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Jackie Sharp Sheflin
2/27/2012 8:07:16 PM | I hope I made a good decision tonight..I was browsing Ebay and found a vintage photo of Kingman Dome and the planes pretty much in tact that was featured in Life Magazine of what is supposed to be the 401st Bomb Group. The black and white picture is very hard to see but I decided to make an offer on it and I was able to purchase it.
The framed picture was previously owned by Lt Wally W. Wicks and it was noted that is was acquired from his estate. I would love for one of you guys who is so much smarter than I to tweak the picture and see just which of the plane numbers are recognizable. Was I crazy to take such a chance?(/b) I felt if it was indeed everything it should be and is in fact many planes from the 401st..it would answer questions about some of the planes.
Now I just need a volunteer to tweak the pictures and answer any questions we can.....(after I recieve it)
The following was the writeup on the photo:
~~This is for a Vintage Black and White Kodak "Photo from Life Magazine in 1946 - Remnants Of The Mighty Eighth!". It is in a frame. Photograph is marked "Abandoned Skeletons of What Was The World's Greatest Air Force Rest On The Arizona Desert At Old Kingman Field. These are mostly B-17S." (Kingman Army Airfield circa, 1941-1946)
The handwritten captions were written by the previous owner, Mr. Wallace W. Wicks sometime in the past.
He wrote:
1. "Here is B-17 Coded IN-B Which We Flew On Our 32nd Mission To Bomb Hagen Germany, March 10, 1945".
2. "Photo From Life Magazine In 1946 - Remnants Of The Mighty Eighth!"
This Photograph was aquired from the estate of a deceased WWII Hero. He flew the B-17 Flying Fortress as Co-Pilot, "1st Lt. Wally W. Wicks" of the 8th Air Force, 401st Bomb Group (H), Unit = 613th Bomb Squardron. He flew 42 bombing missions over Germany from Deenethorpe Airfield in England. The 42 missions were from Nov. 9, 1944 - March 19, 1945.
Photo's #11 and #12 are not in listing, not for sale. I wanted to show the provenance between the Life Magazine photograph and 1st Lt. Wallace Wayne Wicks, his crew and the 401st Bomb Group, 613th Bomb Squadron.
Photo #11 is not in listing, not for sale. It is a photograph of 1st Lt. Wallace Wayne Wicks dated, June 1945. War with Germany ended May 1945. WW II ended Sept. 1945.
Photo #12 is not in listing, not for sale. It is a web photo of the crew of 8th WWII Air Force , 401st Bomb Group (H) - Unit = 613th Bomb Squardon March 26,1945. I believe that Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Wally Wicks maybe the 2nd from the left back row and Pilot 1ST Lt. Scheller maybe the 3rd from the left back row.
*** Please see online at "401 bomb group" history for additional information about the 401 Bomb Group, 613th Bomb Squardon, 8th Airforce. ***
Please read below about Mr, Wallace Wayne Wicks:
Mr. Wicks graduated from Primrose High School in 1941. He served in the U. S. Army Air Forces during World War II as a B-17 pilot with the 613th Squadron, 401st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. He flew 42 combat missions over Germany and Occupied Europe, and was awarded 6 air medals and 3 battle stars. He served in the Air Force Reserve and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He attended the University of Nebraska before his service in the war, and after the war attended Iowa State University, graduating in 1949.
He enjoyed his membership in the 401st Bomb Group and, with his family, participated in many group reunions around the United States and in England. He was a member of the Reserve Officers Association, American Legion, 8th Air Force Historical Society, and Air Force Association.~~
Your comments or thoughts would be appreciated 🙂
Jackie
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Paul Bellamy
2/27/2012 8:55:37 PM | There are at least two 401st B-17s quickly visible in that Life photo of the salvage depot at Kingman.
This is the one in the foreground, which Mr Wicks labelled as his IN-B.
However, it may actually be IN-R 44-6146 "Little Cheezer".
The starboard wingtip looks darker than the rest of the wing, which could match the replacement one fited to Little Cheezer in this photo:
There is another 401st B-17 in the upper right quarter of the photo, but no identity can be read in the online version of the image:
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Jackie Sharp Sheflin
2/27/2012 9:25:03 PM | Paul,
Do you think it will be easier to identify others with the original?
Do you think it was worth taking a chance on? I would love to see if my fathers plane is among those in this photo too..his was the D Day Dottie from Lt McKeon's crew in the 613th....here is hoping someone will be able to see even more 401st planes.
Jackie
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Jackie Sharp Sheflin
2/28/2012 8:00:27 AM | Don, Rick or Ed,
I almost forgot to ask..I would like to make a copy of this once I receive it, but I would like to donate the original to the 401st if this is something you feel would be important enough.
Jackie
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Paul Bellamy
2/28/2012 9:08:15 AM | It was certainly worth picking up Jackie.
Whether or not the print quality is good enough to pull some more identities will have to be seen, but as an artifact itself with a direct asociation to a member of the 401st means it's not just any old page from a copy of Life. 🙂
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Jackie Sharp Sheflin
2/28/2012 10:20:48 AM | Paul,
Glad it was worth getting. I try to keep an eye out for things that might answer anything about the 401st, but usuallu I am too late. I look forward to seeing the original and checking the clarity of the photo.
Jackie
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donaldbyers
3/12/2012 1:32:40 PM | Jackie,
it was worth picking up. I was trying to search online to see if it was out there somewhere but didn't find another copy. I guess it is up to you as to what you want to do with it. I don't guess I spotted it before on Ebay or I would have tried for it myself for the Group.
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Paul Bellamy
3/12/2012 1:37:24 PM | Link to the online page from the 22 April 1946 edition of Life Magazine HERE.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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donaldbyers
3/12/2012 2:17:44 PM | Hey Thanks for that Paul,
I can't say there is much of a chance of seeing more than IN-R in the foreground in that photo. I would sure like to have been a boy walking though all of those aircraft then and getting photos...
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Jackie Sharp Sheflin
3/12/2012 5:07:13 PM | Don,
The copy I bought should be here any day and all I want is a copy of it and then want to donate it to the 401st. I believe all thing like this should be kept for the future.
Oh yes..I may not be a guy..but I would have really liked to have taken that walk myself! :?
Jackie
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donaldbyers
3/12/2012 6:12:49 PM | I've been there but they had all B-52's there now!!!
Paul thanks for the link to the photo that was good enough..
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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