This story never dies…
Ken Muska’s cousin was one airman mentioned in an update. Ken Muska is sharing more about his cousin at the end of this post.
The first to comment was Carl Fleck. He had commented on a research done by Clarence Simonsen about the RCAF joining the American Ninth Air Force. Carl Fleck had sent this personal message with lots of pictures from his father’s collection.
Hi Pierre,
Here’s a few images from the 83rd squadron period. I’ve got to rescan these images as their resolution isn’t very good.
My father flew in few B25s. In the image CASTBEN.jpg, refers to a the location where the 12th BG were located Castel Benito. The plane #52, my father flew in, is over Tripoli in the image.
Image M5 (Mighty Five) the CO of 83rd Squadron crew…left to right…. Lt. Muska, Lt Wilson, Capt Young, Sgt Fleck, Sgt Wilson.
I’ve attached a couple of log pages….you may find the dates interesting.
Cheers,
Carl Fleck (Jr.)
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- left to right: Lt. Muska, Lt Wilson, Capt Young, Sgt Fleck, Sgt Wilson
Collection Carl Fleck
This is the original article.
Research by Clarence Simonsen
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941, American and British leaders arranged for a joint meeting to be held in Washington, D.C., between 24 December 1941 and 14 January 1942. This was called the Arcadia Conference, which formed overall plans to conduct a total global war against the axis powers. The first major American force established was the 8th Air Force, which moved to England and became operational on 17 August 1942. The next urgent action was needed to relieve pressure on Russia and stop the advance of German General Rommel across the Western Desert.
The whole story is here…
American 12th Bomb Group and RCAF
Text version
RCAF joins the American Ninth Air Force
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941, American and British leaders arranged for a joint meeting to be held in Washington, D.C., between 24 December 1941 and 14 January 1942. This was called the Arcadia Conference, which formed overall plans to conduct a total global war against the axis powers. The first major American force established was the 8th Air Force, which moved to England and became operational on 17 August 1942. The next urgent action was needed to relieve pressure on Russia and stop the advance of German General Rommel across the Western Desert.
The existence of 23 American B-24’s plus a dozen B-17’s in Egypt in June 1942, was a fortunate coincidence of war as Rommel made his push for the Suez. On 17 June, Washington, D.C. ordered Colonel Harry Halverson to taken charge of this small force of U.S. large bombers, in response to the threat of the German Africa Korps. This new air arm of the US Army Forces in the Middle East was pressed into service to help the British 8th Army hold Cairo. Out of combat necessity, the American Ninth Air Force was unofficially born on 28 June 1942, when Major General Lewis H. Brereton was placed in charge of this newly formed United States Army Middle East Air Force. At the same time, two stateside combat bomb groups were ordered to prepare for movement to North Africa. Leaving Florida, the 98th Bomb Group ferried its B-24’s across the Atlantic arriving in Egypt the last week of July 1942. Following the 98th were the B-25C Mitchell medium bombers of the 12th Bomb Group. These two Groups aircraft were all painted in “Sand No. 3” covering all areas that had been painted dark Olive Drab. Even new this sand paint had a pronounced apricot shade, and when exposed to the North Africa sun, the yellow pigments faded, leaving only a strong pink color. These aircraft became commonly known as “tittie” or ‘desert pink’.
The 12th Bomb Group was formed 20 November 1940, and patrolled the west coast of United States after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They began training in the B-25C medium bomber in January 1942, for duty overseas. On 16 July 1942, the S.S. Louis Pasture departed New York with 4,882 men of the 12th Bomb Group, assigned to the 12th Air Force. They arrived at Deversoir, Egypt, on 31 July 42, just before Rommel’s Panzers made their last gamble to take Alexandria. The key to victory in North Africa was Allied air power, which could deny the Germans their spare parts, ammunition, fuel, food, and water. The 12th B.G. was the first USAAF medium bomber group in the Mediterranean theatre of war, which introduced the ‘desert pink’ B-25C to desert combat. The B-25 crews had little time for training and joined No. 3 Wing South African Air Force on 25 August, attacking targets in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia. No. 3 Wing was made up of South African, British, Australian, and Canadians in RAF squadrons flying Boston and Baltimore aircraft. At first there was friction when the Americans thought their training was superior to the British. Although the Americans had never experienced anything like the North Africa combat conditions, it took time to convince them the British and Commonwealth veterans knew a little more than they did. To aid American radio operators to learn British radio procedures, 23 [cousins] RCAF wireless/gunners were freely loaned to the 12th Bomb Group, and four would be killed in action.
The USAAF crews soon welcomed the new Canadian radio operators who also prevented ‘friendly fire’ incidents from British anti-aircraft gunners, unfamiliar with the new B-25 bombers. The 23 Canadians served one year in their four respective bomb squadrons, first located in two airfields in the Nile delta, – the 81st and 82nd B.S. at Deversoir and the 83rd and 434th B.S. at Ismalia.
