HBT Posted July 17, 2008 Share #1 Posted July 17, 2008 I have a Bombardier group that included the vet's laminated Caterpillar Club card. I researched the bomb runs he participated on and was not able to find records of aircraft he was on going down. Is there a way I could research how and when this vet became a member of the Caterpillar Club, or this is a needle in a haystack? Thanks. ---Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBT Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share #2 Posted July 17, 2008 Here are his bomb runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwightPruitt Posted July 17, 2008 Share #3 Posted July 17, 2008 Wow, 12-24-44 Kirch-Gons, Germany. I was stationed there in the late 70's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted July 17, 2008 Share #4 Posted July 17, 2008 Your best bet is to try and get a copy of an " Aircraft Accident Report" if it exists for him. These guys can help : http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/reports.htm Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehrentitle Posted July 17, 2008 Share #5 Posted July 17, 2008 These Caterpiller Club cards and pins were issued by the companies that made parachutes upon application from the individual who used them in an emergency situation. Many like Irving, who issued this card, still exist and probably have the information in their archives. Irving is now Irving Aerospace and their website is: http://www.irvinaerospace.com/aboutus.html When I was researching parachute riggers several years back I contacted the Switlik Parachute Company for some information. The owner wrote me back and indicated that they still had all of the original files with correspondence on their Caterpiller Club. As it happened former president George H. W. Bush used a Switlik parachute when he bailed out in WWII and they still had all of his application info on file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted July 17, 2008 Share #6 Posted July 17, 2008 HBT, That's a nice group! It is a little hard for me to clearly see his name from the documents, but I believe it is Wallace Wickander. If so, Wickander flew with the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 384th Bomb Group. The following information is for one of his missions flown during the Battle of the Bulge. His aircraft for this mission was a B-17G aircraft number 43-38548. MISSION SUMMARY Mission Date 27 December 1944 384th Mission Number 244 8th Air Force Mission Number 764 Primary Target Tactical Altenahr, Germany CREW ROSTER Position Crewmember Status Pilot Gilmer, Charles E Completed, Uninjured Copilot Edwards, Robert A Completed, Uninjured Navigator Newmann, James H Completed, Uninjured Bombardier Wickander, Wallace H Completed, Uninjured Engineer/Top Turret Sainsbury, Joseph A Completed, Uninjured Radio Operator Allessi, Vincent (NMI) Completed, Uninjured Ball Turret Anderson, Carl E Completed, Uninjured Flexible Gunner Drew, John E Completed, Uninjured Tail Gunner Scarce, Jr, James Richard, Dick Completed, Uninjured Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
316th FS 324th FG Posted July 17, 2008 Share #7 Posted July 17, 2008 This is from the 384th's website: http://384thbombgroup.com/php/person.php?PersonKey=4249 It comfirms Beasts information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBT Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share #8 Posted July 17, 2008 Thanks for all the help with my search. I have visited the 384th BG site before and it is very informative. Someday, I plan to go through all the pics and see if I can ID my vet in any of the images. My plan is to get nice pics of the full group and write a blog on my site. KASTAUFFER, Thank you for the aviation link! I will email them and see if they can help me. Best, Chris Hughes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigredone Posted August 28, 2008 Share #9 Posted August 28, 2008 Here's a pic of my uncle Robert Paulson and his wife Bette. On his uniform jacket you can see his Caterpillar Club pin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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