1 20 179 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/299/Dibble_Text0225.pdf 6b0d43c2789b05448ca4d4f1434c1042 PDF Text Text 1ST-FIGHTER GROUP JOURNAL no. (ditto and hour) 1600 hrs 29/8/43 UNIT: (data and hour) 17QQ hrs 30/8/43 PLACE: Matcur. I,7. Africa T^<CZZT Serial No Timo Dated 1st Fighter Group Incidents, Messages, Orders, etc. ("day and |Disposidate) ■ tion Ely the signal 29/8/43 Cont'd. A . green flare was apparent? for attack, as no passes were made until a green flare bursts 5 minutes a'j iftcr target time. (2) Lie 109's damaged. ENEMY LOSSES: Two “ (1) Lt. MILLIARD II. GRAILq. Gilt LOSSES: One < SORTIES: 40 WEATHER: 7/10ths cumulus overcast at 8,000 ft., CAVU above. Target area was covered with scattered cumulus iclouds from 7,000 to 11,000 ft. but otherwise CAVU. ;Scattered showers were encountered between Italy and i Sicily on return. NOTE: Lt. PHILLIPS reported missing on mission Mo. '809, ” ’ ’ at ' 28 august, 1943, has returned to basej. Hei landed Termini, Sicily with a blown out engine, Ife returned to base in another P-38. 30/8/43 48 P-38's from the 27th, 71st and 94th Squadrons , up base at 0950 hrs. to escort B-26's of 3--9th .?tl; Bomb Eoml. Gp. to Aversa h’/l, Italy. 4 P-38's returned e; rly, 2 due to r radio trouble and 2 due to engine trouble. 3q. leaders: Lfs. HURST, WILLEY and DIBBLE. Time over llargc ;et area 1200 hrs. altitude of fighters 11,500 ft. and1 bombers 11,000 ft. 60 to 75 e/a (Lie 109's, Fi7 190 s, Ma 202's, possibly a couple of enemy operated Spitfires and 1 enemy it) attackoperated P-38 identified with black crosses on i/ ed formations just as they crossed the coast over Lago di Fatria at 11,5000ft. The bombers continuer on to target while P-38's engaged e/a. Results of bombing vwas not ob- . served. 12 Lie 109's made the first attack out; of the sun from above as P-33's crossed the coast.- This was follow- • ed byr iincreasing numbers of Me 109's, F.JI I'J/O’s and Ma 3,0(|)0 fjr. and in . 3, which forced the P-38';'s down to 6, 202's, ;ta the battle ming dog fight over the IGulf of Gaet a runni iought low over the water, The P-38 formation was vias foi numbers of enemy repeated attacks5 by superior good until i flight at a time. Several, fight;ers, < which, isolated a fligl P-38'i's reported flying 300 mph. on the decli and being -rying belly tanks. The easily overtaken by Lie 109's can inated, one(group attackenemy attacks were highly coordir ing while another was reforming., The initial attack was >.0ove and be(made from a half circle formation 1500 ft.labc flak | hind P-38's. b? -38's. Aerial dive bombing occurred: black ... Rocket l like bursts irstr were ■ seen generally above P-38;s. white bursts are also believed I projectiles exploding in v.l.." I to have been used. The eng: igagement lasted from 1155 hrs. >nd wave of Me 109's carrying ' until 1235 hrs. and a secor.v 1 lies from Italy, belly tanks pursued the formation 100 mi] Six (6) P-38's were observed to go into the sea. One collided with a F,J 190 head-on and exploded in air. Cev ian, opened and oral parachutes, both American and Germar -(8) c/a. weiire dedinghies were seen in the water. Eight-' stroyed, three (3) probably destroyed and five (5)I damaged' a. �1ST FIGHTER GROUP JOURNAL • ....... (date and hour) 1700 hrs 30/8/43 UNIT: jku. 1st, Fighter Group (data and hour) 1800 hrs 3/9/43____ PLACE: Mateur, I;, Africa I Serial No Timo Dated Incidents, Messages, Orders, etc. (day and jDisposi_______________________________ date) ; ticn ' ! ; ! i i 30/8/43 Cont'd. Thirteen (13) P-38's are .-pissing. A few bursts of light inaccurate flak was observed from the ■go di Patria. No enemy ground, coastal area North of Lago naval or shipping activity Lty observed. 28 Pj-38's down One of 38's arc down in Sicily. £ , base by 1713 hrs. 3 P-38's co fbase by a returnc I to the three pilots landing; in Sicily returne transport. He suffered minor shrapnel won ds in the left shoulder. CHRONOLOGY: Time off 0950 hrs. Time over target 1200 hrs. Time down 1713 hrs. ROUTE: Base to C. Sidi Alm el Mekki, rend jzvous point with B~j36's thence to Lago di Patria to Av ;rsa, returning via Sicily where several of our planes refueled, thence to base. ENEMY LOSSES: Six (6) Me 109's, one (1) F >' 190 and one (1) Ma 202 destroyed. Three (3) Ke 109' s erobably de] stroyed. Three (3) Me 109's and two (2) M 1 202's damaged, OUR LOSSES: Thirteen (13) P-38's are miss ing: 1st Lt. m. RANDOL, itaiwuL, 22nd Lt. JEROME N. uEII! 3ERG, 2nd Lt. CLIFFORD E. DONALD B. DEISENROTil ,-2nd Lti’WALHARRY D. wARMKER, _____, F/0 , —” 2nd '’-d Lt. CLARENCE E. SOUTH iRD, 2nd Lt . ’ TER G. MORRISON, TUitttiBiXKJi, 1st Lt. JOHN S. WILLE C, 2nd Lt. RALPH F. TURRENTIKE, DAVID 0. PARLETT, 2nd Lt. HOHN T. CRAM, 2n i Lt. RALPH E. 2nd Lt. CHARLES A. WOODARD and 2nd L ;. HAROLD D. PECK, 2n. RIGNEY. WEATHER: CAVU enroute and over target are 11, with cumulus clouds building up over Sicily at 9,000 ft, 1st PRESS- DATA : Lt. FRANK J. MC INTOSH, It 1L15 Irving St., F/ 190. 1st Lt. :o, Calif., destroyed one (1) F; San Francisco 3T, 921 JOHN D. HURST, y-. B. East Garfield Ave., pplendale, Calif. destroyed two(2)) Me ; 109's. 2nd Lt. LARRY |l . REYNOLDS, red one (1) 322 7/. Culver St.,, Phoenix, Arizona, destrbye I. HUSDY. 712 Allen jives., Rapid City Lie 109. 1st Lt. JOHN . ikota, destroyed one (1) He 109. 2pd ILt. STANLEY South Dakota. E. STUDER, ' ’ 3R, Monona, Iowa, destroyed two (2); Mes 109!s. li . , destroyed 2nd Lt. ROBERT A. VRILAKAS, Proberta, Cali-f.. j'ptroyed one (1) one (1) Ma 202. F/C STUKKARD, probably det ’oyed one (1) Lie Ke 109. 2nd Lt. BERREHS, probably destre onb (1) Me 109 .st Lt. OPDAIIL, probably destroyed < 109. Isi (1) Ma 202. Lt. VRILAKAS damaged one (1) and damaged one 1 Na 202. Lt.. SOKOL damaged one (1) Me 109< )9.i Lt. SCHAPER one (1) damaged one (1) Me 109 and Lt. ANDERSON daJnaged d Me 109. 31/8/43 1/9/43 No missions this date. Ho missions this date. .1 2/9/43 Ko missions this date. Note; 2nd Lt. CLARENCE E. SOUTHARD, reported as- missing on 30 August, mission No. 811, returned to base 2306 hrs. 1 September, 1943. He landed at Trapani, Sicily with a damaged aircraft. 3/9/43 Ho missions this date. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1st Fighter Group Journal including August 30, 1943 Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource 1st Fighter Group Journal for August 30, 1943. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Mission report Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 9/1/1943 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/300/Dibble_Text0224.pdf b32657eeb0147e467af3c33d39512fda PDF Text Text 3 SEP 1943 ^3354 TO: i^NAAF (Adv), Attention: 23rd SCORU. Copy to Hq NASAF, Attention: 1st Command Unit, 23rd SCOrtU. Copy to 42nd Wing, Attention: Statistical Section. • / FROM: Ref; 1st Fighter Group. ORffiP No. 61 for 24 hrs ending 30 August,,1943. Operations Nn. 141 45 P-38G's and 3 P-38F’s up i base at 0950 hrs. to escort B-26's to Aversa, down Italy. 28 P-38'sj down.by 1713 hrs; 3 d — in J~ Sicily. Flak:. A few burstof light inaccurate flak from coastal 1area N of Lago di Patria. Weather: hrs fighters 11,500 ft and bombers CAVU. Results: Time over target 1200 he at 11,000 ft. Bombing not observed. bO ,0 to 75 A/a (ME 109's, FW 190's, MA 202's, possibly a couple of enemy <operator spitfires and 1 enemy crosses on it) attacked formation operated P-38, identified with black ci just as they crossed the coast over Lago di.Paria at 11,500 ft. The bombers continued' on to target while P-38's engaged e/a.^The e/a foreed the P-38’s down to 6,000 ft and in a running dog fight/but over the Gulf of Gaeta, the battle was fought low over the water. /Aerial dive bombing and rocket projectiles were other means used against P-38's. 'B. C. D. E. F. G. H. 's; 4 early returns, 2 radio, /3 P-38F’s 45 P-38G'?' le trouble. * / & 2 engine / CD> (1) ■ 90 (2) 82• . C2) 6 14:35 hrs. 148:50 Hrs / (1)' 4,000 x (1) 60,800 x .50, 185 X . 2930 x .20(me (2) 6,190 x .30V (2) 40 x .50 30 x .20 446 x .20 mm (3) (3)) ,15,600 x .50 / 780 x .20 mm Nil' (1)' Nil ,z(2) 13 P-38G's (3) 3I38G'sling 1st Lt C, E.Rahdol - Pilot/- Missii >sing 1st Lt I. S. Willey - Pilot - Miss. 2nd Lt- J. N. Weinberg - &lot - Eilat Missing ling 2nd Lt H. D. Warmker - Pilot - Missing ssing 2nd Lt W. G. Morrison - Pilot - Missing rsing' 2nd Lt C. E. Southard -------Pilot -.— Missing - Pilot - Missing 2nd Lt R. F. Turrentine -------Missing 2nd Lt D. 0. Parleit - Pilot Cram - Pilot - Missing 2nd Lt J. Peck— Pilot - Missing 2nd Lt R. T“,~t - Missing 2nd Lt C. A. Woodard - Pilot ley - Pilot - Missing 2nd Lt H. D. Rigney -oth - Pilot - Missing F/0 D. E. Beisenrc I: (OV E B) �X RHCE/VED \\ J,. (1)' 6'ME 109*3 . . ■■ . - 1-Fff 190. ' . 1.MA 202.. (2). 3'ME 109*3 (.3). 3.ME 1091s - 2.MA 202Js V. ■ Nil; ■ - I Cf x W. 21 P-38G's? 4 P-3CT’s X. 23:50 Bps.- 5:05 Its. Y & Z - -Nil o\ x 3 SEP 19435 \ v � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1st Fighter Group Mission report for August 30, 1943 Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource 1st Fighter Group Mission report for August 30, 1943. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Mission report Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 2nd Lt. Joseph Buhr Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 9/3/1943 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/292/Dibble_Text0226.pdf d7d36c0ab884c15c03ff6b1f10410876 PDF Text Text C ONF ID E N T IA L "(Equals British Secret"}" HEADQUARTERS 42ND WING (US) A-2 Section APO 520 D-l-7 30'August 1943. DAILY SUMMARY NUMBER 65 PERIOD: • 0001 to 2400 hrs..30. August 1943« ■ TODAYS OPERATIONS taSSIONS; SORTIES :■ OPERATIONS TO DATE 405 9,871 ■LOSSES; ' B-26's ,p-40's rP-38»s MISSING: ^257? ■40's -3.8’s r F Lt I VICTORIES '• -ln t,he Air; .• Destroyed . ..probables . ■.Damaged On the Ground; ^Destroyed ... Probables ■ •■v" ■; Damaged • W.B-26 of .319 Bomb Grot jup.listed as missing sing on Summary #61 is now considered lost, ™.,Pr38 .of 1st. Fighterr Group listed as missing r.^ on Summary #63 is now safe,- 5 P-38*:'s ..' are still missing. 1. 319th Bomb Group - At 0940 hrs. 27 B-26's took off to bomb RR M/Yds' .£*:’at 'AVERSA.. 8 A/C returned early, all mechanical; 4 armament, 4 engineering. 19 A/C...dropped, 3.6 x 500 Inst & 45 sec tail, 71 x 500 .1 nose & 45 sec tail bombs "rele.target at 1200 hrs- from 10,200 - 9,600 ft. 6 bombs returned to base failed to Lease. 18 A/C returned at 1408 hrs. 1 is at PALERMO,. RESULTS: Excellent coverage of ,.tar'get { area with many direct-hits observed in center portion of M/yd and on ware'housesy,beyond,I. . 2 big explosions in warehouse area and many fires among freight & in.M/Y. A few bombs were short. 6 tracks full of cars at VILLA LITERNO OBSERVATIONS: M/Y at target still congested with cars. 6 tracks of cars seen in M/Y.of. J,....town . 3Wn Jjust ust E.E. °off AVERSA. ENEMY AIR: About 50-60 E/A, mostly ME 109’sne ME ■■with', some .’s, .FW 190's, ME;210 210fs,-.FlV 190’s, MA 200’s, RE 2001’s intercepted the formation just c a.before BK-r-.T .reaching -aching coast. Many vwere engaged by the escort and a big battle took place coast'.on'the oyer', coast Lon. the Way in, leavingI the bombers unescorted over the target. ■ 4 ME 109's made a-head-on attack from above on c 1st 2 flights while at same time 12-15 E/a 9 .rear of the formation —“- in pairs and threes. 1 Tan P-38 followed the ' ery -low for about 175 miles from the coast. Claims: 9 ME 109’s ‘I. 1 Ma' ed by bombers; 1 ME . 4E 109 probably destroyed; 6 ME 109's and 1 RE 2001 e.veral other E/A incliluding another Tan P-38 wer.e seen destroyed'Presumably 'm/? °ar3' �CONFIDENTIAL (Equals British Secret}" by escort. P P-38 and 1 Me 109 seen to collide in the air. SHIPPING: 2 large barges headed N just N of mouth of VOLlURNO River at 1155 hrs. . 2 small Naval vessels possible PT boats, headed N at high speed off MONDRAGONE at 1212. 1 Tanker, and 5 small M/V's at POZZUOLI., . FLAK: Slight Heavy fairly accurate from ALBANOVA and target area. Slight Heavy inaccurate from CAPUA A/D and from.vicinity of CASTLE VOLTURNO. WEATHER’ 4/10 scattered, CAVU and slight haze over target. Additional Observation; 1 Crew reports an object flat on both ends about 18" long, 6" in diameter, having passed his wing, believed to be an aerial bomb. It went out of sight without exploding. Comment: Excellent P-38 escort. 