W45Auth\AA28-IB.DOC

This aircraft #42-93967 has been “cosmetically” restored and on display at Georgia Veterans State Park in Cordele, GA where their War Museum is dedicated to Capt Boggs & crew.

Ian Boggs crew 39 flew an F13, weather version of B-29, for 19^th BG from 28^th Sqd

	assignment	rank	Name	Address 09-14-00
S-8	Pilot	Capt	Boggs, Ion “Ike”	Kathy 7705 Spring Ave NE Albuquerquerque, NM 87111-7331 (505)2652230
S-1	CoPilot	1 Lt	Wilson, Dave	died 1977
S-4	Navigator	1 Lt	Butzier	died 1992
S-2	Weather	1 Lt	Aronsen, Art	24 La Esprial, Orinda, CA 94563 (925)2543619
S-3	Radar	1 Lt	Wood, Al	66 Glenn Hill Wilton Conn 06897 (203)7623215
K-3	Radio	S/Sgt	Sattelmeyer, Bob	Riverbend Rd, Lavonia, GA 30553 (706) 3568528
K-2	Flt Engineer	T/Sgt	Emerson, Jones	1261 W. Galveston St Chandler, AZ, 85224 (602)8211197
S-7	CFC	S/Sgt	Pietz, John	20539 Mockingbird Ave, Apple Valley, CA, 92308 (760)2403069
S-6	Gunner	S/Sgt	Mitchell, Loyd	16343 136^th Ave, Nunica, Michigan 49448 (616)8423495
S-5	Gunner	S/Sgt	Meyer, Francis	1801 Keefer Rd Givard, OH, 44420 (770)9385403 / 6
K-1	Tail Gunner	S/Sgt	Beldwin, Al	417 W. Patterson St Lansford, PA, 18232 (570)6453554

Airplane number 42 or 44 293967 Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park, Cordele, Georgia on us 280 Ranger Mike Goodwin (912) 276 2371 Closed Mondays

Art was the Weather Officer, flying to the north west of Japan to gather data for weather forecasts. They carried no bombs, just extra fuel in bombay tanks for long range. Art is Sec of the 19^th BG Association and Marie Louise, on the plane, is his wife and companion at the reunions. The following note is from their radio operator:

Photos found in Marie Louise’s collection after she died 2001

Dear Art:

Well, it has been one hell of a long time! I presume by the time you have proceeded this far, you have looked at the enclosed picture taken on Guam, sometime around early August,1945, and perhaps even recognized some long-forgotten faces ? No. ? O.K.--let me refresh your memory !! Standing-left to right, Lt. Dave Wilson, co-pilot, Two unknown Lts., Lt Bruce Butzier, navigator S/Sgt Francis Myer, waist gunner, S/Sgt Lloyd Mitchell, waist gunner, S/Sgt. John pietz, CFC gunner, Capt. Ian ("Ike") Boggs; Kneeling, Al Baldwin, Tail-gunner, T/ Sgt Emerson Jones' and of course, the best damn looking one of this motly crew, Bob Sattelmeyer, Radio operator, S/Sgt also !! Well--anyone ring a bell. It HAS been a long time, hasn't it ? It is also a very long story, so let me give you a little history, that is a result of many totally impossible happenings that make a rare "post war-story”!

In April of 1980 my wife and I had all 3 of our kids through college, with families started of their own and after 35 years with the Reliance Electric Co. Decided to take early retirement at the ripe old age of 55. Moved here to northeast Georgia in the mountain foothills on Lake Hartwell. One Sunday morning in August of 1977, I picked up the Atlanta paper, and started looking for their weekly articles on various State Parks, and low and behold, this one was about Georgia Veterans State Park, whose prime display was you guessed it a B29. That park is about 150 miles south of us, So 1^st thing on Monday a.m. I called the park and they were very apologetic, because the newspaper had made a mistake ! The airplane was Not a B-29 but was instead an F-13-A --- the B-29 modified for Photo and Weather Recon ! I really got excited at that point 'cause there almost 4,000 B-29's made, but only 112 F-13's, and having trained in probably 50 of the F-13, it appeared possible we might at one point been assigned this particular aircraft?? They gave me the plane's Serial Number--and sure enough it was Ser # 42-93967--the same aircraft we had been assigned when we transferred to the 28th. Bomb Sqdn.,19th group from the 3rd. Photo Recon Sqdn, to fly weather Recon for the 19th Group! At that point I called Boggs at his home in Albuquerque and he confirmed the Serial # from his flight log where it had been recorded as in my 40+ year old diary!! I started to see if I could locate all of the old crew? Of the 11 man crew I found all but you and Al Wood and found out from family that Dave Wilson had retired after continuos Service in the Airforce and had died shortly there after demonstrating a business jet to a customer in Texas. (took down a power line on take-off). Tried hard but to no avail to find you or Wood. So set up our First reunion here at my home on the lake and all 8 of the "survivors" and their wives in Sept. of 1987. Had a 2nd one in 1990 at "Ike'' & Kathy's home in Albuquerque. Then about 3 years ago AL Wood contacted Ike when he found him on the internet & we have tried to include him in our "gang" correspondence since So you are the last to be found--whatever??!!

