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320th Group members at MacDill Field - Tampa, Florida |
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Oscar
Nixon Sheppard, Jr. |
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The flight line at MacDill Field - Tampa,
Florida |
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320th Marauders out over Tampa Bay |
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MacDill Field - Tampa, Florida |
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MacDill Field - Tampa, Florida |
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MacDill
Field - Tampa, Florida |
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MacDill
Field - Tampa, Florida |
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MacDill Field - Tampa, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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The
flight line at MacDill
Field - Tampa, Florida |
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MacDill Field - Tampa, Florida |
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MacDill Field - Tampa, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida
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It
wouldn't be the Army without spuds to peel. |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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The 444th moved 16 August 1942 to a small field at Sulpher Springs in a test of their combat readiness. Men of the Squadron off-duty played baseball. |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane
Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane
Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane
Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane
Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida
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Facilities
were pretty rustic at Drane. |
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A
squadron meeting with government orders being given. |
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444th
Flight Schedule Board |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane
Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane
Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Drane Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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441st Ordnance and Armament Sections preparing 22 September 1942 to board the troop train at Lakeland that would take the Ground Echelon to Camp Kilmer, their POE. |
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MacDill Field - Tampa, Florida |
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Drane
Field - Lakeland, Florida |
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Waiting on the flight line at Morrison Field, West Palm Beach, Florida, for the signal to take off on the first leg of their overseas movement. Marauders are from the 441st. |
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- Overseas Move - Gourock was a very busy harbor filled with vessels of all sizes, nations and types. Small craft flying the British Royal Navy Ensign were scurrying about. Many were crewed by WRENS, and the ladies, needless to say, drew appreciative whistles from the men of the 320th! |
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The Air and Ground Echelons of the 441st and 443rd Squadrons had to be stationed at the nearby satellite field of Tibbenham (quartered in Nissen huts) because there wasn't enough room at Hethel. A small detachment was also set up at Tivetshall. |
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Atkinson
Field - Georgetown, British Guiana |
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Overseas Move - Georgetown, British Guiana
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Overseas Move - Georgetown, British Guiana
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Overseas Move - Georgetown, British Guiana |
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Overseas Move - Georgetown, British Guiana. |
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Unloading in North Africa |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Martha
Raye gave a terrific performance for the group |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui,
Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Amphitheater - Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Squadron Departments and Sections were set up in Tafaraoui's hangers. |
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Squadron Departments and Sections were set up in Tafaraoui's hangers. |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Artisian
well water was trucked in. |
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Massicault, Tunisia |
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USO
show - El Bathan, Tunisia |
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Frances
Langford - USO show 11 August 1943 |
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Bob Hope, Frances Langford, guitarist Tony Romano and their troupe were a tremendous morale booster for the men on 11 August 1943 El Bathan, Tunisia |
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Bob
Hope during USO show on 11 August 1943. |
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Martha Raye put on a great show at Tafaraoui, Algeria 11 February 1943. The men enjoyed her songs and patter immensely. |
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Keith Evans and Chuck Limberg at El Bathan, Tunisia |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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El Bathan, Tunisia |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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North Africa |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Waiting
for Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker 11 May 1943 |
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Convoy from Montesquieu, Algeria to Massicault, Tunisia |
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Massicault, Tunisia |
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Cemetery near Souk Ahras, Algeria |
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Tent Life - Massicault, Tunisia |
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El Bathan, Tunisia |
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A simple funeral was held 24 April 1943 at Souk Ahras, Algeria for those killed in the crash of Lt. Fordyce's Marauder. Wing and Group Officers and men attended. Note flag-draped caskets. |
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El Bathan, Tunisia |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Montesquieu, Algeria |
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Montesquieu, Algeria |
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Montesquieu, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui's runways and dispersal areas were constatnly being worded on by the Arabs, Frenchman, and U.S. Army Engineers. The field was, however, luxurious by North African standards. Note the Royal Navy Swordfish. |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Massicault, Tunisia |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Montesquieu, Algeria after Fordyce's death. |
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Bob Hope, Frances Langford, guitarist Tony Romano and their troupe were a tremendous morale booster for the men on 11 August 1943 El Bathan, Tunisia |
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Bob Hope during USO show on 11 August 1943. |
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North Africa |
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North Africa |
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North Africa |
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North Africa |
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North Africa |
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North Africa |
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Montesquieu, Algeria |
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Montesquieu, Algeria |
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Hot, hard work changing engines - Massicault, Algeria |
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Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker visited the group in Montesquieu, Algeria 11 May 1943. |
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Montesquieu, Algeria |
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An
overview of the capsite at Montisquieu, Algeria. |
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The Group Briefing Room interior at Djedeida. |
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Wrecked Axis aircraft - North Africa |
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Massicault, Tunisia |
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Lt. Col. John R. Fordyce (on haunches front left) and Lt. Col. Gregory (squatting right) giving a briefing to flying officers - Montesquieu, Algeria |
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First
Lieutenant Lawrence E. Probasco (left), 442nd |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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The mud at Tafaraoui was especially gooey. And the weather was cold. For shelter, the men built shacks out of packing crates. |
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Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker visited the group in Montesquieu, Algeria 11 May 1943. He presented several Purple Hearts and then spoke informally to the men about his experiences adrift in the Pacific for twenty-one days before rescue. |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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C-47 transports were loaded with gear and men in Tafaraoui, Algeria for flight forward to Montesquieu, Algeria, an advanced airfield close to the front. |
