The second annual Flying Fortress 5K is to benefit the restoration of the Museum's B-17, the "City of Savannah". The 5K (3.1 mile) course will make its way through the campus of JCB, Inc., starting and finishing at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum.

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Though displayed only briefly in Westinghouse factories, the poster has become one of the most famous icons of World War II. As women were encouraged to take wartime jobs in defense industries, this poster became a celebrated symbol of female patriotism. Features: 1,000 pieces, Dimension: 19.25 x 26.5 inches, Superior-quality piece by piece, Perfect and easy-fit puzzle pieces, Strong high-quality unbreakable puzzle pieces.    

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Summer is here and the Mighty Eighth kicked it off with a full day summer camp from 9am-4pm the week of June 13 and a half day camp from 9am-12pm.  The campers spent time learning all about the 8th Air Force and WWII.  They immersed themselves in learning about 8th Air Force Prisoner of War experiences in the Stalag Lufts of Germany. The campers learned how the POWs lived, ate and entertained themselves while being locked up. One vital thing they learned was the importance of keeping yourself busy to help keep your morale up. POWs in the Stalag Lufts of Germany received Red Cross food parcels which also carried soap.  Many POWs used to carve the soap into shapes to pass the time and make things which they wanted. The museum has been lucky enough to have various POW artifacts donated and has a chess set made during WWII by an 8th Air Force POW.  The campers were able to see these items and carve a bar of soap themselves just like a POW. 

The campers also learned about the Home Front during WWII and what it was like to be a kid before the video game was invented. They learned about Victory Gardens, scrap metal drives, going to the movies to see newsreels and playing with your friends outside all day while using your imagination. The campers made telephones out of two tin cans and a string and tested them out to see how they worked.

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Restoration Project Update

Reider White

Reider White was born in Thunderbolt near Savannah, GA. After graduation from Jenkins High he headed north and worked for the FBI.  Later, while serving in the Navy, he worked with all U.S. military branches from 1967-1968 in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive.  After the Navy, Reider graduated from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and worked on Capitol Hill for Russell of Georgia, Talmadge of Georgia and then the Senate Agriculture Committee.  After that he worked as an independent consultant in D.C. for the Farm Credit System and finally the Maryland Department for the Environment before coming back home to Savannah.  Reider has volunteered as a greeter for the Mighty Eighth for two years and now also volunteers downtown at the new Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum Visitor's Center Annex.  He also volunteers for the U.S.O and at Fort Pulaski National Park near Tybee Island.

Teri Bell

Just a few short days after I gloated about the mess I make in the kitchen while making things from scratch, I found myself sneaking a pre-made dessert into my basket at the grocery store.

I hoped I didn't run into anyone I knew. It would be so embarrassing. I felt like a hypocrite, but I was tired. It was Memorial Day, and I was pulling together a meal for Steve and my daughter Loraine.

I was going to buy some fresh strawberries and make strawberry shortcake, but right next to the fresh strawberries, which were $3.99, was a strawberry torte for $5.99.

I couldn't tell exactly what was in it, but I saw cake - strawberries and whipped cream - and yawned. It was close enough. I looked around to make sure no one was watching, and into my cart it went.

As I was walking away, an employee in the bakery department was pricing some bread, and I thought I would at least inquire into my store-bought dessert. Pointing to a torte in the refrigerated case, hoping to divert her attention from the one in my cart, I asked "Is it pound cake, strawberries and whipped cream?" "Oh, no" she replied "it's just a cake mix."

Read Further

Basic Dump Cake

1 can pie filling (cherry, blueberry, strawberry, etc.)

1 (15-counce) can crushed pineapple

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick margarine or butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a 9-by-13-inch pan, dump pie filling and crushed pineapple and mix. Sprinkle cake mix over the top of fruit. Slice margarine or butter into thin pats and distribute over the surface of the cake mix.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Blueberry Crunch

1 (15-ounce) can crushed pineapple

3 cups fresh blueberries

¾ cup of sugar

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick margarine or butter, melted

Butter a 9-by-13-inch pan. Pour crushed pineapple into pan. Rinse and drain blueberries. Toss blueberries in sugar and spread over top of pineapple. Sprinkle cake mix over top of blueberries. Pour melted margarine or butter over top of cake mix. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.

John H. deRussy presents his former CO with a silver tray commemorating General Curtis E. LeMay's time as CO of the 305th Bomb Group.  

