Lin Weikert
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Mary Pat
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02/17/2008 08:51:32 PM
Would anyone have any information about what happened to the Mary Pat? The Mary Pat was a B-17 (E I believe) that was connected to the 385th. BG 551st. Sqdn. The tail number was 42-3292. I believe it was declaired war weary, but I don't know for sure.
Thanks a lot, Lin Weikert
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shooshoobaby
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RE: Mary Pat
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02/18/2008 10:56:14 AM
Lin -
# 42 - 3292 O " Mary Pat "
385th BG , 551st Sq.
Returned to U.S. 11/44
RFC Altus , Ok. 10/45 - Scrapped
Nose Art Photo in Book: History of the 385th BG
Mike
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Lin Weikert
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RE: Mary Pat
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02/18/2008 09:08:17 PM
shooshoobaby,
Thanks for the information, but I guess I'm new to this and would like a little help figuring out your notations here. What does "RFC Altus, OK 10/45" mean? Is that an aircraft graveyard of some sort? And can you tell me who wrote the book "History of the 385th BG"? Is there an ISBN number you can direct me to?
Thanks a lot, Lin Weikert
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SuffolkPaul
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RE: Mary Pat
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02/19/2008 10:12:54 AM
Lin I thin the book Mike is referring to is 'The Stroy of Van's Valiants' written by Bill Varnedoe. He is the Group's historian, and a 385th veteran. He can be contacted at billvar@comcast.net. He has published the book himself, but has copies available. An excellent resource for the 385th. RFC - Reclamation Finance Centre ie sold for scrap! Regards Paul, UK
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shooshoobaby
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RE: Mary Pat
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02/19/2008 12:47:00 PM
Lin - Paul ,
The Book is : The New History of the 385th BG Published 1995
Edited by Bill Varnedoe
My Copy signed by over 50 385th Vets
Bill Has Copies Available
Mike
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SuffolkPaul
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RE: Mary Pat
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02/19/2008 03:30:55 PM
Mike - Sounds like a great copy! How did you get 50 vets? Have you been to one of their reunions?
Paul
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shooshoobaby
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RE: Mary Pat
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02/19/2008 05:30:45 PM
Paul -
I was the Researcher / Historian at the 390th BG Museum in Tucson , Az.
I also was the Tour Guide for the B - 17.
In the late 90s the 385th had a Reunion there.
I spent the day they visited the Museum taking small Groups through
the B - 17 and had them Sign my Book.
Mike
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EugeneCowingSon
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RE: Mary Pat
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02/27/2008 05:38:45 PM
Hello, I just sent you an email through the message board offering to send you a scanned in photo of the Mary Pat in action which I happen to have from my father's old picture collection. It must have been a popular shot passed around the Group as my father was a navigaor in the 549th from Aug 43 through Jan 44 and he ended up with a copy of it. Unfortunately I can't upload it to this posting as the image I created is about a meg in size and this site only allows up to 200kB uploads so I will have to email it to you directly. My home email address is mjcowing@envisionsitedesign.com. Drop me a line and I'll pass it along if you don't already have it. It shows the Mary Pat in flight with bombs falling from its open bomb bay doors. Pretty cool shot. Cheers, John Cowing
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SuffolkPaul
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RE: Mary Pat
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04/03/2008 09:13:36 AM
I have just come across another picture of the Mary Pat. It shows the starboard nose with the name and mission bomb symbols (23 certainly, possibly 24) and 3 swastikas. There is someone leaning out of the copilot's window. The book is Marston Leonard's history of the 385th. I don't have a scanner, but can always photocopy it and send it out if anyone wants a copy of the pic - it is only a small one though!
Paul
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Lin Weikert
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RE: Mary Pat
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04/06/2008 03:56:14 PM
Paul,
Thanks for the offer to send me a copy of that picture. I believe that is one that I already have. If it's the same picture I have, that's my father looking out the window. He was the pilot, but for some reason switched to the right seat, at least for the photo.
Take care,
Lin
Thanks a lot, Lin Weikert
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Jan
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Re:Mary Pat
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10/08/2008 04:53:09 AM
Lin, My brother, Leo DeGraw, was in your father's Mary Pat crew. He and several others were split from the crew and assigned to the Fighting Cock, and was KIA on 5-december-1943, but three other members of the crew lived through the ditching, spent 18 months in concentration camps, returned home when the war ended, and are still with us. Leo and the others are the men about whom your father wrote that he had "lost his best crew" on Dec. 5, '43. If you'd like contact information for the men, just let me know - janetdegraw@gmail.com. One of the men, Stewart, told me how much they liked being in your father's crew and were upset to have been split up I am working on getting more specific details about the crash - trying to find my brother's remains. Janet
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