I am trying to find out if anyone has any info on my Dad's B- 24J the "Mary L".
I don't have the tail number.  All I have is a picture of the front of the plane
with the name "Mary L", 36 for the crew and a smaller production number of 532.
The picture shows what appears to be 50 bombs painted under the pilot's
window so I am thinking that this picture was made after their last mission
on July 24, completing 50 for most of the crew.  I don't know if any of the
crew are still alive but if any see this msg. , please reply as you may have info
I don't have.  Maybe some of their kids may have this info.  My Dad was S/Sgt.
Troy S. Martin, 18216655  Top turret gunner-enginer, 461st BG 765th SQ original crew 36.  He flew all his missions in April, May, June and July 1944 and
received credit for 50.  Thanks,
Troy S. Martin, Jr.
 

MARY L 
Ser# 42-95464
B-24H-30-FO
392 BG, 576 BS
CI-F
Overran runway Feb 11, 1945 at Foulsham, Norfolk, UK and was salvaged.
 
Would appreciate you posting the pic if possible
 
Pete

Hi Troy:

According to "B-24 Liberators of the 15th Air Force/49th Bomb Wing" by Michael Hill & John Beitling,

S/N 42-52418 Mary L, 765th BS A/C # 33
An original group Liberator. On May 6, 1944, another Liberator S/N 41-29367 caught fire and exploded (in it's rivetment). An engine from that aircraft landed on the Mary L and caused severe damage. Due to this damage, the Mary L was declared Class 26 on May 8, 1944.

According to the 461st web site, www.461st.org
42-52418 Original Aircraft #33 Painted OD B-24H-FO was scrapped due to battle damage on 05/08/1944.
It also says that
41-29367 was Original Aircraft #32 "Lady Bird" Painted OD B-24H-CF

Original Crew #36 Assigned 10/18/1943
Childrey, Jackson F. 0798349 1092 Pilot-B24
Dennis, Jack D. 0669218 1035 Bombadier
Festa, Frank J. 31028760 612 Airplane Armorer/Gunner
Geurtz, James E. 0695648 1034 Navigator
Hodges, Carney V. -6964847 612 Airplane Armorer/Gunner
Martin, Troy S. 18216655 748 Gunner/Flight Engineer
Mayfield, Gerald J. 15322028 748 Gunner/Flight Engineer
McCree. Vivian A. 12145894 757 Radio Operator/Mech./Gunner
Rader, Orville L. 18162490 748 Gunner/Flight Engineer

I must have missed the other pilot. (To look go to: Roster, 765th)

I believe I saw a picture of the plane after the engine went through it, but I don't remember where.

Hughes Glantzberg would be interested in any information or a scan of your Mary L photo or any othe 461st BG photos your father might have. Crew pics, etc. He is the webmaster/Historian for the 461st.

Hope this helps,

Ken

Ken Alexander
Son of 1st Lt. Clair B. Alexander Jr.
Pilot, B-24s: 10/12/1944 - 04/24/1945
15th AF, 49th Wing, 461st BG, 764th BS
Torretta Airfield, Cerignola, Italy

Hi Pete......
Thanks for the info on the plane, but I don't know that is the same "Mary L."
My Dad's crew started their bombing missions on April 3 and the plane would
have to be shipped out of USA earlier than that.  The Mary L was a J and it
was silver.  Do you have any other info?
Thanks,
Troy

Hi Ken....
Thanks for the info.  In the Hill and Beitling book my Dad is pictured on
page 79.  He is second from the right standing.  Their original plane "The Bat" was taken from them and transferred to the 451st so they never flew a
mission in the "Bat".  They were given a new B-24J silver and they started
flying their missions on April 3.  The picture I have leads me to think that
they flew all their missions in the "Mary L", because it has 50 bombs painted
on the side above the name.  However, maybe they got another plane and
named it the "Mary L".  Why would there be a number 33 when my Dad's
crew was the original "36?"  Thanks for the help,
Troy Martin, Jr.

