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"The Rhythm Bombshells" playing at an Anniversary Party at North Pickenham, December 1944.
Back Row (left to right):
Capt. Donald Whited;
Chris "Drake" Dracopoulos;
PFC Tommy Young.
Middle Row (left to right):
Capt. Ken "Red" Plummer;
S/Sgt. William "Bud" Babcock;
unknown;
Lt.Bill McClelland;
unknown;
Bottom Row (left to right):
Lt. Eddie Zysko;
Sgt. William K. Carrithers (seated);
Lt. Tom Parker Jr.;
Lt. Emanuel M. Knoblock;
M/Sgt. A. K. "Pete" Chauvin;
S/Sgt. Harry Lundeen.
Group
The 491st Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators in bombing missions over northern France and Germany from June 1944 until April 1945. Missions over Germany included bombing the headquarters of the German General Staff at Zossen. The Group was awarded a DUC...
Military | Staff Sergeant
Military | Sergeant
Military
Chris Dracopoulos was born in Malden Massachusetts in 1925, the son of Greek immigrants; his father having gained US citizenship after serving in the First World War. As a schoolboy Chris had been encouraged to play the drums by one of his teachers...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner
Member of Glazer's Crew . He particularly remembered the mission of 24 December 1944 - target a bridge and crossroads at Wittlich in Germany. On the bomb run they were hit by flak but managed to visually drop their bombs and make it home. It may have...
Military | Co-Pilot
McClelland had learned to play the trombone at High School and was good enough to be offered a scholarship at Oberlin Conservatory of Music which he took up in the summer of 1942. In February 1943 - toting his trombone and an Aviation Cadet - he was...
Military | Co-Pilot
Crew R72
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Armament Officer
DUC w/ Oak Leaf Cluster/ ATO/ EAME w/ 11 battle stars
Military
Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
Military site : airfield
Built comparatively late during 1943-44 as an Eighth Air Force bomber base, North Pickenham was rather cramped as an airfield site so the main runway was shorter than typical. It had three concrete runways, 50 loop hardstandings and two dispersed T2...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 26 June 2019 10:35:03 | general ira snapsorter | Created entry with collection, caption, unit associations and person associations |
| Sources | ||
From the private collection of Chris "Drake" Dracopoulos. |
||
