Military
Lt. Frank Burgmeier Laon/Athies Airfiled around December 16, 1944. Lt. Foster took this photograph of his good friend and tent buddy, "Burgmeier", just before Lt. Foster left Laon to head home. Lt. Burgmeier still needed one more mission. The two had shared a tent in perfect accord since arriving at Lessay in August. Although both attended Syracuse University immediately following their return to the States, both earning their degrees (Frank-Jounalism and Walt-Accounting) in three years, they never saw each other again. They reconnected through correspondence in 2008. Putting their war lives behind them was difficult as they tried to adjust to civilian, peacetime life. LT. Foster had a new bride and expectant mother to support, and Frank was tring to become reacquainted with his bride, Tedi. Their existence had been a struggle for survival in Laon during a bitterly cold winter with meager supplies and scavenged wood for heaitng fuel. . Much of their time was spent cutting wood , preparing for scrubbed mostly missions or training other officers in a hectic schedule. The food at Laon was lousy---they cut up turnips and onions acquirred locally to give it flavor. The two shared the unique, dry and very funny 456th sense of humor,. They had a great deal of respect for each other, both having carried the burden of significant responsibility flying box leads after they had become experienced and proven their leadership. As leads, both were required to serve as "floaters" and flew with most of the lead pilots, who were highly skilled. Both flew several missions with with Helton and Stirling. The Foster/Burgmeier tent was always set up next to the Guldemond tent and the Lt. Robert Smith's tent. At Laon, Frank and Walt had a tent mate named Sam, who apparently never said much, preferring to read quietly on his own. Their pets, Pat and Oscar were a source of love and warmth during a cold, wet winter.
Lt. Frank Burgmeier-Lead Navigator (Left) and Lt. Walt Foster-Lead Bombardier (Right) outside of their tent near Lessay, France August-September 1944. To pass time, they played Gin Rummy (Frank usually won), read and built furniture. They also rode bikes and went to the Red Cross for movies and coffee and donuts.
Earls Colne Airfield Dispersal Areas Aerial - War Time The photograph has been annotated with the dispersal sites within view and certain building numbers, all but one of which are within Site No. 2 Communal. Please refer to the Earls Colne Site Plan - Schedule of Buildings for the legend, which is reproduced to the extent possible below.. Building 498 is likely the Nissen hut shared by Lts. Foster, Rush, Stirneman, Guldemond and Lemmon with their puppy, Burma. SITE NO. 2 COMMUNAL 166 Picket Post 167 Grocery Store 168 Tank Tower 169 Ration Store 170 Breakroom Ration Store 171 Tailors and Barber Shop 172 Latrines Sergts. 