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308th, 375th "the Pelican" and "the Mighty eight ball"

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wrangler
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308th, 375th "the Pelican" and "the Mighty eight ball"

My father passed away and I inherited all my uncles WWII "stuff". He was a door gunner on the Pelican, Harry "Jim" James. I also have a photo of him in front of the mighty eight ball and wondered if anyone knows anything about the crew or what became of it. My uncle never talked much of the war except for the good times.
 
 

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    VitaminP
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    Re:308th, 375th "the Pelican" and "the Mighty eight ball" (permalink)
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    The Pelican (41-24193) and The Mighty Eight Ball (41-24224) were part of the original cadre of the 308th BG, 425th BS.  Your uncle is listed as part of the Pelican's crew:
    John S. Powers, 1Lt,                       Pilot
    Desmond N. Fairbairn, 2Lt,            Copilot
    Truman H. Elliot, 2Lt,                       Bombardier
    John F. Fogel, 2Lt,                           Navigator
    Nicolas Valko, SSgt,                        Engineer
    John T. Morgan, Cpl,                       Radio
    Paul Beasley, SSgt,                        Asst Engineer
    Harry M. James, SSgt,                     Asst Radio
    Howard S. Watson, Sgt,                  Gunner
    There are two pictures of The Pelican at www.b24bestweb.com.
    It apparently was transferred from the 425th BS to the 375th BS by July '43.  The aircraft was flown back to the U.S. in December 1943.
     
    Jack Gross
    son of S/Sgt. Herbert Gross, engineer/gunner on the Vitamin-P II and other B-24s of the 375th BS
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