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Paul Bellamy
2/10/2009 2:40:56 PM | The US Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell-Gunter AFB in Alabama holds the USAAC, UAAF and USAF's historical documents.
Within their files are the historical records for all the units at Deenethorpe, on microfilm. These are available via AFHRA and NARA.
I'm slowly working through their index, and will make a spreadsheet for each unit which I can e-mail to whoever wants it.
NOTE: These are the file numbers required to order copies I'm recording, not the actual files themselves.
Completed:
401st Bomb Group, 29 files:
Group History by month; April 1943 - June 1945
Form 34's (Weekly Status and Operations Reports); November 1943 - April 1944
Monthly Operations Reports; January - April 1945
Group Medical Department History; April 1943 - May 1945
Monthly Inventory Reports, Aircraft and Engines; April 1943 - May 1945
Combat Report; 24th August 1944
612th Bomb Sqdn, 10 files:
Squadron History by month; April 1943- June 1945
Combat reports; November 1944
613th Bomb Sqdn, 18 files:
Squadron History by month; April 1943- May 1945
614th Bomb Sqdn, 17 files:
Squadron History by month; April 1943- May 1945
615th Bomb Sqdn, 18 files:
Squadron History by month; October 1943- May 1945
Operational history and combat reports
450th Sub Depot, 14 files:
18 Nov 1943 to March 1944, April 44, May 44, June 44, July 44, Aug 44, Sept 44, Oct 44, Nov 44, Dec 44, Jan 45, Feb 45, March 45, 1-15 April 45
Control Tower Logs, 3 files:
Volume 1: 10-14-1944 to 09-06-1944
Volume 2: 09-06-1944 to 02-01-1945
Volume 3: 02-01-1945 to 03-06-1945
78th Station Compliment Squadron, 1 file:
Unit History June 1943 - April 1945
1597th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Company, 1 file:
Unit History February 1943 - April 1945
1199th MP Company, 2 files:
Unit History March 1943 - April 1945
Detachment "A" History February - November 1944
1209th Quartermaster Company, 1 file:
Unit History November 1943 - April 1945
431st Air Service Group, 2 files:
Unit Histories April-May 1945 and June -August 1945
857th Air Engineering Squadron, 1 file:
Unit History April - May 1945
681st Air Material Sqdn, 1 file:
Unit History May 1945
119th Army Postal Unit:
No files prior to August 1945
251st Medical Dispensary, 4 files:
Sept 44 - Jan 45, Dec 44, Jan 45, Feb 45
2095th Fire Fighting Platoon, 4 files:
Unit History April 44 - April 45, Monthly Reports Dec 44, Feb 45, Mar 45.
202nd Finance Section, 2 files:
Unit History.
2966th (Provisional) Finance Detachment:
No individual detachment records on file.
18th Weather Squadron, Detatchment 128:
No individual detachment records on file.
861st Chemical Company, 13 files:
History and reports April 42 - July 45.
In Progress:
379th Service Squadron: On hold pending further investigation.
860th Chemical Company: On hold
TTFN,
Paul
Last update: 5th March 2010 21.17hrs GMT
Paul Bellamy
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win-win
2/11/2009 4:39:12 PM | Hi Paul:
Great list. 2-Things:
1. AFHRA records: I understand AFHRA microfilm records are now available on CD. I'd like to hear what purchasers think of (their) AFHRA CDs. I think Don Byers has 'sampled' them, and CDs sure would be more convenient and 'searchable' (than AFHRA 16mm microfilm rolls - who has 16mm readers except some libraries), but 1-roll of microfilm may contain more than a CD. Anyone familiar with these?
2. 401st Units: Are there any records for, or Unit ID, for whoever took personnel and crew photos at Deenethorpe?
By the way, have you been able to go tobogganing or snow-boarding around you house recently? A snow-ball fight, at least?
Win Bryson
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donaldbyers
2/11/2009 4:56:18 PM | I have each squadron's Data on CD. And contains good info from 1944-1945 for load lists. If you want to track someone from the time they first got to Station 128 and who they flew with you can do so with the CD. It however, doesn't show the aircraft flown just dates flown. When I got the Mission Report from NARA the sheet was different and showed the aircraft that was being flown but these were all hand entry not typed as you will find in the CD.