173 Sergts. Showers 174 Sergts. Mess 175 A/IN’s Dining Room & ___ 176 Post Office 177 Latrine Block A/IN’s 178 Showers & Ablut. A/IN’s 179 Fuel Compound 180 M & E Plinth 181 Stand-By Set House 182 Gymnasium & Chapel 183 Institute 184 Officers’ Bath House 185 -186 Officers’ Mess 187 Squash Racquet Court 188 C/O’s Quarters SITE AREA NO. 3 COMUNAL 194 Picket Post 195 Sergts. Mess 196 Sergts. Showers 197 Officers’ Baths 198 Boiler House 199 Officers’ Mess 200 Latrine Block A/IN’s 201 – 202 Showers Blocks A/IN’s (2) 203 M & E Plinth 204 Dining Room 205 Institute & W.A.A.E.T. 206 Education Block 207 Local Produce Store 208 Ration Store 209 Fuel Compound SITE NO. 4 QUARTERS 215 Picket Post 216 - 219 A/IN’s Barracks (4) 220 A/IN’s Latrines 221 Sergts. & A/IN’s Dining Room 222 Sergts. & A/INS Ablutions 223 A/IN’s Barracks 224 Fuel Compound 225 A/IN’s Latrines 226 - 231 A/IN’s Barracks (4) SITE NO. 5 QUARTERS 237 Picket Post 238 Officers’ Quarters 239 Officers’ Ablutions & Latrines 240 - 342 Officers’ Quarters (3) 243 A/IN’s Barracks 244 -245 Sergts. Quarters (2) 246 Sergts. Latrines & Dining Room 247 – 249 Sergts. Quarters (3) 250 Sergts. Latrines & Dining Room 251 Sergts. Ablutions 252 Sergts. Latrines & Dining Room 253 - 257 Sergts. Quarters (5) 258 Sergts. A/IN’s Ablutions 259 M & E Plinth 260 – 262 A/IN’s Barracks (3) 263 A/IN’S Latrines & Dining Room 264 - 259 A/IN’s Barracks (6) 270 M & E Plinth 272 – 277 A/IN’S Barracks (7) SITE No. 6 QUARTERS 282 Picket Post 283 A/IN’s Barracks 284 Officer’s Quarters 285 Static Water Tank 286 – 287 Officers’ Latrines & Ablutions (2) 288 – 294 Officers’ Quarters (7) 295 M & E Plinth 296 – 297 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 298 – 302 Sergts. Quarters (5) 303 A/IN’s Barracks 304 Sergts. Barracks 305 Sergts. & A/IN’s Ablutions 306 – 307 A/IN’S Lat. & Dining Room (2) 308 – 310 A/IN’S Quarters (3) 311 A/IN’S Latrines & Dining Room 312 – 317 A/IN’S Barracks (4) SITE NO. 7 QUARTERS 323 Picket Post 324 – 327 Officers’ Quarters (4) 328 Sergts. Dining Room 329 – 324 Sergts. Quarters (5) 325 Sergts. Latrines 326 -527 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 328 - 230 Sergts. Quarters (3) 331 - 332 A/IN’S Latrines (2) 332 -351 A/IN’S Barracks (20) 352 A/IN’s Latrines & Dining Room 353 Sergts. & A/IN’S Ablutions 354 -358 A/IN’S Barracks (5) 359 A/IN’s Latrines & Dining Room 360 Officers’ Latrines & Ablutions 361 Sergts. Ablutions SITE NO. 8 W.A.A.F. 265 Picket Post & Reception Room 366 Lavatory 367 Institute 368 Static Water Tank 369 Sergts. Mess & A/IN Dining Hall 370 Sick Quarters (6 Bed) 371 Officers’ Mess w/ Show. & Ablu. 372 – 375 A/IN’s Barracks (w/o Lat.) (4) 376 – 377 Sergts. & A/IN’s Barr. (w/ Lat. & Baths) (2) 378 Sergts. & A/IN’s Baths & Decontam. 379 Sergts. & A/IN’s Lat. & Ablutions 380 – 386 A/IN’S Barr. (w/ Lat. & Baths (7) SITE No. 9 W.A.A.F. 392 Fuel Compound 393 Ablutions Block 394 Latrine & Bath Block 395 Sergts. Quarters (w/ Latrine) 396 Static Water Tank 397 – 400 A/IN’s Quarters (w/ Lat.) (4) 401 M & E Plinth 402 403 – 405 A/IN’s Quarters (w/ Lat.) (4) SITE No. 10 Sick QUARTERS 412 Picket Post 413 M & E Plinth 414 Sergts. A/IN’s Quarters 415 Sergts. & IN’s Lat. & Dining Hall 416 Ambulance Garage & Mortuary 417 Static Water Tank 418 Sick Quarters 419 Sick Quarters Amen. 420 Pump House 421 L. C. Reservoir & Suction Tank SITE No. 11 QUARTERS 427 Picket Post 428 Static Water Tank 429 – 430 A/IN’s Barracks (w/ Lat.) (2) 431 – 432 A/IN’s Latrine & Dining Room 433 Sergts. & A/IN’s Ablutions 434 A/IN’s Barracks 435 - 440 A/IN’s Barr. (1 w/ Lat. & 4 w/o Lat.) SITE No. 12 QUARTERS 446 Picket Post 447 Officers’ Latrines & Ablutions 448 – 452 Officers’ Quarters (5) 453 454 Officers’ Latrines 455 – 456 Sergts. Quarters (2) 457 – 461 A/IN’s Barracks (5) 462 A/IN’s Latrines & Dining Room 463 – 464 