My father, Lawrence Weigel, flew on the Laden Maiden. This was the 41st squadron of the 501st VHBG. Does anyone have any information or pictures of this plane or other planes in the squadron. My father died in 1995 and did not tell me much.

Michael Weigel
micoder@sbcglobal.net


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Michael,
 
There is a picture of Laden Maiden at http://www.nose-art.net/315th/315th.htm as well as several others from the 315th Bomb Wing.  The squadrons aren't identified on the referenced web page.  On my web site for the 315th Bomb Wing, I have a list of B-29 serial numbers, aircraft commander, group, squadron and nose art/name where the information was available.
 
There is also a brief history of the 501st on my page.  I have the microfilm for the official history of the 501st, by month, which I haven't transcribed yet to put on the page.  It is mostly very difficult to read and I haven't found the time to squint long enough to transcribe it.
 
 
 

Larry
SMSgt, USAF Retired

http://www.315bw.org

Thank You Larry,

I will look forward to seeing your transcription. It seems like what my father did during WWII and Korea became important to me later in life. My father would not talk to me about his war experiences and became angry when I questioned him about his service. It trained me never to ask about that part of his life.  I regret that I did not pursue this anyway while he was alive.

At my father's funeral, a man I had never met came up to me crying. He said that he was a crewman on the Laden Maiden and that my father had saved his life by doctoring him on the long trip back from Japan. 

When I was living at Kadena, I saw part of what my father did each day. But I only saw the part where he took off and when he returned. I never knew what went on in between. I did know that he would be angry each time he returned. It took  a couple of hours before he would be himself again. He spent some time cursing some general whose name I don't remember.  I was always happy when he returned, but stayed out of his way until he cooled off. Being a child and naive I thought he was being a baby about flying. How wrong I was.

I realized later in life how tough it had to be to come back from a mission and know that you were going to do it all over again that evening.  I guess I am pretty regretful about my own insensitivity to his predicament when I was young.


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I have 3,965 B-29 serial numbers and am trying to match the aircraft name with the serial numbers. unit of assignment and other data. So far I have data on more than 1,500 of them but do NOT have Laden Maiden in my data base. I would appreciate if any one can give me the S/N of Laden Maiden.
 
It is also interesting to note the 501st Bomb Group tail marking was a DIAMOND Y. I was in the 98th Bomb group in 1949-50 when the 98th carried the diamond Y tail code. Can any one tell me how these tail codes were selected AFTER the end of WW II?
 
Herb Harper

Herb,

Robert A. Mann (on these forums as Rambertsan) compiled a book "The B-29 Superfortress A Comprehensive Registry of the Planes and Their Missions" published by McFarland & Co, ISBN 0-7864-1787-0 which lists all production B-29s.  Bob has done exhaustive research on the subject and he has listed 3,960 B-29s.  This was the number of B-29s manufactured.
 
I don't know or why specific tail codes were selected for bomb groups.

Regarding the Laden Maiden; I believe it was serial number 42-63669.  This is the serial number of the aircraft that Capt Frey flew on several documented missions and the number that shows in the abbreviated history as "his" aircraft. 

I need to do some more research as my 315th BW history books shows Capt Frey in the 21st Bomb Squadron and Mike's dad in the 41st Bomb Squadron.   Most of the names from the original picture Mike posted show as 41st BS members.  Could be a typo in the book.

Also, Mike, would you be willing to send me or allow me to use the photos you posted here on the 315th web page?  Any other photos would be welcome as well.

Larry
SMSgt, USAF Retired

http://www.315bw.org

Yes, I give my permission to use these photos. I posted them as a small contribution to this group. I think these are probably all I have. I will search once more.

I can send you the original large files. I scanned them at 600 dpi and there is significant detail in the blow ups. However, your isp may block large files as attachments. Let me know what size file you can receive.

Michael
micoder@sbcglobal.net

Mike,
 
I sent you a PM with my email that can receive the larger files.
 
Thanks,

Larry
SMSgt, USAF Retired

http://www.315bw.org