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Paul Bellamy
2/11/2009 6:19:45 PM | "win-win":
Hi Paul:
Great list. 2-Things:
1. AFHRA records: I understand AFHRA microfilm records are now available on CD. I'd like to hear what purchasers think of (their) AFHRA CDs. I think Don Byers has 'sampled' them, and CDs sure would be more convenient and 'searchable' (than AFHRA 16mm microfilm rolls - who has 16mm readers except some libraries), but 1-roll of microfilm may contain more than a CD. Anyone familiar with these?
2. 401st Units: Are there any records for, or Unit ID, for whoever took personnel and crew photos at Deenethorpe?
By the way, have you been able to go tobogganing or snow-boarding around you house recently? A snow-ball fight, at least?
Win Bryson
Hi Win,
1: Pass. I've no idea.
2: The Official photos taken at Deenethorpe should have been taken or processed by the Photo Lab, at the southern end of the Motor Transport yard behind Hangar 1. I'm not sure how things worked at Deenethorpe, but the Photo Section usually came under the auspices of the Station Compliment Squadron, along with running the Control Tower and other day-to-day tasks.
Snow: I've only been able to get out of the village on foot for the last 10 days, and the 4" of slush remaining is now frozen solid. I did manage to build two snowmen though, my first in nearly 20 years. 😉
TTFN,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
3/14/2009 9:56:53 AM | List updated to include:
401st Bomb Group
612th Bomb Squadron
613th Bomb Squadron
78th Station Complement Squadron
1597th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Company
1199th MP Company
1209th Quartermaster Company
Also of potential research interest:
Iris No. 00090195:
401BG(H)
GP-401-SU-RE (BOMB)
MONTHLY INVENTORY REPORTS OF AIRCRAFT AND ENGINES
11-01-1943 to 31-05-1945.
TTFN,
PB
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
3/28/2009 3:51:01 PM | List updated to include:
431st Air Service Group: Unit Histories 15th April-May 1945 and June-August 1945
681st Air Material Squadron: Unit History May 1945
857th Air Engineering Squadron: Unit History 15th April - May 1945
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
9/30/2009 3:05:03 PM | More updates and additions.
TTFN,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
3/5/2010 3:24:23 PM | List updated to cover:
861 Chemical Company
202 Finance Section
2966 Finance Detachment
18 Weather Squadron, Detachment 128
2095 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)
379 Service Squadron........
The detailed monthly records of this unit from it's arrival in the UK, to it's eventual movement to mainland Europe, strongly indicate it was attached to the 9AF for the entire period of it's overseas service. I can find no reference in them to any attachment to Deenethorpe, so at present I'm not adding the entries to the index.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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MaryAlice
3/5/2010 3:41:25 PM | WOW!
2 questions:
Did not see any "finished results" on teh 615th, so...
#1)Did I miss it, or are you still working on it?
#2)How can I get a copy of this?
Email? Mailed copy? CD? Etc...?
Thanks guys
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
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Paul Bellamy
3/5/2010 3:54:13 PM | #1)Did I miss it, or are you still working on it?
Currently still in progress, might have the numbers by the end of the weekend.
#2)How can I get a copy of this?
The list I'm compiling is an index of records of the 401BG and its attached and subordinate units that are held at the US Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Montgomery, Alabama.
Within their files are the historical records for all the units at Deenethorpe, on microfilm.
These are the file numbers required to order copies of the records from either AFHRA or NARA.
PM me your e-mail address and I'll send you a copy of the current index spreadsheet.
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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MaryAlice
3/6/2010 9:03:01 AM | "Paul Bellamy":
#1)Did I miss it, or are you still working on it?
Currently still in progress, might have the numbers by the end of the weekend.
#2)How can I get a copy of this?
The list I'm compiling is an index of records of the 401BG and its attached and subordinate units that are held at the US Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Montgomery, Alabama.