2. 325th Fighter Group - At 1220 hrs. 48.P-40's took off to Dive Bomb DECIMOMANNU RR Bridge and strafe targets of opportunity. None returned early. DECIM( 8 A/c A/C dropped 8 x 500 inst nose .045 tail on target at 1330 hours from 8,000 to 1,000 ft. 48 A/C returned at 1450 hours. RESULTS: All bombs dropped in target. First 4 bombs were very near misses, 1 falling immediately alongside and 3 within ’5.*-2Q yards of the bridge. Last four dropped in same area, but due to dust actual pin-pointing was impossible.' 2 P-40's strafed Radar Station at PULA, many pieces seen to fly and installation believed to be partially destroyed, OBSERVATIONS: At DECIMOMANNU A/D 1 ju 290 at S edge of the a/D, 2 transports and 2 S/e. At CAPOTERRA no a/c visible at ELMAS s/p base 1 white and 1 dark S/P visible. ENEMY AIR: At 1345 hours 8 ME 109’s attacked P-40's oyer c. SPARTIVENTO. They dived at the form ation but when'turned into disappeared toward.the N, Two other Me 109's did the same thing shortly afterwards. 1 ME.109 followed formation S from the target area to a point approximately 10 miles S of C. TEULADA, but was not engaged. ENEMY SHIPPING: . 1 Medium m/v anchored at 39 deg 12’ N 09 deg 0?’ E, and 2 medium M/v eanchored at 39 deg 11' N-9 deg 09' E; 3 medium size m/v about 2 miles E of POETTO. FLAK: Slight heavy fairly accurate over the target and from a point 6 miles S of the target; at CAPOTERRA moderate heavy inaccurate; At PULA very ini itense accurate small arm fire. WEATHER: CAVU. 1st. Fighter Group - At 0950 hours 48 P-38's took off to escort B-26’s of 319th B.G. to AVERSA M/y. 4 returned early, P-38's were in target area at '1200 hours altitude was 11,500 ft/ 28 P-38's were down at base at 1713 hrs, 1 P-38 down at ROCC;. DI FAI.CO, 1 down at B0 RIZZO, 1 down at TEI'MINI, all in Sicily. 13 w-38is missing. RESULTS; . Smoke in Target Area. OBSERVATIONS: Following obs<servations probably contain duplications. Observed 1 P-38 explode in air; 1 P-38 pilot bail out over water; 1 "-38 on fire dive into the water at 13 deg E 40 deg 30' N; l-?38 burst into flames over -water at 1220 hrs; 2 ^-SS's crash into water F-7 of. ISCHIA’ Island. One parachute seen to open at 1225 hrs, location 13 deg 40' E 40 deg 42' N. CLAIMS; Destroyed 5 ”E 109's, 1MA 202, 1 FL’ 190. Probably destroyed 3 ”E 109'3. Damaged 3 109's and 2 LA 202's. IT COUNTERS: As p-38's reached coast of Italy 1155 hrs, through target area 100 miles back out to sea, they encountered 60-75 E/A composed of ?'E 1O9,’’A2O2, F? 190's, Pilots believe they saw some enemy operated Spitfires and absolutely identified 1 P-38 with black crosses on it. . Some'E/A were black, some were light blue with yellow spinners, 4 ME 109's were pink, e/a first a ttacked cut of the sun, then they attacked in all directions in 2's, 3's, and 4's, Some attacks were in half circle formation,, e/a attacked bombers just after.bomb run but were driven off by our fighters. During encounter, our fighters kept edging the E/A out to sea and bringing them down almost to the deck. Bombers, after bomb run, passed over the encounter. Running fight took place P-38's were engaged by new Enemy formation of‘ME 109's with belly tanks bombs. e/a attacked aggressively and encounter lasted until ICO miles off coast. Pilots believe aerial bombs -were used. Halfway back to base a HOMING of 140 deg was re ceived over radio. This would have lead formation back to Italy, believed to be enemy station. FLAK: Few bursts of light inaccurate flak from coast. .’FATHER: CAVU,. - 2 - Twals British {otJ I- �/) T- CONFIDENTIAL "(Equals British SECRET) First phase Bomb Damage Assessment Report AVERSA MARSHALLING YARDS & STORES DEPOT, ITALY: (319th B.G., 30/8/43, 1200 hrs, 107 x 500 bombs dropped). Quality of photos: Excellent Quality of photo coverage: Good. There has been no movement of the railroad cars in the marshalling; yard since the :ars in the yard. raid of 28/8/43. There still remain approximately 1000 railroad cs A concentration of at least 14 hits cut across the center of the marshalling yard, j sted Many of these hits struck the rail line running through the yard. The congesi book area of cars received numerous hits. Three explosions with resulting fires tc place among these cars. A further three hits landed among the cars at the N end of the yard. The stores depot warehouses at the N end of the yard received 20 hits am many damaging near misses. A large explosion resulted in one of the warehouses. Severe damage was done to the spurs running ling between the warehouses and to freight edge cars there. The warehouse sheds on the W central ed' ” of the yards received hits. Many bombs fe" sll short of the target and two small c.:lusters overshot the target. The damage done by 1the three raids of B-26's on 28/8/43 is visible on these photographs. Three hits have destroyed ’ ' ’ two tracks on the line running through the yard at the N end of the yard. Slight damagej was done on the line farther to the N. Several hits have blown a hole apprqximalitely 50 x 50 feet in the W warehouse of the S group of four warehouses. S . of the yards ~ ,six .hits ’- ‘ts have cut two tracks.in four places and damaged iged two tracks. tracks./ In the stores depot depot/directly S of the marshalling yard many iny hits have cut three of of' the four tracks in the area, derailed 10 freight cars,, definitely destroyed two freight cars, and ..damaged many other cars. In additi lion piles of stores received hits.' DISTRIBUTION: "A" ADAMS,. A -2. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 42nd Wing Daily Summary for August 30, 1943 Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource 42nd Wing Daily Summary for August 30, 1943. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Mission report Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 8/30/1943 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/274/Dibble_Image0087.jpg 4605248b70f71db6bae6d0256046e6c9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Photograph Location The location of the interview Foggia Air Base, Italy Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 3.5" x 5" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 94th Fighter Squadron pilot Lt. Robert Vrilakas and an abandoned Me 109 at Foggia Air Base Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource 94th Fighter Squadron pilot Lt. Robert Vrilakas and an abandoned Me 109 at Foggia Air Base Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Black & white photograph Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/276/Dibble_Image0089.jpg d066f62ae56dab28384c18e892842f3e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Photograph Location The location of the interview unknown Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 3.5" x 5" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 94th Fighter Squadron pilot Lt. Robert Vrilakas and his Distinguished Flying Cross from the August 30, 1943 mission Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource 94th Fighter Squadron pilot Lt. Robert Vrilakas and his Distinguished Flying Cross from the August 30, 1943 mission Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Black & white photograph Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/273/Dibble_Image0086.jpg ae035a8ba1b64481d0a699899c431ef0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Photograph Location The location of the interview Mateur, Tunisia Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 3.5" x 5" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 94th Fighter Squadron pilot Lt. Robert Vrilakas at Mateur, Tunisia Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource 94th Fighter Squadron pilot Lt. Robert Vrilakas at Mateur, Tunisia Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Black & white photograph Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/272/Dibble_Image0085.jpg b43ca9c96cd34badacfb2a79aff74899 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Photograph Location The location of the interview Capri Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 3.5" x 5" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 94th Fighter Squadron pilot Lt. Robert Vrilakas. at Capri rest camp Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource 94th Fighter Squadron pilot Lt. Robert Vrilakas. at Capri rest camp Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Black & white photograph Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/9/374/Dibble_Text0214.pdf a4c12ab1678dd5a1d120d8b1f0f1ac68 PDF Text Text On May 5,1943 a new pilot, Lt. James P. Dibble arrived at the First Fighter Groups airbase at Chateaudun du Rommel, Algeria and was assigned to the 94th "Hat in Ring" squadron. Lt. Dibble's first combat mission took place on May 21,1943. The Group would be escorting approximately 70 B-17 bombers from the 2nd and 301st Bomb Groups to Sciacca, Sicily. Sixteen pilots from the 94th along with formations from the 27th and 71st fighter squadrons took off at 7:40am for the mission. The bombers went over the target at 25,000 feet with the fighters providing protection from 29,000 feet. The following day Jim would write home to his wife describing his experience that day. "I will tell you that my introduction to combat was a merry one," Jim wrote to his wife. "We were escorting bombers and right over the target in the flak and fighter area, my right engine quit - whew, did I sweat for a minute. I couldn't stay with the formation, and it was a long way from home. So I feathered the bad engine's prop and started down in a hell of a hurry. Luckily the bombers were just leaving the target so I just tucked myself under the wing of one of those beautiful babies and went home with them for protection. Some fun." After the publication of the Collier’s Wing Talk article Jim’s mother wrote asking if he was the pilot in the article. He wrote home identifying himself as the pilot and added the following, "A waist gunner fired a burst at me as I was moving in, he thought I was the enemy-fortunately he missed." Quite an introduction to combat with many more exciting times to come. Lt. Dibble would go on to fly 49 missions before being shot down and killed strafing a large German convoy in Italy. He came back from missions three times on one engine, shot down 2 ME-109's with one probable. He met Eddie Rickenbacker and Jimmy Doolittle. Escorted General Eisenhower to Sicily to meet with Patton, Alexander and on to Malta to meet Lord Gort. At the time of his death he had become the top-rated pilot in the squadron. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, 10 Air Medals and two Presidential Unit Citations. There is a monument dedicated by the citizens of Padula, Italy to Lt. Dibble's sacrifice. The story of this monument and its dedication can be seen on Youtube. Go to the following link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5xBvSe84 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Combat! Description An account of the resource James spent his combat time based out of North Africa and helped clear the way for the eventual invasion of Italy in 1943. He was a member of the 94th Air Squadron, <a href="https://www.1stfg.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1st Fighter Group</a>, and flew the famous twin-engined P-38. Learn more about the P-38 at: <ul><li><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aviation History online Museum</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAMQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftechnology%2FP-38&usg=AOvVaw25-9_sOlkuv_UPtZBhV1Ma" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Britannica.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLockheed_P-38_Lightning&usg=AOvVaw0_UoxVGVbZOtad9vsjWvhW" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wikipedia</a><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a></li> </ul> Don't miss the section titled Day of Armageddon recapping the events of August 30, 1943. This air battle over Italy ultimately earned James the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was lucky to survive - many pilots made the ultimate sacrifice. See photos, letters, mission reports and more about James' time spent in combat over Africa and Italy in 1942 and 1943. