This memorial day rememeber the men you flew with.

[ArtKramr]

We were formed up as a crew in 1943 in Shreveport LA. We all went overseas
togethter. We were the crew of "Willie The Wolf", K9J, a B-26 of the 344th Bomb
Group, 494th Bomb Squadron. We flew all or missions together. We were friends
and brothers in arms.Of our 6 man crew 4 are no longer with us. On this
Memorial Day I would like to refresh the memory of our absent friends:

1st Lt. Bob Monson Co-Pilot. (Boston).
S/Sgt Emilio Griego engineer tail gunner (New Mexico)
S/Sgt Bo Taylor radio waist gunner (Texas)
S/Sgt Bill Henderson Armament top turret gunner.(PA)
And as much a part of our crew as any man on it, the B-26 Willie the Wolf.

They will always rest well in our memories.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Les Matheson]

Hey Art,

Just wanted to say thanks.
--
Les
F-4C(WW),D,E,G(WW)/AC-130A/MC-130E EWO (ret)


"ArtKramr" > wrote in message
...
> We were formed up as a crew in 1943 in Shreveport LA. We all went overseas
> togethter. We were the crew of "Willie The Wolf", K9J, a B-26 of the 344th
Bomb
> Group, 494th Bomb Squadron. We flew all or missions together. We were
friends
> and brothers in arms.Of our 6 man crew 4 are no longer with us. On this
> Memorial Day I would like to refresh the memory of our absent friends:
>
> 1st Lt. Bob Monson Co-Pilot. (Boston).
> S/Sgt Emilio Griego engineer tail gunner (New Mexico)
> S/Sgt Bo Taylor radio waist gunner (Texas)
> S/Sgt Bill Henderson Armament top turret gunner.(PA)
> And as much a part of our crew as any man on it, the B-26 Willie the Wolf.
>
> They will always rest well in our memories.
>
>
> Arthur Kramer
> 344th BG 494th BS
> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>


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[J. McCartan]

"Les Matheson" > wrote in message
news:9Z0uc.348$Y21.246@lakeread02...
> Hey Art,
>
> Just wanted to say thanks.
> --
> Les
> F-4C(WW),D,E,G(WW)/AC-130A/MC-130E EWO (ret)
>

Me too.

Jim

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This memorial day rememeber the men you flew with.
>From: "Les Matheson"
>Date: 5/29/04 7:18 AM Pacific

>Hey Art,
>
>Just wanted to say thanks.

You are welcome. But no need to. If you were there with us you would have done
just as we did. As we all did.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This memorial day rememeber the men you flew with.
>From: "J. McCartan"
>Date: 5/29/04 7:21 AM Paci

>Les Matheson" > wrote in message
>news:9Z0uc.348$Y21.246@lakeread02...
>> Hey Art,
>>
>> Just wanted to say thanks.
>> --
>> Les
>> F-4C(WW),D,E,G(WW)/AC-130A/MC-130E EWO (ret)
>>
>
>Me too.
>
>Jim
>
>


Thank you. But if you were there in our place you wowuld have done just as we
all did. No thanks needed. But thanks anyway.

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Krztalizer]

This made me think, this isn't really a day for veterans to recall who stood
beside them that didn't survive - they walk beside him every day. I think
going through an experience like Art or Ed, I'd doubt they need a holiday to be
thinking about their friends.

Its good to see the nation turn its eyes toward the past, to thank that
generation that did so much. It will be a long time before we see such a
generation of extraordinary people again.

v/r
Gordon
<====(A+C====>
USN SAR

An LZ is a place you want to land, not stay.

[George Z. Bush]

Krztalizer wrote:
> This made me think, this isn't really a day for veterans to recall who stood
> beside them that didn't survive - they walk beside him every day. I think
> going through an experience like Art or Ed, I'd doubt they need a holiday to
> be thinking about their friends.
>
> Its good to see the nation turn its eyes toward the past, to thank that
> generation that did so much. It will be a long time before we see such a
> generation of extraordinary people again.

Speaking just as one of the million or so of us who survive, I'd surely like to
thank those of you who followed in our footsteps for your kind thoughts and
words. They have added meaning and significance to us because of your
contribution to our nation's safety and well-being.

God bless America.

George Z.
>
> v/r
> Gordon
> <====(A+C====>
> USN SAR
>
> An LZ is a place you want to land, not stay.

