Posted:
By: Jeff Aiken
On: 03/26/2003
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Don, 401st BG at large,
I just received your email and am including it here.
I have three footlockers full of things you seek. I did not state it in my message, but will now. The letters are to and from my four uncles who were serving in the Navy at the time. There are things in here beyond my fathers time in the 401st. He has things from his time flying C-47s and C-54s in the Berlin Airlift. There are things in here from my grandfather who served in the Rainbow Divison in World War I. My father went on to fly for American Airlines 32-years, starting with the DC-3 and finishing with the 747. I traveled with him to Deenthorpe, all the places he bombed, and all over Europe retracing the War.
My first tour of duty with the USAF was at Lindsey Air Station, Wiesbaden, Germany (89-92) where I worked in former Panzer tank bays that were later used by Patton's Third Army tanks. I spent much of my off-duty time researching and retracing the places my father and the 401st bombed, and where my grandfather was. I was there in Germany to see the mass exodus and fall of the Wall, end of the USSR, and the Cold War. I have pictures and historical artifacts we could write books and screenplays with.
I have been working seven-years on a big project with a WWII history. Mark you calendars as May 29, 2004 is the dedication of the National WWII Memorial in Washington, DC. Hope to be there, and hope to see you and the 401st there. I am seeking WWII vets to sit on the Board of Directors, Advisory Council, and Staff of the 501c3 nonprofit charitable organization I am starting. I am working on my website called MedicineTrian.org and am attempting to build a hospital train to carry WWII vets to DC and back. After that, I intend to utilize it for children and others with disabilities, seniors, and others with medical needs who cannot travel comfortably by any other means available. It also will serve rural areas that have rail access but do not have the tax-base to support basic medical services. I gather a few of you rode trains to airfields or ports, before you arrived in Deenthorpe. Pass the idea along. I'll help you regardless of whether you help me. I might come to Texas with these 3-footlockers.
Jeff,
I posted a note on your question. I am on the web committee and believe this info would be great for the database. Also with info like Pilot Flight Records, crew changes, and planes flown. If there is a crew picture or even individual pictures. I would be very interested in a copy of what you speak of. I have been with the 401st for 4 years now. It started with my Uncle who was KIA 24 Aug 1944 with the 613th. Then I just branched out and try to help people on the Forum get questions
answered. I would be glad to defray some of the cost to obtain copies. So much information has not made it to where people can use it and this is a great opportuity. A place like Kinkos you might check out the cost of printing on how many pages and pictures. If you have a scanner I would be Interested in pictures you may have.
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