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Westover Field - Chatham Field

Combat Crew Training School (CCTS)

RESTRICTED HEADQUARTERS ARMY AIR BASE Westover Field, Mass.
SPECIAL ORDERS)               : NUMBER    304 )     E X T R A C T     30 October 1944
1. The following named pers, AC, Section H - Reception, 112th AAF BU (CCTS-Bomb (H)), are reld fr further asgmt and dy this sta, and are asgd to Sec E - Trainee, 114th AAF BU (CCTS-Bomb (H)), AAB, Chatham AAF, Savannah, Ga, and WP on 31 Oct 1944, by rail, fr Westover Fld, Mass, to that sta, rptg upon arrival to the CO, Sec E - Trainee, 114th AAF BU (CCTS-Bomb (H)), thereat for dy on PCS. EDGMR: 2 Nov 1944:
	Crew #A-618 $*(P)    2D LT (1024) HILLIARD E. JOHNMEYER, 02063636  *(CP)   2D LT (1051) ORLIN H. BENEDICT, 0837619   (AEG)  Cpl (748) JACK T. POTTLE, 37701779   (ROG)  Cpl (757) EDWARD J. BAMERICK, 12214831   (ARMG) S/Sgt (612) CALVIN R. JOHNSON, 16023182   (MU)   Pfc (611) LESTER H. KOBYLARZ, 33904869   (MU)   Pfc (611) WILLIAM E. LATTANZI, 31411468   (CT)   Pfc (611) NEVIN W. STALEY, 13140912
TDN. 501-31 P 433-01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 08 A 212/50425. TT. Travel of dependents and the shipt of household goods is atzd O and EM (first four grades), in accordance with AR 55-120, and AR 55-160. Four (4) meals involved for ea O and EM listed herein for the scheduled travel time for journey. $Denotes personnel authorized travel by privately owned conveyance at no additional expense to the Govt. Travel time by TPA will not exceed rail travel time by trp tn. *Qrs assgd to O whose names are preceded by an asterisk (*) (Single Officers), in bldgs 200, 201, 202, 205, 206, 216, 217, 218, 220, are terminated, effective 31 Oct 1944. (PCS). Auth: AR 210-10. C E R T I F I C A T E O whose names are not preceded by an asterisk (*) (Married Officers) hereby certify that adequate quarters were not assigned to them at this sta fr 1 Oct 1944, to 31 Oct 1944, inclusive.

There were 56 crews assigned with this order: Crew #A-317 and #A-587 thru #A-641 a total of 471 men. No crew had a navigator assigned and most didn't have a bombardier. Captain Charles K. McClure's crew (#A-641) had just 3 more men assigned to him for a total of four. But after all he was a captain.

Westover Field

Westover has been in operation since 1940 and served as a bomber training base and port of embarkation/debarkation during World War II. The relative proximity to Europe was a key reason Westover was carved from the tobacco-growing plains in Chicopee. The short distance to Europe saved time and fuel. On April 6, 1940, the base was named Westover Field in memory of Maj. Gen. Oscar Westover , who was killed when the plane he was piloting crashed near Burbank, Calif., on Sept. 21, 1938. Westover, who was 55, was one of only two generals to die in the line of duty since the Civil War. He is revered as a pioneer of modern military aviation, who pushed for a modern and well-equipped air force upon which the nation's defense could rely.

Bomber crews were assembled from specialized training schools scattered about the country and active duty personnel into a 'combat crew' at Westover and sent to various replacement training unit (RTU) bases for advanced training in navigation, bombing, air-to-air gunnery (at tow targets) and air-to-sea marker gunnery. Pilots, copilots, bombardiers and navigators were given specialized training for their aircraft and duty assignments.

Chatham Field

The Savannah Municipal Airport opened on September 20, 1929, with the inauguration of air service between New York City and Miami by Eastern Air Express. A city resolution names the airport Hunter Field in 1932. In 1940 the U.S. Army Air Corps proposed a complete takeover of Hunter Field if a war started. While the commercial airlines continued to land there, a decision was made to construct a second Municipal Airport in response to the increased military presence. Before the completion of the airfield, the U.S. Army Air Corps found it necessary to take over the new facility and start additional construction to carry out their mission. They named the airfield Chatham Field and it was used from 1942 until the end of World War II as a bomber base and crew training base for B-24's and fighter aircraft.

click image to enlarge Made in U.S.A. THE DIAMOND MATCH CO. N.Y.C.

3-9 Jan 1945

Batista Field at San Antonio, Cuba (about 40 miles from Havana) was built by the Corps of Engineers at the beginning of the war as an antisubmarine base. Later, it was used for advanced over-water radar and navigational training. And. . .

click image to enlarge

Several stories came out of the Cuba trip. First, upon arriving at the field the initial briefing was concerning different bars and clubs that were off limits. It seems that there was one house that was of special ill repute; the men were told that it was definitely off limits. And when they got there, since all knew that if told not to go it would be the first request for the taxi driver, the MP's were on guard and all the ladies had been checked and cleared. One about getting low enough over the ocean to dunk the bombardier in a wave, and another about bringing home a little extra rum in the 24's wings. All I know is that Dad bought a little extra Canadian Club.