[WalterM140]

>We were formed up as a crew in 1943 in Shreveport LA. We all went overseas
>togethter. We were the crew of "Willie The Wolf", K9J, a B-26 of the 344th
>Bomb
>Group, 494th Bomb Squadron. We flew all or missions together. We were
>friends
>and brothers in arms.Of our 6 man crew 4 are no longer with us. On this
>Memorial Day I would like to refresh the memory of our absent friends:
>
>1st Lt. Bob Monson Co-Pilot. (Boston).
>S/Sgt Emilio Griego engineer tail gunner (New Mexico)
>S/Sgt Bo Taylor radio waist gunner (Texas)
>S/Sgt Bill Henderson Armament top turret gunner.(PA)
>And as much a part of our crew as any man on it, the B-26 Willie the Wolf.
>
>They will always rest well in our memories.
>
>
>Arthur Kramer
>344th BG 494th BS
> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
>Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>


Art, I was watching some show or other on the History Channel recently and
they showed a KIA, all wrapped in blankets, being removed from a B-26.

Thank you.

One thing that I think a lot of baby boomers like myself don't realize is that
all those millions of GI's went to war in WWII without much expectations of
anything great - even if they lived. The unemployment rate was 10% even at the
time of Pearl Harbor. There was a bit of doggerel that went:

"Golden Gate in '48
Bread line in '49".

But ya'll still went out and laid it all on the line and the world was changed
for the better, forever.

Walt

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This memorial day rememeber the men you flew with.
>From: (WalterM140)
>Date: 5/30/04 12:45 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>>We were formed up as a crew in 1943 in Shreveport LA. We all went overseas
>>togethter. We were the crew of "Willie The Wolf", K9J, a B-26 of the 344th
>>Bomb
>>Group, 494th Bomb Squadron. We flew all or missions together. We were
>>friends
>>and brothers in arms.Of our 6 man crew 4 are no longer with us. On this
>>Memorial Day I would like to refresh the memory of our absent friends:
>>
>>1st Lt. Bob Monson Co-Pilot. (Boston).
>>S/Sgt Emilio Griego engineer tail gunner (New Mexico)
>>S/Sgt Bo Taylor radio waist gunner (Texas)
>>S/Sgt Bill Henderson Armament top turret gunner.(PA)
>>And as much a part of our crew as any man on it, the B-26 Willie the Wolf.
>>
>>They will always rest well in our memories.
>>
>>
>>Arthur Kramer
>>344th BG 494th BS
>> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
>>Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>>http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>>
>
>
>Art, I was watching some show or other on the History Channel recently and
>they showed a KIA, all wrapped in blankets, being removed from a B-26.
>
>Thank you.
>
>One thing that I think a lot of baby boomers like myself don't realize is
>that
>all those millions of GI's went to war in WWII without much expectations of
>anything great - even if they lived. The unemployment rate was 10% even at
>the
>time of Pearl Harbor. There was a bit of doggerel that went:
>
>"Golden Gate in '48
>Bread line in '49".
>
>But ya'll still went out and laid it all on the line and the world was
>changed
>for the better, forever.
>
>Walt


Walt,

If you see that film clip again notice the tail markings which appear for a
second. It is a white triangle identifying this B-26 as being of the 344th Bomb
Group. My group. The dead gunner being removed was one of us. But not of my
squadron. He was with the 497th. I was with the 494th. If you are interested
in what happened next, go to my website and read, "Thoughts at the Funeral for
a Stranger". It is the rest of the story. And thank you for your kind words.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This memorial day rememeber the men you flew with.
>From: (WalterM140)
>Date: 5/30/04 12:45 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>>We were formed up as a crew in 1943 in Shreveport LA. We all went overseas
>>togethter. We were the crew of "Willie The Wolf", K9J, a B-26 of the 344th
>>Bomb
>>Group, 494th Bomb Squadron. We flew all or missions together. We were
>>friends
>>and brothers in arms.Of our 6 man crew 4 are no longer with us. On this
>>Memorial Day I would like to refresh the memory of our absent friends:
>>
>>1st Lt. Bob Monson Co-Pilot. (Boston).
>>S/Sgt Emilio Griego engineer tail gunner (New Mexico)
>>S/Sgt Bo Taylor radio waist gunner (Texas)
>>S/Sgt Bill Henderson Armament top turret gunner.(PA)
>>And as much a part of our crew as any man on it, the B-26 Willie the Wolf.
>>
>>They will always rest well in our memories.
>>
>>
>>Arthur Kramer
>>344th BG 494th BS
>> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
>>Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>>http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>>
>
>
>Art, I was watching some show or other on the History Channel recently and
>they showed a KIA, all wrapped in blankets, being removed from a B-26.
>
>

Walt,

If you see that film clip again notice the tail markings which appear for a
second. It is a white triangle identifying this B-26 as being of the 344th Bomb
Group. My group. The dead gunner being removed was one of us. But not of my
squadron. He was with the 497th. I was with the 494th. If you are interested
in what happened next, go to my website and read, "Thoughts at the Funeral for
a Stranger". It is the rest of the story. And thank you for your kind words.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer