Hi everyone,

On the 22nd February 1944, the 447th was, along with all other 3rd BD Groups, recalled from that day's Mission due to bad weather. My question is: Did the 447th actually take-off for the Mission, as they were the only Group in my 3rd BD microfilm not to appear as having done so .....
I would be most grateful if anyone has any information in that they actually flew that day.

Many thanks,
Andy

Andy,

Have checked both the 447th History and the group OPs Chart.  Neither source mentions any 447 aircraft going out on a mission on Feb 22nd.

Hal

Andy,

The 447th BG site has a mission list and doesn't show them flying on this date but doesn't actually say if they took off before being recalled.

Vic

Vic Walzel, brother of 1st Lt Leland H. Walzel, bombardier with the 93rd Bomb Group, 330th Squadron. KIA 6 March 1944 on his 25th mission.
www.lelandwalzel.150m.com

Vic and Andy,

The 447th Ops Chart includes entries for all missions including those that were recalled for any reason.  As there is no entry whatsoever for the 22nd it's a fair bet that they never got off the ground.  There is a comment in the 447th History that states that "due to weather the Third Division was prevented from forming properly and abandoned the mission."  It says nothing specific about the 447th that day but by implication tells us that some of the Third Division got off the ground.  I would be inclined to give the edge to the Ops Charts as they were kept contemporaneously whereas the History was written 50 years after the fact.

Hal

Hello, Hal:

Very many thanks for your reply. I suspected,  from the microfilm, that that was the case. I am in the process of copying some of the micro film records of the Big Week period on to my computer; when I have it sorted, I'll send you some 447th information.
Now that Dave Warren has "left" the 447th BG website, do you know who his replacement will be? During my research into the 447th during that period, I have come across several "anomolies" in the book by Doyle Shields....

regards,
Andy WILSON 

Andy,

If you check www.447bg.com you will see that it has recently rejoined the living.  I have not done a lot of snooping around yet but the site has undergone a considerable re-design.  Personally I prefer the old format but then I've always been slow to accept change!  The new webmaster is Joe Ferris, the site shows a contact for him as webmaster(at)447BG(dot)com.  I have not had any contact with Joe so I do not know how active he intends to be in matters such as this forum or where he intends to go with the 447 site.  The group historian is Keith Hardie who participates in this forum under the name Square K.  Another good source of 447 info is Rob Kirkwood who particiaptes in this forum under the name Bluehenchick.

Look forward to hearing from you after you've sorted out the microfilm.

Regards,
Hal

Andy,

Well here is proof that you can never have enough sources of information.  Came across the loading list for Feb 22, 1944 and it looks like almost the whole darn group got airborne that day.  Interesting that other sources make no mention of it.  Attached is the page from the loading list that records the take off and landing times of each aircraft.  Lost a bit of detail going from a 3mb PDF to a 170kb JPG but is still readable.  Hope this helps your research.

Hal

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