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A short bio on James written by his nephew Jim. Subject The topic of the resource James Dibble. Combat. Description An account of the resource A short bio on James written by his nephew Jim. It references an article from Collier's, June 26, 1943, recounting a combat incident attributed to James Dibble. Rights were not received to include the text or an image of the article, but the original can be seen at the Hastings Public Library. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Magazine transcription Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jim Dibble Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/9/375/Dibble_Text0104.pdf 8dd7334f697ea4159822d7111af3dbfd PDF Text Text 'O' On August 8, 1943 Jim flew his 41st mission. The Gr^rip went out on a strafing mission. Twenty-four P-38s took off at 12:20 PM from Mateur to strafe a road and railyard south of Angitola, Italy. The squadron flew low over the Mediterranean to avoid enemy radar. At Angitola, the P-3 8s came in over the railyard with complete surprise. Several trains were strafed, two engines were destroyed and several railroad cars exploded, indicating that they were carrying ammunition. The element of surprise was achieved because if the enemy were aware of the approaching planes, they could put up a wall of ground fire. The Germans had special cars on most of their military trains that were heavily armed with anti-aircraft weapons. They looked like any other railcar but on attack the car siding could be dropped to permit some very concentrated and effective fire. During this mission, Jim's plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire and lost an engine. He wrote home the following day and described what happened: "I'm going to attempt to give you the thoughts of a pilot when he gets into a tough spot. I ought to know -three times I've come home on one engine - flak holes - enemy fighters - and even a .30 caliber rifle firedfrom the ground while strafing enemy troops. Can you imagine seeing a truckfull of men suddenly explode into flames from the bullets released by the touch ofyour forefinger. Men running and you in sort ofa fiendish glow of murderous instinct, mowing them down. No thoughts of anything - your mind a blank Pilots have been so concentrated on a target that they have flown right into it with a terrific explosion. No one that hasn't strafed can understand why. But it continues to happen no matter how many warnings are in the pilot's brain. Pulling up offthe target almost ticking the hilltop -1 guess I gave it to those bastards. Suddenly your plane lurches - almost flips on its back! My God but you are scared, but only for a flash. All the months of intense training you had take over. You have your wings only because your reactions are split second, and way ahead ofyour brain. You have seen fellow cadets washout not so much because they couldn't fly but because when this happened they would be 20 feet in the ground. Before you know it the plane is level, the left engine has the gas shut off, propeller feathered to decrease parasite drag which might not let you continue flying. Maybe you shut it offjust before it was to explode into flame just like that truck you just left - who knows? Anyway here you are. - How in hell did all those holes get in that engine and wing. I guess those poor jerks down there were trying to kill me, but they didn't know that I wasn't due for about sixty years yet. Better get someone to escort me home. Who knows, the whole Luftwaffe may be upstairs waiting for me. The old radio is working thank God, so in a couple minutes a couple or three ofyour buddies are weavingjust over your head, ready to take on anyone that has any ideas of hurting you. Do you love 'em - what a wonderful bunch ofguys that are flying with you. How's my good engine? By this time you are screamingfor home with nothing more to worry about than 300 miles of open sea and whether or not your good engine is going to hold up! What if there are some bullets in it? Maybe it's going to stop any second. off. Not the Gosh its getting too hot! Open up all the shutters and cool that damn thing off �damn thing really, instead the wonderful good old American engine that will run forever ifgiven halfa chance. Baby it and how. Good, it's ticking along beautifully, keep it up. My generator is shot out and the battery must be getting low. Shut the radio off, props in manual control. Booster pumps off inverter, no that runs the compass, got to have that. I guess that's all the electric equipment I can shut off. Gas, that wonderful stuff that keeps you up there. They say it costs $2.00 a gallon by the time it gets to us. How much - not too much, so the mixture leaned out, r.p.m.s lowered, just enough power on to keep up a good speed Wow, am I hot, soaked with sweat and it's still pouring out. Well, we're out of danger from the enemy now so relax. Darn, but my rear end aches. It ought to, for the last four hours I have sat in this one spot. And what a spot - 5'7" and my head bumps the top of the canopy ifI stretch a little. Tall guys which there are a few of must have trouble. That Co-2 bottle in your seat dinghy is like sitting on a fist sized rock ; Release your safety belt which helps for a couple ofminutes. Take a swig ofwater out ofyour canteen which by this time is warm as , well warm. Light up a cigarette and really enjoy it. Gosh I wish I was back to the field would! ever hit the sack There's land and pretty soon the field -oh gosh a strong cross wind to make a single engine landing in. Well, here goes - I've had two before - but without a cross-wind I guess it won't be so hard tho - just keep on the ball. Heck that wasn't hard at all - as good as a regular landing. Wow! look at the crowd coming out to look at the holes. The crew chief is actually proud - "look at the holes in my plane" -he says. "And it came back Oh hell, I guess it will be an engine change. Why couldn't they have hit a less vital spot?" - On the ground it's the crew chiefs plane - only in the air does it belong to the pilot. Pilots argue about who has the best crew chiefand crew chiefs the reverse. Oh well, here comes the Colonel. Well, he just congratulated you on a good job of bringing the plane back Well hell, what about bringing myself back? But I guess that goes without saying. One hundred thirty five holes in the plane, and two through the cockpit, well, C'est Le Guerre." � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Combat! Description An account of the resource James spent his combat time based out of North Africa and helped clear the way for the eventual invasion of Italy in 1943. He was a member of the 94th Air Squadron, <a href="https://www.1stfg.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1st Fighter Group</a>, and flew the famous twin-engined P-38. Learn more about the P-38 at: <ul><li><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aviation History online Museum</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAMQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftechnology%2FP-38&usg=AOvVaw25-9_sOlkuv_UPtZBhV1Ma" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Britannica.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLockheed_P-38_Lightning&usg=AOvVaw0_UoxVGVbZOtad9vsjWvhW" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wikipedia</a><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a></li> </ul> Don't miss the section titled Day of Armageddon recapping the events of August 30, 1943. This air battle over Italy ultimately earned James the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was lucky to survive - many pilots made the ultimate sacrifice. See photos, letters, mission reports and more about James' time spent in combat over Africa and Italy in 1942 and 1943. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data unknown Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Account by James Dibble after his plane was badly damaged and lost an engine on a mission in Italy, August 9, 1943 Subject The topic of the resource James Dibble. Combat. Description An account of the resource Account by James Dibble after his plane was badly damaged and lost an engine on a mission in Italy, August 9, 1943. Introduction by Jim Dibble, nephew. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Mission report Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource James Dibble Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943-08 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/316/Dibble_Text0243.pdf 8c2d15717c4e4171466c63783d227694 PDF Text Text Page 1 of 1 James W. Dibble From: To: Sent: Attach: Subject: <RVrilakas@aol.com> <jwdlmd@coastalnet.com> Tuesday, January 07, 2003 10:41 PM Mission #19.doc Re: Armageddon '43 Jim, there are only a couple of items that I would suggest checking into or revising. a. On the 2nd page (last paragraph) you say "It was at this point that the 1st Fighter Group was assigned to the 42nd Bomb Wing". To me that would mean that we were under the command of the 42nd B. W. which would not be accurate. I think you intended to say the 1st Ftr. Gp. was tasked (or directed) to escort the 42nd Bomb Wing----- . The 1st Ftr. Gp. remained assigned directly to 12th A.F. Hq. at that time. jrience he is quoted as having dived from 17,000 ft. to the deck trying b. In the account of Hal Rigney's expert to blow the fire out. Since the bomberss were flying at 11,000 ft. it would be unlikely that any of the P-38 escort would be 5000 ft above them, at 17,( ,000 ft. I don't have anything to confirm Hal's altitude, but you might want to check that out a little further,. I think Hal's altitude was 12,000 which is about where we were when we entered the target area. >y memoirs, but in the event you haven't You may have had access to my account of the 30 Aug. mission in my I'm attaching a copy for you. You are welcome to use any part of it that rat you think appropriate to your story. 1/18/03 �Going in with the bombers we encountered the usual heavy flak then a pretty stiff battle with 25 or 30 fighters. The bombers completed their run and we were on the way out with minimum losses when someone called in a new batch of "bogies" (estimated 75 to 100) high. I looked up to see a whole gaggle of them drop belly tanks and dive into the middle of us. They had been loitering at altitude awaiting the most favorable time to attack which was after we had expended a good bit of our fuel and ammo, and were attempting to regroup from the first air battle that day. Following their initial dive into us a real dogfight erupted during which our flights were completely broken up and much of our squadron integrity disappeared. There were P-38's, ME109's and Machi 202's mixing it everywhere with many losses on both sides. Everywhere you looked there was an enemy fighter or P-38 in a spin or dive—smoking or on fire, some crashing into the Bay of Naples. A P-38 from the 71st Squadron and a Mel09 collided headon exploding in a gigantic ball of smoke and fire. As one of the pilots described it years later it looked like one of those old WWI movies such as Hell's Angels or Lilac time. I saw several P-38's on fire and one (Lt. Rigney) on fire and bellying into the water off shore. Since our fuel was getting low from the two encounters the squadron leader that day (Lt. Dibble) gave the order to work toward the Bay of Naples and reform as best we could. About the same time a P-38 from the 27th Squadron went by me toward the bay with an Mel09 closing in on his tail. I was alone and broke headon into the 109 firing a good burst at him from close range. He broke off the 27th P-38 in what appeared to be a fast, uncontrollable spinning dive. My maneuver, however had taken me directly back toward Naples and into a beehive of enemy fighters. The squadron, by then, was loosely formed up and heading out to sea. It was obvious the 109 pilots were literally choosing lots to see which got the honor and that there was no way I could best their numbers, fuel, or altitude advantage. I took the only real choice available which was to firewall it and dive