Christmas At Pratt - 1943
40th Bomb Group Association Memories Issue No. 30
Christmas, during WWII, was a yearly benchmark by which we measured the length of the war. Christmas 1943 was one that had a singular meaning for many in the 40th. To many who had been in Puerto Rico and Panama, it was the first Christmas in the States in two years. To others who had joined the Group prior to Christmas this holiday could be the last one at home for no one knew how long, if ever. Everyone who had the chance to get home grabbed it. And yet, in the midst of this
scramble there were a few who found Pratt to be their home that Christmas. In this issue of MEMORIES eight members tell their stories of Christmas, 1943.
Source is 40th Bomb Group Association.
Please select a story to read in its entirety:
Neil Coleman
Date written: 1988
Written by: Neil Coleman, CFC Gunner
Subject: Birmingham Fiasco
On December 23, a requirement came in to fly a B-29 from the Boeing plant in Wichita to the modification center at Birmingham. With all of the crews gone on other flights, a volunteer crew had to be recruited. Myself and Frank Rutledge, our crew's right gunner, happened to be in squadron operations at the time and were asked if we wanted to go as scanners. When told that we would have to wait in Birmingham for about a week or so for return transportation to pick us up, Frank said that we could catch a train out of Birmingham and go to his home in Nashville to spend Christmas with his family. It sounded like a good idea so we volunteered.
Chester Gaugh
Date written: Summer, 1989
Written by: Chester Gaugh
Subject: Christmas Operations from Pratt
After a couple of leaves back home during the summer/fall of 1943, I had decided that I was kinda serious about the girl I had been seeing in Indianapolis. (She's now my wife.) Then at Christmas time I learned I was lucky enough to be scheduled on one of the B--17 RON Santa Claus flights and would get to see my parents and girlfriend again before going overseas.
Neil Wemple
Date written: 19 May, 1989
Written by: Neil Wemple
Subject: Christmas at Pratt--and Happy to be There
Christmas in Pratt? I was very happy to be there, not having had a Christmas in the States since 1940. Christmas of 1941 found me on alert in St. Croix, ready with my B-18A crew to bomb the French at Martinique. We didn't launch. In 1942 I was in Guatemala City celebrating Christmas Eve. Christmas morning was an early morning patrol to the Galapagos. There was about as much fog inside the cockpit of that B-17E on takeoff as there was outside--which was plenty.
Henry Pisterzi and Paul Goreski
Date written: February and March, 1989
Written by: Henry Pisterzi and Paul Goreski
Subject: Hauling a Heavy Load Back from Denver
Henry Pisterzi Reports: We were informed that our Christmas furlough would be granted. Plans were made so that all of the people could be sent home and returned as quickly as possible. The reliable and almost indestructible B-17's we had were assigned for the job. One was assigned to fly to Denver and was flown by a pilot and crew from the Group whose homes were in Colorado. So near as I can remember, there were eleven or even thirteen of us. The only names I can recall are "Chuck" Thornsberry, "Speedy" Miller and Paul Goreski. A day or so after we arrived home, Mother Nature was to help us. We had a good snow (probably six inches or better), and the temperature stayed rather low. Our furlough was over, but the weather conditions had not improved. We called the officer in charge of the Colorado contingent (probably Thornsberry), and he told us all air travel was grounded. He relayed this to the Pratt command and was told to leave as soon as takeoff was permitted.
William Rooney
Date written: 29 October, 1989
Written by: William A. Rooney
Subject: Only a Near Disaster
Somehow the word filtered down that there was going to be a fly around that I could get on which would drop me off at my home in St. Louis. It was early evening of the 23rd and dark and cold in Pratt. Those of us who were to be on the plane were gathered on the ramp in front of the hangar of the 44th. A B-17 was to fly us around, but it was at that moment being slow timed. We checked out what winter flying gear was available and donned it pretending, while we stood out on the ramp, that we weren't cold.
Ira V. Matthews
Date written: Fall 1981
Written by: Ira V. Matthews
Subject: Follow the Power Lines to a Cemetery
Pilots in the old Army Air Corps had a cynical cliché to describe the location of airports. It went, "Follow the highest power lines until you reach a cemetery. There you will see the airport." This applied to the old city airport in Terre Haute, Indiana in December 1943. Major Oscar Schaaf, 45th Squadron CO, was flying a B-17 at night in heavy clouds with a load of ice. Near Terre Haute, one engine lost power and had to be shut down. The bomber would not hold altitude on three engines.
Harry Changnon
Date written: 6 April, 1989 (Revised)
Written by: Harry Changnon
Subject: Christmas Holiday and Notes from a Letter Home
Monday, 22 December, 1943, Pratt, KS: Yes it's finally me. I hadn't written before because I had hoped to walk in on you, but now I won't so I had better write. Am very disappointed. With myself mostly, I've been planning more than I should have on being home Friday afternoon to stay until Sunday. They told us that those who flew Thanksgiving would have a better chance of getting home for a couple of days now. I knew Maj. Schaaf and Col. Parker were going to Spokane and Walla Walla, so I thought they'd drop me off in Pocatello on the way and pick me up on the way back. But now they have a full load going to those two cities and to Portland. I couldn't get on any other flights because they are more than loaded with guys going home, too. If only you didn't live up in them thar hills, I could get home.