You should visit the 96th Bomb Group Memorial Museum on the Aurora School near Quidenham. Its in an original nissan hut which was by the medical block

Before the Carpetbaggers were renamed the 492 bomb group, the “first 492nd bomb group” was shot out of the sky and was only active for 89 days. The first group flew out of North Pickenham, a former RAF station just east of Swaffham, Norfolk, England The pilot was named Landry, and my father was a tailgunner in the "Night Knight." She had been shot up badly on their fifth mission to the Brunswick Marshalling Yard. Eight aircraft were lost and the mission resulted in 43 KIA and 34 POW's. On their 7th mission to bomb the Politz oil refineries northeast of Berlin, and while flying in the "Militant Mistress", Landry's crew was shot down on 29 May 1944, just 8 days before the D-Day. Dad had said that he backed out of the tail gunner position, when he saw flames from two engines streaming past the tail. His intercom was not functioning, and the only person still in the B24 was Landry when Dad bailed out. Dad was in German custody as soon as his parachute was on the ground. A week later, he found himself in StalogLuft 4 near Stettiin Poland. He was a guest of the Germans for 9 months. Allied troops were getting close to the camp. The 9000 POW's were divided into 4 columns planning to march separate routes toward Berlin. On the 4th day of the march, Dad jumped off a bridge and hid in the water until the column marched away. He was helped by a German farmer who provided food and warmth in his barn. He evaded until contacting allied troops. The 492nd became a Carpetbagger Group in Aug 1944, because the USA didn't want the Germans to know they had destroyed an American bomb group, according to my father. In 1956, he was back in Germany, and was stationed at Wiesbaden Air Base. His last posting was in Saigon and he arrived two week before the start of the TET Offensive. On his return, Dad retired in 1969. He considered himself lucky!

Years ago I visited the Norfolk Gliding Club as a sort of pilgrimage. I asked the nice man, ‘how much does it cost to go soaring’? 20 quid he said. I asked the nice man, ‘how much does it cost to go soaring if your father flew out of here’? 10 quid he said. I asked the nice man, ‘how much does it cost to go soaring if your father flew out of here and didn’t come back’? He said, ‘you fly for free’. On April 1, 1944 my father’s crew, from the 703rd BS, 445th BG, was shot down over Germany. Half the crew were killed, but my father was lucky as he ended up in Stalag 17 for 13 months.

Thanks for the video. It was a great reminder of the cost of freedom.

i inherited my uncles stuff from the 388th H group from knettishall . he was on the lady lilian belly gunner .i have tons of photos from there

My dad flew 27 missions from North Pickenham (August 26, 1944--December 27th, 1944)

I want to say thank you to the British people who took care of our ancestor yanks during their stay in town, I am eternally grateful for your hospitality while the boys were literally going through hell. My great uncle never made it back home. God bless.

My uncle was.with the 388t BG, 563rd squadron

You should do bassingbourn

Thanks for posting!

My Father was in the 492nd B.G. (1st Organization, the "Hard Luck" Group) there at North Pickenham. He was in one of only about....6?.....original crews, out of the original 70 or so that came to England with the Group in April 1944, that managed to finish their 30 mission tour all with the 492nd before it was disbanded due to heavy losses in early August 1944.. Actually finishing a full tour with the 492nd was a hard thing to do. He told me many replacement crews came and were lost on their first mission. It's interesting to note that when the 491st was assigned to the 14th Combat Wing, to fill the vacancy left by the 492nd they were ordered to paint their vertical tails in the colors and markings of the 492nd - black on silver - a diagonal black bar on the silver tail- but they steadfastly refused to do it until higher crunched down on them and made them do it but by then it was on over in 1945, and the Luftwaffe was about played out.....I understand totally.

2:46 - Doug Seavert is my uncle. Thanks.

My dear old dad percy prentice looked after this for many years miss seeing him down there so much love and miss you dad .

Hi. I'm working on a Documentary about one of the members of the 492nd based on the book "Letters from Bud" a diary of WWII (Amazon). I'd like to use some of your footage and maybe pictures if you can email them to me. My email address is pablotwa1@gmail,com . Thank you and well done!. Pablo Lewin

thanks for the great film. I love WW2 history and have lived around Tibenham most of my life and know the ground well. Walking the ground I have found the 2 main fuel tanks which are now hidden in trees, pill box's and a look out tree with metal rungs and remains of platform still visible. The local pub has american airmans names carved into wooden beams and a signed photo of Jimmy stewart who was stationed there.

My grandfather was a waist gunner in the 388th. RIP Airmen.

93rd was also called "Ted's Travelling Circus" because of their numerous deployments to North Africa.

Down my lane, RIP you heroic generation.

Thank you for sharing this video. My Grandfather was a bombardier on a B-24 based out of Shipdham and my father and I are heading there in the spring to visit. I'm very excited to see where my Grandfather served and your video added to that excitement.

Thank you Men!

My Uncle SSGT Maurice Finnegan 491 bomb group,left wing gunner,Dan Means crew.KIA OCT 2 1347 hours

My grandmother's brother, 2/Lt. John M. Peppard, was the navigator in the 578th of the 392nd at Wendling. He was aboard J.C. Poolhall when she went down on April 14, 1945 killing all crew. www.b24.net/MM041445.htm#cnl

Thank You for not forgetting! My father served on this base as a military policeman. He was only 19 years old at the time. His father father fought in WW-I, his great grandfather fought at Cold Harbor during the Civil war and his son ( me) fought in Vietnam.

See www.b24.net for more information on Wendling. Thank you Rob for your excellent video!