for the deck out over the Bay of Naples. Almost immediately tracers went by. They were actually converging in front of me and I looked back into a spiral painted propellor spinner not more than a hundred yards behind me. As I leveled off at what appeared to be a few inches off the water he started hitting me. It sounded like hail on a tin roof with occasional explosions as his cannon shell hit and exploded. To make a more difficult target I kicked left rudder causing his tracers to go over the end of my left wing. As he worked back and started hitting the aircraft again I would try a skid the other way. This ploy was used several times and it reduced his effectiveness, but he still got quite a few hits each time as he worked back through. I was so low on the deck that he no doubt had problems avoiding the water, plus my prop wash. At times his bullets raised plumes of water ahead of me indicating he was trying to shoot from an elevated position and was over-leading me. It seemed certain my aircraft was either going to lose an engine or explode and I was considering how to handle that when I noticed I was rapidly overtaking another Me 109 directly ahead and about a hundred feet above me. He was apparently trying to catch up with the other P-38's ahead. That meant that if I went under him there would be two of them on my tail. If I pulled up and eliminated the skid to fire at him the guy behind me would have a sitting duck to work on. I pulled up, got a good bead on the Me 109 ahead and fired all four 50 calibers and the cannon. He started to smoke and went into a gentle turn to the right. Almost simultaneously there was a crash as my pursuer gave me a long burst, enveloping me again with a hail of tracers. One of his bullets creased the canopy bar beside my head, which knocked out the whole rear of the canopy. Plexiglass flew all over the cockpit-even into my mouth. I dove for the deck again and for some reason experienced no more shots from the 109 behind me. Within seconds during which I expected to catch more fire my right engine oil temperature began to rise rapidly and the pressure began dropping. I feathered the right engine and watched the left with no little anxiety, but despite apparent gaping cannon holes in both wings and numerous 30 cal. holes in the engine �nacelles and wings the left engine continued to function fine. Happily the gauges showed no rapid fuel loss and radio contact was made with the squadron. Lt. Dibble brought what was left of the squadron around in a 360 degree turn allowing me to catch up. Three of the 94th pilots, Lts. Dibble, Pettus and Anderson stayed with me while the rest of the squadron proceeded back to home base in Africa. We headed for Sicily, the nearest friendly landfall and after what seemed an endless time arrived over northern Sicily and proceeded to the nearest airfield. The airfield was under construction, but there was enough P.S.P. (pierced steel planking) installed to land on so I set up an approach. Just as the end of the runway was reached an Italian truck being used for construction drove directly across in front of me. I managed to add enough power to get over him but decided against a go around, not knowing what the condition of the hydraulic system was and whether or not the gear could be raised, (the landing gear had to be raised to effect a successful pull-up and go around on single engine.) The landing went o.k. with sufficient speed left to taxi over to some tents being used by the Army Combat Engineers. Upon shutting down the good engine it caught fire but was quickly extinguished by an awaiting fireman. The plane looked like a sieve. I estimated there were 60 to 80, 30 cal holes plus 4 or 5 exploded cannon round hits that in each case flared a large piece of the wing skin up. Even the props had bullet holes through them. Lts. Dibble, Pettus, and Anderson, after seeing me down safely, buzzed the field and continued on to home base in Africa. I stayed at the field that night then made my way back to the base at Mature the next day on a C-47 transport. I've always regretted not getting some pictures of the P-38, but doubt if a camera was available. I was credited with one victory that day and one damaged. The Mel09 firing at me either ran out of ammunition and/or broke off to go to the aid of his comrade. The credited kill and damaged was inadvertently listed as Machi 202's but it didn't make that much difference to me at the time. 2 �We lost Lt. Parlett, Lt. Peck, Lt. Cram, Lt. Woodward and Lt. Rigney that day from the 94th Squadron. The other squadrons had similar losses. Lts. Parlett and Rigney survived being shot down and were taken prisoner by the Germans. Both of them along with Lt. Catledge from the 71st squadron escaped and after months of working their way down through Italy, finally reached friendly forces in Southern Italy and safety. The group was again awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. Upon my arrival back at the base I was greeted like a long lost relative, debriefed by intelligence, and then went to my tent for a much needed rest. My air mattress for my army cot was missing. The squadron didn't have enough air mattresses to go around so they were inherited from pilots rotating home or "requisitioned" directly by one of the newer pilots when someone failed to return from a mission. I was building up a head of steam when one of the more recently assigned pilots came in looking very embarrassed and dragging my air mattress. He sheepishly apologized and it was good for a tension relieving laugh. 3 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Account from Lt. Robert Vrilakas' memoir about the events of August 30, 1943 Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource Account from Lt. Robert Vrilakas' memoir about the events of August 30, 1943 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Historical account Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Lt. Robert Vrilakas Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/9/373/Dibble_Text0199.pdf d516c3adf413c96961ba51648b1609e8 PDF Text Text EDDIE RICKENBACKER NORTH AFRICA AND THE “HAT IN THE RING PIN” In April 1943 Eddie Rickenbacker had visited the War Department and received another assignment as Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson's Special Consultant. Rickenbacker was to visit Russia to check into the Lend-Lease program then in effect. Lend-Lease was the program, inaugurated in March 1941, by which America became the arsenal of democracy, sending military supplies to all nations fighting the Axis. Rickenbacker's trip took him through North Africa, and as such he planned to visit as many Air Corp groups as possible to help boost morale. Knowing that his old squadron was stationed in the area, before leaving the United States, Rickenbacker had a jeweler in New York make up i insignia pins with the hat-in-the-ring motif and had persuaded p Hap Arnold, head of the Army Air Forces, to approve themit to be worn on their uniforms. On May 14, five command cars pulled into the base at Chateaudun du Rommel, Algeiiria. Jimmy Doolittle, then Commanding Officer of the spped out to introduce Rickenbacker to the Twelfth Air Force, step ’groui ling Rickenbacker threw a big party for the group. Later that eveni,, squa^ squadron in Constantine. There were then some 22 pilots in the 94th Squadron. ! The pilot::s having been trucked in were treated to a bit ig meal consisting of camel steaks with all the trimmings, Folic .owing the cognac and grape juice to wash it all down, Rickenbacker assembled all tl:he= pilots pi: on a small stage. ( General Doolittle called each pilots name name.. Eddie Rickenbaker presented the small "hat-in-the-ring" pin to General Doolittle wh<10 in turn pinned it on the tunic above the pilots wings. Lt. Jim Dibble wrote home to describe the event."We had a big squadron part} rty last night in a nearby town. Eddie Rickenbacker, who used to 1be with the squadron in the last war, threw a party for us. We were all presented with a pin of silver in the form of the squadron insignia, the hat-in-the-ring." � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Combat! Description An account of the resource James spent his combat time based out of North Africa and helped clear the way for the eventual invasion of Italy in 1943. He was a member of the 94th Air Squadron, <a href="https://www.1stfg.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1st Fighter Group</a>, and flew the famous twin-engined P-38. Learn more about the P-38 at: <ul><li><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aviation History online Museum</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAMQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftechnology%2FP-38&usg=AOvVaw25-9_sOlkuv_UPtZBhV1Ma" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Britannica.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLockheed_P-38_Lightning&usg=AOvVaw0_UoxVGVbZOtad9vsjWvhW" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wikipedia</a><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a></li> </ul> Don't miss the section titled Day of Armageddon recapping the events of August 30, 1943. This air battle over Italy ultimately earned James the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was lucky to survive - many pilots made the ultimate sacrifice. See photos, letters, mission reports and more about James' time spent in combat over Africa and Italy in 1942 and 1943. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Account of Eddie Rickenbacker's visit to the 94th Air Squadron in Algeria, 1943 Subject The topic of the resource World War II. 1st Fighter Group. Medals and Citations Description An account of the resource Account of Eddie Rickenbacker's visit to the 94th Air Squadron in Algeria, 1943. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Essay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jim Dibble Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/13/317/Dibble_Text0094.pdf a8720fc2e34f42eadc961bdd69022fce PDF Text Text SEPTEMBER 9, 1943 September 9th, six days after Montgomery and the British forces landed in extreme southern Italy, the U.S. 5th Army under General Mark Clark staged an assault landing on the beaches near Salerno, 25 miles southeast of Naples. Gathering in Sicily were the main units of the Allied Air-Forces which would be needed to support the invasion. The main U.S. convoy had sailed from Oran on September 5th. The British troops landed at the southern end of Italy on September 3rd, and resistance to the landings was slight. Both German and Italian forces evaded major engagements and fell back rapidly after carrying out extensive demolition. By September 8th, British advance units were already halfway up the toe of the Italian boot. With the announcement that evening of the unconditional surrender of the Italian government, hostile action by the Italian Army in the south ceased, and the Italian fleet sailed for allied ports to surrender. However, it was anticipated that the landing of the 5th Army at Salerno would cause an immediate and strong reaction from the Germans. It was expected that they would fight hard to prevent, or at least delay a penetration inland that would trap their forces moving up from the south. Late on September 8th, at their temporary base at Catania, Sicily, the word was passed around the First Fighter Group; "We're landing at Salerno tomorrow." During the briefing that followed, the 94th Fighter Squadron learned that it had been assigned the "Pears" beach area to patrol during the invasion. The mission was to prevent the German Air Force from attacking the invasion forces on the beachhead. During the first three missions the 94th flew on the 9th, only 4 enemy aircraft were seen and they fled at the sight of the P-38s. Jim would lead the fourth and largest mission of the day. The flight of twelve planes was separated into three flights of four planes each designated “Red, White and Blue” respectively. Having received advance permission to strafe behind the German lines, Jim was jubilant. "We get to strafe," he proclaimed to fellow pilots. The briefing was short and to the point. Jim told the pilots that they would be given a