![[Graphic] Snapshots from the 464th Bombardment Group.](../images/flagd.jpg)
Our War Stories
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Me and Pistol Packin' Mama
by John W. Graham (776)
[Ed. of 464th BG newsletter - Frank Ramsey (779) forwarded some
info which he received from Master Sargeant John W. Graham (776), who wrote the following
narrative.]
Recently I received a copy of the 464th Bomb
Group H Newsletter dated Nov. 4 1994. It was sent to my by a good friend, William
H. Barron, Buhl, ID of the776th Bomb Squadron. I was thrilled to find in the newsletter
a picture of "Pistol Packin' Mama". I was the crew chief of this plane at Pantanella
Hill in Italy.
This
picture shows the other (right) side of her. She was the last remaining plane
of the original 776th Squadron flown overseas by the Air Echelon.
After many missions she was retired and used as a shuttle
plane, flying personnel to Cairo, Egypt rest camp, etc. The original planes had names and logo
pictures. Others I can recall in the 776th were "Sleepy Time Gal", "Three Cornered
Kid", "Pappy's Pride",
"Little Lulu", "Toonerville Trolley" and "Little Gismo".
After "Pistol Packin' Mama" was retired, I was assigned
to "Red J". It was unpainted as were all replacement planes because they were said
to fly a bit faster than the olive drab ones due to less wind resistance. Also the extra time consumed
in camouflage painting may have been a factor.
"Red J" only made 16 missions and by a miracle
landed on two engines at home base. The tail assembly was badly damaged and the control
cables were cut. The crew had taken the arming wires from the bomb racks and spliced the cables
together.
Above the waist doors (windows) the plane was nearly cut into
two pieces by a direct flak burst. Gas tanks were punctured but the self-sealing tanks proved their
worth. The wings had numerous holes. The aircraft did not return to its 776th hardstand but was
salvaged for parts.
[Ed. of 464th BG newsletter - This apparently was the plane
flown by Dave Eppley, of York County, PA, who we have not been able to locate. I recall that it
was the 2 December '44 sortie to Blechhammer South Oil Refinery and that Dave scattered the
formation by erratic flying till he recovered control by using the auto pilot. Because our crew had
not been re-outfitted as yet after the Monday 20 November 44 ditching (Blechhammer South Refinery
also), I was tower officer that day and when the red Very signals blossomed above the aircraft
that had requested an emergency approach, I grabbed the binoculars and focused on the incoming
B-24. As John has said, the aircraft was almost cut in half at the waist windows. The turtle back
was cut badly and I was fearful that the fuselage would buckle when it landed. John stated that
the bomb arming wires were used to splice the cables, however I heard that the engineer used
his shoe laces to do this. His name was and is Tex, but that was because he was from Texas.
A picture of this aircraft was published in the January '91 464th newsletter.)
John continues: I was sent to Pocatello, ID, 6 April '43 to
service planes and training combat crews. Was assigned to the 464th Bomb Group 776th Squadron,
15th AAF. Along with the 464th BG Ground Echelon, I left Pocatello in early February '44, for the
week long train trip to Norfolk VA and eventual service overseas.
The 776th Ground Echelon departed Norfolk in early March '44,
on the Liberty ship "Henry W. Longfellow". Entering the Mediterrean Sea, after passing
Gibralter, a submarine alert sounded. All personnel were ordered above deck. Almost immediately
there was an air alert. German planes came over strafing so back below we went. It was an exciting
time. The destroyers were dashing about dropping depth charges. We survived and sailed on. The
rumor was that we lost a couple of ships.
After 29 days with the large convoy, we arrived at Naples Italy.
In port we found the harbor filled with sunken ships, the results of recent bombings. Our Liberty
ship maneuvered beside one sunken ship and we crossed to it on a gang plank then onto another
ship until we reached the pier. The group marched to a nearby college where we spent the night.
I remember the hard marble floor with only a blanket for a mattress.
In small box cars, we crossed Italy to the Adriatic side and on
17 April my parents received a telegram announcing my safe arrival at our overseas destination.
Pantanella was not ready so we began operations out of Gioia
del Cole.
2 May I was shot in the hand while working on an aircraft - the
bullet came from the belly turret of the plane on the hard stand next to mine. The gunner had
forgotten to clear his guns in flight and accidentally discharged a burst when disarming the weapon.
After time in the Army hospital in Bari, I went through a repl deppl
and returned to the 464th. My job could be done although I was missing two fingers on my left
hand.
The Ground Echelon did not live on the hill but had tents on the
flight line, each with six men. M/S William Barron, S/S John Booth, M/S John Olive, Dudley,
S/S Willis Burke and myself lived in tent #51. Olive, Dudley and Burke crewed the first radar
equipped aircraft on the field; it was painted a dull gray. Booth and I crewed
"Pistol Packin' Mama".
Because of G.I. ingenuity, we had four-foot hi side walls of tufa
block, a floor made of foot suqare tiles and a stove made from a bomb fin and an oil drum in the
tent. Water was heated on a five gallon 'jerry' can fastened to the back of the stove. The Army
cots issued were not very comfortable for 6'8" Barron or the 240 lb. Graham. Barron was an
excellent welder and with scrounged pipe we soon had a 7 foot by 3 foot double deck bunk with
rope springs.
At full strength, each squadron had 16 aircraft, making group
strength 64 planes. As a crew chief and ground maintenance man, I had (and have) great admiration
for the combat crews. It took a special brand of courage to fly day after day on missions, not
knowing what fate had in store.
After the war ended in Europe, I went by truck to Naples and
loaded on a ship for Trinidad. We were assigned to the ATC (Air Transport Command) and we
serviced planes that were returning the Fifth Army back to the States from Italy. I enjoyed the
tropical climate but I wanted to go home. On V J day the natives celebrated with marimba bands
and dancing.
Mid-September '45 found a group of us on a plane for Miami and
then by train to Jefferson Barracks, MO for discharge.
20 December '47 I married Frances Hill and we lived on our farm
at Hawkeye for 35 years, retiring to our present address.
Back to "Our War Stories".
From the Feb. '97 issue of the 464th Bomb Group Newsletter.
Published with the permission of Tony Schneider, Sec./NL Ed. (464th, 776)
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