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Capt James A Verinis with mascot Scottie 'Stuka' of the 91st Bomb Group in the waist gun position of his B-17 Flying Fortress (DF-A, serial number 41-24485) nicknamed "Memphis Belle" Passed for publication 10 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Not For Publication Before 00.30 June 10th. Flying Fortress Returns To U.S.A. After 25 Operations. June 1943. At an 8th Army Air Station somewhere in England, Lt.-Gen. Jacob L. Devers, and Major-General Ira. C. Eaker, bidded fare-well to the Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle" which is returning to the United States after completing 25 missions over enemy territory. The crew will instruct airmen back home, who will follow in their footsteps in the great Allied Air Offensives against the enemy. Picture shows - Capt James A Verinis Co-Pilot chatting with General Devers..' On reverse: US Army Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamp]. Print No: 268682
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Lieutenant-General Jacob L. Devers talks to Captain James H Verinus of the 91st Bomb Group, in the waist gun position of his B-17 Flying Fortress (DF-A, serial number 41-24485) nicknamed "Memphis Belle". Passed for publication 10 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Not For Publication Before 00.30 June 10th. Flying Fortress Returns To U.S.A. After 25 Operations. June 1943. At an 8th Army Air Station somewhere in England, Lt.-Gen. Jacob L. Devers, and Major-General Ira. C. Eaker, bidded fare-well to the Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle" which is returning to the United States after completing 25 missions over enemy territory. The crew will instruct airmen back home, who will follow in their footsteps in the great Allied Air Offensives against the enemy. Picture shows - Captain James H. Verinus, of New Haven, Conn., the Co-Pilot with the "Scottie" mascot "Stuka" who has made about 12 operational trips travelling in an oxygen box.' US Army Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamp]. Print No: 268682
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Members of the crew of the "Memphis Belle" pictured with Assistant Secretary of War, Robert Patterson and General Henry H. Arnold.
Back Row L to R: S/Sgt. Cecil N Scott, Capt James A Verinia, Assistant Secretary of War, Robert Patterson, Capt Charles B Leighton, Capt Robert K Knight, Capt Vincent B Evans, General Henry H Arnold, T/Sgt Robert J Hanson.
Front Row L to R: S/Sgt Casimer A Nastal, S/Sgt Clarence B Winchell, T/Sgt Harold P Loch [ Holding ships mascot Stuka ], S/Sgt John P Quinlan.
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A06268-B23971AC.
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Crew of the Boeing B-17 'Memphis Belle' at Laredo AAF, Laredo, Texas, 20 June 1943.
Standing L to R: T/Sgt Harold P Loch, T/Sgt Robert J Hanson, Capt Robert K Knight, Capt Vincent B Evans, Capt Charles B Leighton, Capt James A Verinis [holding Stuka the ships mascot].
Kneeling L to R: S/Sgt John P Quinlan, S/Sgt Clarence B Winchell, S/Sgt Casimer A Nastal, S/Sgt Cecil H Scott.
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A06257-76576AC.
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Captain James H Verinis [ New Haven, Connecticut ], co-pilot on the "MEMPHIS BELLE" with "Stuka", the plane's mascot, at an airbase in England. 9 June 1943.
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A06288-B24147AC.
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Major John J Mcnaboe, 91st BG intelligence officer, debriefs the crew of 1Lt James A Verinis, 324th Bomb Sq. Verinis & company had flown their assigned ship, B-17F 42-2970 "Connecticut Yankee" (coded DF-C) on the day's mission to Meaulte.
NARA Ref 3A13413-3A14216.
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Members of one of the squadrons at an airbase in England bid farewell to Capt Robert K Morgan [ Asheville, NC ], pilot of the Boeing B-17 "The Memphis Belle" before he and his crew take-off for return to the United States after completing 25 missions. 9 June 43.
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A06262-79243AC.
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Capt Robert K Morgan [ Asheville, NC ], pilot of the Boeing B-17 "The Memphis Belle" bids farewell to his ground crew before leaving for the United States after completing his 25th mission. Co-Pilot Capt James A Verinis stands at Capt Morgans shoulder with Nav Capt Charles B Leighton behind him.