Within their files are the historical records for all the units at Deenethorpe, on microfilm.
These are the file numbers required to order copies of the records from either AFHRA or NARA.
PM me your e-mail address and I'll send you a copy of the current index spreadsheet.
Paul
OK thanks Paul.
Will send you a PM on Monday from work computer (again, home computer does not allow me to PM on this board), thanks!
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
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Paul Bellamy
3/6/2010 11:36:06 AM | List updated to cover:
614th Bomb Squadron
615th Bomb Squadron
With the exception of a few records of the 860th Chemical Company before they were reassigned, that's the lot done. 😃
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
3/7/2010 8:42:59 AM | Now the index is complete (or as complete as it's likely to get) the number-crunching can begin.
I'm led to believe that one of the things that ordering files from AFHRA entails is that if you want more than a few files from one microfilm reel, you have to buy the entire reel.
If the records of the unit you're researching go onto the next reel, you have to buy that one too. However, if you're lucky the second reel also includes other files of interest.
One of the primary reasons for compiling the index was to see what reels the 401st's records cover, and if there was any overlap.
It turns out that the files are spread over seventeen reels of microfilm, although some reels only contain a single entry.
For example, Reels 684 and 684 contain all the four squadrons' histories across 61 files, so copies of the entire reels would likely cost less than the individual files.
Conversely, Reel 350 holds the unit histories for Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Companies (Aviation) 1540 to 1600, there being a single file for our 1597th OS&M Coy.
In this instance it would be more economical to order the individual file than the entire reel.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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MaryAlice
3/7/2010 9:07:05 AM | "Paul Bellamy":
List updated to cover:
614th Bomb Squadron
615th Bomb Squadron
With the exception of a few records of the 860th Chemical Company before they were reassigned, that's the lot done. 😃
All the best,
Paul
Cool. Thanks for all tht you do Paul! I will send you a PM tomorrow from my work computer. VERY interested in this...
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
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Jackie Sharp Sheflin
3/7/2010 5:37:37 PM | Ok guys...can someone tell me where you can order these CD's...I would like one for the 613th.
Jackie
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Paul Bellamy
4/21/2010 5:50:01 PM | To see exactly what we'd likely be getting on the microfilm/CDs, I've ordered one off my own bat.
This one covers, amongst other things, the 8AF Combat Crew Gunnery School at Snettisham, usually called simply "The Wash" by those sent there for training or refresher courses.
When it arrives I'll report back.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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donaldbyers
4/21/2010 5:52:15 PM | I am trying to get the 401st BG to purchase all of these CD. And Paul I am led to believe they are all on CD correct? And I am going from the information that you sent Art Seader.
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Paul Bellamy
5/20/2011 11:14:12 AM | Now most of the files are in, here's a little gem from the 614th Squadron's records from 1945:
And the reply from Group HQ:
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Josie
5/20/2011 10:57:47 PM | Loved it Paul! 😂 Thanks for sharing. Great to see such fun and creative communication at such a challenging time.
Josie
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diddington 1
7/30/2011 12:25:25 PM | Hi Paul,
I hope you can help.Next year we will be hosting the 70th anniversary of the 2nd evacuation Hospital here in Diddington. We are located just south of Huntingdon off the A1. On the 5th April 1943 a Staff SGT called Harold Litke was injured on a bombing raid to Antwerp. He was with the 401st, A/C 437 which we believe is the "Franks Nightmare. S/SGT was awarded the purple heart on the 6th April 43 at the hospital here in Diddington and Passed away on the 8th April 43 from his injuries. We would like to include him in our memorial would you have any infomation? or be able to point me in the right direction. I have the rest of the crews names but infomation on 1943 outside of dailies is difficult to find.
Lorraine
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Paul Bellamy
7/30/2011 2:03:58 PM | Hi Lorraine,
S/Sgt Litke was with the 401st Bomb Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group stationed not far from Diddington at Bassingbourn, rather than the 401st Bomb Group at Deenethorpe which didn't start flying combat missions until November 1943.
I'll check what 91BG info I have and contact you directly.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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