1944

We are excited that, after years of hoping to find some kin of Lt. Wallace, who lost his life saving his crew (see our previous story of regarding William H. Wallace here), one last effort in fall 2015 has allowed us to get to know his daughter, Judy Ikels, and she has been gracious to share with us much about...

B-24s bombing Sinshih, an important Japanese supply in the Hunan campaign of the time. 8.6.1944. With P-51 and P-40 fighter escorts. Consolidated B-24J-35-CO Liberator "Krachy Kourier" (308th BG 425th BS; #42-73318). Consolidated B-24J-25-CO Liberator "Burma Queen" (308th BG 425th BS; #42-73253). In China, on one mission a bomber crew would "borrow" "Burma Queen" for a mission and were eventually forced...

Alice Chong outside the HQ building at Kunming in 1944, holding the Dachshund puppy that her roommate Eloise Witwer gave to General Chennault. Chennault named the dog “Little Joe” and then changed its name to “Joe-Dog” after it grew up. The name, of course, was a way of getting back at his nemesis, General Joseph Stilwell because, as Chennault would...

Alice Chong and Captain Addison Bailey dance while another GI plays guitar. Captain Addison Bailey was Alice's immediate supervisor. He was a Jazz pianist in New York City before the war, and went back to this after the war as well. The guitar player (name currently unknown) in Bailey’s 14th Air Force band was one of the original “Hillbilly Musicians”...

Alice Chong on the Kunming air strip posing before a C-54 with some of her 14th U.S.A.A.F buddies in 1944. Note the blood chit prominently-displayed inside the flying jacket of the Colonel Pilot at center rear. Captain Addison Bailey (in dark shirt) to Alice’s immediate right-all others unidentified. (Images and information primarily courtesy of Brian Dillon.)

Gun turret maintenance for F-7/B-24, October 1, 1944. Kermit Smith and Hummel. 24th Combat Mapping Squadron, 8th Photo Reconnaissance Group, 10th Air Force.

Banquet at Christmas, 1944, at Chanyi (Zhanyi), during WWII.

3rd Bomb Squadron's B-25J "Smilin' Jack" (named after the popular 3rd Bomb Squadron commander, Maj. Jack M. Hamilton, thence “Smilin’ Jack”). This B-25, A/C #714, serial #43-27809, was taking off from Liangshan on mission #112A to bomb and strafe railroad yards at Loyang when the pilot lost control and crashed just to the side of the runway. 3nd Bomb Squadron...

Film drying at photo lab of the 24th Mapping Squadron. June 10, 1944.

"Mosaic laying" at photo lab of the 24th Mapping Squadron--cutting and pasting numerous high-resolution aerial images together onto a board to create a wide view. June 10, 1944.