Pre-Mission Briefing
Somewhere in England Air Crew Woken for D-Day MissionNote: How close beds are together. Personal effects tied to end of bed. Cities they’ve hit painted on back wall. Shoes under bed. One man already…
Charge of Quarters waking Crew for the Day’s Bombing MissionNote: Not 44th BG
Kiel Mission Preparations
Airmen ready with mission gear
Airmen ready for mission with flying gear
Airmen waiting for the trucks to take them to their aircraft, early 1943
Crews getting ready before first Kiel Mission
Crews board trucks to their hardstands,
Back of 2.5 Ton Truck; Carl Hall, Ed Cisinski, Calvin Brown, Shipdham
AC 61-24282 Y Bar, 506th Squadron, Ruthless, Shipdham
Iron Corset having gas tanks filled for mission
68th Squadron A/C loaded with drop tanks
Airmen prepare for mission on hardstand
Tech Sgt. Booth cleans the glass on the tail turret plexiglas of "Three Kisses for Luck"
68th squadron airmen and ground crews stand around the landing gear of a B-24
Ursel Harvell talks with Tech Sgt Tewksbury before a missionThe pair stand before 42-50766 D, 506th Squadron
Crew of Lemondrop standing on their hardstand in flying clothes
"Sack Artist" parked on its hardstand before a missionAircrew surrounding at the start of a mission
Southern Comfort's crew huddled around the bomber
506th Squadron bomber "Ruthless" is prepared for mission
Aircrew stands in flying gear on hardstand beside B-24 - beside bombs on the grass
Bomber prepared for mission
Spagnola crew waits for takeoff on hardstand
Airmen in sheepskins on a hardstand in front of Lemondrop
Airman holds .50 caliber machine gun
67th Squadron airmen prepare for mission
Bill McCoy Pilot with Another Airman in front of B24 for Mission, KIA February 1943, 66 Squadron
68th Squadron, Airmen on Top of B-24 Top Turret, Fuselage. "O" in Background
"Lil Cookie" #42-7552
Sam Crawford ,Ed Lawrence and Albert Dimebacher lounged on their hardstand before a mission
Airmen lounge on hardstand before missionSam Crawford, Ed Lawrence and Albert Dimebacher
Mission preparation
Ruthless on the ground. Airmen inspecting gear on the hardstand.
66 Bomb Squadron, Flight Crew Hodges and Leon Johnson on Hardstand Before or After a Mission
8 Unknown Airmen Kneeling, Chaplain Praying Before Mission, Engine and Wing in Background
Johnny Mueller, Robert Iverson, R Westlake, Ground Crewmen Sitting on Jeep at Shipdham
Captain Bill Brandon's Crew on Hardstand Sleeping, Lounging, Waiting for Mission to Start
Final Check of Personal Equipment and Review of Key Points from BriefingNotes: Bomb Group and date not noted. Nose covered in tarpaulin to keep Plexiglas clear of frost that could obscure pilot ’s vision. Notice still dark…
379th BG Study Map of Target Area Before Mission on HardstandNotes: 1/20/44. Note size of map. Harness around legs.
8th AF Base – 2 Crew Hold Last Minute Briefing Before Mission on Hardstand Notes: April 1944. Boots strapped to chute. Oxygen tube/mask hanging off face. Looking at Maps and photos. Can see rubber mask on left man. On…
Final Check Equipment Before Mission 8th AF
Lt C Thompson, Navigator, At Shipdham Ready for Mission
Grimes working on His Map, Leaned against Fuselage of B-24 Before? Mission
Griffin of 66th Squadron, Dressed for Mission, Perched on B-24
Brandon Crew on Hardstand, Shipdham, Waiting for Mission Go
Aircrew talking to ground crew, thought to be 67th men because of location of woods near hardstand (called the moat)
Ground crew and airmen kill time after a mission is delayed
68th Squadron Living Site - airman holds .50 cal gun
Airmen prepare for a mission - gear litter the ground
Crew surround a B-24 on its hardstand
Ground crew pull the pros through
Kramer on top of bomber