B-29 GUNNER

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Joe Gopan
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B-29 GUNNER

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Jul 13, 2010 4:40 am

When I was attending US Army Ordnance School at Aberdeen in 1962, my roommate, SP-6 Earl Rudder, was a former B-29 Gunner who had participated in the first B-29 Mission of the War from China. He was injured in a B-29 crash, and had Jaw Reconstruction, the Medical Service used to send him off to various medical schools to exhibit the fine work and technique used in surgery.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
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COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: B-29 GUNNER

Post by Joe Gopan » Sat Sep 07, 2019 6:43 pm

Amazing , how the memories are still so vivid after 55+ years, SP-6 Rudder and my other roommate SP-6 Jim Elliot were attending a new course at Aberdeen which had something to do with the calibration ofelectronics in Missiles.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

WWII MOMENT IN TIME

Post by Joe Gopan » Sat Jun 27, 2020 12:23 pm

June 14 was about two weeks ago, and SP-6 Rudder popped into my memory. SP-6 Rudder was a op Gunner on the first B-29 Mission against Japan My WWII memories of the men and machines have not faded.
It's amazing how so many of us knew these heroes and did not even realize it.
My job required me to use the testing equipment in the Engineering departments at the U of Maine where I met more war heroes, Professor Gibson was a retired USAF Colonel, he was one of the heads of Electrical Engineering and worked on designing the inertial guidance systems on early USAF missiles, Professor Dick Hill, Mechanical Engineering, worked as a civilian for General Electric during WWII, his job was to develop the turbo chargers on the Wright R-3350 engines installed on the B-29. He was a captivating speaker, his voice filled a room when he spoke. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum was not interested in him as a guest lecturer, they will never know what they were missing. His WWII notes are stored at the U of M Library. Professor Hill would be 102 this year.

There was a company, FAYSCOTT LANDIS in Dexter Maine, one of my Jeep customers was the manager during WWII, he told of making .50 BMG parts back then and of manufacturing extended M-1911 A1 Magazines for testing.He saved himself a couple. He has been gone around 30-40 years
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: B-29 GUNNER

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Dec 24, 2020 1:50 pm

SP-6 Rudder was a gunner on the first B-29's to reach the PTO, their ferry in winter 43/44route took them over Dow Field, ME and ended up in China. The Chinese awarded earl a decoration that looked like a Sunflower for participating in the first B-29 missions originating from China.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


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