*** This webpage was built on a
24" monitor. If your monitor is not the same size this page maybe be
distorted. ***
|
|
*** This webpage was built on a
24" monitor. If your monitor is not the same size this page maybe be
distorted. ***
|
|
|
SCUTTLEBUTT I haven’t heard from anyone! I am still hopeful that I will hear from
someone with their personal story. Please send your scuttlebutt or personal story
to Lisa Kirk If
you have moved or any of your contact information has changed, please
notify Lisa Kirk. See
contact information on Last page R.D. Carroll and Bob Sausen
have both been steady attendees at the reunions.
SQUADRON WEBSITES
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/
VPB-106 & VPB-102/14
https://members.tripod.com/~vpb_102
VPB-102/14
Facebook
VB-106 Wolverators
Facebook Navy Squadrons 106/102/14 Assn
Harold Warnimont’s (102) movie film during his tour is on You
Tube VP/VPB-102
Video, From Crew #9, July 44- May 45, HW ... Also, check out these websites for
information on our squadrons and members: www.VPNavy.org
www.NavyLog.org
“Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer” was a popular saying in
World War II. It was coined
to describe the harrowing return flight of the "All American,"
a B-17 that had had its tail section all but torn off during a bombing
mission over North Africa. Ralph
Burbridge made
that flight as bombardier with the crew assigned to the 97th Bombardment
Group, 414th Squadron, U.S. Eighth Air Force.
Flying from a base near Biskra, an oasis city in the Sahara
Desert in north-central Algeria, the 414th’s missions in early 1943
targeted German controlled Mediterranean seaports at Bizerte and Tunis,
Tunisia.
On February 1, 1943, the All American was part of a formation of
bombers attacking a German-controlled seaport. Braving heavy flak and
German fighters on the way in, the “All American” and her crew
managed to drop their bombs and were on their way back to base.
But “long after we
had left the target and having sustained more fighter attacks, we saw
two more [German Messerschmitts] climbing about two miles to our
right,” Burbridge recalls.
“They came in to
attack us, one of them directly at the nose of the lead ship and one at
our plane. I covered one coming at us with the [.30-caliber] front nose
gun and Harry (Nuessle, the navigator) covered the other plane with the
[.50-caliber] gun on the right side of the nose.”
Noting that he and Nuessle “were gunners when not doing our
other duties,” Burbridge says “between our own fire and fire from
the lead ship, we managed to hit the Jerry going after the lead ship. He
was last seen going down smoking off in the distance.”
The other fighter
kept coming toward them and “his wings looked as though they were
afire from his flaming guns.” When the German pilot was about 300
yards away he began a roll to pull down and away from the All American
after his attack. “But,”
Burbridge continues, “about halfway through his roll either my fire or
fire from the lead ship must have killed the pilot or disabled the
plane. He never completed his intended roll and rapid pass under our
ship.” “For
one horrible instant he was right there – inches in front and above
us. He passed over us with a distinctly audible swoosh,” over the roar
of the B-17’s Wright Cyclone engines, “followed by a tremendous jar
and a ‘whoomp.’” Bragg
quickly informed the crew that there was a hole in the rear and the side
of our ship. That Jerry plane had lopped off half of our tail section
completely off. The other half and the rudder looked like they would
shake loose at any moment. “Miraculously,”
says Burbridge, “none of the crew was hurt, but somewhere in the
shuffle the lead ship was lost.” The 10 men aboard his plane put their
parachutes on and got ready to jump in case the rest of the tail started
to break off. When
other crews saw that it was still airborne, “they put the crippled All
American in formation and stayed with us until we were out of enemy
territory,” while American fighters provided protection overhead.
Once beyond enemy
fighter range, the rest of the planes returned to base ahead of them.
Now flying alone, “it seemed like the trip back took 10 years but the
base wasn’t really that far. Somehow Kenny nursed the damaged plane
and got us home later than everyone else.”
Although the All American landed safely, its tail wheel wouldn’t go down and they skidded the last 100 yards. “I remember our ground crew had given us up so they were really glad to see us,” he says. “Our crew chief, the head mechanic, had tears in his eyes.” After the plane had stopped, the door was opened and the crew safely climbed out. An ambulance had been waved off as they landed because it wasn’t needed.
Other notable, unverified details: The fuselage had been cut almost completely through connected only at two small parts of the frame, there was a hole in the top that was over 16 feet long and 4 feet wide at its widest and the split in the fuselage went all the way to the top gunners turret, some pieces of the fighter were in the B-17, the left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator were completely torn away, the two right engines were out and one on the left had a serious oil pump leak, the vertical fin and the rudder had been damaged, the radios, electrical and oxygen systems were damaged, the tail gunner was trapped because there was no floor, connecting the tail to the rest of the plane, all the control cables were severed, the crew used parts of the German fighter and their parachutes in an attempt to keep the plane from splitting apart, they covered almost 70 miles to make the turn home. Navy
Squadrons 106/102/14 Association 27th Reunion - Portland, Oregon September
17 - 21, 2017 Our host hotel is a boutique
hotel, located right on the
Willamette River 1 ˝ miles south of downtown.
