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47th Air Depot Group - CBI


disneydave
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From my collection, an anniversary dinner program printed for men in the 47th Air Depot Group. The program is dated September 7, 1944.

 

blog_47th.0.jpg

 

The front cover pictures the unit's Disney-designed insignia. The inside pages contain the menu and some recollections of men serving with the unit, while the back cover features several notable quotes from men in the unit.

 

According to my database, this Disney-designed insignia was created in mid-1944. The unit served in the U.S. Army Air Forces and was a supply and repair squadron. The unit saw action in the China-Burma-India theater of operations and was stationed at Panagarh, Karachi and Ondal India.

 

The menu measures 6¼ by 6 inches. The menu has some paint splatters on the cover and some tears, but is only the second one I have ever seen.

 

The following is an image of the original art sent to the men in the unit.

 

blog_47_orig_art.JPG

 

The image was emailed to me by Ray Liston who wrote:

 

The original painting...was given to us by my wife's grandfather, Martin K. Brennan. [The art] was folded and placed in his leather map satchel for transport back to home after the war, which is why there are creases on the picture. He served in the...47th Air Depot Group, headquartered in Panagarh. His rank was T/Sgt...[and] he worked primarily on the P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs. [A] letter of commendation was sent to the 47th ADG from the 459th Fighter Squadron recognizing the engineers for their part in keeping the planes flying.

 

The commendation, which Ray also sent me a copy of, read in part:

 

The superior performance of the Engineering Section of your organization for the past 8 months has been brought to my attention. During that period in which the 459th Fighter Squadron flew 179 missions and 1,318 sorties totaling 6,337 hours, an average eighty seven percent of aircraft in commission for flight was maintained.

 

Such an engineering record, achieved under combat conditions, is evidence of long hours of persistent endeavor and superior technical proficiency on the part of each member of your Engineering Section. Only by the greatest of team-work and devotion to duty could such have been accomplished.

 

I wish to commend the Engineering Section of the 459th Fighter Squadron for its splendid sustained effort in keeping its aircraft in the air.

 

I love the image of the winged elephant wearing a turban and think the design was quite appropriate for a unit stationed in India.

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