Finding Father

I was cleaning up some files on my computer and going through folders sort of like going through my dresser and getting rid of things I don't need. I really need to do that with my house too. While going through a folder named "Army Air Force" I found some wonderful pictures of WWII that I had collected from the Internet. I was hoping to find out more about my father's service to our country. I thought I would up-load them here and hope that they might bring back memories or maybe a comment. I don't have all the links to the pictures so if someone finds their photo here and doesn't like it please let me know and I'll take it down. They will be treated with the greatest respect.

Here is a Web site that has info on the 7th Bombardment Group, 436th Bombardment Squadron: "7th Bombardment Group(H) Historical Foundation"
http://www.7thbg.org/Hist.htm

Here is a really good Web site that has a lot of information about where my father went during the war. http://www.7bwb-36assn.org/436hist.html

I found a map that showed where all the different groups were stationed during the war. Hopefully I got all that right. I know very little of the war and I apologize to all those who served, were killed, or injured. I had first made this blog to honor my father who served as a mechanic who worked on the airplanes during the war and after the war. He became a supervisor at a very large Air Force Base and was not liked by those he was in charge of. He made them do their job right. He inspected everyone's work and if it was not perfect he made them start all over. He told them that other people's lives were in their hands and they would do the job right or nothing.

The first photo is the map.

Below is some research a wonderful family member did for me about my father's service. He also made me a book about my father's service. It's really nice. Thanks Harvey.

Your father departed the states for Hickham Field
Hawaii on January 12, 1942 and was assigned to the
88th Reconnaissance Squadron - renamed the 436 Bomb
Squadron on Apr 12, 1942

Departed states Jan 12, 1942 and arrived APT
(Asian-Pacific Theater) Mar 12, 1942 that
was when he got to India. The military move many
many troupes overseas around this time and didn't keep
the best of records.

We were a run down military that just got attacked
and there was much confusion. The 88th was now awaiting
new orders on what
to do and where to go. In the mean time they were
doing anything they could to protect America.

Following is the history that cleared it up.

The 88th Reconnaissance Squadron was at Ft.
Douglas Utah for training in the B-17 when on
December 5 1941 they departed, with the 7th Bomb
Group, for the Philippines with 35 Boeing B-17
bombers. Arriving in San Francisco the group flew to
Hamilton Field and departed the next night, December
7 for Hickam Field, Hawaii. The bombers arrived on
December 7 during the Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor. A number of the group planes were lust to
the Japanese aircraft because they were unarmed at
the time. It was impossible for the aircraft to
remain for repairs at the bomb shattered Hickam
Field, so the 7th Bomb Group with its aircraft
departed for Australia leaving the 88th behind for
patrol duty.

On February 10, 1942 the 88th and it B-17s flew to
Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands and set up operations.
The squadron left Fiji on February 18 arriving at
Townsville, Australia on Feb 20, 1942. The 88th
joined up with the 7th Bomb Group at Townsville then
moved to Karachi India on March 12, 1942.

Your father was station at Hawaii, Fiji Island,
Australia and Karachi, Allahabad, Gaya, Bishnupur,
Panagarh, Madhaiganj and Tezgaon India during his
overseas tour.

I found a time line that seems to correspond to when and where my father served.

http://www.7bwb-36assn.org/436hist.html
Brisbane, Australia 22 December 1941 - 4 February 1942
(Operated from Hickam Field, Hawaii,

7 December 1941 - 10 February 1942;

Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands, 12-17

February 1942; Townsville, Australia,

20 February 1942 - 14 March 1942)

Karachi, India 12 March 1942 - 31 May 1942

Alahabad, India 1 June 1942 - 13 November 1942

Gaya, India 14 November 1542 - 24 February 1943

Bishnupur, India 25 February 1943 - 24 September 1943

Panagarb, India 25 September 1943 - 12 December 1943

Madhaiganj, India 13 December 1943 - 13 June 1944

Tezgaon, India 14 June 1944 - 5 October 1944

Below is a picture of an air base in Karachi. I wondered if my father was in that hanger? This is one of the pictures I used to make the header of this blog.

I found another file that is named Operation Java Campaign. I thought it was very interesting because it is a WWII document.

I know my father was in Australia during the war. He always wanted to go back there to live after the war. Never happened. The closest he got was a trip to Hawaii to see his new born grandson when my brother was stationed there during the Vietnam War.

The next photo is of the PX at Karachi Air Base.

I have looked for my father's face in a lot of old photos from that time and place but haven't found him. The people who got their picture taken the most were the pilots and crews. They were the one's in harms way. My mother told me a story about the war that involves my father. The bombers ran out of bombs and they were taking a beating. My father and others loaded the planes with bricks to use instead of bombs. Their commanding officer knew of it and told them not to do it, but he turned his back and acted like he didn't see a thing. The planes took off carrying bricks and unloaded them on the enemy. That's all of the story my mother could remember. I would love to hear the rest of the story if anyone out there knows it.

This picture is called, "Unloading F-4s Karachi, India 1942".

Photos of my father during the war.

Photos of his father during WWI