Miller - #1-1
Rear L-R: Jones, Ernest W. (LWG); Carter, Norman A. (TG); Kochis, James (BG); Gerlach, Robert W. (NG); Verner, Dalton R. (RO/RWG); Dwyer A. Green (E/TT)
Front L-R: Miller, George H. (P); Rudel, Chester H. (CP); Messerschmidt, Roy H. (N); Herold, Robert A. (B)
Courtesy of Donald Eelman
Miller crew #1-1 at Casper, Wyoming
Standing L-R: Rudel, Chester H. (CP); Miller, George H. (P); Messerschmidt, Roy H. (N); Herold, Robert A. (B)
Middle L-R: Jones, Ernest W. (LWG); Gerlach, Robert W. (NG); Dwyer A. Green (E/TT)
Front L-R: Verner, Dalton R. (RO/RWG); Kochis, James (BG); Carter, Norman A. (TG)
Courtesy of Donald Eelman
George Miller picking up his new B-24
Courtesy of Donald Eelman
George Miller picking up his new B-24
Courtesy of Donald Eelman
Lt. George Miller
Courtesy of Donald Eelman
Verner Dalton, Radio Operator/Right Waist Gunner
Courtesy of Donald Eelman
Dwyer Green, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Courtesy of Donald Eelman
Dwyer Green, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Courtesy of Donald Eelman
George Miller with his father
Courtesy of Donald Eelman
Dwyer Green and his wife, Kitty
Courtesy of Chuck Parsonson
George Miller after completing 35 missions
Old Soldier’s Photos Never Die
by
Yvonne Higgins Messerschmidt
January 18, 1996
Naples, FL
Handsome, young airman in
The photograph from 1942
How can that old, gray haired
Man I see here now be you?
Eyes so bright and chin so strong
And mouth so appealing
When I look at your old photograph
I get that same old feeling
But wars and years and life
And tears all take their toll
And turn that lad so young
Into a man that’s old
I try to whisper sweet nothings
Into his ear
But he says “What?” and I give up
Because he cannot hear!!
Oh To Be 24!
or
Ode To B-24
by
Yvonne Higgins Messerschmidt
January 23, 1999
Flossmoor, IL
Tonight as I looked as some old clothes
Hanging in the basement on a rack
I saw something there and it really took me back
For there was my husband’s bomber jacket
He had worn in the Second World War
That old beat up leather jacket when he flew in a B-24
Though scraped and scarred as the leather looked
With frayed cuffs on each wrist
The yellow stencil of 35 bombs was impossible to miss
That stood for flying 35 missions in combat in Italy
And the bomb groups insignia in vivid
Color was still easy to see
I picked up the flap of one pocket
And inside I curiously did look
And to my surprise and amusement
I found my husband’s “Little Black Book”
It contained names like Betty and Bobbie
And Daisy, Doris and Anna
From towns where he had been stationed
From California to Texas and Alabama
Then there was Marion from Casper Wyoming
To whom my husband was engaged
When I read her name and address there I quickly
Turned the page
Was I feeling a wee bit jealous of a girl
From so long ago?
If I was it quickly vanished as on the next page it did show
Something written in big bold letters and
It made my whole being glow
For there was my name and address
And it was very plain to see
That when he wrote “Yvonne” there
It was the last girlfriend there would be
But seeing that old bomber jacket and black book
Reminded me of my early love
The wonderful joy and the passion
That lit up the night skies high above
I wish I could go back just one time
And be that happy girl I was then
In love with a handsome Lieutenant
I’d marry all over again.
64TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H)764TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H)
OFFICE OF THE OPERATIONS OFFICER
APO 520 US ARMY
16 MARCH 1945
CERTIFICATE
I CERTIFY THAT S/SGT NORMAN A. CARTER, 18032411, HAS COMPLETED THE FOLLOWING SORTIES, WITH DATES, TIME, AND TARGET BELOW.
| DATE | TIME | TARGET | ||
| 3 | Aug | 1944 | 7:00 | Ober baderbach, Austria |
| 7 | Aug | 1944 | 8:00 | Blechhammer, Germany |
| 12 | Aug | 1944 | 6:30 | Genoa, Italy |
| 14 | Aug | 1944 | 6:15 | Toulon, France |
| 18 | Aug | 1944 | 6:00 | Alibunar, Yugoslavia |
| 17 | Aug | 1944 | 8:30 | Ploesti, Rumania |
| 20 | Aug | 1944 | 7:00 | Szolnock, Hungary |
| 22 | Aug | 1944 | 7:00 | Lobau, Austria |
| 24 | Aug | 1944 | 5:30 | Ferrara, Italy |
| 26 | Aug | 1944 | 8:15 | Bucharest, Rumania |
| 28 | Aug | 1944 | 7:00 | Szolnok, Hungary |
| 29 | Aug | 1944 | 7:00 | Szeged, Hungary |
| 1 | Sept | 1944 | 6:15 | Ferrara, Italy |
| 5 | Sept | 1944 | 6:15 | Sava, Yugoslavia |
| 6 | Sept | 1944 | 5:30 | Sava, Yugoslavia |
| 10 | Sept | 1944 | 8:00 | Lyons, France |
| 17 | Sept | 1944 | 9:15 | LYONS, FRANCE |
| 7 | Oct | 1944 | 7:00 | KAMARON, HUNGARY |
| 10 | Oct | 1944 | 6:00 | VENETO, ITALY |
| 12 | Oct | 1944 | 6:30 | BOLOGNA, ITALY |
| 13 | Oct | 1944 | 8:30 | VIENNA, AUSTRIA |
| 1 | NOV | 1944 | 7:30 | Graz, Austria |
| 4 | NOV | 1944 | 8:00 | Augsburg, Austria |
| 6 | NOV | 1944 | 7:00 | Bolzano, Italy |
| 11 | NOV | 1944 | 8:00 | Linz, Austria |
| 15 | NOV | 1944 | 6:00 | Insbruck, Austria |
| 17 | NOV | 1944 | 7:30 | Vienna, Austria |
| 20 | NOV | 1944 | ABORTED | Blechhammer, Germany |
| 22 | NOV | 1944 | 8:00 | Munich, Germany |
| 25 | NOV | 1944 | 6:00 | Haiming, Germany |
| 1 | Feb | 1945 | 6:30 | Graz, Austria |
| 16 | Feb | 1945 | 8:00 | Neuburg, Germany |
| 23 | Feb | 1945 | 7:00 | Knittelfeld, Austria |
| 28 | Feb | 1945 | 7:00 | Ora, Italy |
| 4 | Mar | 1945 | 7:00 | Graz, Austria |
| 15 | Mar | 1945 | 7:00 | Wiener-neustadt, Austria |
Total number combat sorties, 35: total number combat flying hours, 246:45
/s/ Ernest C. Parsonson,
Captain, Air Corps,
Operations Officer.
Courtesy of Chuck Parsonson
V-Mail from Dwight Olson to Ernest Parsonson