckers out there.

B-24 short field performance?

2006-02-04T19:31:00.000-06:00

I'm going to take a look at the old Municipal Airport site in Joplin tomorrow (Sunday) and see what it looks like. I think the site is mostly turned over to industrial uses now. The question which strikes me is - was it big enough to accomodate a B-24 landing? I haven't seen any pictures of any planes at the old Joplin Airport so I can't judge properly, and the existing photographs (the ones I've seen) are ambiguous.

The "Jalopy" would have been stripped of weapons but I notice it still had the additional armor plate fitted to the cockpit sides when it returned to Joplin. It also had a smaller flight crew. So maybe it did land at the old airport.

Civil Air Patrol Crew (and others)

2006-02-03T16:36:00.000-06:00

One of the Murwin Mosler photographs published in the Joplin Globe on 13th August 1946 showed a handover ceremony in which the title to the plane was handed over to the Vice-President / Acting President of the Joplin War Dads. (Hmm - it wouldn't have been the actual title as the USAAF normally retained formal title to any such plane - look what happened to Memphis Belle last October)

The people listed in the globe article are:

Joplin Jalopy Flight Crew
Captain Frank Wallower Jr - pilot
Flight Officer Marvin Pearson, co-pilot
Sergeant Glenn Pearson (former Seabee and mechanic for the flight)
Sergeant Henry Thomason and/or Bradley Thomason
Captain Viers / Veirs
Paul Smith
L.L. Travis - former Joplin postmaster and the person who arranged the transfer of the Jalopy from the War Assets Administration (WAA) to the City of Joplin

Also shown at the handover are:

Major Oltman - CAP Squadron Commander
W.H. Brown - Vice President of Joplin War Dads
Lieutenant Geltz Zenter CAP Pilot for Joplin - Altus Leg
Captain O.L DeMier - CAP Pilot for Joplin - Altus Leg
Norton Brown - Joplin Photographer

This gives me a little more to work on - I don't expect many of these folks are still alive, but there may be something in the local archives somewhere.

Civil Air Patrol

2006-02-01T16:54:00.000-06:00

I don't know why I thought the Civil Air Patrol ceased to exist after the Second World War. One of my wife's co-workers told me that her sons are members. Another assumption bites the dust. It was the Civil Air Patrol who flew down to Altus (in 3 planes, according to the Joplin Globe) and delivered a crew to fly the Jalopy back.

And here's the website address - http://www.cap.gov

Oops, wrong Airport

2006-01-30T19:34:00.000-06:00

This is, ah, interesting. I expect some of the local historians will be wrly amused.

Having seen that photo with the inscription "Old Joplin Airport, West 7th" I started wondering if there was another airport in Joplin. Oh yes there was. It was at 7th and Schifferdecker and extended a way south. This is about where the Joplin Historical Museum is now. So it would make a degree of sense to land the plane at the location where the museum was going to be. (Duh!).

More history of the two airports forthcoming. I have to see some more historians in the Joplin area.

Contacts

2006-01-29T20:23:00.000-06:00

I'm pleased to report I have had a couple of follow-up emails after the Globe article last weekend.
I did email Andy Ostmeyer to ask him why my friends couldn't find the article on the Joplin Globe website but haven't yet had a response.

I have had an email from a lady in Joplin who sent me a couple of additional photographs of crowds round the "Jalopy" on its arrival in August 1946. She also sent me a couple of other photos of other planes which were around at the time. I haven't started to look them up yet but I will.

I also had an email from a young man who would like to finish a B-24 model to look like the Jalopy. This is great. I'm really pleased that I could send him a few details. He's also asked me if I'd like to see a picture of his model when he's finished it. Naturally I would.

"Jalopy" had a brother

2006-01-24T11:35:00.000-06:00

The research project on the "Jalopy" widened into something I was referring to as the "Town Bomber" project which is puttering away in the background but which is someting much bigger than I'd thought and is very exciting in its own way.

During the research process I found out that another combat veteran B-24 (San Diego-built B-24J-150-CO 44-40238 "Thunderbird" from the 491st Bomb Group based at North Pickenham, Norfolk, UK) had been retrieved from Altus and flown to Flandreau, South Dakota by their local Civil Air Patrol. It stayed at the local airport in Flandreau for ten years, and was reluctantly scrapped in 1957. If you can lay your hands on a copy of Air Progress Warbirds International - May/June 1992 issue, there is an article all about it, and several pictures. My thanks to B-24 authority Allan Blue for loaning me his copy of the article.

The parallels with the "Jalopy" are startling.

And there are more - maybe.

There were a number of B-17s and other warbirds which were obtained from the War Assets Administration and found there way to towns and cities across the US for use by schools, scout troops, colleges and schools. A very small number survive. This is why I said something in the "Globe" article about not being too hasty to judge the Joplin War Dads for getting rid of the Jalopy so quickly. They were not alone. Attitudes may have been different. See the movie "The Best Years of our Lives" (1946 - 8 Oscars!) and you get a sense that many people at the time wanted to move on, not to wallow in nostalgia. Now of course we would like to recognise those who served for their contribution. I think this is where i came in...

How many people?