Under command of Col. Charles Goodrich, the 12th B.G. took the unofficial name “Earthquakes” and sported some very impressive nose art on their desert pink aircraft. The first mission was flown on 16 August, two days before the full complement of ground crew arrived. By the end of September 1942, the 12th B.G. had flown 21 missions and dropped 139 tons of bombs, with the loss of only six B-25 aircraft.
This early 12th B.G. nose art paid tribute to the new B-25C Mitchell bomber.
This photo shows one of the RCAF Canadians pointing to the American nose artist in the 12th Bomb Group “Earthquaker’s”.
This is a list of the RCAF airmen who participated and four who died with the Earthquakers
ANDERSON, Sgt. Trevor Maxwell [promoted to P/O] R87853 – officer J17875
BROWN, F/O Joseph Alfred, J17884 – Sarnia, Ontario.
CARR, P/O Alexander Lawrence J17877
CRUIKSHANK, P/O Donald Herbert, J17887 – St. John, New Brunswick.
EMERY, F/L Charles Emile Michel, J18025 – Westmount, Quebec.
FLECK, P/O Carl Sidney,J17125 – Middle Stewiake, Nova Scotia.
Carl Fleck’s plane over Tripoli (source Carl Fleck Jr.)
left to right: Lt. Muska, Lt Wilson, Capt Young, Sgt Fleck, Sgt Wilson
Collection Carl Fleck
FRASER, F/L David Scott, J17879 – Calgary, Alberta.
FRY, F/Sgt. Cyril James Howard, R67842 – Amherstburg, Ontario, KIA
Killed in action at age 25 years, Boston medium bomber missing 14 September 1942, 12th Air Force
GALL, P/O Robert Davidson, J17127 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
GALLIVER, Sgt. William Thomas, R86558
HALL, F/L Stewart Llewelyn, J17882 – St. Catherines, Ontario.
HENRY, Sgt. Hank, Montreal, Quebec, POW
KELLY, Leonard Thomas, J17885 – Ottawa, Ontario. KIA
Wireless air gunner 27 years old, B-25 Mitchell bomber shot down while attacking Adrano, south of Mount Etna, Sicily, 5 Aug. 1943. No Known Grave.
LAMOUREUX, P/O Alexander Paul, J17130 – Edmonton, Alberta.
MACLEAN, F/L Cornelius, J18373 – Stelerton, Nova Scotia.
MARTIN, F/O Anthony Arthur, J17876 – Squamish, British Columbia.
MARTINO, P/O George William, J17880 – Montreal, Quebec.
MIRON, F/O Wilfred Arthur James, J17883 – Toronto, Ontario.
PARADIS, P/O Joseph Jean Paul, J17129 – Quebec.
RENNIE, P/O Henry Thompson, J17129 – Elora, Ontario, KIA
Medium bomber Boston aircraft shot down 12 March 1943, Sidi Barrani, Arab republic. Reburied National Cemetary at Fort Scott, Kansas, USA.
ROBERTSON, P/O Forbes, J17881 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, KIA
Wireless air gunner 23 years old, went overseas in October 1941, assigned 12th A.F. December 1942, flew 22 missions in B-25 Mitchell. On return from mission on 29 April 1943, hung-up bomb fell on landing, exploded. War cemetery Tunisia.
ROBERTSON, P/O Ronald Douglas, J17128 – Roblin, Manitoba.
SIBBALD, P/O Roy Everett, J17878 – Cochrane, Alberta.
This is the image of the famous “Desert Warrior” taken at Red Sea base of Desouire as it prepared to leave on the first B-25 promotional tour of the United States.
Crew – [back row left to right]
Capt. Ralph Lower, [pilot] Lt. W.O. Seaman, [co-pilot] Lt. Lloyd Pond, [navigator] Lt. T.R. Tate, [bombardier]
[front row left to right]
Sgt. Pat Garofalo, [top turret gunner] Pilot Officer Anthony Arthur Martin [RCAF] wireless air gunner, Sgt. John Dowdy Crew Chief.
Press release error – F/O Anthony Arthur Martin was “Canadian” from Squamish, British Columbia.
The nose art was impressive
This memorial to the RCAF members killed in action while flying with the American “Earthquakers” is painted on original skin from the B-25 in Alberta Aviation Museum at Edmonton, Alberta. This B-25 flew with the U.S. Navy during WWII. Thanks again to pilot Tony Jarvis.
Ken Muska’s comment…
Pierre,I have attached my cousin (once removed) Major Albert P. Muska’s navigation school yearbook and newspaper article of his missing in action notice. There are many strange things we are finding out about his missing status. The first is it took 17 days to send a search party to locate his plane a crew. The plane took off on 11/3/1943 but a search party was not dispatched until 11/20/1943. They never found the plane or crew. The second mystery is it took over a year after Albert’s death to issue his mother a Purple Heart Medal. If there are any experts out there in WWII Army Air Force protocol, I’d like to hear their theories why these delays took place. It was almost like they took the plane out for a joy ride. My cousin, Gary recalls as a small boy his father, another uncle and family friend said Albert and crew were on a highly confidential mission.
Thanks!Ken Muska
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan 