Thanks for your note. I'll try to help if I can. You said your father was in a B-24 Liberator on Mindoro. Was he a member of one of the ori…moreHi William:
Thanks for your note. I'll try to help if I can. You said your father was in a B-24 Liberator on Mindoro. Was he a member of one of the original VPB-117 crews, or did he arrive later? I have photos of all the original crews with a plane behind them. But the markings on the plane didn't always cover all three numbers printed on the fuselage. And I don't have many pictures of the planes that arrived later on.
Can you maybe give me more info on when and where your Dad arrived on Mindoro? I think there's a good chance that 743 might have been in VPB-117. Maybe you can share the picture you mentioned with the men and your father in front of 743. Do you have any names of the men in the picture? That might help too.
I'm happy to try and solve the question. Just drop me an email at edkittrell@gmail.com and we'll see if we can solve the riddle.
Hope you enjoyed the book. Talk to you soon.
Ed Kittrell 3056 Springdale Avenue Glenview, IL 60025 847-868-5254 (mobile) (less)
Ed KittrellLike many who served in WW2, my father never spoke of that time and the events he lived through. But many years later, my youngest son decided to writ…moreLike many who served in WW2, my father never spoke of that time and the events he lived through. But many years later, my youngest son decided to write his college thesis about the US Navy bombing squadron his grandfather flew in as a pilot. And when he finished, he said, "Dad there are a lot more stories than I could tell. You ought to write a book about that time and those men." So I began digging in archives, speaking with the men and their families. The result is "Solo Into The Rising Sun," true life stories from a time and place I never knew, and can never forget.(less)