target to strafe following their patrol of the beach. He told the pilots to kick hard on their rudders while strafing to keep from getting hit. This mission, Jim's 49th, was to be his last. The planes took off at 3:00 PM reaching the beach �area at 4:10. Flying on Jim's wing was a new pilot, Lt. Stan Wojcik. Stan had trained to be a P-40 pilot. He had been assigned to the 5th Air Force and was traveling across North Africa to reach his new base when his orders were suddenly changed. Stan was reassigned to the First Fighter Group while it was on stand down following the August 30th mission. Due to the upcoming invasion, the Group needed pilots in a hurry. When he arrived at his new squadron, Stan got in about five hours of transitional flying before going with the Group to Sicily for the invasion. After Jim’s flight had patrolled the beach area for one hour, "Changer," the aircraft controller on the USS Ancon, ordered Jim's flight to attack a convoy of over 400 enemy vehicles 30 miles east of Agropoli, Italy. The German convoy was traveling north along National Highway 19 near the small town of Padula. The flight turned south and followed the coast to Agropoli where it turned east to find the convoy. As the flight passed over the town of Monte San Giacomo the valley with the German convoy appeared before them. Jim, with Red Flight, initiated the attack out of the sun at over 300 mph. The remaining two flights of four planes loitered at altitude until ordered in. As the Red Flight attacked, the Germans threw up a wall of anti-aircraft fire, above them as well as below, from the sides of the mountains as well as from the valley. "Red" flight had just pulled around in the valley following the initial attack when White and Blue flight were ordered to attack. Just then, Jim’s wingman, Stan Wojcik noticed smoke coming from Jim's plane. Stan pulled up above Jim's plane so he could look into the cockpit. By now the cockpit of Jim's plane was engulfed in smoke and flames. Unable to detect any movement by Jim, Stan shoved the throttles to the firewall to try to get away. Having been close to Jim's plane, the anti-aircraft guns were already trained in Stan's direction. He felt a couple of thuds. The area in front of his cockpit erupted in smoke and flames which then extending into the cockpit. He immediately pulled the escape ring above the windshield and the slipstream blew the top canopy off. After gaining enough altitude, and knowing he was vulnerable to being hit by the horizontal stabilizer, Stan pushed himself backward out of the cockpit. Stan waited to pull the ripcord. Fortunately, he missed the tail, his chute opened and he had to turn his chute to miss some high-tension wires near the road. Seeing the first two planes in Red Flight shot down, White flight and Blue flight immediately broke of the attack continuing east taking the remaining P-38’s up and over the East Mountain ridge to escape the intense anti-aircraft fire and to locate additional targets to attack. Lt. Cy Nolen part of White flight flew under Stan as he was coming down in his parachute and saw his plane crash on the east ridge. �Being low when he bailed out, Stan hit the ground almost immediately. He was immediately captured by German troops from the convoy and though severely burned would eventually survive the war in Stalag Luft 1. With both engines on fire Jim’s plane was gliding south when it crash landed in a farm field just East of the National Highway. He was able to get out of his plane but it appeared that among other injuries he had a broken leg. Soon German troops arrived and a firefight broke out. After having been further injured a German soldier picked up Jim’s pistol and killed him with it. Two brothers, Vito and Paolo Cimino, who had been working in the field at the time were ordered to bury Jim next to his fighter plane. The area around Padula had been anti-German. In fact, there were freedom fighters in the area several of which had been either killed or captured by the Germans. Jim’s attack on September 9, 1943 marked the end of the German occupation of the area. The German’s had gathered tank, infantry and anti-aircraft forces near Padula to be ready to mobilize and attack the American Army as soon as they knew the location of the landing. The German forces quickly left the area to reinforce German troops near Salerno and to avoid being trapped between the American and the British 8th Army moving up from the extreme southern toe of Italy. In my attempts to learn what had happened to my Uncle, Jim’s crash site was located in May 1999. While we were excavating the area, we were approached by several of the area’s citizens who remembered the event. They now knew who the pilot was that crashed in their field that day. They told us they wanted to build a memorial to honor his sacrifice. Many of Padula’s citizens still remembered the attack by Jim’s flight of P-38s, not because it was their one main battle during the war, but because it had come to symbolized their freedom and the end of World War II as they knew it. The Padula area is known for their marble like stone that is quarried in the nearby mountains. On May 6, 2000 the town of Padula came to the crash site to honor Jim. At the crash site there is a very large piece of Padula stone rising over eight feet out of the ground. One side had been polished with a commemorative plaque attached to it. Authored by eyewitness and former Mayor Enzo Pinto, the plaque read: “ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1943 LIEUTENANT JAMES P. DIBBLE CRASHED HERE WITH HIS AIRCRAFT WHILE LEADING A SQUADRON OF 12 P38 AIRPLANES. HE WAS STILL ALIVE AND WOUNDED WHEN BARBARIOUSLY KILLED BY THE GERMAN SOLDIERS. THE �FAMILY AND ALL PADULA REMEMBER HIM, AND IN HIS MEMORY, HONOR THE COURAGE AND SACRIFICE OF HIS YOUNG LIFE.” The ceremony was attended by many of Padula’s citizens along with representatives from the local and regional governments as well as representatives for the regional Carabinieri (a member of the Italian paramilitary police). The eyewitnesses to the crash came to remind their fellow citizens what took place that day. The widows of the local freedom fighters came to remind the citizens of the sacrifice made by many from this area. Many school children came to listen and learn about their village and its heritage and the United States Air Force reminded everyone how important events like these are to preserving our past as well as our future. Jim was Missing in Action and later an Unknown Soldier until he was identified in October 1946. But thanks to the citizens of Padula and to one of the very few monuments in Europe dedicated to a single airman Jim’s memory will live on long after we are gone. Jim’s remains were returned to Michigan, December 1948 and was interred in Middleville, MI’s Mt. Hope Cemetery. On his 49th and final mission, Jim made the supreme sacrifice. He did not try to be a hero; he did not have to. He knew the risks and did his job. Today we owe our freedom in part to these men who helped make this a better world to live in. What began as sorrow 75 years ago has ended in great pride and inspiration. Jim Dibble � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Killed in Action Description An account of the resource Typically pilots rotated home after their 50th mission. James took off for his 49th mission on Septemebr 9, 1943, and never returned. He was shot down on a straffing run near the town of Padula, Italy. Initially there was much confusion amongst the other P-38 pilots, and it was thought James survivied and may have been taken prisoner. Ultimately it was discovered that James had been shot down and then killed by German soldiers. James was ultiamtely brought home and buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Middleville, Michigan. See information on his gravesite at <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40312090/james-p-dibble" target="_blank" title="James P. Dibble's Gravesite" rel="noreferrer noopener">FindAGrave.com</a>. See reports, documents and letters around James' missing in action status and then the determination that he was killed in action. Included are letters from the Army to his wife Maxine and parents, newspaper clippings and local memorials. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Account written by Jim Dibble of September 9, 1943 when his uncle James was shot down in Italy Subject The topic of the resource James Dibble. Crash. Description An account of the resource Account written by Jim Dibble of September 9, 1943 when his uncle James was shot down in Italy. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Military history Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jim Dibble Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/13/336/Dibble_Text0143.pdf f9a6a543a25cedcc22211d8e57c06794 PDF Text Text '. Page 3 1st Fighter News May 1993 Stan Wojcik Shot Down! In our January 1993 issue, we told how Cy Nolen was shot down, captured, and escaped. Now we have the story ofStan Wojcik, who was shot down on hisfirst mission, was captured, and wasfinally liberated by the Russians in 1945. He has additional data on the fate of his flight lead, Lt. Dibble. turn, pulling i up, saw smoke from Dibble's plane. I pulled up alongsid gside and above to see what he was doing. I saw no movement by him, just smoke and fire in the cockpit He may have been wounded or dead so I pulled away. I felt a couple of thuds, the plane’s nose section erupted On September 9,19431 was to go on a mission that was *n flames and smoke extending into the cockpit, blasting my head to provide cover for the invasion of Italy at Salerno. Prior to this and317115 wldl heat. I immediately pulled the release on the top I was one of a group of replacement P-40 pilots that were diverted, canopy and the slip stream blew it off. I had to pull my helmet off onAugust24, to the First Fighter Group, which was flying P-38’s because the headset wires and oxygen mask were attached. Istood and in need of pilots at Mateur. Having flown only single engine up, pushing backwards, and yvas sucked out and rolled off the at:about 2,000 feet. I waited to clearthe tail and pulled planes it was quite a shock to me, but once it wore off it became trailing edge at therip ripcord. cord. IIv a matter of survival. the was going over 300 mph and the chute opened with quite ajerk. Lookingdownlsawanopenfield.butlwasoverhigh " :tric wires. I slipped the chute by climbing up the shroud After a lot ofcockpit time, ground instruction and limited power elect! wires and anc before letting go of the shroud lines, I ;cd the wites manual information, I did takeoff and started to get used to the lines, missed •'und about twice the normal speed, somersaulted and plane. The only time wecould fly was when the squadron missions hit the groun >ut 100 feet. I didn’t break any bones, since I had my were over or not scheduled. This didn’t go over too well with the rolled about grout ind crew, but things got better. Our overuse of brakes for combat shoes on. taxiing was frownedI iupon. Test firing of guns over the Mediterranean added more] : problems for the armament keptfalling falling -------- oguys. _,_. IIkept off the ladder whil ile trying to climb up on an the plane, plane. Being 5'4", I always had a problem with short leg reach. Durir ing this time I constantly' practiced pra escape procedures. I also had ai tbad feeling of fire and bumi mning. Finally the orders came to move temporarily to Dittaino, Sicily. I was put in charge of squadron baggage, which was to be transported on a B-26 bomber. The landing at Sicily was downwind, on the wrong field, and the B-26 got stuck in the lava soil that couldn’tsupport the weight. We unloaded onto a truck and left the plane and the pilots with a bulldozer to move to solid ground. Later, in a P.O.W. camp, I met the B-26 co-pilot, who had been shot down on a bombing mission. His pilot was killed. He told me that after the problems at Dittaino, they returned to Africa after dark and were shot at by friendly fire, but landed OK. Italy capitulated, but the invasion was on. At the briefing before flight, we were told we would be given a target to strafe after ourpatrol. I was the wingman for