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"Brass Hat Squadron" Short Snorter


siege1863
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Here is another "short snorter" that turned out to be a surprise! I was able to easily identify the first few men as Air Corps guys, but it was not until I got to some of the others that I recognized the history and significance. This "short snorter" was carried by a member of the "Brass Hat Squadron" (503rd AAFBU) that flew senior government officials, US and foreign diplomats, military leaders, etc. to destinations in the United States and throughout the world. The unit was based at the Washington National Airport.

 

This particular "snorter" is from a special mission of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) flown late June to September 6, 1946. The group visited several foreign cities including Cairo, Athens, Rome, Belgrade, Trieste, Paris, Prague, Warsaw, Minsk, Kiev, and Copenhagen. Much can be found on the role of the UNRRA on the Internet and so I will not repeat it here.

 

The signing of this "short snorter" can be narrowed to just a few days. It is a Danish 5-Kroner note. The UNRRA flight arrived in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 2 and departed on the 3rd. On September 6, the aircraft landed at the Washington National Airport. I suspect, as the flight was nearing the US, the note was passed around for signing.

 

Because of the poor handwriting, the forum members may not recognize the most important signature on the note. The ninth name down is that of UNRRA Director-General Fiorello LaGuardia!

 

Here are the men who signed:

 

William F. Shanklin-senior pilot

Joseph A. Mattson-pilot

Gratton C. Miller-pilot

Arthur E. Allen-crew

Frank Sayko-crew

Paul A. Barnes-radio operator

Herman C. Ellinghausen-flight chief(?)

Richard S. Beidler-flight traffic clerk & steward

 

Fiorello LaGuardia-UNRRA Director-General

Eric LaGuardia-Fiorello's son

C. Tyler Wood-UNRRA Special Assistant to Secretary; US Council rep.

Nicolai Feonov-UNRRA Deputy Director-General (USSR)

Leon Feonov-Nicolai's son

Joe/Joseph Lilly-UNRRA Director of Public Info; aide to LaGuardia

Harold E. Caustin-UNRRA Assistant to Director-General (UK)

Frank Giordano-not yet determined

Harry E. Howell-UNRRA Comptroller of Accounts

 

Here is a link to a Pathe News clip showing the UNRRA flight arriving at Rome. Some of the aircrew can be seen standing at the door after LaGuardia had descended the steps. Just think, Captain Shanklin is at the controls as the plane taxis in!

 

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=57286

 

post-211-1307929546.jpg

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Here is a view of some of the group in-flight. LaGuardia is in the front to the right. To the left of him is C. Tyler Wood. Standing in the back is a member of the aircrew (note ATC patch over pocket). This may be Beidler.

 

post-211-1307929713.jpg

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Here is an interview with Shanklin in October 1947 in which he describes the duties of the "Brass Hat Squadron" and recounts the special mission of LaGuardia and the UNRRA.

 

post-211-1307930477.jpg

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  • 3 months later...

Very neat to see this... that's my dad, Richard Beidler. He is 85 now and a retired pastor. He collected a piece of currency from each country on this trip and taped them together in a long chain in the order of the nations they visited. His short snorter was a US one dollar bill and last in the chain. When he was in seminary in Pittsburg he was showing some kids the stuff he gathered in his trips around the world... and of course one of the kids managed to swipe the US dollar.

 

It was a tremendous experience for him and the assignment to this squadron was a great reward for his hard work in load master school placing him at the top of his class.

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Very neat to see this... that's my dad, Richard Beidler. He is 85 now and a retired pastor. He collected a piece of currency from each country on this trip and taped them together in a long chain in the order of the nations they visited. His short snorter was a US one dollar bill and last in the chain. When he was in seminary in Pittsburg he was showing some kids the stuff he gathered in his trips around the world... and of course one of the kids managed to swipe the US dollar.

 

It was a tremendous experience for him and the assignment to this squadron was a great reward for his hard work in load master school placing him at the top of his class.

 

 

Great to hear from you and to know of your father! Can you ask him if he remembers the others on this flight and what their duties were? What might he remember about Ellinghausen? There is another man with a near identical name and I would like to better identify the one who signed this note. Also, because of where he signed on the note, I made the assumption Giordano was a UNRRA member. However, he could possibly have been one of the crew. Does your father recall him?

 

If you would like to PM me with your email address, I will send you high-res scans of the front and back of the note.

 

Regards.

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Great to hear from you and to know of your father! Can you ask him if he remembers the others on this flight and what their duties were? What might he remember about Ellinghausen? There is another man with a near identical name and I would like to better identify the one who signed this note. Also, because of where he signed on the note, I made the assumption Giordano was a UNRRA member. However, he could possibly have been one of the crew. Does your father recall him?

 

If you would like to PM me with your email address, I will send you high-res scans of the front and back of the note.

 

Regards.

