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Bill writes about: Operation Varsity, Rhine River

Mar22
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2nd LT Robert L. Schanen

Lt. Robert L. Schanen, Navigator of “Ascend Charlie”

Yesterday, I received this email from the relative of the navigator on Ascend Charlie's final mission. Ascend Charlie was a B-17 Flying Fortress (tail #42-5903) from the 390th Bomb Group, 571st Bomb Squadron. You can read my full article on "Ascend Charlie's" last mission here.. Dear Mr. Beigel, I just want to thank you for the piece you wrote about the "Ascend Charlie'" crash. Lt. Schanen was my grandmother's cousin and she speaks so fondly of him. I had always known he was killed in...
Oct08
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41 Basset Ave 1945 1
41 Basset Ave 1945 1
41 Basset Ave 1945 1
41 Basset Ave 1945 1
41 Basset Ave 1945 1
41 Basset Ave 1945 1

“How am I to know?”

"How am I to know?" is the ironic caption on William Hummer’s yearbook photo from Dover High School, class of 1941. William “Bill” Minton Hummer was killed in Operation Varsity in WWII at the age of 22. He was a stand-in for a regular crew member on an extremely dangerous mission, dropping supplies at tree-level to troops in heavy fighting in Germany just before the end of the war. According to the 44th Bomb Group historian, due to the risk of friendly-fire accidents, the B-24s on...
Oct08
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Leonard J. Crandell 44th BG 67th BS
Leonard J. Crandell 44th BG 67th BS
Leonard J. Crandell 44th BG 67th BS
Leonard J. Crandell 44th BG 67th BS
Leonard J. Crandell 44th BG 67th BS
Leonard J. Crandell 44th BG 67th BS
Leonard J. Crandell 44th BG 67th BS

2nd Lt. William M. Hummer of Mine Hill, New Jersey

2nd LT William M. Hummer, born Nov. 3, 1923 in Dover, NJ, was the son of John W. and Beatrice V. Hummer, living at Basset Avenue in Mine Hill.  He was a very active youth, as his Physical Examination for Flying medical report shows.  In 1939, he broke his right clavicle playing football.  In 1940, he broke his left leg playing baseball, and in 1941, he broke his jaw wrestling. He entered the Air Corps July 22, 1944, and was assigned to the 67th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group, based in...
Aug24
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20f8750f1b7b578b195f7224768eb362
20f8750f1b7b578b195f7224768eb362
20f8750f1b7b578b195f7224768eb362

The Quiet Edition – Research Tour Travelog

On US Highway 34 west bound from McCook, NE. Past the Frenchman Valley Co-Op Silo. Rail cars on the left of me, cornfields to the right, black clouds up ahead. There are dozens and dozens of flag poles at the Culbertson NE cemetery.  Each one has at least one small metal plaque attached, bearing the name of a veteran from the area, the year he was born, and the year he died. There is a headstone for SGT Harold L. Propp, of the 680th Glider Field Artillery Battalion. He was killed in...

  • Captain Norman L. Aigner: An Ordinary Guy

    Thank you for your comment! Please tell us a little more about your inquiry at this link https://www.ww2research.com/contact/ and we'll be in touch. Best - Bill Beigel

  • From Panatella to Ploesti

    Great blog. My late father was a bombardier based out of Panatella. His plane was Jackpine Joe. Worked Ploesti and Germany. See Jackpinejoe.com

  • Wee Willie and the photo that started it all

    My father was Paul D Jessop, he spoke of your Grandfather a lot. My father passed away in 2011 .

  • Captain Norman L. Aigner: An Ordinary Guy

    I'm trying to find out about a veteran who was with the 3rd Infantry under Patton. The only info I have is a basic training image has the unit flag: RTC 207C Infantry Name: James Anderson Foster Jr from NC

  • The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)

    Hi Bill, Thanks for putting this together. My grand uncle, 2nd Lt. Robert L. Woolfolk attended UCLA and I believe he graduated in 1936. He was on the waterpolo team. He was a bombardier in the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group and his aircraft "Decatur Deb" was shot down on May 28, 1944. He and six others perished while three were able bail out and became POWs. This is written up the in the book "Bloody Skies: U.S. Eighth Air Force Battle Damage in World War II." There is a B-17G tail gunner's compartment on display at the 390th Bomb Group Memorial Museum, which is dedicated to this crew. Regards, Nick Veronico

  • Bill’s WW2 Almanac for January 21: Featuring Col. Randy’s Flying Circus

    Hi! Randall Col Randy is actually my great grandfather and I was wandering if you ever new him? I am curious to know more about him.
8th air force ascend charlie Author Bill Beigel B-24 b-24 Liberator Bill Beigel fiction D-Day dday june 6 1944 MIA Missing in Action P-47 Thunderbolt P-51 Mustang POW war casualty research world war 2 casualties world war 2 research World War II WW2 WWII

Bill’s WWII Almanac

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