PO3 Robert J. Ritchie Link https://militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=159301 Excerpt and photo from bio written by Pierre Lagacé (special contribution) 75 years ago on August 5, 1945 Robert J. Ritchie was an aboard USS Bullhead. His mother was a Gold Star Mother. Robert’s brother William had been killed on September 22, 1944 in Veghel, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. Robert’s mother […]
These PDFs files are part of Alfred Kühn’s collection of memorabilia. His son Manfred has been sharing most of all he has about his father who was a sailor aboard the T24.
Association Athabaskan 23 April to 8 May 1984 Page 1
Association Athabaskan 23 April to 8 May 1984 Page 2
Association Athabaskan 23 April to 8 May 1984 Page 3
Association Athabaskan 23 April to 8 May 1984 Page 4
Association Athabaskan 23 April to 8 May 1984 Page 5
Interesting little known fact from WWII
Uss Barb, SS-220, May 1945
This post is in response to a suggestion I received from Pat at e-Quips.
In the closing months of World War II, heavy losses and depleted fuel stocks kept many of Japan’s remaining combat aircraft grounded and warships in port, awaiting an anticipated amphibious invasion. Starting in July 1945, Allied battleships embarked on a series of naval bombardments of coastal cities in Japan in an effort to draw these forces out to battle — with little success.
However, a week before the battleships began lobbing their massive shells, a legendary U.S. submarine toting a rocket launcher began its own campaign of coastal terror that foretold the future of naval warfare — and also engaged in the only Allied ground-combat operation on Japanese home-island soil.
Submarines still made use of deck guns during World War II, most of them ranging between three and five inches in caliber. These…
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Lancaster FM104
Here’s one of the vintage b/w photos that I took at the Lancaster retirement weekend at Downsview on April 5, 1964. That’s search and rescue FM104 in the foreground with “long nose” reconnaissance KB976 beyond.
Aviation fans everywhere love the Avro Lancaster. Canadians had begun crewing on Lancasters with RAF Bomber Command as soon as the “Lanc” began operations late in 1941. The distinct RCAF bomber group formed a year later (No.6 Group) was flying Canadian-built Lancaster Xs by war’s end.
Today, I’m looking back to April 4/5, 1964 in RCAF Lancaster history. That was somewhat melancholic, being the week the RCAF retired its Lancasters. For the occasion, Lancasters KB882 and KB976 (both the long nose, Arctic reconnaissance version) and FM104 (search and rescue version) had starring roles at RCAF Station Downsview in Toronto. Many RCAF veterans attended to honour their beloved “Lanc” and walk around it on the ramp…
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Collection Alfred Kuhn
About the T24 I have many photos and stories.
My father Kuhn Alfred was also on the T24.
Collection Alfred Kuhn
Collection Alfred Kuhn
To be continued…
The power of the Internet
Written exactly 6 years ago about Albert Arthur Sidney Cassely…
There is always a starter in a blog. This is how this blog was created this morning. Victoria gave me the green light so I can post what she wrote the first time we connected on the Internet.
Dear Pierre
Thank you so much for getting back in touch (and so quickly!)
I would be very grateful if you could help with any information. My sister (copied) and I are in the process of asking relatives and going through my father’s possessions but this is what we know at the moment:
– our father’s full name was Albert Arthur Sidney Cassely (he usually omitted the Sidney and the spelling may be Sydney)
– he was born on 2nd April 1923 in Chelsea, London
– we believe our father joined the RAF shortly after August 1940 which is when his father (Albert Harold Cassely), an RAF reservist and…
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It’s not only about nose art…
Note
Clarence and I have been virtual friends since 2015 when he first contacted me about a nose art.
Little by little this virtual friendship grew up to a point I created Preserving the Past, a blog where he could publish his research, and then a second one…
This is his latest research about…
This 31” by 31” replica nose art painting was completed by the author on original B-25 WWII U.S. Navy aircraft skin, the green paint is original American wartime color. This is from a special private collection of Mr. Nose Art, Clarence Simonsen, and at age 76 years, the artist has decided to give his little nude “Petty Girl” a new home. She is for sale, but must have a good setting, and please keep her warm. This was painted in honour of the aircrew of “The Vulgar Virgin.” The November 1941, Esquire gatefold pin-up…
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In the graveyard at Duns, in Berwickshire, not far from the village and former airfield RAF Charterhall (Trail 41), are two graves of nationals a long way from home. Both airmen died in service whilst flying from RAF Charterhall, an Operational Training Unit airfield that prepared night fighter crews before posting to relevant night fighter squadrons. […]
via Flt. Lt. William Devaux Woodruff Hilton (RCAF) – Berwickshire. — Aviation Trails
Research done by Clarence Simonsen
Research by Clarence Simonsen
Text version
The Power of American Aviation comics 1950’s
Born on the farm in rural Alberta, Canada, 24 March 1944, I had no idea young Canadian artists drew, and Toronto publishers printed ‘our’ own Canadian comic books titled “Whites.” On 6 December 1940, our government passed the “War Exchange Act,” which banned non-essential goods from being imported to Canada. This in short prevented the import of American comic books and the Canadian “Whites” were born, named because they lacked the color associated with their American counterparts. Canadians could only afford to print the covers in color. Our comics had a similar theme based on fictional Canadian war heroes and patriotic Canadian attitudes towards the Second World War.
The artists were mostly young Toronto art students, who created their own adventures, the most famous became “Johnny Canuck” by Leo Bachle…
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