So how about that for a story ? Bruce Butzier died of leukemia in 1992 and though we tried to keep her included in our group she quickly "faded out". The last I heard she had moved to Florida from Detroit. I lost my wife of almost 51 years to cancer, in 1995. Ike passed away about 1 ½ years ago and Mitchell lost his wife to cancer about a year ago. All the rest remain intact, as of this date. Fran Meyer and his wife June come down here from Youngstown usual a couple times a year for a visit. I hear from Kathy Boggs regularly,

If you would like the addresses and or phone numbers of any of these "guys" let me know and I will provide. Also if you will, give me a note back or a call and give me a home address & phone number. Incidentally, I don't know where in California, but Pietz is located in California also, and Jones is in Chandler Ariz.

Oh yes our airplane has been refurbished and they have dedicated not only the airplane but the Park Museum to our crew, and have a lot of personal pictures and artifacts from the crew on display How about that ?

Art, hope this finds you in good health. Take care and let me hear from you. NO--I do not have a computer, nor do I want one

Best Personal Regards,

Bob Sattelmeyer

Friday, Sept. 8,2000

Dear Art;

Well, the last hectic week-end of summer has come and gone, I have returned from my week of "R & R” in the Las Vegas of the new south,(Biloxi, miss.) and having had a successful trip down there (that means I have 33 cents left with which to buy postage for this letter I shall get right with it.

First of all, again, a very profound "Thank You" for the beautiful 19th. Bomb Group glass globe memento. It is the center-piece on the living room picture-window deck! Really love it – so thanks again.

Now, if you are wondering about my "Dog stationary JL -- it has kind of become my trademark over the years, as we got our first Samoyed puppy about 25 years ago, moving her down here from Ohio when we retired in 1980. Went without one for almost 6 months till I found a couple in a northern Atlanta who was advertising a newly born litter of them for $175 each. I took off immediately on the 90 mile drive (1-way) to get one and we had her for almost 11 more years. They were, of course, originally, Russian sled dogs and worked herding reindeer. Mine of course preferred to lay on the fireplace hearth come winter, until they rolled over and fell off! They were each over 100 lbs when they grew up, but were the prettiest, all white dogs and were so friendly and good with the children and grandchildren. All of the wives of the crew fell in love with the 2nd one we had when they were here in 1988 for our first reunion and the big "ox" knew it and took little time to become more spoiled than she already was!! So that's the story of my "Dog stationary!

Next-- I promised to follow up our phone conversation with the names, addresses & phone numbers of each of the surviving members of the crew, also a few pertinent notes regarding each that may be of interest. Here goes;

Capt. Ian Boggs. Wife, Kathy: "Ike” hosted our 2nd reunion in 1990 at his home in Albuquerque, N.M. Address is 7705 Spring Rd.,N.E.,87110-7331. Kathy still resides at this address, Phone # 505-265-2230. Ike stayed in the Army Reserves, was recalled to active duty for the Korean affair, and assigned to the Signal Corps and flew many missions in an L-5 spotting artillery fire. Returned home to his furniture home furnishing store, raised one son (Stephen--now a doctor in Gaffney S.C.)and stayed in the A-C, reserves in Alb. retiring as a "Bird Colonel in 1992. Died of Alztimers in 1997. Kathy remains at the home address given above

Dave Wilson. Co-pilot: Remained in active service after WW2 flying B-29s in Korea and retrained in B-52s - Retired as full Col. in 1975. Went to work for Cessna, selling twin engine business Jets, crashed and died in 1977, somewhere in Texas. His wife died from a stroke a year or so later.

Bruce Butzier, Navigator: Finished college up in Detroit and went to work for Standard Oil as a sales executive. Retired as Sales V.P., Industrial Sales 1990. Died of Leukemia in 1992. No further contacts from wife, "Ginny”.