They Are, Left To Right: Cpl Oliver C Champion, S/Sgt Max Allen Armstrong, Sgt Ware N Lipscomb, Sgt Leonard E Sowers, Sgt Charles P Blauser, Sgt Robert G Walters and M/Sgt Joseph Giambrone.
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A06261-79237AC.
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Capt Chas E Cliburn, [ Hazelhurst, Miss.] and Lt James A Verinis, [ 17 Prince St., New Haven, Conn.] (Right) members of 91st Bomb Group, Cambridge, England, resting after a raid over France. Capt Cliburn is the pilot of the "Bad Penny" a B-17 Flying Fortress and has just completed his 25th mission. He has been awarded the DFC and the PH. May-43.
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A14747-79069AC.
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Capt James A Verinis, [17 Prince St., New Haven, Conn.], co-pilot of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle" holding the crew's mascot, "Stuka", and Capt Charles B Leighton, [427 Haslett St., East Lansing, Mich].
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A06278-F23980AC.
Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. 25 x combat missions with 'Memphis Belle' and crew, though he qualified as a first pilot, chose to take a co-pilots seat, rather than wait for enough A/C to be available for him to have his own crew and kite, he flew their sixth mission as pilot on 'Memphis Belle,' returned to USA for war bond tour. Subsequently, returned to ETO, given his own crew and aircraft named 'The Connecticut Yankee'.
James Verinis attended the University of Connecticut on a basketball scholarship, enlisting upon graduation in Juy 1941. A pilot with the 91st BG he was reputed to be the first to complete a tour of 25 missions - on 'Connecticut Yankee' - and was accordingly sent on the War Bonds tour of the USA with 'Memphis Belle'. Verinis was a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserve and ran a contract furniture business in civilian life. He died 3rd March 2003 being survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
Awards: DFC, AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Service
People
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Military | Other | Crews mascot / Morale Officer | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Scottish terrier, crew mascot belonging to Capt James A Verinis, flew on B-17's 'Memphis Belle' and 'Connecticut Yankee'.
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Units served with
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Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
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Squadron
Home of the Memphis Belle
Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned to the 324th Bomb Squadron/91st Bomb Group [DF-A], Bangor 31/8/42; Bassingbourn 26/10/42; one of first in group to complete 25 missions; Returned to the USA Columbia 25/6/43 for nationwide war bond tour; Reconstruction Finance Corporation ...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-E/C] New Castle 13/10/42; Bassingbourn 23/11/42; involved in landing accident at base on 1/8/43 with Dave Gladhart; on return from Stuttgart 38m 6/9/43 with Bill Pegram, Co-pilot: Bill Martin, Navigator: Bob Cosgrove, Bombardier...
Associated Place
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Military site : airfield
Now home to a museum all about the aifield and its USAAF residents (http://www.towermuseumbassingbourn.co.uk/) , Bassingbourn opened in 1938 as part of the RAF's pre-war expansion programme. The RAF continued to use it until late in 1942 when its long...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Born |
Stamford, CT, USA |
23 October 1916 |
Son of Peter and Diamanto Verinis.
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Pilot training |
Texas |
1941 |
Primary flight training in Texas on Boeing Stearmans.
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Enlisted |
Hartford, CT |
14 July 1941 |
Hartford, Connecticut
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Pilot training |
Charlotte AAF, NC |
1942 |
Basic flight training on P-40's and P-39's Charlotte AAF, NC.
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Assigned |
Walla Walla, WA |
31 May 1942 – September 1942 |
Joined 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF stateside.
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Based |
Bassingbourn |
1 October 1942 – 17 May 1943 |
Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF.
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Discharged USAAF |
|
19 October 1945 |
Honourable discharge.
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Died |
Jupiter, FL, USA |
3 March 2003 |
Buried |
Beaverdale Memorial Park, New Haven, New Haven County, CT |
6 March 2003 |
Beaverdale Memorial Park
New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut
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