LatePass Spring 2016

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LATEPASS! SPRING 2016 ISSUE

WWW.449TH.COM

449th BOMB GROUP ASSOCIATION

THE PRESIDENT’S REPORT BY FLOYD H. TROGDON, PRESIDENT

GREETINGS 449TH VETERANS, SECOND GENERATION MEMBERS AND FAMILIES: Welcome to the 2016 Issue of LatePass!

The Flying Horsemen 449th Bombardment Group (H) B-24 Aircraft Long Range Heavy Bomber WWII European Theater 15th Air Force, 47th Bomb Wing 449th Bombardment Group Bomb Squadrons: 716, 717, 718, 719 January 1944 – April 1945 Grottaglie, Italy Bombardment Targets Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Rumania, Yugoslavia 254 Combat Missions In 475 days of combat, 111 B-24 bombers lost, 199 Axis fighters destroyed Personnel Loss/Interred or Evaded 393 KIA / 63 DED (other deaths) 359 POW / 186 Evaded / 9 Interred Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC) Bucharest, Romania, April 4, 1944 Ploiesti, Romania, July 9, 1944

Much has happened in the 449th Bomb Group Association since our last LatePass was published in late 2014. Emphasis continued on the recovery operations for the Hansen and Kendall Crash sites and considerable progress was made. Mr. Johnie Webb, who is our contact in the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), has written a special report on the recovery operations which is included in this issue of LatePass. The most important detail is that the Hansen Crash Site has been recovered and crew remains from that site are in DPAA Labs for identification. Plans continue for the recovery of the Kendall Crash Site starting later this year. (See details in Mr. Webb’s Report) The Presentation of the painting “Just a Bad Day” to the DPAA in Hawaii occurred on July 27, 2015. (“Just

a Bad Day” was the depiction of the Jan 30, 1944 Air Battle which downed the Kendall B-24, with only Harvey Gann surviving). Dan and Carol Livingston represented the 449th Bomb Group Association and

Harvey Gann in presenting the painting to Lt/General Michael Linnington, DPAA Director. The Painting Presentation was a part of the Ceremony for the dedication of the new Hawaii Headquarters building for the DPAA. By mutual agreement the painting will hang in the new building during the DPAA operations to recover crew remains from the Hansen and Kendall sites. After these operations are completed by DPAA, the painting may be moved to the Pentagon. “ Well Done” Carol and Dan. The 22nd 449th Reunion was held at Charleston SC September 23-26, 2015. Our Hotel was the Charleston Plaza which provided living quarters and facilities for the PX and all major events except the Reunion final meeting and Banquet. These final events were held on the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier anchored in Charlestown Harbor. Attendance was outstanding with the count at about 230 at the Banquet. In fact, all the events were well attended with the Memorial Service and final Banquet breaking records for many years. The Memorial Service honoring deceased 449th Veterans included a new feature: presentation of a Red Rose by a family member or friend. When the name of the deceased veteran was called, the Rose was picked up in the rear of Auditorium and solemnly walked to and placed on the Alter. Then the next name was called. This lengthens the Service a bit but provides more emphasis to the Individual deceased. Mary Crowley and 2nd Generation members continue to come up with new ideas to make this ceremony more meaningful to all. We missed our long time Chaplain, Harry Snyder, who was himself grieving the loss of his dear wife, Fay in Maine. Our new Chaplain, the Reverend Denise Trogdon led the service in Charleston. We were honored to have as our Banquet Guest Speaker, Medal of Honor Recipient, Major General James Everett Livingston, USMC (Ret). General Livingston’s presentation featured the 449th’s World War II missions against rail facilities which reportedly saved thousands of lives of Jewish prisoners (CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)

449th Flying Horsemen

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