444th Bomb Group (Very Heavy Special)

[Badger52]

I used to sneak out to the garage, go through my Dad's trunk and, carefully removing the souvenir sword, his flight gear, manuals and old trig books, and an old sweaty shoulder holster with 1911, peruse this book as a little kid. I see now that the 444th has finally revamped their website, partnered up with the B-29 association for a permanent physical museum location (where the "sharks in suits" wouldn't sell off their stuff) and the unit history is now available online.

This book and a couple of photos were given to me when my folks divorced, Dad asking if I would "take care of it" for him. (It doesn't get loaned, ever.)

I thought I'd post the link here for the somewhat large .PDF download but it's worth every bit-per-second if you enjoy seeing some priceless photos from the Far East during that time, as well as some "GI" humor that can be recognized anywhere.

Dad was a navigator on "Undecided" although the "shit hot" pic I have of him shows just 7 personnel & many more missions on the nose - this at the time after Lemay had crews & gun loads reduced and took everyone down from altitude to incinerate the Japanese mainland. The plane's name comes from the inability of the original crew to pick whose wife/girl-friend would have the honors. Finally, embarassed, the NCO maint chief had enough of stupid officers and painted that on it - it stuck. (Don't mess with line chiefs I guess.)

Link to the PDF for the unit history

Link to the 444th's website

If one peruses the photos (either in the website or in the book) one can't help but notice that returning the Air Force to the 2 primary branches might at least let us enjoy something the Air Corps did better than anyone else - NOSE ART!
The caveat is that I'll defer if it means more SHARP training for my still serving comrades; after all, there are some members here whose avatars would grace any aircraft nose with class.

[PRB]

Interesting stuff and great history.

[The Reaper]

Apparently, according to the website the "Undecided" was re-Named "Flyin' Jackass" - Triangle N #18

I guess they really made the maintenance chief mad.

TR

[mojaveman]

Have always liked the B-29. I think it was our first heavy bomber to have pressurization. The remotely controlled gun turrets were nice too.

Ok, now for some trivia. What did the camel images that were painted on many of the aircraft represent? Missions that involved flying over the Himalayas (nicknamed "the hump" by pilots)?

Knew an old guy that was a crew member on a 29 in Asia and he once told me that on the incendiary missions, the bombers at the tail end of the formations were very difficult to control because of the tremendous updraft from the heat.

Regarding the incendary bombings General LeMay once said: "If Japan had won the war, I would have been tried as a war criminal."

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Apparently, according to the website the "Undecided" was re-Named "Flyin' Jackass" - Triangle N #18

I guess they really made the maintenance chief mad.

TR

You have a keen eye sir.