This hotel does not have a
complimentary breakfast nor an evening reception. Adjacent
to the hotel is the riverfront pathway to walk, run, or bike along the
water. Although no larger
shuttle is available, there is a Shuttle Car to take up to 5 to your
destination. The streetcar stop
is 2 blocks away. Check out TravelPortland.com
to help decide on things-to-do in your free time. Note:
There is NO state sales tax in Oregon.
This will save us some change on room charges,
restaurant tabs, the banquet, tours and any shopping you may feel
inclined to undertake. There is still
a hotel tax of 15.3% added to our room rates. We are gladly accepting donations to add special touches to the reunion. Please mail to Lisa Kirk.
0455
SW Hamilton Court, Portland, OR 97239 Aquariva
Restaurant – breakfast, lunch, dinner
The SPA at River’s Edge (503) 802-5800 Valet
parking: $25
Room Amenities: Refrigerator,
microwave upon request, hairdryer, safe, CD players
Complimentary: Morning
newspaper, use of 8 bikes, fitness club open 24 hours. RESERVATION
INFORMATION Group Blocked Rooms:
Check-in Sunday, 9/17,
4pm Check-out Thursday,
9/21, 12 noon Option
to upgrade your room: King
Riverside View $189 Suite:15% off best available rate
Reservations: (503) 802-5800 Deadline
is August 15, 2017 |
24
hour cancellation policy
Reservations:
(503) 802-5824 Jenene
Youngman Deadline
is August 15, 2017 |
24
hour cancellation policy Portland
Reunion Activities Schedule
Sunday: 4:00pm
- Hotel check-in
5:00pm - Registration in
Ready Room, Riverside Deluxe Suite
Monday: 8:30am
- Portland City Tour
Tuesday: 11:00am
- Luncheon Cruise
Wednesday: 8:30am
- Falls/River Gorge Tour
5:00pm
- Banquet Thursday: 12 noon - Hotel check-out
The Banquet will be held on-site at the Aquariva Restaurant. Hosted bar, dinner, music. $75
REGISTRATION FORM
(
)
I am unable to attend the Reunion. ( )
I am attending the Reunion. Please
send in scuttlebutt or any changes to Lisa Kirk.
Please read this form
carefully, complete all pertinent information, and keep a copy for yourself.
Make checks payable to:
Lisa Kirk
Mail registration &
check to: Lisa
Kirk | 4426 Maple Ave | La Mesa, CA 91941
Name____________________________________________________ Total # of people
registering for ______
first
last
first
last
first
last
first
last
*Check here (
) if you have additional guests and list on a separate piece of paper
attached to this form.
*Check here (
) if you have any special needs.
Indicate by circling or writing in.
Wheelchair only,
wheelchair transferable, food __________________________ , other
____________________
piece of paper attached to this registration form.
*I plan to arrive by:
( ) Air
( ) Car
( ) Train
( ) Bus
*I plan to rent a car:
( )
Yes (
) No **Hotel
parking is $25 valet per day
Complete
the following for all activities you plan to participate in (descriptions
are in
the Reunion
Activities).
cost
# of persons
extended total
1) Registration
fee – required for each attendee……...……... $20 X
________ =
$_________________
(programs, name tags, Ready Room & supplies, misc.)
2) Portland
City Tour………………………...……………
$45
X ________
= $_________________
3) Luncheon
Cruise..….………..…………..………..…....
$50
X ________
= $_________________
4) Falls/River
Gorge Tour……...…………………...…....
$50
X ________
= $_________________
5) Banquet
@ Aquariva Restaurant…………….…………
$75
X ________
= $_________________
- Tax, gratuity, entry fees, transportation, water
and snacks are included in the above costs. - The bus tours are private tours chartered for our
group. The luncheon cruise is
not private. -
Your timely registrations help me a lot!!!
The registration fees are needed for deposits due on activities.
MEMBERSHIP DUES Dues to cover the cost of the
newsletter printing and mailing were last collected in 2014.
Those funds will be depleted with the cost of this newsletter.
It is now time to send in your dues for future issues.
The newsletter comes out 3 times a year, usually February, June, and
October. Newsletter
via email If you currently receive the newsletter via email, you do not need to do anything since there is no cost involved. You will continue to receive the newsletters as you have been. Newsletter
via U.S. Postal Service Dues are $15 if you would
like to receive your copy of the newsletter via U.S.P.S.
Please fill out the
information below and make your $15 check payable to Lisa Kirk and
mail to:
Lisa
Kirk
- 4426 Maple
Avenue,
La Mesa, CA
91941 Name:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
(check one)
YOUR VOLUNTEERS
The
volunteers intend to represent the squadron members in the best way
possible.
Memoriam With sincere regrets we wish to report that since our last
newsletter we have received information that the following shipmates have
passed away. The great bond these
men had that tied them together with their squadron members can never be
broken. They served their country,
their squadron and their families in the highest tradition of the Navy.
May they rest in peace. VB/VPB/VP 106 VPB 102/14 Robert
‘R.D.’ Carroll 2/28/17 There
may be more of our members who have passed on *******AS ALWAYS YOUR NEWS, COMMENTS, UPDATES, ETC. ARE WELCOME*******
If you do not want any
future newsletters
Mailed to you Send your name and
address
|
![MP900422243[1]](images/wpeF.jpg)