Re: New Member
Mary Hangartner (mhangartner@TURKEY-V.K12.IA.US)
Tue, 27 May 1997 15:04:58 +0000
>I am a new subscriber to the list. I was a ball turret gunner in
>a B-17 in the 8th Air Force in World war II. I was stationed
>with the 303rd Bomb Group at Molesworth, England from November,
>1944 to March 1945, when I completed my 35 missions. I was
>married a few days before I went overseas, and Bettie and I
>celebrated our 52nd Wedding anniversary last October. I grew up
>in Oklahoma and Bettie came from West Virginia. We have lived in
>Hawaii for the past 29 years.
>
>I am a subscriber to the WWII-L list, and have posted some
>memoirs of my wartime service to that list. After I get more of
>a feel for this list I will try to decide if any of them would
>be appropriate for submission to this list. Perhaps Sidney
>Allinson can give me some advice in that regard. I would also be
>happy to answer any questions I can about that period and about
>my combat experiences.
>
>Aloha, Jim
>
>
>Jim Walling jimwall@ilhawaii.net
Mr. Walling, I am a teacher and do not have much time to respond right now.
My dad was in the 8th Air Force and the same bomb squadron as you, and at
the same time I believe. He also was a ball turret gunner. Their plane,
The Paper Doll, went down on its 11th mission. His name is James Miller
Pierce from Grinnell, Iowa. I will go home and check my papers to see if I
am correct on my dates and numbers.
He never talked of his experiences until the release of the movie Memphis
Belle.
My school is over on Thursday and then I will correspond more. Nice to
meet you.