1944

Aircraft mechanics George Butsika, John Aspinwall, Clayton E. Nash, pose next to a B-25G of the 491st Bomb Squadron at Yangkai AB, China, shortly after the squadron arrived in January 1944. M/Sgt Aspinwall was the maintenance Line Chief, responsible for all 491st aircraft maintenance.

Ringer Squadron low-level bombing in French-Indo China, 1944.

B-25s of the 491st headed for Burma (?) August 1944, putting a breach in a wall.

Luichow Kid LD Jones, William "Wild Bill" Gornik (engineer-gunner; on the right, sitting on the bunk), Schmidt, CE Jones. Christmas at Yangkai, China 1944. From the collection of Frank Bates.

Sgt. Richard H. "Dick" DeSonia after he went with group singing at Yangkai, 1944.

Rural farm people with their donkey cart. At the north end of the field, Yangkai, Spring 1944. During WWII.

There were no hangars at Yangkai AB, nor any airbase in China. This required all aircraft maintenance to be performed in the open, regardless of weather conditions. These 491st Bomb Squadron mechanics are changing engines on squadron aircraft #444, "Shark Mouth", in the spring of 1944. Frenchy Beaudetter, George Butsika, John Burns, John Aspinwall, Karl Hammett, Frank Bert, Frank Bates...

At the line mess hall, Yangkai 1944. Frank Bates, Leo Lacher, Lee & his brother. See related image here.

All of the 491st Bomb Squadron maintenance personnel at Yangkai AB, China, in early 1944, shortly after they had transferred from Chakulia, India. Frank bates notes.. McArdle hadn't gone home. Rear, 5th from left 'Frank Bates'. In the middle of the front row, with his trademark pipe in his mouth, is Capt William Devries. He was the Engineering Officer from...

Nash, Nick Arico, and John Coffey, and the snake, at Luichow, Oct 1944.