Old L-2 Pic from San Antonio

[Doc]

Received a call from a gentleman in VA who was looking at his deceased Dad's log books from the 1950s and was looking for 7AC NC2241E. We are restoring this Champ now. It seems his dad joined the Air Corps in 1929 as a mechanic and was commissioned as an engineering officer/pilot in 1941 and assigned to Kelly Field (now Kelly AFB) as the crash investigation officer. He was assigned a L2 as his personal hack ship. I am attaching a copy of the photo album picture provided to my by Gary Cummings. The picture was taken at Kelly Field sometime during the War. Just for fun, I am also including a picture of my parents taken in Orlando in 1945. My father had returned from England after 2 tours as a 1st pilot (B17s and B24s) and my mother (redhead) was a radar filter officer on the east coast (Signal Corps). My Dad flew his new B-17 from Rattlesnake AAF Base (West Texas) to Pueblo, CO and then on to Ridgewell (Feb 43) in Essex, England as a flight leader of the 535th Sq, 381st BG (Triangle L). Doc

[Dick Huish]

Re: Old L-2 Pic from San Antonio

That ship was probably an O-57A (L-2A).L-2Bs were built later and were equipped with a flat-top antenna. You can tell it was early because the insignia was just the circle. Dick

[Chet Peek]

Re: Old L-2 Pic from San Antonio

Doc, I appreciate what your father did in England. Two tours was really unusual. I spent May-43 to June-45 as Engineering officer with the 95th at Horham Went back for another visit this year.

Chet Peek

[Doc]

Re: Old L-2 Pic from San Antonio

Chet: Same to you. My Dad's story is interesting. He was assigned to the 1st Bomb Wing (later 1st CBW, 1st Bomb Division), 381st BG at Ridgewell with the 535th and later transferred as a lead pilot to the 532nd. He completed 25 in March 1944 with a quick rotation to CONUS and return to the 2nd CBW (2nd Bomb Division) as a lead pilot and operations officer with the 389th BG. His older brother Bob was the 2nd Combat Wing (2nd Bomb Division) Flight Surgeon (Hethel) and probably made the assignment possible. He later returned to CONUS for C&GS school and finished up with Western Training Command. e-mail me at: [email protected]. I need a copy of your book. Doc