KITS 08/2022
B-25J-6, 43-27957, Capt. Ervin J. Werhand, 823rd BS, 38th BG, 5th AF, Kadena, Okinawa, July 1945
This ship was originally named Little Princess Deanna
and was assigned to Capt. Zane E. Corbin. He was succeeded by Capt. Ervin J. “Joe” Wehrand who renamed
the ship Bugs Bunny, an animated cartoon character
best known for his starring roles in the Looney Tunes
and Merrie Melodies series. The name of the 823rd BS
was "Terrible Tigers," and the noses of their aircraft
were decorated with a tiger painting. This unit, along
with the 822nd BS, was activated in Australia in April
1943 as replacements for two squadrons that had been
withdrawn from the 38th BG “Sun Setters“ composition. However, the 823rd Squadron did not reach its full
strength until the end of June that year when it moved
to Port Moresby, New Guinea. By August, the unit was
already engaged in offensive action against the Japanese at Cape Gloucester, New Britain and received
a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for this activity. The
second time they received DUC, in June 1944, it was for
attacks on Japanese airfields, ports and ships on New
Guinea. From October 1944, the "Terrible Tigers" opera-
ted from the Maluku Archipelago in eastern Indonesia,
from where they attacked targets in the Philippines in
support of Operation Leyte. Then, on November 10, the
pilots of the 823rd BS dispersed a large enemy convoy,
for which they received their third DUC. In February 1945,
the unit moved to Okinawa, from where it attacked targets in southern Japan until the end of the war. It was
then part of the occupation forces until September 1946,
when it was inactivated as the 38th BG was transitioned
to peacetime status with two squadrons.
B-25J-27, 44-30866, 1/Lt. Thomas Evans, 82nd BS, 12th BG, 10th AF, Fenny, India, spring 1945
The ship with the name Sunday Punch was purchased thanks to the fundraising campaign conducted by employees of the Oak Ridge (K-25) plant
in Tennessee. The plant was part of the Manhattan
Project, and when each employee donated their
two Sunday overtime pay checks, $250,000 was
raised - enough to buy one Mitchell. Factory representatives then christened the plane with a bottle
of champagne at McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville
on March 18, 1945, with the name SUNDAY PUNCH. The
name referred to the Sunday punch card paychecks.
After shipment to India, the aircraft was assigned
to the 82nd BS, where the staff added a drawing of
a scantily clad girl to the lettering. And when one
of the pilots, 1/Lt. Thomas Evans, learned that the
ship had been purchased thanks to the campaign
conducted in his home state, he requested her assignment. By the end of the war, Evans had flown
14 of his 28 combat missions with her. One of these was
the May 27 attack on Takli Airfield in Thailand. In poor
weather conditions, they made a total of 2,580 km
(1,600 miles) flight and subsequent attack.
B-25J-27, 44-30583, 1/Lt. Don McKenzie, 100th BS, 42nd BG, 13th AF, Puerto Princesa, Palawan,
Philippines, March 1945
The name of this ship from the 100th BS, part of the
42nd BG “Crusaders” composition, refers to the poignant story of one of the best college football players
of all time, George “Gipper” Gipp, who died at age
25 of streptococcal throat infection and pneumonia.
On his deathbed, he told visiting coach Knut Rockne,
"I've got to go, Rock. It's all right. I'm not afraid. Some
August 2022
time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when
things are wrong and the breaks are beating the
boys, ask them to go in there with all they've got and
win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be
then, Rock. But I'll know about it, and I'll be happy."
A movie was made about the legendary coach in
1940, which includes this scene. The role of George
Gipp was portrayed by Ronald Reagan, who years later used the slogan “Win one for the Gipper” during
his presidential campaign, as the role earned him the
nickname Gipper. Crew Chief Sgt. William A. Bean was
in charge of the aircraft honored with the slogan.
INFO Eduard
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