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American-flown Spitfires of the 308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, flew fromLa Senia and Tafaraoui. The spits often scrambled to intercept Axis air raids on shippingin the port of Oran. |
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Preparing to leave Tafaraoui, Algeria. |
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Shacks made from packing crate material - Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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An engine separated from a Marauder during a crash - North Africa |
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Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker visited the group in Montesquieu, Algeria 11 May 1943. He presented several Purple Hearts and then spoke informally to the men about his experiences adrift in the Pacific for twenty-one days before rescue. |
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Preparing to leave Tafaraoui, Algeria. |
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A formation beginning to head out - North Africa |
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Fighter pilot of the 325th climbs into his P-40 at Montesquiue. |
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Writing home from Montesquieu, Algeria |
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A lineup of 442nd aircraft at Montesquieu warming up their engines for a practice flight. Squadron emblem did appear on the right side of the nose of most 442nd B-26s. |
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The ol' swimmin' hole at Massicault, Tunisia . . . . until Doc closed it. |
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The ARC doughnut line at Montesquieu, Algeria |
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North Africa |
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320th aircraft begin to head out for a raid - Montesquieu, Algeria |
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North Africa |
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A Royal Navy Fairey Swordfish, "Stringbag", at Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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El Bathan, Tunisia |
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Packing up in preparation for heading out - Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker visiting with the men 11 May 1943 - Montesquieu, Algeria |
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Ground men of the 444th watch their Marauders taxi our and take off from Montesquieu, Algeria. The guys on the ground were always on hand when the air crews took their B-26s into the skies. |
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Ground men of the 444th watch their Marauders taxi our and take off from Montesquieu, Algeria. |
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Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker visiting with the men 11 May 1943 - Montesquieu, Algeria. He is seen here with Lt. Col. John R. Fordyce. |
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North Africa |
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P-38 Lightnings escorted many 320th missions - North Africa |
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Hoping
to catch the big one - Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Aerial gunners had to keep in practice. This top turret was removed from a wreck and mounted on a truck. The target was a kite from a life raft. |
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441st mates take down their eight-man tent getting ready to make the move from El Bathan, Tunisia to Sardinia, Italy |
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A long convoy of 320th trucks, Jeeps, and other vehicles pulled out 29 June 1943 for the chanve of station from Montesquieu, Algeria to Massicault, Tunisia. |
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Alex Fraser in foreground - North Afric |
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A captured German Messerschmitt Bf 109 undergoing inspection - North Africa |
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North Africa |
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Home sweet home - Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Montesquieu, Algeria |
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Tebourba was three miles north of El Bathan in Tunisia |
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Wrecked French bombers at Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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One of the C-47s used to haul men and equipment of the group from Tafaraoui, Algeria to their forward base at Montesquieu, Algeria in a unique airlift on 9 April 1943. |
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North Africa |
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Famed Life Magazine photographer, Margaret Bourke-White (left center) visited the group at Tafaraoui, Algeria during her picture taking tour of North African Battlefronts in March, 1943. That's Col. Garrison (center) and Maj. Peddie to the right. |
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One of the C-54s used to haul men and equipment of the group from Tafaraoui, Algeria to their forward base at Montesquieu, Algeria in a unique airlift on 9 April 1943. |
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Coming in for a landing is one of the C-47s used to haul men and equipment of the group from Tafaraoui, Algeria to their forward base at Montesquieu, Algeria in a unique airlift on 9 April 1943. |
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One of the C-47s used to haul men and equipment of the group from Tafaraoui, Algeria to their forward base at Montesquieu, Algeria in a unique airlift on 9 April 1943. |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Wrecked French Bomber - Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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One of the C-47s used to haul men and equipment of the group from Tafaraoui, Algeria to their forward base at Montesquieu, Algeria in a unique airlift on 9 April 1943. |
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Lady from Hades, one of the C-47s used to haul men and equipment of the group from Tafaraoui, Algeria to their forward base at Montesquieu, Algeria in a unique airlift on 9 April 1943. |
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Former French officer's barracks at Tafaraoui, Algeria. The 320th housed 9 men in each 12'x12' room. |
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Examining a captured Messerschmitt Bf 109 at Montesquieu, Algeria. |
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Montesquieu, Algeria |
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Catholic mass - North Africa |
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The hot and hard work of changing engines - North Africa |
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North Africa |
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P-40F Warhawks of the 325th Fighter Group, stationed on the other side of Montesquieu Field, Algeria, take off from the fighter strip. These ships escorted the Group's Marauders on many missions. |
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North Africa |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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Tafaraoui, Algeria |
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C-47s used to haul men and equipment of the group from Tafaraoui, Algeria to their forward base at Montesquieu, Algeria in a unique airlift on 9 April 1943. |
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North Africa |
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Cemetery near Souk Ahras about 20 miles north of Monesquieu in Algeria. On 24 April 1943 a simple funeral was held for those killed in the crash of Lt. Col. Fordyce's Marauder. |
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Cemetery near Souk Ahras about 20 miles north of Monesquieu in Algeria. On 24 April 1943 a simple funeral was held for those killed in the crash of Lt. Col. Fordyce's Marauder. |
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North Africa |
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North Africa |
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An interesting photograph in that it shows some of the other aircraft commonly seen by the men of the 320th at Tafaraoui, Algeria. On the runway is an American P-40 Warhawk. In the background is a British Supermarine Spitfire and two Royal Navy Fairey Swordfishs. The Swordfish was also universally known as the "Stringbag" |
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North Africa |
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Group Trucks and Jeeps being driven aboard LSTs at Bizerte Harbor. The Ground Echelon shipped out Decimo late in October, 1943. |
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There wasn't much to do on the crossing to Sardinia except play cards. Most of the men slept on deck in their vehicles. |
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Barbecue at El Bathan |
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Crews return to interrogation at Djedeida, Tunisia. |
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The men called El Bathan The Dust Bowl. |
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B-17 seen taking off in North Africa |
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El Bathan, Tunisia |
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Abandoned Axis bombs - North Africa |
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