A Veterans' Photo Album

Submitted By: Major James Porter "Mac" McCarty (USAF Retired)

       MARTIN B-26 BOMBER (MARAUDER)  NICK NAME --"THE WIDOW MAKER"
                                           
                             PILOT----LT. JAMES P. (PORTER) MCCARTY

     LT. MCCARTY, AND CREW OF 5, FLEW 68 BOMBING MISSIONS IN THIS
     AIRPLANE WHICH BECOME THE CHAMPION OF THE 391ST BOMB GROUP.
     IT FLEW A TOTAL OF159 OFFICIAL MISSIONS, 166 UNOFFICIAL, AND WAS
     DESTROYED IN 1945 IN GERMANY AT WARS END BY THE AMERICANS FOR
     SALVAGEABLE PARTS.
     THIS PLANE SURVIVED 2 BELLY (WHEELS UP) LANDINGS, ONE "DEAD
     STICK" (NO ENGINES OPERATING) LANDING, 50 FLAK HOLES ON 55 TH
     MISSION, 75 FLAK HOLES ON 79TH MISSION, 1 SINGLE ENGINE LANDING,
     PLUS MINOR COMBAT DAMAGE SUCH AS 3 CRACKED WINDSHIELDS,
     3 TO 5 FLAK HOLES OCCASIONALLY IN FUSELAGE, BRAKES SHOT OUT
     AND 1 ACRE OF POTATO'S DESTROYED AT END OF RUNWAY.
     IT NEVER ABORTED A SCHEDULED COMBAT MISSION FOR A
     MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION DUE TO THE DEDICATION OF T/SGT WILLIAM
     J. GOLDSTEIN AND MAINTENANCE CREW .
     IT IS MENTIONED IN 5 BOOKS, ONE A FRENCH PUBLICATION.
     IT WAS COMMISSIONED TO BE PAINTED IN OIL ON CANVAS IN YEAR 2000
     BY MR. DAVE GARNHAM, BEDFORD, ENGLAND AND HAS BEEN ON
     DISPLAY IN ENGLAND. (SEE PRINT ELSEWHERE) MR.GARNHAM WAS A
     SMALL LAD LIVING NEAR OUR BASE AT MATCHING GREEN, ENGLAND IN
     1944.

     NOTE: FLAK IS DEFINED AS ANTIAIRCRAFT FIRE.

This photo is a Print of the oil painting commissioned by Mr. Dave Garnham of Bedford, England.

 ( Dave and other youngsters, would meet our airplane
upon landing and ask for gum and chocolates left over from our mission. Of
course we gave them all we had. They would more or less sneak in, in the back
area of the field)

 One young lady, 11 or 12 years old at the time,  has attended every re-union
we have had in the United States since the ' 70's.

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