Served in the Army Air Force 1944-1946 and in the AAF Reserve 1946-1949. With air crew, ferried new B-17G Flying Fortress from Savannah, GA to England arriving April 1945 and assigned to 8th AF, 34th BG, 7th BS in Mendlesham. Flew as member of B-17 back up crew on navigational practice flights, coastal patrols, and a food drop in Holland (Operation Manna/Chowhound). Some of the crew ferried allied POWs from Linz, Austria to staging areas for repatriation.



Returned to USA June 1945. Honorably discharged June 1946 with rank of Staff Sergeant after assignments in Sioux Falls, SD (B-29 Central Fire Control School terminated with end of war in Pacific), Albuquerque, NM, Wichita Falls, TX and Boca Raton, FL.



Battles and Campaigns: Rhineland.

Decorations and Citations: Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal, European-African Theater Ribbon with 1 Bronze Battle Star.



RECOLLECTIONS of the 8th Air Force, 34th Bomb Group, 7th Bomb Squadron

by Edward E. Zesch:



a. "Washing" (very carefully) my green gabardine

flight suit in 100 octane aviation gasoline.



b. Practicing my golf swing on the "inside driving

range", (You would drive the ball from a wrestling mat into

a deployed parachute which acted as a backstop).



c. Reading a notice on the squadron bulletin board

calling for enlisted personnel volunteers to enroll in the

U.S. Army Infantry Officer Candidate School. (No known

takers)



d. Visiting (on our bikes) local farmers in search of

fresh eggs. One farmer invited us in, built a fire in his

fireplace and, then, made tea for us before providing us

with a few eggs. He related how his farm had been strafed

by German planes.



e. Making toast on our Quonset hut armor plate stove.

The bread was laid directly on the cleaned top of the hot

stove. We then spread some canned cherries on the toast

that my fellow crew member's mom had sent.



f. Bringing your laundry to a local lady that lived in a

thatched-roof house with her two children. On one occasion

she invited us to stay for lunch which consisted of

bread in warm milk (milk toast).



g. Playing ping-pong at the rec. building where the

Red Cross representatives meted out replacement ping pong

balls as though they were made of gold!



h. Listening to the disc jockey, Sgt. ? (I don't recall his

name) play those great '40's tunes.



i. Enjoying (???) that wonderful chow at the mess hall.

Repast such as corned beef served with a nice hot portion

of stewed tomatoes mixed with bread, accompanied by a

mug of chicory coffee, was especially memorable.



j. Exchanging my cigarette ration coupons for candy

ration coupons with those that smoked. (I didn't smoke,

but loved candy bars!!)