media-56441.jpeg UPL 56441 Albert Grinsted - Bombadier, Duke Dinsmore - Engineer, Harold M. “Bud” Hegyessy - Navigator Chicago, IL circa June 1944 prior to deployment to Podington England.
Front Left to Right:
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Lt Ted Lotterman - Miami, FL; - Pilot
Albert H (Al) Grinstead Jr.-Lincoln, ME - Bombardier
Harold M (Bud) Hegyessy Jr Alliance, OH; - Navigator
Back Left to Right:
'Dukie' Dinsmoor; - Engineer
Tony M Annonio-Morgantown
Austin M 'Pinky' Pinkham-S Bristol ME;
William J (Bill) Garrison-Ducor, CA;
Ralph W 'Kansas' Koby-Wichita,
John P 'Thumber' TeWalt-Vincennes, IN;

“Some of the crews were assigned aircraft and flew to Europe in those aircraft. Because of our high standing during the training period we were sent to New York by train and flown to Europe by commercial aircraft. They had to shunt our troop cars to a different station in Chicago and as a result we were free to visit family. We had lunch at the Edgewater Beach hotel hosted by my father and had a great group picture taken of the whole crew by my uncle, a professional photographer.

“While we were in Chicago my engineer, Duke Dinsmore, bought a whole case of bourbon whiskey for a bartender on State Street. This was quite a surprise since in Kearney they had made him buy a quart of rum in order to get a pint of whiskey. Needless to say we were well fortified not only on our trip to New York but also during our early days in England.

Scott Weir, grandson of ALbert Hugh Grinsted