DEDICATED TO 97th BG 414th BS

B-17 CREWMAN

SGT. LLOYD A. MERRIFIELD

 

 15th AF    

           12th AF                            15th AF                             97th BG                         414th BS

 

Material submitted by his son Tim Merrifield tsm_35@hotmail.com

Photographs from the collection of Lloyd Merrifield

 

Site edited and maintained by Doug Cook

Contacts from 97th BG and 414th Squadron Welcome!

 

 

Last Update March 5, 2010

 

My father was born Aug 22, 1922 Lloyd A Merrifield. He was born and raised in Hiram Maine. He graduated from Fryburg Academy and was attending first year of college when he was called to duty. He served from Dec, 1942 to Sept of 1945 (overseas in the 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron). As far as I remember he worked on the turrets and the sights, and loaded bombs onto the bombers. He then returned to Hiram Maine.  He worked in agriculture most of his life, settling in South Paris Maine (30 miles from where he was born) raising blueberries, making maple syrup, and enjoying the outdoors.  He married Beverly in 1963, raised three kids. He died March 1, 2003 in South Paris Maine.   I live only 10 minutes from where I was raised and I have a full time job and raise blueberries on the side. I have two sisters both living here in Maine.  

 

 

 

    

 

Lloyd A. Merrifield and his Draft Notice

 

Lloyd served from Dec, 1942 to Sept of 1945 (overseas in the 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron)

 

Decorations: Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge (Oak Leaf Cluster)and Mediterranean Theater Campaign Ribbon.

 

97th Bomb Group Stations During Lloyd Merrifield’s Service
Chateaudun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, c. 8 Feb 1943
Pont-du-Fahs, Tunisia, c. 1 Aug 1943
Depienne, Tunisia, c. 15 Aug 1943
Cerignola, Italy, c. 20 Dec 1943
Amendola, Italy, 16 Jan 1944

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lloyd Merrifield (center) loading frag bombs into the bomb bay of a B-17

 

 

Fifteenth Air Force

CO – Maj. Gen. Nathan F. Twining

VC – Brig. Gen. William E. Hall

Headquarters: Bari, Italy

 

 

Bari, Italy Cemetery honoring men killed when a British plane crashed into barracks

 

 

Gen. Twining

 

 

Gen. Twining visits the 97th BG

 

 

   General of the Air Force Hap Arnold.png

Gen. Hap Arnold visits the 97th BG

Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces (from 1941 until 1945), and the only ever five-star General of the Air Force (starting in 1949).

 

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill visits the 97th BG in North Africa

 

Bomb Squadron briefing map from when the 97th had advanced to their base in Amendola, Italy

 

Days of milk runs finished as the 97th begins to fly missions deeper into Nazi occupied Europe.

 

 

B-17 Flying Fortesses

 

B-17 Bombs on target

 

 

Rome Coliseum: The mission was to bomb RR yards.  Gen. Jimmy Doolitle participated to insure accuracy and avoidance of historic sites.

Rome bombing mission and liberation

 

 

Monte Cassino aftermath

 

B-17   31622  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   46197  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   46553  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   2102944  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   Marquerite  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   Pistol Packin Mama  97th BG 414th BS

Crew Unknown

 

B-17   Strictly Baggage  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   crash landing  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   crash landing  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   crash landing  23340  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   crash landing  238084  97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   crash landing   97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   crash while taxiing?   97th BG 414th BS

 

B-17   crash landing   97th BG 414th BS

 

 

OTHER PLANES

 

B-24  Easy Maid

 

B-24  crash landing  N. Africa

 

B-26 Marauder  N. Africa

 

P-38s buzz the field

 

LIFE ON CAMP

 

Life on camp.  Amendola?

 

 

 

A well deserved enlisted men’s party!!!

 

 

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