 

Ellinghausen was a flight clerk same as dad... "Elly" is the tall crew man in the cabin picture.. that's dad in the way back. Ellinghausen and dad are friends to this day. Dad is checking on Giordano (thinks he might have been a flight engineer).

 

Dad has some pictures and stuff from this flight and from a trip to China when they hauled Henry Luce to meet Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. http://www.cambridge.org/aus/catalogue/cat...3682&ss=exc

post-55971-1316394034.jpg

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Great three-generation photo! I see you father still has his uniform w/ wings! Please thank him for the information provided thus far. It will be properly recorded and kept with the "short snorter."

 

Can your father confirm H.C. Ellinghausen is Herman C. Ellinghausen from Maryland who enlisted in April 1945? Like I said in my earlier post, there is another man with a very similar name and I want to be sure I have the correct person.

 

The information I have on Frank Sayko is he was a MSgt and from New York. Barnes and Allen have common names and I cannot identify them from the many other men who enlisted for the war. Anything known about them (hometown, date of enlistment, etc.)?

 

Your posts have made my week!

 

---Mike

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Great three-generation photo! I see you father still has his uniform w/ wings! Please thank him for the information provided thus far. It will be properly recorded and kept with the "short snorter."

 

Can your father confirm H.C. Ellinghausen is Herman C. Ellinghausen from Maryland who enlisted in April 1945? Like I said in my earlier post, there is another man with a very similar name and I want to be sure I have the correct person.

 

The information I have on Frank Sayko is he was a MSgt and from New York. Barnes and Allen have common names and I cannot identify them from the many other men who enlisted for the war. Anything known about them (hometown, date of enlistment, etc.)?

 

Your posts have made my week!

 

---Mike

 

Email from Dad... he is gathering all he can find and I will send you some scans:

 

Jim: I have a passenger list which lists passenger F. Giordano

and I have a photo of him talking to flight crewmen :

Engineer Ira L. McConnell and Radioman Frank Sayko

I haven't taken time to compare that cabin shot with Elly and me in it

to see if F. Giordano is in that photo.

 

The flight left 503rd WashNat'l EDD and ADD 14 July 1946,

at ETD 1300 but ATD 1430

tdy not to exceed 45 days,

returning EDA 14 Sept but ADA 6 Sep 1946,

ETA and ATA not recorded.

with 8 crewmen on mission #254 via C-54E #9071

TFT 110 hours with 11 named passengers and 30 expected Cities in

Bermuda, Azores,North Africa, Europe, Russia, England, Denmark,

and returning via Gander, Newfoundland to Washington Nat'l Airport.

 

These flights were made immediately after overseas passenger flights

had been freed from a war-time ban by President Harry S. Truman

 

More later as I can get it all pulled together.

 

THANKS A MILLION FOR YOUR INTEREST AND KNOW-HOW.

LOVE YA,

pop

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Email from Dad... he is gathering all he can find and I will send you some scans:

 

Jim: I have a passenger list which lists passenger F. Giordano and I have a photo of him talking to flight crewmen :

Engineer Ira L. McConnell and Radioman Frank Sayko

I haven't taken time to compare that cabin shot with Elly and me in itto see if F. Giordano is in that photo.

 

The flight left 503rd WashNat'l EDD and ADD 14 July 1946, at ETD 1300 but ATD 1430 tdy not to exceed 45 days, returning EDA 14 Sept but ADA 6 Sep 1946, ETA and ATA not recorded. 8 crewmen on mission #254 via C-54E #9071 TFT 110 hours with 11 named passengers and 30 expected Cities inBermuda, Azores,North Africa, Europe, Russia, England, Denmark, and returning via Gander, Newfoundland to Washington Nat'l Airport.

 

These flights were made immediately after overseas passenger flights had been freed from a war-time ban by President Harry S. Truman

 

More later as I can get it all pulled together.

 

THANKS A MILLION FOR YOUR INTEREST AND KNOW-HOW.

LOVE YA,

pop

 

Jim: YES. Herman C Ellinghousen Jr. is a Doctor currently writing a book on Leptospirosis. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland, he enlisted in 1945, and we have been in touch for 65 years. He is very much involved with his book and he has been caring for his paralyzed wife for almost 20 years. He is a few months older than I (84)

 

He and I were listed as "Flight Traffic Clerks" explained by the word "stewards"

 

Major William F. Shanklin was our pilot (Now deceased, I think, as many others must be)

Captain Joseph A. Mattson was 2nd pilot (for flights more than 16 hours)

Captain Gratton C. Miller was co-pilot

1st Lt Arthur E. Allen was Navigator

M/Sgt Frank Sayko was Engineer 7 digit name tag #'s

-------------------------

S/Sgt Ira L. McConnell was Assist Engineer 8 digit name tag #'s

S/Sgt Paul A. Barnes was Radio Operator

I have not been in touch with any of them, except Ellinghausen

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Jim: YES. Herman C Ellinghousen Jr. is a Doctor currently writing a book on Leptospirosis. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland, he enlisted in 1945, and we have been in touch for 65 years. He is very much involved with his book and he has been caring for his paralyzed wife for almost 20 years. He is a few months older than I (84)