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 465 Sergts. Quarters 466 Sergts. Latrines 467 Sergts. Dining Room 468 Sergts. Ablutions 469 – 474 Sergts. Quarters (14) 475 A/IN’s Barracks 476 Sergts. & A/IN’s Ablutions 477 M & E. Plinth 478 – 481 A/IN’s Barracks (4) 482 A/In’s Latrines & Dining Room 483 A/I’S Latrines 484 - 488 A/IN’S Barracks (5) 448 Static Water Tank 490 Fuel Compound SITE No. 13 QUARTERS 496 Picket Post 497 - 503 Officers’ Quarters (6) 504 Officers’ Ablutions & Latrines 505 Latrines 506 – 510 Sergts. Quarters (5) 511 – 512 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 513 Sergts. Dining Room 514 – 515 Sergts. Quarters (2) 516 Sergts. Ablutions 517 – 518 Sergts. Quarters (2) 519 Ablutions 520 – 521 Officers’ Quarters (2) 522 Airmen’s Latrines 523 – 528 A/IN’s Barracks (6) 529 A/IN’s Barracks 530 – 531 A/IN’s Lat. & Dining Room (2) 532 A/IN’s Barracks 533 – 539 A/IN’s Barracks (7) 540 A/IN’s Barracks 541 Canteen SITE No. 14 SEWAGE DISPOSAL 446 Sewage Drain Beds 447 Pool House 448 Sequestr. Tanks (_ Compartmt.) 449 Dosing Chamber 550 Percolating Filters (2) 551 Holding Tanks (2)
Earls Colne Airfield Nissen Huts in what appears to be Site No. 13, Buildings 501 (foreground) and 500 on the right. In the chapter of his book "Brave Men"entitled "The Flying Wedge ", Ernie Pyle, the famous war correspondent that brought the war home to anxious families and friends, describes a Nissen hut with wooden signs outside of its door. Each of the signs, he wrote, represented one of the occupants of the Officers' Quarters. Pyle noted that because dogs were such a big part of the airmen of the 456th Bomb Squadron's lives, they included a sign for each of the dogs and pups that inhabited the huts with them. The photograph from the Collection of Lt. Col. Walt Foster, appears to be possibly of the Nissen hut and signs that Pyle described. Before including the story of his time with the 456th in his book, Pyle had written a newspaper column describing his two weeks with the 456th Bomb Squadron in Earls Colne, Essex in May 1944. Pyle spent one week living with the officers of one Nissen jut shared by Capt. William "Chief" Collins, Lt. Jack "Red Dog" Arnold, Lt. Frank Burgmeier and two or three other officers. Pyle describes two holes in the ceiling of the Nissen hut and how they got there. One of the officers, likely Chief Collins, was fired up and decided to discharge his service revolver through the ceiling. Then, he bet one of the other officer's he couldn't shoot a bull through the same hole, which turned out to be a good bet.
1st Lt. Leo Dale Rush, Jr. taken between December 1943 and May 20, 1944 in Quarters Area No. 13, Earls Colne Airfield
Lr. Frank Burgmeier taken sometime after November 1943 and before May 20, 1944
Lessay, France August -September 1944 (L - R) Lt. Walt Foster-B, Lt. Robert Smith-P, Lt. Frank Burgmeier-N, Lt. Erwin.
December 2, 1944, the morning after Lt. Foster's Final Mission Party. Note the at least 18 empty champagne bottles lined up near them and their slightly grim or peaked expressions. (L -R) Lt. Donald Parker -Bombardier, Lt. Erwin, Lt. Robert Smith-Pilot, and Lt. John Guldemond -Pilot. They are in front of either the Foster/Burgmeier Tent or the Guldemond tent. Laon/Athies Afield, France. Sadly, Lt. Parker was killed in action about 12 weeks later.