2006-01-23T16:11:00.000-06:00

I checked my records today - I have an Excel Spreadsheet listing all the crews and the targets they flew against for all the Jalopy's 66 missions.

It would seem that the Jalopy was flown by 29 different crews. Some flew for only 1 mission. The greatest number of missions flown by any crew was 6 - two different crews flew her for 6 missions.

Assuming an average crew of 10 (sometimes more, sometimes less) that means that 290 different souls flew on the Jalopy on combat operations. This doesn't include people like Ronnie Hall and his ATC mates and anyone else who flew it on tests.

And of these 290 people, only one was killed in the Jalopy in combat.

Different War...

2006-01-23T16:07:00.000-06:00

Andy Ostmeyer sent me this interesting e-mail from a soldier in Iraq. He's e-mailed them back asking for a picture.

"I think it is so funny that during another war there was a vehicle called the Joplin Jalopy. I am currently in Iraq and my unit named my vehicle the Joplin Jalopy, I call it JJ for short."

Louis Wimsatt

2006-01-22T14:23:00.000-06:00

My attention was drawn to this obituary in the Washington Post - Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - I have not quoted the obituary in full - the link to the full article is here

Louis Wimsatt; World War II Pilot

"Louis Johnson Wimsatt, 83, a World War II bomber pilot and the former co-owner of a Washington lumber company, died Jan. 1 at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington.

He attended Georgetown University for three years before enlisting in the Army Air Forces during World War II. He was the pilot of a B-24 Liberator with the 506th Bomb Squadron of the 44th Bomb Group in Europe.

His wartime exploits, according to one of his sons, included an emergency landing for repairs in Reims, France. When it came time to leave, he could barely get the aircraft aloft after his crew had loaded it with cases of champagne.

He flew 35 bombing missions over Europe and provided air support during the Battle of the Bulge. He was discharged as a first lieutenant and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and four awards of the Air Medal".

Louis Wimsatt flew two missions as captain of the Joplin Jalopy

11/26/1944 - Target Bielefeld, Germany (Group Mission # 258)
11/27/1944 - Target Offenburg, Germany (Group Mission # 259)

Requiescat in Pace

Thank you Andy Ostmeyer

2006-01-22T14:14:00.000-06:00

The Joplin Globe ran an article on the Jalopy today, written by Andy Ostmeyer

Joplin Globe Story

It's pretty impressive - Andy did a great deal of work in a short time, including listening to me rambling for an hour or so. If you ever read this blog, Andy, thanks very much! There should be a separate email comng to you.

Work to be done (2)

2006-01-20T14:37:00.000-06:00

There are still several things to be done, or which I'd like to find out:

Jalopy Pictures

Picture of the port (left) side of the nose - there are conflicting opinions about the existence of a cartoon character (Snuffy Smith has been suggested) appearing on the port side of the nose. Jerry Folsom told me when he flew the Jalopy there was only the name on the starboard (right) side. Maybe Murwin Mosler took a photo of the port side in 1946 at the Joplin Airport which would confirm if the nose was further embellished.
Was a bomb log painted anywhere?
Any pictures of the whole of the plane showing group and squadron markings. On one of the Mosler photographs you can just see the vertical black stripe on the fin (signifying the 44th Bomb Group) and also the individual letter "Bar-O" ("O" with a horizontal line over it) which was the Jalopy's Squadron Identity. If you imagine really hard you can also see the 506th squadron code letters "GJ" but they're hidden by the starboard wing and the crowds.

Wonderful discovery

2006-01-20T14:06:00.000-06:00

I just found a terrific website while looking for a better map of Shipdham for the "details" section

http://8thcontrails.com/ipw-web/gallery/8th-Bases
8th AF Bases in East Anglia by Mark E. Brotherton

Photos of all the 8th Air Force bases in East Anglia taken by an Active Duty Air Force Chief Master Sergeant. All inputs, suggestions, comments welcomed! Over 2000 photos The photos are arranged in photo 'albums' by base to make viewing easier.

There are some interesting Shipdham pictures in the relevant album:
http://8thcontrails.com/ipw-web/gallery/album23

Work to be done (1)

2006-01-19T10:44:00.000-06:00

1. I've requested a copy of the Jalopy's Individual Aircraft Record Card (IARC) from the National Air and Space Museum archive. There seem to be a couple of different ways to get IARCs and this was the first one I found.
When I have this, I will be able to find out a couple of other facts including:

When the plane was delivered to the USAAF
What bases it travelled through on its way to England
What bases it travelled through on its way to Altus, OK

2. I'm still interested to find out how the City of Joplin named the plane. I know that this became possible when the City raised $300,000 value in Category 'E' War Bonds (what's a Category 'E' War Bond?)

3. It'd be interesting to know how someone from Joplin found the plane in Altus and made arrangements for the local Civil Air Patrol to fly it back to Joplin. There must have been some degree of preparation because you don't just settle the bill with the WAA, hop into your new B-24, fire it up and take off. It had been sitting in the weeds in Altus since June 1945 - it wasn't back to Joplin until August 1946. You wouldn't drive a car which had been sitting in a field for a year without checking it over. (!)

