Question about pilot and log book

[siege1863]

Just acquired a pilot's log book, but it will be a few days before I have it in hand. This was one of those purchases made solely on description. The log covers the period December 1943 into 1945. Among the type of flights recorded are tracking missions and towing targets. That alone was enough to get me to bite.

 

When I asked the seller for the name of the pilot, location, etc., he gave me the name Harry M. Schnirring of Mechanicsburg, IL. Supposedly, he was a commercial pilot. My question is: Why would a commercial pilot be used for what is clearly military training of AAA gunners? I know WASPs did this, but in conjunction with the AAF.

 

A quick Google search shows a Harry M. Schnirring involved in an AAF crash in December 1943 at Benton, MO. Possibly the same man was involved in another military crash in 1955.

 

Any thoughts or additional on this man?

 

Thanks.

[BEAST]

Harry M. enlisted on 6 OCT 1942. His ASN is 16122588 and he is listed in NARA. Look forward to seeing the entries from the log!

[Cobrahistorian]

There were many commercial pilots that were pressed into some form of military service during the war. A good friend of mine's father was an American Airlines pilot who flew for ATC as such during the war. Their uniforms were similar to USAAF Officer's uniforms, but instead of the brown mohair braid on the cuff, they had black braiding indicating rank (4 braids for a captain) and ATC buttons on their tunics. Towing targets was one of those roles in which they did serve to some extent. Sounds like you got a great piece there!

 

Jon

[siege1863]

Harry M. enlisted on 6 OCT 1942. His ASN is 16122588 and he is listed in NARA. Look forward to seeing the entries from the log!

 

 

Thanks for the heads-up! I had made a search of Ancestry.com, which also shares the WWII enlistment database. However, they do not have the listings for the Reserve Corps.