J. Dibble, the flight leader, and we were to patrol the Pears area. The patrol at approximately 10,000 feet was uneventful. A ground controller radioed us a target; a motor convoy 30 miles inland of Agropoli of some 400 vehicles on a road between Pola and lagonegro, moving g north, north. While at 10,000 feet my tight helmet, with goggles and oxygen oxygen mask, was very uncomfortable, so I loosened my chin strap “ p and and mask on the way down to strafe, with combat flaps aps down and a prayer. We came in from the sun and made a run in a valley /alley in the mountains. Fired guns, lot of vehicles, racked into a 180 degree As I was getting out of my harness, I heard and saw a German soldier waving a gun, shouting; ;and motioning me to come in his direction. He was on the strafed road1 v" up on an embankment, My face and arms were burned and my eyes res felt seared, so I was having a hard time getting up the bank. He reached down and helped me up onto the road. He disarmed me and flag; agged down a jeep-type German vehicle with two other soldiers ins inside. I was ving with the seated in the front, and the air blast created by drivir time. Seeing windshield folded down was giving my face a roughi ti. thisdriver stopped and put the windshield up and offered me a cigarette. Theytook me to a flrst aid tent, but only checked me over briefly, then I was taken to German headquarters. The guard told a German officer, who was looking out a window, what had happened and who I was. The officer waved us on. I was taken to a school building that had medical facilities. My arms and face were bandaged and I spent that night in a hallway on some straw, with other wounded Americans. There were a lot of explosions during the night. The next day, in late afternoon, they put me and others in an ambulance to go north. A German soldier was making a fuss because my name was Polish, but he was pulled away. The drivers stoppedforabreak.evidentlytostretch their legs. The ambulance started to move, with no driver! There was a lot of yelling in the ambulance, and I tried to get out, but just banged my elbows. The driver ran up in time and ar got us stopped. (Continued) �Page 4 1st Fighter News May 1993 Stan Wojcik - Shot Down, Injured, Captured - Survived! (Continued) The next morning we arrived at another school that was medically equipped, and where there were more wounded Ameri cans, British and Germans. By then I was very lame and sore. They tried to change my bandages, but they stuck, dried to my bums. Finally, with a quick jerk, they pulled them off. I was getting weak, when I suddenly remembered it was my birthday. My sight was getting worse, and I spent that night lying on a stretcher, delirious off and on during the night. A German medic orderly did what he could. They moved us out the next day in the back of a truck,’ headed for Naples. During the trip some of the American guys got Jt grapes at the relief stops and squeezed them through my burned lips. We saw a lot of refugees, and when we got to Naples our aitals because of the t chaotic condi drivers couldn’t get to the hospitals tions due to partisan activities. We traveled through the night: tand came to the town of Casino, located below a monastery, and1 ■were put up in a church. ': ]past my The Germans got some pudding for me so I could get it lips. My sight was really bad. Someone went berserk,, and not being able to see much, I got upset. But an American wounded sergeant calmed me down. A German guard led me across the street to a German ran hospital. A German doctor checked my eyes and put ointment in them, and told an interpreter to tell me that my eyes would recover. They put us on an ambulance train and we headed north. As we passed through Rome the other wounded guys got stuff from the Italians at the station stops. I told them to take my escape money. Earlier, the German guards didn’t seem to know what to do about my escape kit and didn’t take it or my personal watch. A nurse on the train sharpened a hypo needle and gave me morphine. I could hardly see, I knew I was getting weaker, and the bandages were a mess. Finally, on September 18,1943, at a stop in Germany, I heard a lot of commotion and I was put on a stretcher. The bearers were running with me, so I knew I was in bad shape. I hoped they were taking me someplace where I could get some treatment. I heard a lot of German talk that I couldn’t understand, but I knew I was in a buildir ‘ When I woke up, I vaguely saw building. I’ passed out. a smiling nun with a white head dress standing ne lunwithawhite next to me, offering meadrink.:. I thought I was in heaven. Itookadrir I took a drink through a glass straw, and1 passed >sed out on again. When I woke up an English speaking nun said I had slept for 24 hours, and they were worried. She also told me I was in a Catholic convent, part of which had been made into a hospital for heart problems and skin problems, such as burns, frostbite, etc. Some of the nuns were also nurses and were all smiles because I had a crucifix on my dog tag chain and I was a Catholic. The doctor, a middle age man, was very professional and so were the civilian nurses. In the room with me was a badly burned B-25 pilot. He was in great pain and needed a lot of attention. Later in a P.O.W. ____ wounded soldiers. camp, in 1944, he was exchanged for German My eyes were improving up. My lips - and- my -bums were drying were a mess and tbey bad t0 cut jnt0 smap s]jlivers so I could 7^^ had burned all my clolhes because they \were full of maggOts. They gave me hospital type clothes and sli lippers to Wear. They had me up in a week, but I was lame. They gave me a German uniform stripped of insignia and walked me outside to get ready for travel. My eyes would fog up from the cool air. I was getting abscesses on my wrists, elbows and armpits. A guard came to take me to a P.O.W. camp, but the doctor saw how bad my abscesses were and said I couldn’t go. They gave me therapy machine treatments, but they finally had to lance my elbow and wrist. In two weeks I developed an abscess in my throat and the doctor sent a guard away again. It took a week with hot potato compresses around my neck before it broke. All this time 1 couldn’t eat or even swallow saliva. Although I was getting over the abscesses, I still wasn’t »ling well. The doctor checked me over, seeing the yellow skin feelir id the yellow in my eyes. He said I had yellow jaundice and was andu to> stay s'" in bed for five weeks. The nuns were overjoyed that I would ay with them longer. They gave me extra meat and milk and stay wrapped my body, around the liver area, with hot towels. The B-25 pilot was getting better, and seeing how he was always looked after, he wanted to become a Catholic. In a secret ceremony, in the room with a priest, nun and me as a sponsor, he became a Catholic. I might Jit add that all religious property was in COntrol of the German gove ivernment and the nuns’ and thej priest’s activities were restricted.. 1There was very little Gestapo1 activii activity j;--------------- . -u ... L------ t-.j the Russjan jn the hospital, but a soldier patient told us how bad the Russian front was and that Hitler should be hanged. It may have been a bait for any reaction. It was nearing Christmas time and I was over my jaun dice. Iwastoldlwouldn’tleaveuntilJanuary 1944, so I could look after the B-25 pilot until he was ready to travel. My burns had healed with no scars, but the B-25 pilot was a mess. His lips, eyelids, ears, arms, and face were badly scarred. He had lost most of the use of one arm. I fed him and bathed him when I was able. At Christmas we got packages with cakes, wine, and beer, the same as the German soldiers. I went to midnight Mass with an officer who was a patient. It was in the convent chapel and even the townspeople attended. We were taken for walks, always with a guard, and we saw a lot of the countryside. There were ■>. — They always took our shoes away plenty of shrines and villages. jught of escape, but never got any once we were inside. I thou contact. ( Continued) �Page 5 1st Fighter News May 1993 Stan Wojcik - Shot Down, Injured, Captured - Survived! (Continued) The convent/hospital was on the bank of the Danube, Our food consisted of barley, horse meat (that had been which was just a small stream, and about 75 miles from the border killed by strafing), potatoes, rutabaga, and Red Cross packages. I of Switzerland. An inspecting army major asked me about my was ration man for 9 P.O.W.’s that shared food. I was cook Polish ancestry, but I said only that my parents were bom in the (cooked in the room) for 6 months. Things got bleak toward the It United States and were United States citizens. I wasn’t interro- end. We got letters and packages from home. We saw a lot of headf for Berlin. We saw and heard British Mosquigated all the time I was a P.O.W. Of course, I didn’t know bombers heading anything. The rest of the soldier patients never mentioned any- toes beat up an airfield 3 miles away and shoot down a FW-190. lotof , night raids. One lasted all night, as they went thing. The B-25 pilot and I were in a small room, just the two of We heard a lot us. The patients would bring their wives and kids to see us as a after Peenemunde rocket station. We saw a lot of jet and a rocket novelty. lights lightsand andtrails trailsover overthe theBaltic. Baltic. We Wewere werenever neverbombed bombedor < strafed, even when the Russians were near. A lot of eastern German InmidJanuary, 1944, a guard showed up and escorted me refugees and Allied P.O.W.’s were fleeing the Russians. and the B-25 pilot to a British officer P.O.W. camp about a half day trip away by train. When we arrived I was given a French At the end there were a lot of rumors, of being\ sshot by the SS, uniform that looked likea World Warl type uniform. We were put or moving everybody west. But the main Russi sian thmst was in a camp medical dispensary. After 2 weeks I was put in a for Berlin, so the Germans decided to leave and left the camp to barracks with British and Canadians. The British fixed me up with us. Russians showed up in a few days and the agreement was a British uniform without any insignia. An American P-51 pilot finally made to fly about 9,000 of us out by B-17's and C-46’s was brought in also. The B-25 pilot stayed in the dispensary all the to France. time. We stayed at this camp until mid February of 1944. With two guards and a couple of boxes of food, we were taken to another camp for airman officers on the Baltic Sea (Stalag Luft 1), at the town of Barth. We traveled 3 days and 2 nightsson < civilian passenger trains. We stopped at a German equivalent it to our USO’s and guards would bring us beer at station stops. Thir hings started to look bad as we went through the northern cit ities. When we got to Berlin to change trains we saw fields of graves, ( burned out buildings, and rubble in the streets, The dam; raged railroad station was full of people, pushing and shoving,, tmilling around to get on trains. I saw a Coke machine; that shoo' rook me. There was noroom on theconnecting train, and we would have to wait until the next day. The guards didn’t want to spend the night in Berlin because of the RAF raids, and to our relief, they convinced the railroad station manager that the five of us could ride standing up in the baggage section of a car until space in one of the cars became available as people got off. Everything worked out and we had plenty of room. That evening young German boys; ccame aboard the train, Wc assumed that they were going to training ig camp. When we pgot to Straslund Naval Base we stayed over night ;ht in solitary cells. We ™® were treated by the base people with no animosity. We drank cold Ersatz coffee, as water was taboo. We arrived at Barth and walked three miles to the P.O. W. camp. We logged in, had our pictures taken, and two of us were assigned to a barracks in the old original camp compound. The B25 pilot was put in the camp dispensary and wouldjoin us later. We were close to the flak school where youths trained on radar. Stan ‘Wojcit —^*^7 Doorknob Five Two The January 1993 issue of the News included Robin Hansen’s skeptical review of the book, Doorknob Five Two. The author, Fredric Arnold, sent us copies of documents which, if valid, show that the major points of the book are true. The News does not assume responsibility for any review that we publish. Robin Hansen stands by his review. Fredric Arnold has resigned from the Association. The 1st Fighter News is a forum for veterans to tell their stories. The News is not an official record; we may expect people to have different recollections of what happened, and many events will remain forever obscure. 