Lt. Owens and Lt. Frank Burgmeier outside of Officers' Mess Earls Colne Airfield, Essex Feb. - July 1944.
Lt. Victor Jacobs - B, Capt. Lou Rehr - P, Lt. Frank Burgmeier - N, ______________. Laon Athies Airfield, France, NOvember 1944. I believe this photograph was taken just after they completed their DFC mission. Pictured with "Ole 33 Gal", WT- A.
Lt. Burgmeier grew up in Upstate New York. He married his wife, Tedi, in July 1943, just days before he left for his tour of duty as a navigator for the 323rd Bombardment Group. He kept a diary, which has been invaluable to historians studying the 323rd BG and 456th Bombardment Squadron.
Lt. Burgmeier flew his first combat mission from Earls Colne Airfield on Wednesday, December 22, 1943 to Cornette with Lt. John D. Helton, most likely in WT-B "The Gremlin II" Serial No. 41-31708.
On June 6, 1944, Lt. Burgmeier-Navigator flew the 323rd's first mission of the day with Capt. John Bull Stirling-Pilot and Lt. W. R. Hutchins-Bombardier in a Flight Lead to a German coastal battery on Utah Beach. It was his 39th combat mission. Lt. Burgmeier wrote Chapter One of Marauder: Memoir of a B-26 Pilot in Europe During World War II by Louis S. Rehr with Carlton R. Rehr. It is an excellent account of his D-Day mission. Frank also was interviewed by the local television news station on the 70th anniversary of D-Day.
On August 25, 1944, Lt. Burgmeier landed on French soil for the first time at an airfield near Lessay. Lt. Burgmeier and Lt. Walt Foster set up a tent, which they shared with another officer. During the remainder of their stay in France, Lts. Burgmeier and Foster were close friends and tent mates along with their pets, PFC. Pat(ricin), a mutt, and PFC. Oscar, a Jack Russell Terrier, who, along with the sense of humor that was typical of the 456th combat crews, kept their morale up and kept them warm during a bitterly cold winter.
On Sunday, August 27, 1944, Lt. Burgmeier flew as GEE Navigator with the Barker crew (Lt. Col. Robert O. Barker-Pilot, Lt. Al Allision-Navigator, Lt. Walt Foster-Bombarider) from Lessay, France to a Rouen Bridge. (GEE Navigation was a form of navigation using radar.) This was Lt. Burgmeier's 54th combat mission. Footage of this mission is at National Arhives in College Park, Maryland. It was the first combat mission flown by the 9th AF off of French soil.
On November 19, 1944, Lt. Burgmeier, with Capt. Louis Rehr-Pilot and Lt. Victor Jacobs-Bombardier, flew in a Box Lead to a heavily defended area in Germany, the Merzig Strong Points. For this mission, the Reher crew was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
On December 16, 1944, Lt. Foster left for home, leaving Lt. Burgmeier to sweat out the one additional mission he needed to complet his 65 missions for a complete tour of duty. Tensions were high, as the Battle of the Bulge had just broken out only a few miles from Laon/Athies Airfield. The ground shook from artillery mortars exploding nearby. The 323rd prepared for an emergency evacuation, not knowing if they would make it out. The weather kept the 323rd grounded until December 23, 1944, when the they flew to the Eller Bridge in Germany.
The mission to the Eller Bridge was one of the roughest flown by the 323rd, and Lt. Burgmeier, flying once again with the Rehr crew, was very fortunate to have returned form it alive. Another B-26 BG had preceded the 323rd to the target area without the fighter escort that was to have acompanied them, and lost many aircraft to fighter attacks. The 323rd did have fighter cover and still lost six aircraft (one over the target and five back at base), three officers and three enlisted men were killed on that mission.
Shortly after December 27, 1944, Lt. Burgmeier was flown back to England where he spent New Year's Eve. In early Janiuary, he boarded the New Amsterdam and headed home to his wife, Tedi---his reason for fighting.