Hi Troy:

This is pure speculation on my part. Your father's original plane "The Bat" was number 36, the same as the crew number. What oftened happened was a plane would be damaged enough to be sent to the repair depot. Once it was repaired it may or may not have been returned to the same BG. In "The Bat's" case, it was sent to the 451st, probably to fill a hole in their roster. Then your father's crew was assigned an existing aircraft in the 461st from the 765th BS.

I do know that only the original crews in the 461st were assigned an aircraft. Replacement crews were assigned a plane before each mission. The ground crews often named the plane in their care and painted on the mission bomb markings. Even the original aircraft were shared with other crews. So the plane may have been flown by more than your father's crew. Or, it may have been flown only by your father's.

I'm sure your father's crew was assigned to #33 because it was what was available and already on the books as A/C #33.

The #33 "Mary L" listed in the Hill/Beitling book is an original B-24H. It was painted OD. All of the NM (Silver) B-24Js were replacement ships. Unless your father's new B-24J was a replacement for the original Mary L, more likely it was stripped of its camoflage. My father flew #11 "Cherokee" twice. It was originally #56 and reassigned and renumbered #11 then later stripped of its OD camo and flown NM. Go figure.

I have pictures (from books) of #30 (Gray Mickey Ship), 32, 34, 35 & 36, replacement aircraft, but not #33.

FYI: The Bat was renamed "Rhoda" and flew with the &25th BS in the 451st BG. It was lost April 24, 1944 on a mission to Zagreb.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Ken

Ken Alexander
Son of 1st Lt. Clair B. Alexander Jr.
Pilot, B-24s: 10/12/1944 - 04/24/1945
15th AF, 49th Wing, 461st BG, 764th BS
Torretta Airfield, Cerignola, Italy

Ken,

I would be really interested to know what info you have on stripping of camo paint in the MTO.  It was a common practise in the SWPA, but very rare in Europe.

Did you see the pic of CHEROKEE on eBay?

Pete

[image]local://upfiles/3539/1F3FEE353289464A8FD1D2CFD15442D8.jpg[/image]

Attached Image(s)

Troy,
 
We really need to see the pic of MARY L.  Can you get it scanned and post it or alternatively email it to me and I will put it up on the forum for you.
 
Cheers
 
Pete

Pete........
I don't know how to scan and send a picture.  I have a Dell computer and a
HP (printer-fax-scanner-copier), can you tell me what to do?  The picture of
the Mary L has been enlarged to an 8x10 and it would go thru the HP easy.
Thanks,
Troy

Troy,
 
you can adjust settings of scans by software for this HP multifunction scaner (you must install this software) and if you can start this softwre you must adjust resolution (300dpi is standart) and outputsize (the old pictures are by small size and you can increase this size - recommended). You can change color (Normal color-256 colors, Best color - 16mil, B/W). I would by choose 16mil colors. This makes good scans whit very good structure of these and you will make archiv of photo and after you can make copies of this ,adjust  for ready to send via e-mail etc.
Another step is use buttons on the HP multifunction scaner directly. The result is the same. Please, use manual.
When you can write type of your HP scaner , then we can use another procedure how to make good scan. ( I will download manual for your HP).
Regards,
Viliam
 

Hi Viliam......
My HP is "office jet K80".  I have had it about 2 years and I don't know if
can find the manual or not.  But it would probably be better for me if I could
do it from the HP instead of with software.
Thanks,
Troy

Hi Troy ,

please use this web page :
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/bpu04079.pdf
for download the PDF manual for your HP Officejet K80
and this page :
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?lc=en&cc=sk&dlc=en&product=61563&lang=en&
for download new driver and software
You can use this manual and make very good scans. Please, tell me about your success. I would like to see your scans. If it will be any problem how to make scans, please feel free to ask me.
Regards,

Viliam

Pete....
If you have a fax number I can fax Mary L picture to you and you can put up on board.
Thanks,
Troy