Life for the Personnel
Home: another view of the 456th Bomb Group's airstrip. The aircraft can be plainly seen.
Life during war time anywhere would be a challenge, and what the 456th faced was certainly no less. There were some good times, like the mule race or the vino with your comrades in arms. And there was the horror of each mission and the tally of lives. But life went on and the missions were flown. And the war was won. Here are some snapshots that freeze time and let you peer into the past... If you have some to share, please contact the webmaster.
"Home" - canvas and crates, tin and wood. The stove/furnace was hammered out of ammo box tin and it burned avgas, metered one drop at a time onto a sandpile. It was not unusual to wake up at 0300 to a raucus commotion and smell the evidence of what one of these "furnaces" could do to canvas and wood...
Home Sweet Home for J. J. Walker's Crew of the 745th
L-R: Fred Sherwood, William Whitworth, Francis Davis, Forrest Beck, Harold Bern, Allen Miller, Don Talbert
Sgt. Joe Niess painting tent door for Crew 13, Frank Pufont poses near tent.
Sgt. Niess, who did much of the artwork around the 745th Squadron including the "Phoney Express II", went on to complete 50 missions as radio operator / waist gunner.
Two photos from the Joe Sline crew of the 744th.
The 744th Squadron relief station - gotta go?