Steve Brannan Posted April 13, 2020 Share #1 Posted April 13, 2020 I have had this small Caterpillar group for a few years but bored with staying home, Ive been taking a closer look at my collection. I found a surprise. Lt Massey was a Pilot in the 8Th AF and was shot down over Jauldes, France on about June 19, 1944. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brannan Posted April 13, 2020 Author Share #2 Posted April 13, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brannan Posted April 13, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted April 13, 2020 The surprise I found was the serial number of his AAF issue M1911A1. I believe this would have been a Remington Rand. He wrote the serial number on the back of his Pilot ID. I think the pistol would probably been made in early 1944. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decwriter Posted April 13, 2020 Share #4 Posted April 13, 2020 This is your guy for sure and the picture of the small ribbon bar looked like two silver oak leaf clusters, but they are bright bronze oak leaf clusters. That's a nice caterpillar club pin and card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brannan Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share #5 Posted April 14, 2020 I think I was wrong. This serial number was for a Colt M1911A1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Sgt CES Posted April 14, 2020 Share #6 Posted April 14, 2020 A Great Grouping ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brannan Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted April 14, 2020 The newspaper article is from 1961 and says Lt Massey flew back to Jauldes, France for a ceremony by the local French people to honor his B-17 crew. The plane was hit by AA and broke in two and only 3 crewmen survived. The locals buried the dead. Lt Massey and the other two survivors fought with French Underground for 76 days according to the article before getting back to Allied lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIKyle Posted April 14, 2020 Share #8 Posted April 14, 2020 Thanks for posting this great group! Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 14, 2020 Share #9 Posted April 14, 2020 I enjoyed the view and the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted April 14, 2020 Share #10 Posted April 14, 2020 Really nice grouping. Roll Tide, south of B’ham Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Crow 1986 Posted April 14, 2020 Share #11 Posted April 14, 2020 Great grouping! Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted April 15, 2020 Share #12 Posted April 15, 2020 Nice caterpillar club group Steve! Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Posted April 15, 2020 Share #13 Posted April 15, 2020 Beautiful grouping! Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brannan Posted April 15, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted April 15, 2020 Thanks for the kind comments. Another story told in the 1961 newspaper article: when his B-17 was hit over France, they were at 27000 feet. He ordered Bail Out and before he could get out of the Pilots seat, the Oxygen tank exploded breaking the plane into two pieces. His chest parachute was not hooked on but he grabbed it and jumped. He tried two times to hook onto his parachute unsuccessfully but was successful on the third try. When he deployed the parachute he was at about 4000 feet. Wow. Would make a movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brannan Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share #15 Posted May 2, 2020 Oral interview of LT Massey in National Archives very interesting 401st Bomb Group http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.70023/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted May 2, 2020 Share #16 Posted May 2, 2020 Very Nice Switlik group. JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brannan Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share #17 Posted May 12, 2020 He’s still alive. His picture was in the local paper last Sunday. The greatest generation. Still going strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 12, 2020 Share #18 Posted May 12, 2020 Sign up on the CMP Forum and / or Gunboards and post the serial number of the 1911 he had. Who knows, maybe someone has it in their collection? Stranger things have happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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