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shelter in place attic find - Eagle Squadron


soninlaw71
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soninlaw71

Max in the USAAF:

 

The 86th Fighter Squadron, 1/23/1943  to 10/16/1943

His first flight log post is 8/5/1943

Service record, log and map

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Salvage Sailor

As I'm certain you'll be illustrating with these fantastic records in your chronology, Max would have transitioned from Hurricanes and Spitfires to P-40's Warhawks when he transferred to the 86th Fighter Squadron, USAAF

 

Photo:  P-40F of the 86th Fighter Squadron 79th Fighter Group at Tripolitania Libya

 

P-40F_of_the_86th_FS_79th_FG_at_Tripolitania_Libya.jpg

 

 

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soninlaw71

Max starts flying P40’s on 1/23/1943

Sorry I posted the wrong flying log entry above.  (corrected photo 1)

 

Max starts flying P-40, #64  on 2/ 21/43, and then basically lists only that plane till mid June.

 

Max had his own plane and named it after his sister Wilor’s firstborn the “Carol-E”, and I think #64 is it. 

 

Max sitting in the “Carol-E” with his new mustache and goggles, with Crew Chief Sgt.Pulis in Kairouian, Tunisia, which puts it between 4/1943 and 7/1943

 

Philip Caine used a close-up from this picture for Max’s entry in his Eagle Squadron book.

(photo 2/3) (#4 back of photo#3 )

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max in north africa with Douglas Matherson.jpg

max and crew chief Sgt Pulis  Kairouan tunisia  10:43.jpeg

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soninlaw71

 86 Squadron kept Max busy as the the Allied Forces moved slowly to Sicily and then up through Italy. 

 

The “Carol-E” full view.

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some where in Africa ? 22.jpeg

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soninlaw71

Max recorded his first confirmed 3/23/43 flying the “Carol-E”, and two more before his tour ended

Log book (photo 2)

 

*( During his time in 33 Squadron, his log book listed two probable and one shared. 

These 2 photos were in the folder with Lance Wade’s photos and letter. This would have been 33 squadron action, but not knowing if we are looking at a Spitfire (Lance) or a  Hurricane (Max),  I could not tell who might be flying.  The photos are noted BOB-L-5A and BOB-L-4 ? )

 

Here is another 33 squadron photo I just found.

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soninlaw71

86 squadron continued:

 

Max in front of his 86 squadron accommodations. 

 

Assorted desert rats.

 

Max with signature upturned collar, no mustache and his motley American crew sometime between July and October 1943.

 

Crew Chief Sgt.Pulis in shorts.

 

Max in dress, sporting the ring on his right hand , which also showed up in his “Carol-E” photos.

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Salvage Sailor
6 minutes ago, soninlaw71 said:

86 squadron continued:

 

Max in front of his 86 squadron accommodations. 

 

Assorted desert rats.

 

Max with signature upturned collar, no mustache and his motley American crew sometime between July and October 1943.

 

Crew Chief Sgt.Pulis in shorts.

 

Max in dress, sporting the ring on his right hand , which also showed up in his “Carol-E” photos.

 

 

destert rats copy.jpeg

 

 

 

 

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Captured German Kubelwagen marked "86 Sqd" in those two photos

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manayunkman

The two BOB pictures look like they were taken during the filming of the movie “The Battle of Britain “

 

The B-25 was used to film the action.

The HE 111’s are from the Spanish Air Force and have the oversized air scoops under the engines.

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soninlaw71

86 squadron continued:

 

On September 9,1943, Max flies his last combat mission.

 

Fate has dealt him a card he could not have anticipated.

 

He came through 138 combat missions and 568 combat hours in the air over the course of 14 months without a scratch.

 

But now, a tiny mosquito puts a stop to everything, as he comes down with malaria. 

 

On October 16, he flies for the last time with 86 Squadron.

 

After looking at the minutiae of the daily logs and the map again, in the context of the 14 months Max spent in the 33 and 86, one really gets a sense of how ponderously slow this war was.

