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  #16  
Old 07-06-22, 09:35 AM
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Hi Mark, Yes, I wish I did have that, but you have all I know as we really discussed my father and the missions and the unit in general, and he only mentioned his father in passing. i was able to get the picture from him and at he time wondered why he mentioned the RM. His name is Norm Doe, but he will be found most likely in the USAAF records, and then in the US army records as he went after flying B-25s in wWW2 to helicopters after the war and then for a Sheriff's Dept.

Here's a picture of my father in the pilot's seat of Peggy Lou, tail number 13.

Here's a picture of Norm Doe.


And this often published picture shows my father in Peggy Lou, tail number 13 with Norm Doe flying Pistol Packing Mama tail number 02. They were a lead element dropping frag bombs on anti-aircraft positions before the main force came in ot hit the target.

Terry
Well that’s a start Terry. In your opening post you stated you did not know the first name of Doe, but now you say it’s “Norm”, which suggests a first name of Norman. Are you able to access online in the US the service record of Norman Doe USAAF? It seems not a particularly common name and the record might have details such as a birth date, which will be helpful. The birth of children of British servicemen overseas were recorded, as were the baptism details, which would then give the name of the father and his unit. From that I could then launch research in the British records and build up a picture that should finally make sense of your photograph of those British horse artillerymen.
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  #17  
Old 07-06-22, 10:32 AM
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Lt Norman H Doe, B 25 Pilot, MTO 321st BG, 445th BS

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Norm was born on November 28, 1921 in Sittingbourne, Kent in England. He came to the United States with his Mom and Dad at the age of 6. He entered the service 13 Nov. 1942, into the AAC and trained to be a Pilot. He flew B 25 Mitchells in the MTO (57th Bomb Wing, Africa, Italy, Corsica) March '09 -B
https://www.fold3.com/memorial/86368...-h-doe/stories

Terry , I also found this which may interest you (note Norm was in Tail # 16 “Blonde Beauty” :

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Sunday, 1 April 1945
445th BS Mission Summary (Ops Order 823/mission 823) Group Mission # 823:

Group Mission 823; Squadron Mission 519: Capt. Webb and Lt. Poteete led 24 planes, 18 from the 445th, in attack upon Mantua North R.R. Bridge, the alternate target. 1000# bombs dropped from 10,500/11,000 ft. Some planes returned due to poor visibility. Flak was heavy, scant, inaccurate on run at alternate from known positions. RESULTS: Good concentration in target area. Bridge believed hit.
http://57thbombwing.com/321stHistory/321_BG_1945-04.pdf

.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Webb.jpg (29.2 KB, 8 views)
File Type: jpg Doe.jpg (22.5 KB, 10 views)
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  #18  
Old 07-06-22, 10:53 AM
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It is amazing what can be found, when you know how, brilliant.

Marc
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  #19  
Old 07-06-22, 03:29 PM
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Gentlemen, That is some awesome information. Thank you!!! I have my father's log book and will check out the mission shown.

Sorry for the confusion, I knew Norm's name, but he is the son. I do not know the father's name - one of the gentlemen in the picture in my original post.

Ah, so not born in HK. Maybe it's my old memory that has it wrong - wouldn't surprise me.

I can add that Norm was a big guy and was originally trained on B-17s. But turned out he could not handle the higher altitudes so they moved him to medium bombers that flew at lower altitudes.

I also see in Norm's obituary that Barbi Connolly has also mentioned Dan Bowling. I bring this up because the plane "02", Pistol Packing Mama was Dan's plane. Unlike the RAF, in the USAAF you flew each mission with a different crew mix as crews were not established teams. You also flew different planes, When my father became a Group leader he was given Peggy Lou as "his" plane, but others flew her too. I have a good bit of info on the men and planes and some years back had wanted to write a book about Peggy Lou and the men who flew her, but I was never able to get enough material from the men.

Peggy Lou survived the war taking two hits from flak, both repaired over night and she flew again the next day. In the 50's two pilots were getting in their monthly flight time at Wright-Patt AFB when a storm came in. Instead of switching from VFR to IFR they ended up flying her into the ground. Fortunately it did not catch fire but broke in lots of pieces. The rear fuselage area remained pretty much intact and you could see the planes number to know it was her. Both pilots were killed. I have a copy of the crash report and phots of the crash.

Terry
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  #20  
Old 07-06-22, 05:50 PM
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Terry , I also found a page that mentioned the other plane your dad piloted , the "Under Ground Farmer" ....... nice art work !

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  #21  
Old 07-06-22, 10:01 PM
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Hi Mike,

I am not familiar with that plane name in my collection of 445th planes. Can you share the source with me, or advise the tail number?

Terry
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  #22  
Old 08-06-22, 06:39 AM
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Hi Mike,

I am not familiar with that plane name in my collection of 445th planes. Can you share the source with me, or advise the tail number?

Terry
Will send you a P.M.

.
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  #23  
Old 08-06-22, 02:45 PM
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Great stuff mike vee. I missed that detail about the English birth in Sittingbourne. I’ll put it all together and see if anything can be dug up via acquaintances deeply involved in genealogical detective inquiry. It ostensibly seems possible that the father might have served in some capacity during WW1. If Norman’s birth registration details can be found it might perhaps be possible to identify his father.
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  #24  
Old 08-06-22, 04:41 PM
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Toby,

That would be awesome if you can find anything. Maybe too, we can ID which one is him in the picture.

Terry
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  #25  
Old 09-06-22, 08:22 AM
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Terry , I also found a page that mentioned the other plane your dad piloted , the "Under Ground Farmer" ....... nice art work !

.
Oops ! Similar name but not the right person.

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  #26  
Old 12-06-22, 04:07 PM
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Toby,

That would be awesome if you can find anything. Maybe too, we can ID which one is him in the picture.

Terry
I’ll do my best Terry but it might take a few days.
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  #27  
Old 12-06-22, 04:11 PM
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Thanks Toby. Will be interesting to see what you might find.

Terry
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