Publisher's Synopsis
In this first of a series of books I am working on the reader will be immersed in both a single story of one or more members of a bomber crew intertwined with historically accurate events shown in photos, maps. letters and original documents. Including Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs) which in most cases describe in detail the events that unfolded and pertain to that individual crew member or crew. There may also be first-hand accounts of those that witness an event. Being a military history buff I have always wanted to know more about the photo or men I was reading about. Did they survive the war? what did they do after the war? Are they still alive? In some rare cases, the men are still with us. We feature stories in Volume 1 they are.
SGT.Richard Hardcourt Moore JrRichard Hardcourt Moore Jr. was born on March 5. 1923 in Fort Worth, Texas. Completing high school in 1940. He decided 3 years later to join the Army Air Corps and became a
B-29 chief gunner. The B-29 was a state-of-the-art bomber. Major advancements in technology had been invented since the creation of the B-17 years earlier. The B-29 offered remote control turrets with basic computers to calculate angles and arcs of fire. This advancement enabled one gunner to control more than one gun if needed. Pressurized cabins were also a major upgrade.
Moore was part of the 40th B.G which was part of the Twentieth Air Force during World War II. The unit served primarily in the Pacific Ocean theater and China Burma India Theater. We can almost follow his weekly adventures. First Moore flew to Western Africa, then India, on to China, and finally to the island of Tinian. Moore would fly an outstanding 30 missions over enemy territory. A gut feeling and a twist of fate would see him cheat death. When the B-29 Moore was meant to be on was shot down all crew was K.I.A. He would be on some of the final bombing missions of WW2. Hitting key targets in Japan. At the end of the war, Moore received three Air Medals. He returned to Texas to tell of his exploits and became a lawyer.I have researched his timeline and added historically accurate content to give a better understanding of what his role was during WW2 and that of the 40th B.G. There are many photos and documents that pertain to Moore and some that tell the history of the 40th B.G during WW2
Lt. Lloyd D. BurnsLt.Lloyd D. Burns was born on September 19, 1923, in Bossier City, LA, fourth of eleven children to Leon and Mary Burns. When war broke out he and some of his brothers felt it was their patriotic duty to join the military. Burns chose the Army Air Corp and became a qualified bomber pilot with the 397th Bomb Group. Across the Atlantic, he found himself in war-torn England. From there off to the 397th base in France. Soon Lt.Burns was flying over enemy-held territory. He and his crew flew "FWIGHTENED WABBIT" 43-34185, 397BG, 598BS. December 23.1944 would be a major event in many B-26 crews as they attacked the Eller Railway Bridge in Germany. Losses would be high and in the case of Lt.Burns and the crew of "FWIGHTENED WABBIT" they would be shot down 30 miles behind enemy lines. Lt.Burns would become a P.O.W. This mission he and others were on was during the Battle of the Bulge the German's last major offensive of WW2. The Allies cut the German supply routes at every opportunity including B-26's favorite target ...bridges.
Through parts of an album of Lt.Burns that I have in my collection, and with the help of a living veteran "Jerry Raschke" who was on the same raid as Lt.Burns I have been able to piece together an accurate timeline of events that involve Lt.Burns and others involved in the December 23.1944 Eller Railway Bridge attack and the raid on Hammelburg P.O.W. camp. One of the P.O.W. camps Lt.Burns was in during WW2.
I hope you enjoy reading these stories.