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soninlaw71

You can see in log photos that his flights after the 16th are very short. 

 

He is obviously trying to give it a go, but it is just not working.

 

An anecdote from a relative:

“Sometime during the Italian campaign, George contracted malaria. He was rotated home to the base in Florida to recover. While stationed there, he got the chance to drive home to DC to visit family. He asked two of his cousins to drive back with him to Florida. The plan was that his cousins, Mary Elizabeth Taylor and Page Truslow would catch a train back to DC from Florida. On the drive down, George had a wicked relapse of malarial symptoms, and Page ended up driving. Once back at the base, George was hospitalized. Fortunately, the second treatment worked and George fully recovered and returned to duty. “

 

Potos:

Max in-between hospital visits in DC looking a bit peaked Jan. 1944

 

Max standing next to his sister Wilor, holding her second child. Baby Carol E, the namesake of his plane is standing between them.

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soninlaw71

He retuned to duty, yes, but unfortunately, according to immediate family, he never fully recovered, and apparently malaria symptoms  continued for some time, possibly giving him issues throughout the rest of his military career.

 

I have very few items from his days in 86. 

His flying cap, 2 sewing kits, with compass, a cross on a chain and his pack of Lucky Strikes filled with zippo striker replacements. 

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pararaftanr2
On 5/19/2020 at 2:47 PM, soninlaw71 said:

They looked very primitive to me too.

They hinge in the middle.

I don't have his 'stache,

But I hope this help to clarify.

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Those are RAF issue, and officially referred to as Goggles, Flying Lightweight. Stores Ref. 22c/44. More commonly known as the MK-II. It was a pre-war design that continued in service through the middle of WW2. If you look closely, you may even find a date on the lenses.

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pararaftanr2
On 5/24/2020 at 10:28 PM, soninlaw71 said:

Here are two hats:

 

Hat #1 is Max’s RCAF hat.

Unfortunately, it has not fared well, as it is misshapen; rather tatty and moth-eaten. Is the embroidered patch also a brevet?

 

I am very confident that this is the hat he was wearing while astride the camel. 

The camel picture was taken during his time in Cairo, while awaiting his transfer. At this point in time, he would not be buying a new hat, and in the picture, it already looks as if it is slightly misshapen. Max is also sporting the beginnings of a mustache.

 

Hat #2 

This flat beret has no tag and looks as if it was never worn.  It still has its form ring in it. What could this be?

 

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Max 1, on left pilot george Turvey at pryamids 42 copy.jpg

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Hat #2 is not a beret, rather a replacement cover for his RCAF cap that you are calling Hat #1. Looks like the moths didn't find this one, fortunately.

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soninlaw71

Previous to this last month, I was under the impression that he rejoined the 86 in Europe after being treated in Florida but that was not the case. 

 

One can only imagine the profound disappointment Max must have felt to be suddenly shipped back to the USA. It must have been crushing!  

 

I would imagine he thought he would recover and then get sent back into action, but his relapse and re-hospitalization probably closed the door for that possibility. 

 

If  any of this was communicated to Philip Caine, he decided not to use it:

 

Caine: “He continued with the 86th through the Sicily and Italian campaigns and in late 1943 returned to the United States. His assignment was to a P-51 Operational Training Unit in Florida, where he remained for the duration of the war.” 

 

Max's logs show a little more activity than that, as they have him resuming flying, (3 months after they shut him down in Italy) in Florida on Jan 25, 1944. He is flying P51 A, B and C’s all over the Tampa, and Miami areas, apparently in a teaching capacity.

 

His is stationed at Hillsborough, FL, for 9 months.

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soninlaw71

 

Thanks for the hat and goggle info ! 

The lenses do have a date: T.1942.C.