'The 'Editor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Killed in Action Description An account of the resource Typically pilots rotated home after their 50th mission. James took off for his 49th mission on Septemebr 9, 1943, and never returned. He was shot down on a straffing run near the town of Padula, Italy. Initially there was much confusion amongst the other P-38 pilots, and it was thought James survivied and may have been taken prisoner. Ultimately it was discovered that James had been shot down and then killed by German soldiers. James was ultiamtely brought home and buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Middleville, Michigan. See information on his gravesite at <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40312090/james-p-dibble" target="_blank" title="James P. Dibble's Gravesite" rel="noreferrer noopener">FindAGrave.com</a>. See reports, documents and letters around James' missing in action status and then the determination that he was killed in action. Included are letters from the Army to his wife Maxine and parents, newspaper clippings and local memorials. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Printed newsletter Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Article written by Stan Wojcik and published in the 1st Fighter News recounting the day James Dibble was shot down and Stan's time as a POW Subject The topic of the resource James Dibble. Crash. Description An account of the resource Article written by Stan Wojcik and published in the 1st Fighter News recounting the day James Dibble was shot down and Stan's time as a POW. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Essay Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stan Wojcik Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1993-05 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. 1st Fighter Wing Association Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available 1st Fighter Wing Association Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/9/161/Dibble_Text0081.pdf d5cb7b5867d898bc802778f5a947dc7f PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Combat! Description An account of the resource James spent his combat time based out of North Africa and helped clear the way for the eventual invasion of Italy in 1943. He was a member of the 94th Air Squadron, <a href="https://www.1stfg.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1st Fighter Group</a>, and flew the famous twin-engined P-38. Learn more about the P-38 at: <ul><li><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aviation History online Museum</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAMQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftechnology%2FP-38&usg=AOvVaw25-9_sOlkuv_UPtZBhV1Ma" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Britannica.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLockheed_P-38_Lightning&usg=AOvVaw0_UoxVGVbZOtad9vsjWvhW" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wikipedia</a><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a></li> </ul> Don't miss the section titled Day of Armageddon recapping the events of August 30, 1943. This air battle over Italy ultimately earned James the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was lucky to survive - many pilots made the ultimate sacrifice. See photos, letters, mission reports and more about James' time spent in combat over Africa and Italy in 1942 and 1943. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Assorted newspaper clippings about James Dibble shooting down a German Messerschmitt Subject The topic of the resource James Dibble. Combat. Description An account of the resource Assorted newspaper clippings mounted on a scrapbook page about James Dibble shooting down a German Messerschmitt. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1942 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. unknown Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 2022-01-18 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/9/166/Dibble_Text0085.pdf 3e46047505146bb8def52d947c62db72 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Combat! Description An account of the resource James spent his combat time based out of North Africa and helped clear the way for the eventual invasion of Italy in 1943. He was a member of the 94th Air Squadron, <a href="https://www.1stfg.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1st Fighter Group</a>, and flew the famous twin-engined P-38. Learn more about the P-38 at: <ul><li><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aviation History online Museum</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAMQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftechnology%2FP-38&usg=AOvVaw25-9_sOlkuv_UPtZBhV1Ma" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Britannica.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj_1pKiyOT5AhXUkIkEHWqSCb8QFnoECAQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLockheed_P-38_Lightning&usg=AOvVaw0_UoxVGVbZOtad9vsjWvhW" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wikipedia</a><a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a></li> </ul> Don't miss the section titled Day of Armageddon recapping the events of August 30, 1943. This air battle over Italy ultimately earned James the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was lucky to survive - many pilots made the ultimate sacrifice. See photos, letters, mission reports and more about James' time spent in combat over Africa and Italy in 1942 and 1943. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Assorted newspaper clippings on James Dibble from training to burial in Italy Subject The topic of the resource James Dibble Description An account of the resource Assorted newspaper clippings on James Dibble from training to burial in Italy. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. unknown Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 2022-01-18 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/302/Dibble_Image0083.jpg 9b4a12043156dafa229e52ec84cba589 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Photograph Location The location of the interview Cagliari, Sardinia Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 8" x 10" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Capt. Charlie McCann's notes on the photo of his plane Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource Capt. Charlie McCann's notes on the photo of his plane discussing uniform, gear, armament and more Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Black & white photograph Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943-12 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/13/553/Dibble_Text0252.pdf 4a6804315e873ecacce1ce7418a6a882 PDF Text Text h f I i.j-NETY FOURTH FIGHTER SQUADRoN FIRST FIGHTER GROUP APO 520 504 16 July 1944 i ¥ i CERTIFICATE ■ TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I certify that I have examined the recovered.pieces of P-38G-10L0 aircraft, Air Corps Serial number 42-13411, and bearing the above serial number. It is my firm belief and conviction that the above recovered pieces are a portion of aircraft P-38G10L0, Air Corps Serial number 42-13411, missing in action on 9 September 1943I further certify that 1st Lieut. James P. Dibble, 0733844. was the pilot of aircraft type P-38G-10LQ, Air Corps Serial• number 42-13411 on 9 September 1943, the date he was M.I.A and the date subject airplane was M.I.A. I I lurcher certify that I have knowledge of the above case and have verified same with records of the aircraft pilot and mission, held by this organization. /s/ Jerome Belleau /t/ JEROME BELLEAU, Major, Air Corps, Executive, 94th Fighter Squadron * 1st Fighter Group. I I i i 1 \ � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Killed in Action Description An account of the resource Typically pilots rotated home after their 50th mission. James took off for his 49th mission on Septemebr 9, 1943, and never returned. He was shot down on a straffing run near the town of Padula, Italy. Initially there was much confusion amongst the other P-38 pilots, and it was thought James survivied and may have been taken prisoner. Ultimately it was discovered that James had been shot down and then killed by German soldiers. James was ultiamtely brought home and buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Middleville, Michigan. See information on his gravesite at <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40312090/james-p-dibble" target="_blank" title="James P. Dibble's Gravesite" rel="noreferrer noopener">FindAGrave.com</a>. See reports, documents and letters around James' missing in action status and then the determination that he was killed in action. Included are letters from the Army to his wife Maxine and parents, newspaper clippings and local memorials. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed Document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Certificate declaring the wreckage found near Padula Italy was James Dibble's plane Subject The topic of the resource James Dibble. MIA/KIA. Description An account of the resource Certificate declaring the wreckage found near Padula Italy was James Dibble's plane Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Typed document Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Maj. Jerome Belleau Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 7/16/1944 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 11/21/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/303/Dibble_Image0076.jpg 634054a2ad627e082a3bcc63bb8af78d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Photograph Location The location of the interview unknown Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 4" x 6" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Charles Schreffler and his Douglas A-1 Skyraider Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource Charles Schreffler and his Douglas A-1 Skyraider Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Color photograph Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. 1950's Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/13/318/Dibble_Text0095.pdf 67ed3aea368a8979ae1ce42d0b921348 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Killed in Action Description An account of the resource Typically pilots rotated home after their 50th mission. James took off for his 49th mission on Septemebr 9, 1943, and never returned. He was shot down on a straffing run near the town of Padula, Italy. Initially there was much confusion amongst the other P-38 pilots, and it was thought James survivied and may have been taken prisoner. Ultimately it was discovered that James had been shot down and then killed by German soldiers. James was ultiamtely brought home and buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Middleville, Michigan. See information on his gravesite at <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40312090/james-p-dibble" target="_blank" title="James P. Dibble's Gravesite" rel="noreferrer noopener">FindAGrave.com</a>. See reports, documents and letters around James' missing in action status and then the determination that he was killed in action. Included are letters from the Army to his wife Maxine and parents, newspaper clippings and local memorials. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed mission report Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Copy of a statement from 2nd Lt. Raymond Schultz on what he saw when James Dibble 's group was attacked at Padula Subject The topic of the resource James Dibble. Crash. Description An account of the resource Copy of a statement from 2nd Lt. Raymond Schultz on what he saw when James Dibble 's group was attacked at Padula. He mistakenly thought another plane had gone down and did not know it was James. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Mission report Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 2nd Lt. Raymond Schultz Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 9/9/1943 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022 https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/16/370/Dibble_Text0103.pdf fc8aa14b71803e0b8473aa375e89775c PDF Text Text NE by (ZZZ. a-612 August 2, I924.3. DECLASSIFIED DOD DIR. 5200.9, Sept. 27, 1958 Dats 5?—3 0 ~ ^7 Algiers, Monday, August 2, 1943* — Following th^fehelving of Mussolini and the quick denunciation of Fascism within Italy, the Prime Minister and the President on succeeding days called for "unconditional surrender". After they had spoken to their publics, the proposed message to the Italians which Ike caused to be sent on Monday, July 26 — intended to give the Italians their "white alley* — was approved by the Combined Chiefs. The Prime Minister had insisted on in sertion of a saving clause demanding the Italians not turn over British or American prisoners to the Nazis to be taken away to Germany. is pasted nearby. Text of this message It was broadcast to Italy, starting Friday noon, July 30. Immediately there was a murmur in the press corps because the message indicated permission to retain the House of Savoy but this was necessary because we will need in. Italy a stable government' and the House of Savoy is the only peg to which such a government conceivably may tie during the transition, until a popu lar vote by the people may be held to select their own government. We left Maison Blanche by Fortress at 6:30 Saturday morning, ing to fly direct to Palermo but Air Marshal Tedder had telephoned Ike Friday evening that he urgently desired to talk to him. Aouina airfield at Tunis. Consequently, we stopped at kl The Air Marshal had word that Badoglic was actively trending to the Germans and wanted permission to resume the heavy aerial bombard ment of Italy, particularly of Naples and of the marshaling yards at Rome. Ike gave his assent. The Fortress burned out a brake when we landed at El Aouina but the Air Force had a C-53 (on the nose of which.was painted a Walt Disney insignia with an inscription "Time's a wastin'") standing by-with an escort of six Lightnings. I had asked for two Lightnings toescort the Fortress, figuring these would be useful to help our^round troops in Sicily identify the Fortress .as friendly �a-615 August 2, 1943» because the Lightnings are so easily distinguishable with their twin tails. The Air Force, always careful to protect the Boss, had raised the ante to 6. General Patton met us at the Bocco-di-Falco airfield which is nestled amongst the mountains bordering Palermo. It was fortunate the brake of the Fortress had given way at Tunis because the runway at Palermo is not only short, but not J D Our 0-53 landed uphill and bounced. level. General Patton was in fine form. provisional 7th Army. He was proud rcfvthe a/coinplishment of the He said it is the best group of fighting men in the world It is true their accanplishments are remarkable although their opposition has been less than that of the British 5th Army on the east. Howrever, the Americans claimed that if Montgomery's army had moved as rapidly as our 7th, the Germans could not have concentrated at Catania to stop them. Now the 45th Division moving eastward along the northern coast road of Sicily and the First Division moving on its right, were making steady but slow progress. Mere marching over the terrain is difficult. Gun implacements have to be spotted during the daytime, mortars and artillery — such as can be transported and implaced in the precipitous mountains — are care fully aimed at th'ese strong points and then break loose with their concentrated fire after darkness, while our infantry surrounds and mops up the blown-up enemy positions. This makes for slow- going but the progress has been steady. Patton said they would continue this type of attack persistently so the enemy would never have a chance to re-group. In order to keep the pressure persistently applied to the enemy he was relieving the First Division with the Ninth, and the 45th with the Third. One of the difficulties encountered, particularly along the coast road was effective enemy demolition of the road bed. On one side was the sea, on the other sheer cliffs, sometimes reaching mountain high. A dsnolition would tumble the base of the road into the sea and make the work of the Arny Engineers most difficult. Incidentally, General Patton paid a high tribute to their excellence. General Patton is living in the Palace of the King of Sicily who had been DECLASSIFIED . DOD DIR. 5200.9, Sept. 27, 1958 NE by Dale_ �August 2, 1943. A-616 overthrown in 1861 when Garibaldi took Sicily with 1000 men and the island was joined into the union which became Italy. Major General Terry Allen, commander of the First Division and Brig. General Theodore Roosevelt, his assistant, had been relieved by Patton and confirmed by Ike. .The former for "war weariness," and to be returned to America uhder our rotation policy without discredit. eral Huebner is taking his place. leader of inexperienced troops. Gen General Roosevelt had proved to be a gallant He is battle-wise and extremely courageous but this was the only quality which commended him as a general. Ike thought eventually his good quality could be retained by later assigning him to an inexperienced division about to go into battle. He will be given an assignment in the North African theater where his qualities may be useful. The First Division has been in more fighting than any other outfit in this operation and no doubt General Allen simply became fatigued to such a low level that he was unable to afford the inspiration and the leadership, as well as the imagination and discipline that are necessary for a divisional commander. We saw the effect of bombing in Palermo.. It was fl^vastaging but satisfactory. When I saw the effect of bombing at Bizerte I felt sacT, but at Palermo my feeling was "The Ities asked for it and they got it." Two ships of about 125 i r length had been lifted by the force of an.explosion entirely out of the water and onto the quay — a scene that would *0 make a cartoon for Ripley's "Believe it or not." gS 1 3s s § % 5 g 2 Apparently an ammunition ship which had been bombed blew up, created a tidal wave and washed the ships onto the quay 10 ft. above the normal level of the water. The first thing the Americans had to do at Palermo was to organize Italian workers with G.I. bulldozers to clear the streets, particularly those in the vicinity of the docks. Now most of them are clear. The port had reached a level of 2,200 tons discharge with .rapid increase in prospect. American destroyers and PT boats were lying in the harbor.' General Patton had called on the Cardinal of the Palermo arch-diocese, Lavitrone, and the Cardinal ha<^promptly returned his call.. They had become fine �August 2, 1943 . friends. The Cardinal had shown Patton some of the ancient cathedrals. A-617 He had also given the General a message to be transmitted to the Pope, a copy of which I carried back with me and dispatched from Malta at Ike's direction to the Combined Chiefs so it could be sent by proper channels representative of both governments. In it the Cardinal said he and his people were being treated with the "utmost cour tesy" and that the occupation had occurred without any "unpleasant incidents". The message had come through the former Lieutenant Governor of New York State, Poletti, who is now a colonel in the Allied Military Government. I asked General Patton how Poletti was doing and he said "Beautifully, but I think he is electioneering for Roosevelt among the Sicilians" After a Spam luncheon in the Palace we took off for Syracuse to meet General Alexander. The headquarters for his 15th Army Group were just being established and he and his immediate stafi sre quartered in a farm The two General3 craferred under an olive i i 21 v tree, backgrounded by a mule unwillingly affording the yosyer^mich drew water from house about ten minutes from the airfield. a deep and cool well. When the mule stopped he was beaten with a long lash by an Italian farmer — an ex-soldier of the last war who expressed his friendship for the Allies in this one by freely giving of his Chianti and Marsala. Ike was anxious that there be no misunderstanding between Alexander and Patton as to plans for the attack scheduled to start the next day —August 2 — today. Patton was to continue his methodical and steady advance; Montgomery was to lay on all he had and try to break through! Incidentally, Monty has 400 big guns and his attack at Catania will be reminiscent of El Alamein. It should be re ported, too, that members of the Secretary of War's party who had just came from London said the failure of Monty to take Catania had given the public a let down on their hero. The Prime Minister had expressd to Secretary Stimson his profound gratitude at Ike's statement at having undertaken publicly to balance the progress between the stalled British 8th Army and the rapidly advancing American 7th Army. Ike had told the press, the 7th Army had relatiyely easy going and the 8th very DECLASSIFIED DOD DIR. 5200.9, Sept. 27, 1958 N.E by U6-L Date_£r3^7 �August 2, I943. difficult. A-618 Actually the 8th Army has been getting a great deal of public ity for any kind of movement and the ?th Amy, which has been going great guns, is still somewhat under the cloud of the great reputation of the Sth. Returning to Malta we stayed overnight at Verdala Palace, again the guests of Field Marshal the Lord Gort and his friendly assistants. g •s 4 CO Ike had a meeting of the senior commanders Sunday forenoon during which the entire Italian situation -was discussed, plans refined for attacking the toe of Italy and consideration 5 igiven to helping General Wayne Clark and his 5th Army plan its attack on Naples, probably September 9, with the BUTTRESS to come September 2. i 2 John Gunther, the newspaperman, happened to be a house guest at Verdala Jo Palace. He asked me to read a story about Ike which he had written for Readers Digest. It was most complimentary but I asked him to remove some quotations which I felt General Marshall might feel lacking in dignity. The fact that Malta served as headquarters during the on Sicily will be released for publication on August 4* ^of the attack Ike prepared a statement paying his tribute to the heroism of Malta as a symbol of the united nations which will be released at the same time. Returning to Algiers late, yesterday afternoon after a 3-hour and 40 minute direct flight from Malta in our Fortress, the crew of which had quickly repaired its brake — utilizing a part from a wrecked Fortress at El Aouina — I found that the French papers here were filled with a story that the Italians had sent a delegation to Algiers to confer with Ike.. While it is true we had a report that there was a man in Algiers willing to serve as "contact,* Ike has declined to see him. Naturally any emissaries from the enemy must come under appropriate flag of truce — if they should come here at all, as I suspect negotiations will come through the Vatican which will deal either with the Prime Minister or the Presi dent; more likely the latter. Ike was itching this morning to know the result of the long planned boobing of the Ploesti oil fields in Rumania. More than 150 B-24s of the 9th Air Force � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: Flying with Eisenhower Description An account of the resource See records of the flight where James and other P-38 pilots flew escort for Eisenhower in 1943. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Declassified report of General Eisenhower's visit to Italy in August 1943 Subject The topic of the resource James Dibble. Eisenhower. Description An account of the resource Declassified report of General Eisenhower's visit to Italy in August 1943. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Mission report Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943-08 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022