491st Bombardment Squadron

All of the 491st Bomb Squadron maintenance personnel at Yangkai AB, China, in early 1944, shortly after they had transferred from Chakulia, India. Frank bates notes.. McArdle hadn't gone home. Rear, 5th from left 'Frank Bates'. In the middle of the front row, with his trademark pipe in his mouth, is Capt William Devries. He was the Engineering Officer from...

Early in the morning on a spring day in 1945, 491st Bombardment Squadron personnel (mechanics- Schumaier, Scott; armorer- ?) prepare a B-25D, #42, for a mission. The top of the fuel truck is in the foreground of the revetment at Yangkai AB. When the aircraft were dispatched to 'forward operation' bases they were often fueled with hand pumps from 50-gallon...

GIs and local farmer with ox cart at barracks area in Yangkai, Spring 1945. Unknown, Bill Bryan, Richard Hill, Clayton E. "Fred" Nash, Aspinwall, Gilliland, Alexander, Chisholm.

Nash, Nick Arico, and John Coffey, and the snake, at Luichow, Oct 1944.

Kealy, Johnny Burns, Schmidt, Hammett, Alexander, Nash, Nyreen, Alelunas, Sam Knox, Liuzhou, September 1944. Train in the background is full of barrels of fuel. The disturbed ground in the foreground is likely caused by bombing.

Local people wash clothes. Probably at Yangkai, China. During WWII.

Floating "boat-bridge, looking towards our side of Luichow, China Sept 1944." Horse-Saddle mountain (马鞍山) in the background.

Frank Bates, Johnny Burns, and George Butsika at the Lucky Cafe in Liuzhou, China. Sept 1944. See the Lucky Cafe after the destruction of Ichigo here.

American flyers and mechanics, ground support, etc. gather for a group photo before a Ringer Squadron B-25 Mitchell. Yangkai, May or June 1944?

A carved wooden door panel in China. During WWII. From the collection of Frank Bates.