340th Bomb Group 487th Bomb Squadron

340th Bomb Group 487^th Bomb Squadron

ENGINEERING, SALVAGE, and ARMORERS

Photos from Charles Cook’s Photo Collection

Edited by his son Doug Cook

My father was a B-25 pilot in the 487^th Squadron. I have always assumed that my father personally took these photos since I remember him saying that he mixed his photo chemicals in unlabeled wine bottles. One time he used the wrong bottle confusing developer for fixer and ruined a roll of film.

b25_keep_them_flying001

1944 VINTAGE POSTCARD

ENGINEERING OPS DRAWING from 487^th SQUADRON ALBUM

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DAD’S PICTURES FOLLOW

488^th Squadron B-25 8Y “Lil Scooper” Belly Landing- “Brass investigating”

The pilot was Lt Charles Horton from the 488th BS 340th BG , he was carrying the 340th BG musicians band Orchestra to the Napoleon Bonaparte Hotel for a ball at ïle Rousse North West coast of Corsica. He made a mistake and was thinking that the field was the Calvi landing strip, so when he realized that it was only a plowed field, he put the wheels up and unfortunately the speed was not enough to climb, he had to belly land. (research credits to: DTaddei@aol.com franck.allegrini@ct-corse.fr Frank's Father recalls very well the crash and thinks that it happened the 15th of January 1945.)

488^th Squadron B-25 8Y “Lil Scooper” Belly Landing

B-25 Belly Landing Salvage Ops (photos Charles Cook)

44-28916 from the 381st BS 310th BG

Notes from Dominique Taddei: She was the 44-28916 from the 381st BS 310th BG.

The 18th of November 1944, 12 B-25s took off from Ghisonaccia to the Flight Mission at Casale Montferrato RR Bridge. Italy

The crew of the 44-28916 was : 1st Lt P.G Galentine Pilot, 2nd Lt C.L Winder Copilot, 1st Lt J.S Jameson Bombardier, Sgt H.R Vasquez Radio Gunner, S/Sgt F.H Woodley Top Gunner and Sgt C.J Laffey Tail Gunner. Here is the report : Observations FLAK: Moderate, Intense, Heavy, Accurate from Target Area; 14 A/C holed. One Crew member Killed; 1 A/C crash landed at friendly field. Alesan no doubt with the hills in the background landscape. Now in the November diary here is the 18th of November last paragraph summary. "Not till later did we learn that our other ship had made an emergency landing at a nearly field in a vain attempt to get S/Sgt F.H Woodley wounded turret Gunner, to a hospital in time to save his life. S/Sgt Woodley was on his 69th combat mission.

Doug Cook: An interesting observation is that for a belly landing the ship is in such good shape and note that the port side propeller is not bent from hitting the ground while spinning. That implies that the port engine was disabled when she landed. Galentine must have been a superb pilot! The starboard propeller IS bent (you can just see the bent tip over the top of the plane). This implies that the starboard engine was running.