 

He and I were listed as "Flight Traffic Clerks" explained by the word "stewards"

 

Major William F. Shanklin was our pilot (Now deceased, I think, as many others must be)

Captain Joseph A. Mattson was 2nd pilot (for flights more than 16 hours)

Captain Gratton C. Miller was co-pilot

1st Lt Arthur E. Allen was Navigator

M/Sgt Frank Sayko was Engineer 7 digit name tag #'s

-------------------------

S/Sgt Ira L. McConnell was Assist Engineer 8 digit name tag #'s

S/Sgt Paul A. Barnes was Radio Operator

I have not been in touch with any of them, except Ellinghausen

 

According to the previous post, the manifest shows a crew of eight (8). I have eight men signing the "short snorter" and McConnell is not one of them. Was he ground crew/pre-flight? If he was in fact on the flight, perhaps the "short snorter" is his. It is doubtful he would sign his own note.

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According to the previous post, the manifest shows a crew of eight (8). I have eight men signing the "short snorter" and McConnell is not one of them. Was he ground crew/pre-flight? If he was in fact on the flight, perhaps the "short snorter" is his. It is doubtful he would sign his own note.

 

JIM,

This is great work ! I have gone over my passenger manifest and found 5 passengers whose baggage (42 bags) we took on, who did NOT sign the Short Snorter. They were: A Savard, J. Lilley, A. Ornstein, Cmdr Jackson, and K. Younger. The whole crew (except McConnell) signed it first.

 

Frank Sayko was not"Radioman" he was 1st ENGINEER , assisted by ENGINEER Ira L. McConnell who did not sign. I have a photo of Sayko and McConnell and Shanklin talking to a man I remember as Frank Giordano (passenger) he signed the back of the snorter as well as psngr H.E.CAUSTIN. I have NO I.D.for Harry G. Howell who DID sign the back.

 

Paul A. Barnes was our RADIOMAN, Pfc. Herman C. Ellinghausen Jr. and Cpl. Richard S Beidler were Flight Traffic Clerks (Stewards)

 

I noted the number of dog-tag digits, possibly indicating early and later enlistments. When I googled William F Shanklin he was listed as deceased at age 85. He put in thousands of hours of safe flight time.

 

Hope I have added to the gathering flight info.

 

Best regards to Mike!

 

Thanks, Jim,

Dad

 

** I will get a scan of the manifest and any additional pictures and attach them to this thread... that should provide a nice little package info around this "short snorter"

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I have identified Frank Giordano. He was LaGuardia's barber! He is mentioned in a write-up describing LaGuardia's funeral and naming some who attended. Being that the UN mission was to last for more than two months, LaGuardia must have felt he was needed to keep him looking his best!

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I have identified Frank Giordano. He was LaGuardia's barber! He is mentioned in a write-up describing LaGuardia's funeral and naming some who attended. Being that the UN mission was to last for more than two months, LaGuardia must have felt he was needed to keep him looking his best!

 

That's classic stuff right there!!

 

"Cmdr Jackson" who did not sign the "snorter" but was on the mission manifest appears to be Sir Robert Gillman Allen Jackson, (8 November 1911 – 12 January 1991) was a United Nations administrator who specialised in technical and logistical assistance to the developing world. After the WWII, he was responsible for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) projects in Europe, parts of Africa and the Far East.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Jackso...dministrator%29

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Knowing the identity of Giordano, I was able to find this photo of him in his barber shop. Perhaps he entertained the crew and mission members with his singing!

 

 

post-211-1316827758.jpg

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Another detail that suggests this was McConnell's "short snorter" is that he resided in Iowa. The seller is located in the southern part of neighboring Minnesota.

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  • 4 years later...

Mike,

 

Sorry to report that my Father passed away in November, 2015... very likely the last living member of that flight crew. As I have been sorting through his old scrap books have run across other items pertaining to this particular mission. If you think it would be of interest along with the short snorter I will be happy to scan and post them. If this thread has grown old and tired I won't bother you with these additional materials.

 

Thanks,

Jim B.

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Jim---

 

Sorry to hear of your Dad's passing. I feel fortunate to have shared the history of the short snorter and his experiences as one of the crew. With the dwindling number of WWII veterans, it is even more important to learn from them what we can while still an opportunity. Hard to believe it was so long ago this topic was active.

 

I would very much like to see the related items you have discovered. I never stop adding to my research on my snorter collection. Periodically, I will pull out some of the older notes and check for new resources. Looking at them with fresh eyes, I am sometimes able to decipher signatures that otherwise had me stumped.

 

Regards.

 

---Mike

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  • 3 years later...

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