General Curtis E. LeMay organized and trained the 305th BG in 1942 and then led that organization into combat against Nazi Germany.  He developed formation policies and bombing techniques that became standard operating procedures for the Eighth Air Force.  In May 1943 he relinquished command of the 305th BG, first taking command of a new provisional combat wing, the 102nd, and then on June 15th of the Fourth Combat Wing that was being expanded and would then be re-designated the  3rd Air Division.  In July 1944 he was transferred to the Pacific Theater to direct the B-29s against the Japanese and commanded the 20th and then the 21st Bomber Commands.  After World War II, he was the first Deputy Chief of Air Staff for research and development.  He next commanded the U. S. Air Forces in Europe and organized the Berlin airlift.  In 1948 LeMay took command of the newly formed Strategic Air Command.  Then in 1957 he was appointed Vice Chief of Staff of the U. S. Air Force and in 1961 was appointed Chief of Staff.  He retired from active duty in 1965. 

The men of the 305th always remembered their first Group CO and his wife, Helen. Sometime after 1951 when LeMay was promoted to full general, the veterans of the 305th Bomb Group decided to present both General and Mrs. LeMay with gifts expressing their deep respect.  Knowing that the LeMays enjoyed entertaining at home, the members of the 305th decided to give both General and Mrs. LeMay personalized silver trays.  John H. deRussy, who had served as Operations Officer with the 305th Bomb Group under LeMay presented his tray.  The tray given to General LeMay is documented in a photograph, and the tray given to Mrs. Curtis LeMay still exists.  Her tray is engraved with the missions the group flew while then Colonel LeMay commanded the group.  Also included is the group insigne together with the notation "To Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay from 305th Bombardment Group (H) England September 11, 1942 - May 20, 1943."  This piece of unique Eighth Air Force history has recently been donated to the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum by their daughter, Mrs. Jane LeMay Lodge. Mrs. Lodge noted that knowing the historical significance of this tray to the history of the Mighty Eighth meant that it had to go to the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum.  This museum thanks Mr. Michael Faley for his assistance in making this donation possible. 

This silver tray was given to Mrs. LeMay by the 305th Bomb Group.  It was recently donated by Mrs. Lodge to the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum.

Prelude to the Battle of Britain

By Heather Thies and Museum Volunteer Gary Silver

In June 1940, as Germany and France signed the Second Armistice at Compiegne, England - now alone in the war against Germany - awaited what would happen next.  After seeing the sights in Paris, Hitler returned to Germany on Saturday, July 6 to greater public fanfare than he had ever experienced before.  "It surpassed even the homecomings after the great pre-war triumphs like the Anschlus [annexation of Austria]. Many in the crowds had been standing for six hours, as the dull morning gave way to the brilliant sunshine of the afternoon.  The streets were strewn with flowers all the way from the station to the Reich Chancellery.  Hundreds of thousands cheered themselves hoarse.  Hitler, lauded by [Field Marshall] Keitel as the 'greatest warlord of all time,' was called out time and time on to the balcony to soak up the wild adulation of the masses."  [Kershaw, p. 300] 

Hitler planned to make a speech the following week at the Reichstag giving England its last chance to capitulate to Germany or face severe consequences. Previously, in a long speech he had offered to guarantee the existence of the British Empire and fleet in return for a free hand for Nazi Germany in Europe. [Korda, p.6].  Many in the German government and military (Hitler included?) harbored doubts about the peace overture he had offered to Britain. Some expected Prime Minister Winston Churchill to continue to demand England's sovereign independence and the continuation of the war with Germany. 

Read Further

July 4-12, 1942. First 8^th Air Force Operations, 12 A-20's hit 4 Dutch and French airfields.

Early July, 1943. Group markings adopted for 8^th Air Force aircraft.

July 24-25, 1944. Operation Cobra-Breakout from Normandy

By July 1944 the Allies were bogged down in the hellish war of the hedgerows in France. LTC Omar Bradley devised Operation Cobra to orchestrate a breakout from Normandy. The plan called for saturation bombing to create a breach in the German defenses through which the allies would pour. The focal point of the attack would be just north of the town of St Loew's. Spaatz and Doolittle protested the plan, believing that heavy bombers could be more efficiently used against targets in Germany, but Bradley prevailed. On July 24^th 1,584 bombers were dispatched against German troops. With ground haze preventing several formations from bombing, only 4887 aircraft were effective on the target. Bradley recalled the mission but the word did not reach all units. Accidental release of bombs over Allied lines wounded or killed over 100 men, including LTG Leslie McNair. Despite these unintended results, a second attempt was made the next day. For three hours 1,503 B-17 and B-24 bombers pummeled the target with 3,395 tons of bombs. Again, two short drop incidents resulted in the deaths of 102 troops with many others wounded. However, the Germans did not escape lightly. General Bayerlen's Panzer Lehr, which had only recently arrived in the sector, was literally blown to pieces. 45 ton Panther tanks were torn apart and German infantrymen were buried alive in their shelters. The few shell-shocked survivors either surrendered without a fight or fled. American armored divisions began sweeping southwards and westwards. Within a few days, the war of attrition in France was suddenly and dramatically replaced by a war of mobility. By 28 July, the 8^th Air Force returned to normal operations against priority strategic targets in Germany.