H-XM-2005

2005 Christmas Greetings from Darrell & Mary

The first event of 2005 was Darrell’s 82 birthday, followed by April 15 when he pays Uncle Sam, his silent business partner, via Sam’s agent the IRS. I went into business with Sam, via a company savings plan, which was converted to a self directed IRA when I retired. Things went well until Sam wanted some of HIS money back; his agent sends rules each year on how much, as I get older the percentage goes up. This year I received two refund checks, $4000 & $2000 for years 2002 & 2003. I do my own taxed and duplicate the tax form using Excel, I copy the old form which I modify for the next year. In 2004 I discover my total income for 2002 & 2003 were identical with 2001, which had been a very good year? I forgot to reduce the income number while increasing the tax bite due to age. I was delighted to receive the refund, no questions asked. At my age there are periodic reminders we are loosing it. The refund did not go to waste, we were able to use it to pay for our trip to the Bobbitt family reunion in Wichita KS.

Before flying to Wichita we had driven to Oberlin and attended the Alumni Banquet and decorated graves. I used the uncle Lee & Francis method – screwdriver planted flowers that do not wilt. While there we almost wilted when the air conditioner went out. An external power breaker blew – which was due to the compressor becoming too hot – the radiator had become clogged with leaves. The day before I got needed, but unwanted exercise water proofing the NE corner basement wall. The automatic sprinkler system added to rain water, yes it does rain in KS, that accumulated there due to a drain spout disconnect. During the last week TV announced a storm coming, it did, strong wind from the west. I placed my hand on the multi-panel front window and found it “bending” by as much as two inches in the middle. Mary thought perhaps we should install new windows. I said, it’s worked for some 75 years, so lets not fix it.

Sweep Stakes Award at Gold Brush Award’s Dinner Best of Show

Best of Show First Prize

Mary’s Garden Grove Art Guild paintings 2005

Mary is President of the Art Guild, and from me to you, has done a fantastic job of keeping the group going as the members age – this was their 40^th Annual Christmas Dinner.

I’m particularly impressed with how Mary keeps in contact with members who are in poor health, sustaining contacts with those who can no longer attend. The social bond, takes precedence over who’s painting wins – they are all excellent painters, taking pride in each others work..

We flew to Wichita & rented a car to haul Mary and sister Marjorie about town. These childhood playmates become kids again when together. The family gathering was delightful, known by those there, and of little interest to non-family members. Randy Fisher took us on a tour of the Raytheon, former Beach plant followed by a tour of the Space Museum at Hutcheson KS, a sub part of the Smithsonian – I was impressed by the displays. Before leaving Mary and Marjorie combed the very impressing Wichita Art Gallery – funded in part donations from the Boeing plant when they built B-29s there.

Don Kump Warren Kump Darrell Landau

These Bobbitt Cousins were wrapped up in a long discussion of Change; childhood, to now, to unknown future. When the men played cards their mothers and grandmother would discuss and debate topics of the day – so this dialog was in keeping with their genetic make up.

Bob Fike, Tail Gunner Roy Tew, Navigator Darrell Landau Engineering Officer

DVD box engraved by David & Mary Landau DHLImaging San Diego

David recorded the History Channel episodes and made & labeled DVDs as shown.

David and Mary also made boxes similar to those shown, with DVD’s of the series for Roy Tew and Robert Fike. The History Channel had interviewed on film several of the 19^th BG members at the reunion in Philadelphia in 2004. Clips of 19^th members are very brief, in some of the hour long programs.

I awoke at 3:00 am one morning having created the above arrangement. It required over two hours of dedicated searching to find the photos in the computer that my subconscious memory so readily composed. This is a picture story of 19^th Bomb Group on Guam 1945. Third row center is of Ben Kordis crew going down after being rammed by a Japanese fighter. Ben had completed a tour in Europe, the photo was taken form Van Parkers plane. Photo upper left is of M/Sgt Reed and crew, photo next to him is Stephens crew, Stephens was British and had flown a tour out of England. My boss Capt Keogh took the engine close up view from the Flight Engineers window. Two weeks after Keogh took that photo I went on my one and only trip to Japan on a POW SUPPLY drop, at which time I almost fell out of the Bombay – but that’s another tale for another time. On that long ride up and back there was much time to think, and my thoughts would dwell on what it would be like to have my grand fathers along on that trip. It would blow their mind – as did the Moon Landing for 90+ John Kump.

I bought a new Dell laptop to take with me to the 19^th Reunion in San Antonio. For the first time I met the wife and kids of 19^th BG members I had known quite well. Below is the wife of Col Ed Jacquet who was in the Philippines when the war started and who wrote the story “Flight into History” of flying B-17s to Clark Field, just before war broke out. Ed died two years ago and it was nice to meet his family, as well as the daughter of Vern Chandler, lead crew pilot and former chairman of the 19^th BG whom I had known on Guam.

At 19^th BG Reunion San Antonio Oct 2005 Darrell & Mary Landau and Helen Jacquet

Mary is always an asset at these reunions because she now knows many of the people quite well.

Monica & Brian at Mary’s 2005 Birthday

I have been trying to complete a single book, that includes the information now in 6 books, as a history of the 19^th BG. The above is an attenuated version of composite photos use to tell the story. Above right is Clark Field being bombed & after plus a painting of action there.

The War in the Far Pacific was unknown to many, there was no media to report World News Tonight. I searched through many pages of original mission diaries to create these summary maps. Though not Christmas or family news, it seemed appropriate to show you what I’ve been doing; now that I have nothing to do.

The Japanese had landed and moving south before our forces made contact

10 of the original 35 B-17 fell back to Australia then to Dutch held Java

The Japanese were moving fast implementing their well planned move

Australian troops were in North Africa to fend off Rommel approaching Cairo. The Germans had just defeated 6 Russian Armies, and were on the outskirts of Moscow, 3,700 people died of starvation that Christmas in Leningrad; and the Japanese were on the verge of taking over the Near East Dutch oil fields. There was no certainty Australia could be held. London was being bombed every night.

All available bombers were rushed to Java, without radar they could not find ships at sea in bad weather.

Japanese knew how to find Java airfields. Long range missions to Philippines and Malaysia changed to short range missions of near by defense.

US forces on Java fell back to Australia, by air and sea. MacArthur was taken from Corregidor by PT boat and to Australia by B-17. Japanese forces took Battan, then Corregidor where about half of the original 19^th BG become POWs. Some half of the 19^th BG POWs died in camp. Half of the 86 Guerrilla of Mindanao were from the 19^th BG.

Transportation & communications lines were long. The Japanese plan was being implemented as planed.

Finally the advance is stopped, the tide is turned. Guerrillas on Mindanao radio intelligence to Australia.

As a result of the family reunion discussions I started writing about CHANGE, and how fast it is. Then I read of the 6 to 4 KS school board vote to teach Intelligent Design as an OPTION for Evolution. That caused me to write a letter to the KS school board, upset that science was out and debate in. This Christmas Season we can hope humans will apply enlightened behavior in time to stem the tide of the population explosion. Brian & Monica prepared turkey and stuff while Julia and Mary decorated the table. It was a lovely setting at which I heard Mary tell the kids your fathers avocation has become that of Thinker. I guess things have not changed much since I was asking Claude Pettis, grading our front street, why mules could not have colts? He used the same word Dad often used “because”; meaning he didn’t know, that’s just the way it is.