finding bomber squadron my father was assigned to on Saipan

   I need help!!!!!! My father served on Saipan and I have several pictures from his tour. He was not assigned to an air crew but was on the support service end of it. I have pictures of nose art. On one picture he wrote "One of ours." The picture of the nose art was "PEACE ON EARTH" This might identify the Squadron and bomb group he was assigned to. I also have pictures from a Marine photographer taken during the invasion of Saipan. I would like to share these pictures as maybe they can help someone else. Please anyone out there that can help?? I'm also a Viet Nam vet. I was a crew chief on a C130-E.

   I can't thank you enough. I live in Illinois so you know what time zone I'm in. My Tx# is 630/222-8260. I have some cool pix I'd like to share with you if your interested, I'll provide them free if it would help you in reasearch. I'll be off the TX in 1/2 hour, again thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   I have no problem sharing what I have. I'll make the contact. I'm new to all of this and really appreciate what I have learned so far! Again thanks for your help!!

   I think I have some interesting pictures that I want to share, but I'll need help from family members as I'm completely computer illerate! I can't believe I've been able to do this!! I have a friend who's father flew on a B-17 call the "RED RAIDERS", and " MOBY DICK" He has a complete  flight log!!!!!! I'm going to have him join. I'm planning a trip to Saipan in the near future. I'm going to retire hopefully in the near future. I'm currently recovering from injuries. I'm a Deputy Sheriff in Kane County Illinois. Your organization seems great!! And yes I will share the pictures! I'd rather have copies made and send them to you to keep and post! My father's name is Frank D. Baloun who passed away 11/1977.

JAPAN (Mission 39) One hundred ninety-two XXI BC B-29's are dispatched on a precision daylight bombing attack against the Musashino Aircraft Plant in Tokyo. Due to heavy cloud cover over the target, 159 of the B-29's attack the Tokyo urban area and 18 B-29's attack various alternate targets. One B-29 is lost. [size=2 font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"] 42-63412 "Peace on Earth" 497th BG MACR 12912 ditched, Westervelt crew, 9 survived.


 
 
http://home.att.net/~sallyann6/b29/56years-4503a.html
 
 
Terry T.

   that's the picture!!! I also have the following; PASSION WAGON; BALL'O FIRE; THE BARONESS; MRS. TITTYMOUSE; STRIPPED FOR ACTION; RAMP QUEEN; MISS LACE; JUG HAIDII; BLACK MAGIC; TOKYO ROSE;  HUMP'N HONEY; AND CENTURY LIMITED! also have an aerial view of Kobler field. All pictures were taken by my fater on Saipan.

Robert,
My dad (Melvin Ehlers) was on Saipan from December 1944 through July 1945.  Flight Engineer on the Ramp Queen.  I saw in one of your posts that you had a picture of the Ramp Queen (I believe there were actually two Ramp Queens).  Would love to see a copy of the picture.  Also, I didn't see the name of your dad in any of the posts.  I have copies of many 20th Air Force orders that my dad kept (Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and Promotion orders).  There are hundreds of other names on these orders.  If you let me know his name, I will check to see if there are any orders that relate to him.

Also, if you're interested, here's a link to my dad's WWII scrapbook and other info I put together.  It includes pictures of other planes, Saipan and mission logs:   http://www.curtehlers.phanfare.com/1610020_1705076#imageID=17485968

Curt Ehlers
crehlers@aol.com

Emily...Please note that the photo of Peace On Earth was of the 92nd BG while in Japan in the 1950s.
The tail number is 44-61790, 326th BS. (The 92nd BG flew B-17s in WW II from the 8th AAF).
 
This was during the Korean Conflict...I was a member of the 92nd, albeit in the 325th BS.
The aircraft in the 497th BG  during WW II from Saipan, was 42-63412. As noted, 42-63412 ditched.
These are two different aircraft.
 
The MACR for the 497th BG Aircraft 42-63412, was 12912...MACR stands for "M" issing "A" ir "C" rew "R" eport.
You can contact  lynne.gamma@maxwell.af.mil for a free copy of the MACR....please note that the section has been downsized and so there will be a delay of possibly several weeks to a month or more.
The MACR will list the crew members, serial numbers, and the home addressses of the next of kin during WW II.
When you get the MACR, you can then write for his records from St Louis.  There was a fire at the St Louis Record center, but, it apparently affected only the names from approximatley "H" on down to "Z". So if your grandfather did not fall into the latter part, his records should be available.
 
Jim :-)

Hi,
My father George Whitfield was the CPC gunner on Stripped for Action in Saipan. Any Pictures?
Thanks,
Roger
rwhitfi@roadrunner.com

Roger,
Welcome aboard, you may want to post your own thread as opposed to tagging on to a thread like this, as it can at times yield more results from members.
Fisher Crew Stripped for Action 42-63466 photo here: [link=http://www.flickr.com/photos/81315707@N00/5174496381/]http://www.flickr.com/pho...315707@N00/5174496381/ [/link]
More photos here: [link=http://prairiebombers.org/eng/Army-Air-Fields/Kansas-AAF/Pratt/497th-BG/870th-SQ-Crews/Buckheit-2-Crew]http://prairiebombers.org...-Crews/Buckheit-2-Crew [/link]
Best regards,
Scott