 

Max in Florida Continued:

After 9 months of instructing pilots in Florida,  in December of 1944, Max suddenly logs a flight in a P-51 from Los Angeles to Oakland, at the same time his log book service record has him in Long Beach, CA. on 12/23/44

 

Apparently, he is still hoping to see action in the Southwest Pacific.

 

I thought this might have been for possible deployment, but his records don’t hint at that. Instead, his logs have him flying a different P-51 cross-county, twice in 2 weeks. 

 

According to a military summary of his activity from 1950 they have him in the hospital at the same time his logs have him flying across the country. We know he was re-hospitalized at some point, but I’m going with his logs as per usual. 

 

January11 to 21 he flies a P51 D #167 from LA, with stops in Coolidge Az, Dallas,  Atlanta and arriving in Newark, NJ on January 21, 1945.

On January 24, he is flying out of LA,  arriving into Newark on the 27th, following the same itinerary.

 

He lists his unit as 6th Ferrying Group. 

 

Did he try to get an assignment to fight in the Pacific and after it did not work out he took the ferrying assignments? 

 

His log starts again on 3/2/1945, back in Venice FL, flying P51’s and is back teaching at the C.C.T.S.

 

*The leather case with a tag from Hillsborough, FL, was filled with post war stuff; navigation maps of the Miami area, jet manuals, records of a plane purchase, military mags, and many leather bound insurance policies. 

 

Also shown are the pennies with years from 1923/55, that were apparently sprinkled among the contents of the war trunks every time it was opened. (for good luck?)

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pararaftanr2

Your second to last post of his log books shows he was on temporary duty ("T.D." in the log) with the 6th Ferrying Group from 12/23/44-2/1/45. It looks like he flew a P-51D cross-country from Los Angeles (making stops along the way) to Newark, NJ on two occasions during January while on this assignment, as shown in the last log book page you posted. He may have volunteered for this job, but it wouldn't have led to a combat assignment in the PTO, especially in light of his medical record at that point.

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soninlaw71

Max’s last flying logs in the book I have are on June 25, 1945 . 

 

He does not summarize the page in his usual manner, and his service record entry is left with a dash.  It is a bit out of character for him, but there could be many explanations.

 

His 1950 record has him remaining in Florida through March of 46.

 

The war was over and he did not get to fly combat again either in Europe, the Pacific or in Korea. Perhaps it was the malaria?

 

Some time after the war, he bought a plane and briefly tried his hand flying shrimp and cut flowers from Florida to NYC.  

 

In 1947 Max left the US Army Air Forces,  applied for regular commission in the new US Air Force, and was accepted.

 

Until 1952, he served in Guam, the Philippines and Texas.

 

Sadly I do not have any of his other log books, but I know he flew for the USAF until 1969.

 

 From 1952 to1956 he was an instructor at the Command Staff College in Montgomery, Alabama.

 

Photos:

Log book flying entry's end,  June 25, 1945.

Log book record of service end.

Max, Florida Nov. 1945. 

Texas 1951, Max second row 2 from left.

Alabama 1953, Max bottom row far right.

Alabama 1955, Max back in the center of things.

Texas ?  1963 ?  jets! - Max top center again. (can anyone date this photo ?)

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soninlaw71
9 hours ago, pararaftanr2 said:

Your second to last post of his log books shows he was on temporary duty ("T.D." in the log) with the 6th Ferrying Group from 12/23/44-2/1/45. It looks like he flew a P-51D cross-country from Los Angeles (making stops along the way) to Newark, NJ on two occasions during January while on this assignment, as shown in the last log book page you posted. He may have volunteered for this job, but it wouldn't have led to a combat assignment in the PTO, especially in light of his medical record at that point.

Thanks for the details.

It looks like he might have continued to ferry planes cross country, as I found this plane ticket for a later date in 1945.   He certainly found an interesting way to stay in motion!

nov25:1945.jpeg

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soninlaw71

 

Post war continued:

 

Caine - “George then went into the statistical services field and during the next twenty-five years was responsible for overseeing the installation of computer systems worldwide." 