4. The archives of the Joplin Globe mentions a couple of arrests (around January/February 1947) after thefts of major items from the Jalopy but doesn't go into specifics. I don't want to confront anyone with a 60-year old crime but the Police or court records might be interesting

5. Herbert Davis in his 1984 Globe article appealed for any items which may have been stolen from the Jalopy to be donated to the Joplin Historical Museum. I don't expect this happened but I wonder if anyone out there does have a piece of the Jalopy in their barn / shed and isn't aware of the fact?

Helpful People

2006-01-19T08:49:00.000-06:00

I had a terrific response from several sources:

The 44th Bomb Group Veterans Association who provided a complete list of the missions the Jalopy flew between July 1944 and April 1945, and which crew flew it on each occasion. They also said "Oh, by the way, our past president was co-pilot on the Jalopy"
Mr. Gerald W. "Jerry" Folsom emailed me and also mailed some very intersting material, incuding a picture of himself, pilot George Beiber and the rest of the crew standing in front of the Jalopy on what looked like a very wet day (well, it was Autumn / Winter 1944!) at Shipdham airfield

The Post Memorial Art Reference Library in Joplin and its Librarian, Leslie Simpson - local author and pillar of the community

The Joplin Public Library (did I say once upon a time I worked there?)

The Joplin Globe, particularly in the shape of Andy Ostmeyer whose energy has given this project something of a kick. Debby Woodin (who Andy tells me is still working at the Globe) gets a vote of thanks from me for her 1984 "Jalopy" article featuring the late Herbert W. Davis - who came back to his hometown to carry out some research on the "Jalopy" on behalf of the 8th Air Force Historical Society.

I hope to make contact with other people and organisations locally and see what other information is out there. I've therefore created a specific email address for contact about the "Jalopy" for Blog readers, it is

This is not a live link because I don't want to receive a heap of spam. My apologies if you were expecting to click on it and have your email client open up.

Research Procedures - a personal note

2006-01-18T11:05:00.000-06:00

There's one thing you may need to know about me which might explain some of the things I do. I'm a Librarian by training. I've been a librarian for the last 25 years except in those times when I've been out of work or pursuing my other interest in computing and was actually employed to help people with computer issues.

I was never a fan of local history when I was younger. I was never enthused by history at school. Then one of the teachers had the foresight to take me on an archaeological dig in my hometown in England (oh yes, did I tell you I'm English? - I'm from Rochester in Kent - about 25 miles SE of London) and things changed. I am now one of those people who gets a buzz from things which were "there" at times in history. Rochester is a town full of history (old Roman town, Norman Castle, Cathedral going back to the Dark Ages - literally. Even my School had it origins in the 18th century) and sometimes people like me took (and take) it for granted.

You can see where this is going - the moment someone says "I need to find out something that happened in (town) at (time)" I think - "Is there a library there I can ask ?" This is actually a good place to start. I would say that, of course since I *am* a librarian (when I'm not trying to convince people I'm a systems manager or PC Technician, which I also do)

I'm one of those people who knows that just because you read something in a newspaper or on (hushed whisper) the Internet it's not automatically right. It's not "right" if you've seen it on the TV or even read it in a book. If you want information, you have to gather as much of it as you can from as many different places and then try to make sense of what there is. Asking Librarians is always a good thing because we are (allegedly in some cases) trained to be able to find things.

However, a quick run through Google is never a bad thing. Just make sure you look through more than the first couple of pages.

The "Jalopy" in Joplin

2006-01-18T10:56:00.000-06:00

Here's what we know of the "Jalopy" in and after the war.

The "Jalopy"was flown back to the USA on May 31st 1945 - arriving in Bradley Army Air Field (Connecticut). It was intended that the 44th Bomb Group was to be retrained to fly the Boeing B-29 and serve in the Pacific. After VJ-Day the "Jalopy" and many other B-17s and B-24s were taken off the USAAF inventory and passed to the Reclamation Finance Corporation (later the War Assets Administration). The "Jalopy" was flown to the recently deactivated Altus Army Air Field (Oklahoma), where it sat with 2600 other warplanes waiting to be turned into aluminium ingots.

Sometime in 1945 or 1946 somebody in Joplin must have become aware that the "Jalopy" was sitting in Altus waiting for the scrapman's torch and the smelter. The Joplin War Dads had the idea to bring the plane back to Joplin to act as a museum / memorial and planned to include it in the proposed Joplin Museum on Schifferdecker Avenue.

The "Jalopy" was flown back to Joplin on Sunday, 11th August 1946. Its return was photographed by Murwin Mosler and some of his photos appeared in the Joplin Globe on August 13th.

Sadly, the money needed to house a bomber with a wingspan of 110 feet and a length of 60 feet was not forthcoming. The bomber sat at the airport and was prey to thieves, souvenir hunters and vandals. The state of the bomber declined rapidly and in February 1947 (I think) a committee met to decide the fate of the "Jalopy". It was unfortunate, but the plane was becoming a danger as well as an embarrassment. The plane was broken up for scrap and hauled off to a smelter in Kansas City. The "Jalopy" had gained an extension of 6 months in its short life.