"Reflecting on my departure from my wartime buddies----it was a period of withdrawl for me. My close tent buddies, my crew and the entire squadron had been my family for over a year----a year filled with memorable events that are still sharp in my memory. I felt that I had come into my own in a position of responsibility where I had won mutual respect. I went home with mixed emotions facing my new bride whom I had only been with a couple of nights before we were shipped out. I was entering into this new phase of life almost with the same trepidation that I launched iinto combat. I was very perplexed in this period as I had expected a great exhultaiton when I hit the States but arrived here in a somewhat dulled and confused state. The flight surgeons recognized this and I was sent to a luxurious rest camp at Lake Lure in the North Carolina Mountains where I gradually statrted to come around thanks to my patient and understading wife--- and I statrted to feel human again. "
-Combat War Diary, Lt. Frank Burgmeier
Lts. Burgmeier and Foster finally reconnected in 2008, after nearly 65 years. Lt. Burgmeier and Tedi had three children. He still lives in Upstate New York with his faithful companion, Sparky, where he runs a public relaitons firm.
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Bombardier | 323rd Bomb Group
Lt. Walt Foster was a navigator and bombardier from Upstate New York who served with the 456th BS during the Second World War. His first combat mission was flown from Earls Colne Airfield on February 3, 1944 to the Ruisseville "No Balls” secret weapon...
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 323rd Bomb Group
JD Helton was from the Waco, Texas area and served as a B-26 Marauder pilot during the Second World War. He was part of the original Myrtle Beach contingent that comprised the 456th BS.
...
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | pilot - B-26 Marauder | 323rd Bomb Group
Military | Lieutenant | Bombardier, B-26 Marauder | 323rd Bomb Group
Dale Rush served with the 456th BS as a bombardier. He was killed on May 20, 1944 on a mission to Dieppe when "Ole 33 Gal" WT-A Serial No. 41-35033, flying in the Box II, Flight 3 lead position, took a direct hit of heavy flak that shattered the...
Military | Pilot | 323rd Bomb Group
Lt. Smith flew as Co-Pilot in "The Gremlin II" WT-B with Capt. JD Helton -Pilot (who had returned from leave), Lt. Frank Burgmeier - N, Lt. Walt Foster - B from Chartes on October 8, 1944 to the Eskirchen Supply Depot, Holland.
Military | Colonel | B-26 Marauder Pilot | 323rd Bomb Group
Maj. Stirling served as a B-26 Marauder pilot with the 456th Bomb Squadron, 323rd Bomb Group, and 9th Air Force during the Second World War. He was part of the original Myrtle Beach, South Carolina group that first comprised the 456th Bomb Squadron....
Group
The 323rd Bombardment Group operated with B-26 Marauders, American medium bombers. They were the first Eighth Air Force Group to fly a medium level bombing mission with this aircraft on 16 July 1943. After flying a total of 33 missions with the Eighth,...
Squadron
Selected Bibliography of Publications:
...
B-26 Marauder
The Gremlin II took part in a D-Day Mission to Caen Road Junctions with crew Lt. John D. " JD" Helton - Pilot, Lt. Watson - Navigator and Lt. Walt Foster - Bombardier.
...
Military site : airfield
Earls Colne was built in 1941 as an airfield for No.3 Group, RAF Bomber Command, although never used as such. Assigned to the US Eighth Air Force (as Station 358) in 1942, its 36 hardstands were increased to 50, bringing the airfield up to Air Ministry...
Military site : non-airfield
Marks Hall's estate was requisitioned in 1941 for the construction of Earls Colne airfield (USAAF Station 358).
...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 09 April 2016 01:25:53 | JMF | Changes to place associations |
| Sources | ||
JMF |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 April 2016 03:10:30 | JMF | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Jmf |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 April 2016 17:15:09 | JMF | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
JMF |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 April 2016 06:12:40 | JMF | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
JMF |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 April 2016 00:28:43 | JMF | Created entry with surname, firstname, nationality, highest rank, role, biography, person associations, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
JMF |
||
