Info on Little Patches

Well, well:  after years as a member, I finally have a hit!!
I have the very same photo in my possession!  My uncle, John E London (Jack) is kneeling, 3rd from the right!

He was navigator in this crew, and he often speaks of the heroics of pilot "Ollie" Olson.  He was in the 401st Bomber Squadron, and in combat from about Sept. '44 to the end of the war.  He has also mentioned the planes "Jezebel" and "Time's A'Wastin" although I've had little luck connecting them to these planes.  Both planes were eventually lost. 

My copy of the picture is labeled on the back as follows: 

"Back Row—Aerial Gunners.  Front Row—L to R:  Olson—first pilot, Jones—co-pilot, London—Navigator, Potts—Bombardier."  There is also a seal which reads "Official Air Force Photograph, Army Air Field, Alexandria, LA." 

You can see this plus the other side - the actual photo - in my Profile.

P.S. Here's a good "bio" about the plane:
http://www.usaaf-noseart.co.uk/misslist-31678.htm

 Wow this is great! I have a few more pictures if I can figure out how to get them on.  My grand father Warren Hyde is still alive living in MN. He will be happy to hear the news. He mentioned that Mr. London took over as navigator, after Navigator (Tuttle) first name not able to remember was permoted to lead ship. My Grandfather Warren was the one who took the picture. 

 And a few more. He doesn't remember why the one picture got torn off.

It seems that my uncle remained with Olson, however, on subsequent raids.  Did your grandfather always fly with Olson?

Interesting.  Do you have the names of the other gunners in the first photo?  And can your grandfather recall the first names of Potts and Olson?  I know that Olson was from Nebraska, and his first name may have been Delmore (good reason to use a nickname!)
Don

punchup

Interesting.  Do you have the names of the other gunners in the first photo?  And can your grandfather recall the first names of Potts and Olson?  I know that Olson was from Nebraska, and his first name may have been Delmore (good reason to use a nickname!)
Don

I do know the pilots first name was Delmar or Delmor. He did mention the first names of some of the other crew members but I didn't  write them down. I'm planing on going to visit him in a few days hopefully he feels up to chatting about this. I need to get a picture of some of his metals and badges.

Oh I am sorry. This slipped my mind. Send me a mail at sebastiaan_vonk_8989@hotmail.com.  I will send you then the photos I have.

Best Regards,

Sebastiaan

Back again, still doing some digging. My Grandfather hadn't been feeling well for a while but he's doing better now. He Still says that the crew Navigator London, was Replaced by navigator last name Tuttle. Although he said that Little Patches was not their main ship, The Olson Crew only flew it on one mission and my Grandfather flew in it one other time with another crew as a fill in. He said that every one on a crew had do go with a different crew at least once. But he did stay with Olson's crew for the remainder of their time over there. He mentioned Anxious Angel as another ship the crew took up. It kind of sounds to me that the Olson crew served as a relief crew on different air crafts. He mentioned that they felw out of a place, weistenhearts? I'm not sure how it's spelld but thats kind of how it sounded when he told me.

I'm sorry to report that my uncle John E. London (Jack) passed away with all his family assembled at his home for Thanksgiving in Long Island, NY.  He had been ill for a few months, but always sharp as a knife, a brilliant amateur historian of the war and full of humor and life, so it still came as a huge shock to all of us.  It is still surreal and hard to believe right now.  I can't imagine a world without my beloved hero, Uncle Eli.

A couple of weeks earlier, I was visiting and he told a story I'd never heard before of a crash he witnessed at the base.  A bunch of P-47s were returning home, and they would do a trick maneuver as they landed, coming in upside-down and flipping over before landing, to show off a bit, I guess, a sort of signature move.

A bunch of guys were sitting there and watched in horror as one of the pilots didn't manage the flip in time for some reason and came in upside-down.  They froze and sat there as the plane "just disintegrated" before their eyes.  They ran out to help, but there was nothing left to help with.  This one must've really got to him because he never mentioned it before. 

It also brings up a question:  I didn't realize there were P-47s and P-51s also based at Bassingbourn.  Any links to further info?
Sadly, Don London

You guys are amazing!
The list is fantastic, and answered lots of questions.  It mostly confirmed my uncle's amazingly accurate stories, all of which he only talked about in the last few years.  I also subsequently found the Dailies at the 91stbombgroup.com site and want to thank everyone for their hard work extracting the info and sharing it for us amateur researchers.  More questions, later...
But for now, GREAT JOB!