Al Wood, Bomb, Navigator: 66 Glen Hill Wilton Conn-06897 Phone 203-762--3215. Really don't know much of Al’s post war 'history, but understand he recently retired from a major industrial company. from Engineering, I believe. Received a letter from him today and he has jumped into investigation of the 19th Bomb Group and it's activities on Guam in 1945 – all as a result of your telephone call to him sometime shortly after you and I talked!!? Was really happy to hear of that – but his activities on the internet can be little-aided by my feeble 55 year old memory today !! Will do what I can, but really have little knowledge of Guam real estate in 1945? It was good hearing from him and hearing you had contacted him.

Emerson Jones, Flt. Engr: Was a T/Sgt most of our tour of duty, but was promoted to Warrant Officer rank as the war ended, He returned home to either Texas or Arizona Was very active in the Mormon Church after his return, has one daughter, married and living in the Birmingham area. Was recently over in Asia somewhere, with his wife doing missionary work for the Mormon Church. Right now his address is 1261 W. Galveston ST., Chandler Ariz. 85224 . Phone # 602-821-1197

John Pietz, Central Fire Control Gunner: 20539 Mockingbird Ave, Apple Valley, CA, 92308. Phone # 760-240-3069. Returned to Pomona, Calif. and finished his education in Chemical Engineering, and worked in the development of the Air-bag systems now used by the automotive Industries. Spent most of his post-war life in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area of Arizona and is responsible and is the holder of several of the existing patents on various types of “air-bag" system. Recently moved to the California address above, to be near a rather large family.

Francis Myer: He and wife June have spent most of their life in the Youngstown area. Have 3 married daughters, and all live in or around Girard, Ohio. "Fran" retired 5-6 years ago after a career with various major railroads. His last job I believe was as foreman or supt. of the large Diesel repair shop for Erie/ Amtrac RR. in Youngstown. His address is 1801 Keefer Rd., Girard, OH, 44420. Phone; 770-938-5403.

Al Baldwin, tail gunner: 417 W. Patterson St. Lansford, Pa. 18232. Phone , 570-645-3554. All of Al’s post-war life was associated with the coal mines he "grew-up" in and in later years was Union associated, with jobs such as treasure of various unions and districts. Have one son and several grandchildren, living in the upper mid-west-North Dakota or Idaho, I believe.

Lloyd Mitchell ("Mitch") Waist gunner: Was a middle level Manager for Greyhound and National Van lines, and then got into FBI work. Retired from the FBI as a large district Investigative Director in the Detroit Milwaukee/ Chicago area. Has a large family living in the Milwaukee area Current address is 16343 136th-Ave., Nunica, Mich. 49448 (Mich.) Phone; 615-842-342-3495. Mitch lost his wife of 40 years about 6 months ago and is having a rough time, coping with it physically and emotionally. Fran and his wife were up to visit him last month and guess it was pretty tough on all

Me – I married my wife Marilyn on Dec-30 1944, 6 weeks before we went over-seas. Returned home in Jan 1946 from Guam and vent back to work in the factory of Reliance Electric Co. in Cleveland Ohio Finished my Engineering education at Fenn College-- now Cleveland State. Stayed with Reliance for 34 years retiring in 1980 to move down here.

The last 15 years at Reliance . . . . .

might wish to build a facility – all over the world. Spent some time in San Paula Brazil, Belgium, Mexico, Canada, and all over the bloody U S of A! Selected the sites, designed the plants, office, warehouse, or whatever, produced the construction specs, put the project out for bids and supervised construction. When it was done, I turned it over to the operating people and could walk away from it – till they had troubles!! Marilyn and I had three children. One son is Chairperson of the English Department at the Georgia State University in Atlanta; our second has just retired from a VP’s job at a 2-year college in Charleston, S.C. ( yeah-at the ripe old age of 50 !!) and our only daughter is now 44 and V.P. of "Books-a-million". So be it! Marilyn and I had 50 years together, including 15 of them in wonderful Georgia retirement, where we played golf together every day, fished on the lake we lived on every day and she managed to play in two bridge clubs every week !! It has been a wonderfully full life, Art. Lost her just five + years ago to cancer, and while it's been a tough 5 years you have to consider how really great we had it for 50 wonderful years – right?? Like what else can one do ??

O.K.--guess it is time to cut this thing off, as I have rattled on too long now, So with that I think you are up to date on the major "Happenings” in the lives of Air COMBAT Crew # 39, 19th. Bomb Group 28th Bomb Sqdn, over the past 55 years. You all take care now, and stay v And do keep in touch.

Best Personal Regards,

Bob Sattelmeyer

And--Remember--Any day that starts with getting up ain't ALL bad !!?