"The 354th Fighter Group" Documentary Projects: April 2014

Monday, April 28, 2014

354th Army film footage featured on MSNBC and HISTORY CHANNEL

On Daniel Carrizales' 354th site, he has two links to an MSNBC story that ran about a combat photographer who shot some film that featured the 354th Fighter Group. He also had a reel of gun camera footage from the planes that the 354th flew.

Here is the link to it:

http://www.354thpmfg.com/AlbertNewton_WWII.html

This is a link to another story about S/Sgt. Albert E. Newton, the US Army combat photographer who shot the WWII war footage of the 354th that NSNBC. This is on the History Channel's site.

http://www.history.com/shows/wwii-in-hd/videos/war-photographer

I have been trying to get the higher resolution from the Library of Congress but have not been successful yet.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

General F. Michael Rogers has passed away

I just heard from Tripp Alynn that 4 Star General F. Michael Rogers has passed on. He invited us into his home in 2006 to interview him about his military career that stated in the 354th FG. Rest in Peace.

Here are a few items from my collection.

1944 Press release

General Rogers(right) with his buddy Ken Dahlberg in 2007 Travis AFB

During out interview in 2006

A 1944 press photo

Ed Regis is far left; General Rogers is 2nd from right

General Rogers signing autographs - 2007 - Travis AFB

Saturday, April 19, 2014

British Pathe Newsreel of the 354th FIghter Group

I posted this newsreel before in 2012 - but only recently British Pathe posted much better copies of their newsreels on their youtube channel.

Bill Davis and Lowell Brueland (and others) can be seen in this footage.

Although the Pathe site lists this as 1943 is is obviously 1944. Mainly because you can see the D-day stripes. Painted just days before June 6, 1944.

William Louie (an original 354th member) sent me an email about this :

Hi Jon, I think these shots were taken at Lashhenden after D-day. Our planes still have the complete D-day stripes, and are operating with wing tanks in most of the scenes. I don't think we had many long range missions when we got over to A-2, in early July,'44.

It's great to get this first hand info from a man who was there! Thanks, Will.

Friday, April 18, 2014

More interesting pages - This time from the Decemeber 1943 issue of POPULAR SCIENCE

A few more wonderful finds from the December 1943 issue of POPULAR SCIENCE relating to the P-51 and the Army Air Corps.

I am not sure when this issue actually hit the news stands, but with the date of December 1943, this was probably one of the first magazines to have a photograph and info about the P-51.

From the December 1943 issue of POPULAR SCIENCE. This may be one of the first photographs and information published in the American press about the P-51. It already mentions the Rolls-Royce engine!


From the December 1943 issue of POPULAR SCIENCE. Notice this advertisement mentions "P-51 Mustang" as one of the US planes it powers.

From the December 1943 issue of POPULAR SCIENCE. An ad for the "Greatest Team in the World."

Is this the V-1 rocket bomb? According to my historical papers, the first time the 354th encountered a V-1 bomb flying over was the night of June 12, 1944. From the December 1943 issue of POPULAR SCIENCE.