 

Family: 

Max carried top secret status from 1950, and he was not at liberty to tell his family anything about what he was involved with, while being away for extended periods of time, so there is that. (photo)

 

By late 1956 he was based in Virginia, and worked at the Pentagon, where my wife got the opportunity to try out her pink and black Minnie Mouse roller skates in the ramped halls  as a youngster.

 

Over the next decade or so, Max was stationed in Japan, Hawaii, Texas and finally in the Washington DC area at Andrews Airforce Base in Maryland.

 

He applied for the first wave of the astronaut program but was rejected. 

 

In Maryland he wrote, designed and implemented the computer data systems at the Data Systems Design Center, Air Force Headquarters in Maryland. The data system which he devised at the Pentagon was implemented in Phase II at 148 airbases all over the world. 

 

My understanding is that he was still flying jets around until 1969 when the USAF finally shut him down.  That did not go well in the Maxwell household.

 

He retired as a full colonel from the Air Force in 1970 and went to work for Burroughs Computers, where he worked in data systems development from 1970 to 1973. Between 1973 and 1976, he designed and installed the data systems for the Postal Service. After that, in 1976, he went to the Department of Data Systems at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

 

He retired in 1987 at the age of 70.”  

 

Photos:

Secret status

Max retiring, 1970 

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soninlaw71

                                                                                                                    George Saint Maur Maxwell

 

Max certainly lived a little. As many fearless young men do, he followed his nose, and his instincts took him along historic pathways. I’m sure he was humbled along the way, and beyond disappointed  that he was taken out of the fight by his illness, but that didn't stop him from passing the torch to others, as he became an instructor of young, up-and-coming pilots.  That is some of the story I am taking away from his trunk and it’s contents. But there is so much more, as for me it became a living, breathing testament to one young man and one generation’s blind spirit and drive, of bonding comrades and loss, as the names of missing mounted up in the log book, of transformation and survival and the chance to contribute more and help others along their ways.

 

As for the Max I knew - he was man of order and logic, possessing many talents. Even in his 80s he had lightning fast reflexes and better than 20/20 vision. He wrote poetry and had an IQ that was off the charts. He was wonderful with our kids when they were young (they still can recite the lyrics of ‘Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue’, and some other epic verbal tongue twisters from the 30’s).  But despite his given name he was no saint. The St. Maur of old was canonized for walking on water in order to save a fellow monk. I guess surviving any war might be equated to walking on water.

 

Max expected the best from everyone including himself and others, perhaps to a fault. I actually saw him knock himself out with a quick right hook to his own jaw after he accidentally spilled a glass of water. Whatever demons he had before and after the war, he could apparently silence them by flying airplanes and jets. When that privilege was taken away in 1969, he sublimated as best he could by driving powerful cars. He was driving his red Trans Am until he became ill in 2010.  He passed away in 2011, just shy of his 94th birthday, and was buried at Arlington Cemetery with full military honors. 

 

I would like to leave this part of the story of his trunk with this picture I recently found.  It is young, bright eyed Max, training in Canada, posing as the hood ornament of a powerful V8  machine; ready, willing and able to take on all comers. 

 

If more information or items are found I will of course post them.

young max posing as a hood orniment for a powerfull V8 .jpeg

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I can help a bit with the post war pics. The one with 3560th PTW would have been at Webb AFB, TX. They were active from 1951 until 1972 when the wing was redesignated the 78th Flying Training Wing. The aircraft in the group shot is a T-33A. 57K would have been for a training class from 1957, and K is their class identifier. The first class of 1957 would have been 57A, and then each subsequent class would be assigned the next letter. It's be fun watching you post all this. Hope this helps.

 

Randy

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soninlaw71

Thanks Randy,

That is interesting info! 

 

If its 1957, that means he is commuting from Virginia where his family is living.

 

The T-33A jet is an amazing looking flying machine! I have never seen one before!  

Here are the names on the back of the photo.  

57k names.jpeg

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