Many of the links to other websites are now obsolete due to the attrition of active veterans interested keeping the topics alive. In the interim, web search engines have come into maturity and many new sites have appeared. You should be able to search the web for newer links to many of the subjects addressed in this site.

The following contributed either directly, indirectly, or were inspirational in the creation of this site.

• Ralph I. Lipper, Col. USAFR (Ret.)(deceased 31, Dec., 1989) - formerly Engineering Officer, 44thBG(H)
• Donald Pierce, (deceased 20, Feb., 2005) - former waist gunner, "Ole Irish", 564thBS, 389thBG(H),
• Thanks to Peter Simpson for contributing additional photos from the collection of Bernard Kotfila.

• Special thanks to H.H. "Chris" Christensen, (deceased Spring, 2002) - former co-pilot "Blonds Away", 389BG(H), who contributed 3 chapters of his personal manuscript.
                          chapter 2
                          chapter 3
                          chapter 4
  Note: He sent these three chapters to me because he thought I might be interested in his experiences. The manuscripts were his personal property and are not for re-print or re-use without his family's permission.  At the time of this original writing, his address was:

• Special thanks to Will Lundy, (deceased 11 October, 2007) - Historian for the 44th Bomb Group Veterans' Association   http://www.44thbombgroup.com/lundywishes.html

• Thanks to Chris Gregg, 389th BGVA Associate Member, historian, and webmaster for the unofficial 389th BG web page: http://www.389thbg,net/

• Special thanks to Chris Gregg for establishing and monitoring
  the 389th Bomb Group Yahoo discussion group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/389thbg/,
  the Tidal Wave Yahoo discussion group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tidal-wave/,
  and to all the Veterans and Associates who participated in those once very active sites. And some contact can still be made with associates of the 389th Bomb Group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/search/str/389th+bombardment+group+(heavy)/keywords_search
  
  
• Special gratitude goes to the Veterans who have their stories and unique perspectives on the 389th BG and Tidal Wave Yahoo discussion groups. These include but are not limited to: Earl Zimmerman, Bill Crum, Dale VanBlair, Paul Billings, John Rhodes, Dick Peterson, Albert Malone, Mack Fitzgerald, and Joe Duran. As far as I know they are all deceased.
  
  
• Special thanks to Kelsey McMillan, one time 389th Bomb Group historian, for her research, her dedication to archival information, for keeping the records straight, and enthusiastically sharing
  and for developing the official version of the 389th Bomb Group memorial website.
  ../discontinued.html/


• Thanks to those volunteers who maintain the 389th Memorial Exhibition Museum
  at the site of the former Hethel Airbase.
  Their slogan:
  "WE DO NOT TRY TO PROMOTE WAR OUR AIM IS TO HONOUR THE OLD AND EDUCATE THE YOUNG".
  Their website: http://www.hethel389.co.uk


• Thanks to the creators of the following internet web sites:
  

                       some of these are: ../discontinued.html/
                        http://www.93rdbombardmentgroup.com
                        http://www.b24bestweb.com
                        http://www.44thbombgroup.com
                        http://usaaf.com/8thaf/index.htm
                        http://www.2ndair.org.uk/
                        http://home.wwdb.org/srhodes/

Reading List:

Journal of the 44th Bomb Group Veterans Association

The Second Air Division Association Journal

Liberator Album - B-24s of the 2nd Air Division USAAF - Mike Bailey, Tony North

B-24 Liberator at War - Roger Freeman

B-24 Liberator Units of the Eighth Air Force - Robert F. Dorr (Osprey Combat Aircraft - 15)

World War II Battle in the Air - Michael C. Tagg (Mallard Press)

The Air War in Europe - Ronald H. Bailey (Time-Life Books)

Squadron of Deception, The 36th Bomb Squadron in World War II - Stephen Hutton

Stories of the Eighth - John H. Woolnough

Those Brave Crews - Ray Ward

Jaws Over Europe - Ursel P. Harvell

History of the 67 Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bomb Group, Flying Eight Balls    - compiled by C.W. Will Lundy

* Monty's Folly, Operation Market Garden - Frederick D. "Dusty" Worthen (and others)

Liberators Over Europe, History of 44th Bomb Group "Flying Eight Balls" - Ursel P. Harvell

* The Sky Scorpions, The Story of the 389th Bomb Group in World War II    - Paul Wilson and Ron Mackay (2006)

* Bomber Pilot, A Memoir of World War II - Philip Ardery

* Looking Back: A Tail Gunner's View of WWII - Dale VanBlair

* Barefoot to Wings - Al Malone

* Certified Brave - Robert Sherwood

* Escape from Terror - Paul Burton

* Kriegie - Kenneth W. Simmons

* The Princess and the POW - Richard W. Britt

* The Winged Boot - Richard and Jean Schafer

* White Flak, Vignettes of a Franciscan Friar - Jane Beck Sansalone

* Action Priest:The Story of Father Joe Lauro - Rev. Joseph Lauro and Arthur Orrmont

The Wrong Stuff, The Adventures and Mis-Adventures of an 8th Air Force Aviator - Truman Smith

The Cold Blue Sky, A B-17 Gunner in World War Two - Jack Novey

One Last Look, A Sentimental Journey to the Eighth Air Force Heavy Bomber bases of world war II in England    - Philip Kaplan and Rex Alan Smith

* PLOESTI - James Dugan and Carroll Stewart

The Forbidden Diary, A B-24 Navigator Remembers - John L. Stewart

The Wild Blue, The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s over Germany - Stephen E. Ambrose

The BOMBER WAR, The Allied Air Offensive Against Nazi Germany - Robin Neillands


                   * books by or about 389th Bomb Group Veterans

in this site
Ralph Lipper	B-24 Liberator	Don Pierce
Flying 8-balls	Mighty 8th AF	Sky Scorpions
random photos-a	the air crews	389th BG aircraft
random photos-b	Ploesti, Romania	Ole Irish
lifestyle hazards	Aviator's diary	waist gunner
sources / books / links	U.S. before the war	389th BG stories
this site home page	contact	389th BG web site