PILOT'S BLINDFOLD COCKPIT TEST click image to enlarge	DAY TRANSITION CHECK click image to enlarge
EMERGENCY PROCEDURE CHECK SHEET click image to enlarge (front)	EMERGENCY PROCEDURE CHECK SHEET click image to enlarge (back)
PILOT INSTRUMENT CERTIFICATE APPLICATION AND FLIGHT CHECK FORM click image to enlarge (front)	PILOT INSTRUMENT CERTIFICATE APPLICATION AND FLIGHT CHECK FORM click image to enlarge (back)
NIGHT TRANSITION CHECK click image to enlarge	Link Trainer Department click image to enlarge
IDENTIFICATION CARD (front) click image to enlarge	ID CARD (back) click image to enlarge

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Penworthy Note Book	The pilots mentioned at left were: 2D LT Roy P. Lee FO Hosea M. Ray ("get Ray up" was in Dad's note book more than once) and 2D LT Monroe Harris overseas? Pack your B-4 bag, make sure they don't backcharge you for anything and get on the train. click image to enlarge

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Julius H. Johnmeyer

Dad was the youngest of six brothers, Ernest William Jacob (1910), Emil Albert (1914), Julius Henry (1916), Raymond Ralph (1920), and Jacob Oscar (1921). He had a younger sister, Alberta Marie (1929). When he left home at thirteen his Father gave him a 50 cent piece and told him, "If he got hurt or something like that, he'd help; but other than that he was on his own." Dad moved in and lived with Uncle Julius until he joined up. Julius (not married until 1942) alone saw him through Junior High and High School. Before Dad left for Europe, Uncle Julius was the only one who made the trip from Missouri to Chatham Field, Georgia to see him in January of 1945, when the following photo was made,

To this day, I will never forget during Dad's last days, Uncle Julius asking to trade places with him.

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R E S T R I C T E D   HEADQUARTERS ARMY AIR BASE CHATHAM ARMY AIR FIELD

SPECIAL ORDERS )                : NUMBER      24 )     EXTRACT   Savannah, Georgia 24 January 1945

1. The fol AC pers, listed as crews on atchd roster consisting of eight (8) pages, made an integral part hereof, are reld fr atchd unasgd Sq E, and fr asgd 114th AAF BU (CCTS-H) this AAB and WP to AAB Mitchel Fld, NY by rail o/a 24 Jan 45, rptng to CO thereat for TDY pertaining to final staging and processing pending eventual movement overseas for permanent change of sta. This is a PCS to an overseas destination. EDCMR: 26 Jan 45.    Travel by privately owned conveyance is not auth. Dependents will not accompany pers to new sta; neither will dependents later join pers at new sta, or at any point, staging area, airport of embarkation, or port of embarkation. For shpmt of household goods and travel of dependents attn is directed to AR 55-120 and AR 55-160.    Pers will be clothed and equipped IAW List C or D (as indicated on atchd roster), Individual Clothing and Equipment, 15 May 43 as amended by Ltr 65-4, 19 May 44 and AAF Ltr 65-44A, 16 June 44. The provisions of PORC, 1 Apr 44, file AG 370.5 (27 May 44) will be complied with and are made an integral part of this order.    With the exception of ki equip, no post, camp, or sta property will accompany this movement.    Four (4) meals will be furnished each Off and EM listed on atchd roster and accompanying this movement for the scheduled travel time for the journey fr this sta to AAB, Mitchel Fld, NY. One-third (1/3) one (1) days emergency ration will be provided for ea Off and EM and if not used will be turned into the Sales O at sta of destination.    TDY enroute. No per diem while on TDY. TT. TOFNT. TDN. 501-31 P 433-01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 08 A 212/50425. (Auth: TWX AF1AF 1609, Hq FAF MF, NY, 19 Jan 45)

CREW #618                               CREW #619 2D LT 1092 JOHNMEYER, HILLARD E 02063636 P   2D LT 1092 JONES, LLOYD G  02062516 2D LT 1022 BENEDICT, ORLIN H    0837619  CP  2D LT 1022 BENNETT, DONALD 0837882 FO    1034 GONZALEZ, VINCENT    T136512  N   2D LT 1034 WILCHER, DANIEL 02072933 2D LT 1035 BSHARAH, FRED        02065318 B   FO    1035 KEY, VERNON E   T131437 Cpl 748 Pottle, Jack T          37701779 E   Cpl 748 Pollari, Howard M  36830805 Pvt 757 Bamerick, Edward J      12214831 R   Cpl 757 Werner, Paul C     31423147 Pvt 611 Lattanzi, William E     31411468 AE  Pvt 611 Klever, Dayle G    16195185 Cpl 611 Kobylarz, Lester H      33904869 AR  Cpl 611 Kister, Jack E     13158776 S/Sgt 612 Johnson, Calvin R     16023182 AG  Cpl 612 Bolt, Frank        14181472 Cpl 611 Staley, Nevin W         13140912 AAG Cpl 611 Stoeber, Richard   12228836

There were 52 crews assigned with this order: CREW #444, #569, #571, #587 thru #598, #600 thru #616, #618, #619, #621 thru #635, #638, #639, and #640 a total of 496 men. Navigators had been added at Chatham but half did not have bombardiers assigned. Of the 56 crews sent to Chatham on October 30th, there were only 49 sent to Mitchel. Some crews failed to make the grade and were reorganized and reassigned, some may have been sent elsewhere, and some didn't make it.

Crew #A-620 left Westover with eight men: 2D LT Francis W. Johnson, 2D LT David F. Bheam, Jr., Cpl Barney B. Purdon, Cpl William W. Davis, Cpl William D. Brookey, Jr., Cpl Joseph F. Leonard, Pfc Phillip J. Lange, Jr., and Pfc William G. Specht. Dad and Francis Johnson bunked together at Chatham. On one of the night training missions in November, Jack Pottle (Dad's engineer) told him that he wasn't sure what was wrong with the B-24 they had been assigned, but that there was definitely something wrong about it. Dad refused to fly the plane and it was given to #A-620. It crashed on take-off. I know that Francis Johnson was killed (Dad and Francis had barracked together since FWAAF, the Js you know the military). I never heard Dad speak of the outcome of the rest of the crew, if he even knew.

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