During the festivities a veteran came up to me and said he knew me ... He was Harry F. Jenkins from the 359th Squadron and was there during my tenure as Operations Officer. He also asked about and remembered Bill Eisenhart.

Many of you had been invited to attend this greatest of all Air Shows in the Nation this year. I am hopeful that some of you availed yourselves of that opportunity. It so happened that the Air Show announcer was an old friend of mine, one Gordon Bowman-Jones, an Aussie turned US Citizen. He led us in the Pledge of Allegiance at the Thunderbird Dinner to which we were invited. We are in good hands, folks. Our United States Air Force put on a superb flying and static show. They are your protection for all time. God Bless America

Wow! What a task. What an outcome. You guys have recorded a lasting tribute to your group. I have passed the link on to our membership, I hope they understand the significance. Congratulations.

After reading and listening to all the crap that was passed back and forth during the recent election process, I'm going to spend tomorrow, Veterans Day, perusing through our web site put together by Gary Moncur. Then I'll feel good again. To all who lived through those hectic days with me I say "God bless you all."

STEVE'S DAUGHTER, MARY, WAS THERE AND RUTH AND I SPENT ABOUT AN HOUR WITH STEVE. HE WAS COMPLETELY ... REPEAT ... COMPLETELY LUCID. HAS ALL HIS FACULTIES. WE SPOKE OF MANY PERSONS FROM THE 303RD AND NAMED MANY NAMES AND SITUATIONS. HE WAS UP ON ALL OF THEM. HE WALKS A BIT AND DOES SOME EXERCISING (when his daughter can con him into it) AND EXCEPT FOR BEING AGED ... HE WILL BE 96 IN DECEMBER ... HE IS IN GOOD SHAPE. HE KNEW I WOULD WRITE TO YOU ALL AND ASKED TO BE REMEMBERED TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

WHAT A GREAT MAN! Ruth and I were so pleased to spend some time with him. Thanks! BILL HELLER (former CO of 360th Squadron)

Here is a rundown of what I am doing:
I am currently doing a research for Broadview TV, a German based documentary company. They do many documentaries about WWII, which air in Germany and sometimes internationally on The History Channel. They are currently working on a show about the Dresden bombing of February 14 & 15,1945. They will be interviewing people from Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States that were involved in the Dresden bombing and other bombings that took place at the end of the war. I think this will be a great show that will assist in the continuing efforts to document the lives of the people that have died for freedom.

I have been working on the research for the United States portion of this show and I am looking for 3 types of people at the moment:

1. One of the aspects Broadview TV would like to show is that the Germans were not the only victims of the war - Americans also suffered. They would therefore like to interview a family member (particularly a widow) of an Air Force member that was shot down in February 1945 or later.
2. An expert on the bombs that bombers dropped in WWII - especially those used in the Dresden bombing (including incendiary bombs).
3. Any American veterans that were involved in the Dresden bombing.

I enjoyed reading Bob Hand's book, because, like my father Walter Hargrove, he was a 303rd BG bombardier. Mr. Hand describes the unique activities of bombardiers involved in fusing the bombs, oxygen checks, and use of the Norden bomb sight. One of the unfamiliar machines he mentions is the Cletrac, the tow tractors used to haul B17s around for repair and servicing. I could not find a photo of one on the 303rdBGA web site.

It was usually the norm for a new crew to be "in training" in such things as formation flying and methods of mission operation ... for about two weeks. Sometimes the FIrst Pilot of a new crew would be sent on his first mission as a copilot with an experienced crew. We seldom did that in the 360th where I was a wingman and lead pilot, and later Commanding Officer. This was the same in the 359th where I was an Operations Officer for a time.

Such training could NOT be done in the States, known as the ZI, even if some of the Stateside Instructors had been in combat previously. Our combat techniques and practices changed daily as the forces of war dictated. Such training HAD to be done in Theatre. I hope this answers some of your queries.