W40\OrigChoic.doc

Origin and Choices -- Preparation of this 19th BG History

Dedicated to all of those no longer with us -- may their endeavors be known through this history.

Before Proceeding -- Meet the Compiler

This 19th BG history, stored as data on CD's & DVD’s for use with your browser software, has been prepared by Darrell Landau, below left, 19th BG Association historian & ex airplane mechanic. For the most part it is a compilation of what others, who were participants, have written of their experiences.  Some segments and notations have been added by Landau and it's appropriate that you the reader know something of the person making the commentary -- he is not a writer or historian -- he arrived on Guam in 1945 as a replacement.

Darrell was assigned to the 19th BG as assistant 28th Squadron Engineering Officer under Capt Keogh, replacing the prior assistant who had been killed on a test hop. Near the end of WW II Keogh was moved to Group, in anticipation of a move to Okinawa, and Landau replaced Keogh. At the time of Pearl Harbor, Landau was a mechanical engineering student at Kansas State. Near the end of his first semester sophomore year he and room mate Bob Nelson decided to take the Cadet Exam at Ft Riley KS to become a couple of "hot rock" pilots. Bob passed and became a B-29 Navigator with 73 wing on Saipan. Darrell flunked, finding for the first time that he was color blind! Darrell went to the secretary of the local draft board and asked to be sent on the next shipment, March 1943. His father, a WW I veteran, was head of the draft board -- it seemed the proper thing to do.  Darrell selected Army Air Corps and was sent to St Petersburg FL for basic training.  There he selected airplane mechanics school for further training and was sent to Missouri Aviation Institute KC MO. When that school closed, students were moved to Lincoln NB to finish training. He was selected as a potential engineering cadet and made an instructor in the fighter mechanic school at Lincoln. In early 1944 he was sent to pre engineering cadet training -- four months similar to OCS -- and then for six months technical training at Yale where he was graduated as 2nd Lt aircraft maintenance officer.  He volunteered for overseas assignment and found himself on Guam, 20th AF, 314th Wing, 19th BG 28th Sqd.  When arriving at North Field, site of the 314th wing, the jeep driver paused to show the view from a small hill.  There was a "sea" of B-29s glistening in the morning sun -- he'd never seen a B-29 before! 

  

Upon return home, Darrell learn that his roommate Bob Nelson had been shot down in March 1945, taken prisoner, then taken out and publicly beheaded after the first A-bomb. He also learned that his cousin and high school classmate Vincent Landau, a Navy fighter pilot, had been shot down off the coast of Japan the day of the second A-Bomb.  These personal losses provided the driving motive to do something -- like help compile this history -- in memory of them.

After the war Darrell returned and finished mechanical engineering school and retired from the aerospace industry in 1992 after 37 years with Rockwell, formerly North American Aviation. That same year he made contact with the 19th BG Association and met people he'd not seen since 1945.

Making Contact with the 19th Bomb Group

            In 1992 Boeing sponsored a 50th Anniversary of the B-29 in Seattle WA, as previously done for the B-17.  This became a reunion of 20th AF Bomb Group Associations. (See Group tail fin images at end)  I learned of this from Melvin Simpson B-29 Navigator with the 6th BG at a Decatur County High School Alumni dinner at Oberlin KS – Melvin knew I’d been a B-29 Squadron Engineering Officer on Guam.  I’d lost contact with my outfit, so Melvin arranged for me to be to go with their 6th BG and through them make contact with my outfit, the 19th BG.  I rented a car and drove to where the 19th BG had located.  All but three had gone on a tour – however I recognized Vern Chandler and Wilber Koltz, two of the three there.  They had a copy of a lettered I’d mailed to Vern, which included a scanned photo of our 28th Sqd Staff in which I asked for help on the names.

W. Koltz left end back row, D. Landau 3rd from left middle row, V. Chandler 2nd from right front row.

Koltz had just mailed the names to me, not knowing if I’d be there.

Later at the final dinner I searched for persons who’d been in the 73rd BG on Saipan, who might have known my college room mate Bob Nelson, and for persons in my old outfit 28th Sqd 19th BG on Guam. I encountered Floyd Maupin who’d been Airplane Commander on M-11 28th Sqd.  During our conversation I asked if anyone had done a history of the 28th Sqd?  He said not that he knew of.  I said too bad, someone should do that.  Floyd agreed.  I said I have some photos I took after the war ended when we could buy cameras at the PX, I can tell about flight line activity but know nothing about missions.  Floyd said I can send you a diary of our missions.  We agreed someone ought to do a history. 

After the reunion, Vern Chandler then Chairman of the 19th BG Association, asked if I’d be the membership chairman, aware from the scanned photos I’d mailed him that I had a computer.  I agreed and found there were some 1300 members in the association – the roster included persons who had been in the 19th BG in the Far Pacific in the early part of the war.  This included persons who had been POW’s and AGOM (American Guerrillas Of Mindanao) plus flight and ground crews who had served in the Philippines, Java, Australia with B-17’s as well as those with B-29’s on Guam.

A few days after the reunion I received Maupin’s mission diaries; with this and photos I’d taken, the history task was underway.  My photos were the amateur kind, taken with a PX purchased camera, developed with a Kodak kit and rinsed with rain water in my wash basin iron helmet.  The negatives were mailed back to be properly made into prints – better than those printed using our home made setup in our quarters.

Vern and I discussed the idea of doing a 28th Sqd history. Vern volunteered to make contact with various people requesting they send their stories and information.  It was soon decided that the history should include the entire 19th BG and Vern set up a team of persons to make contacts and acquire information for the history.  The initial plan was to cover B-29 operations from Guam only.

Vern covered 28th sqd and assigned Jim Hall and George Savage 30th sqd and John Handwork 93rd sqd to contact others for B-29 stories. 

C. Marvel responded immediately. The early Far Pacific phase of the war was unknown to me until a call from Leonhard Merchant, who had been an American Guerrilla On Mindanao (AGOM), a letter from Al Young (POW) and Howard Watson (AGOM) followed.  Merchant invited me to attend the 1994 AGOM reunion in San Diego.  Tom Mitos 30th sqd (AGOM) was encouraged to write and he did, 11 chapters of excellent material.

At a 19th reunion Vern introduction me to Arthur "Bud" Fletcher, 7th BG pilot who became part of the 19th on Java and Australia, who told how the 19th and 7th personnel merged on Java, then the mixture separated with some to India and some to Australia. This new information, plus that provided by others, expanded the 19th BG history task to an entirely new dimension.  Information eventually revealed that some 5000 persons had passed through the 19th BG from 1940 to end of 1942 when they returned to help form the rapidly expanding Army Air Corp – many returning as key players in B-29 Groups sent back to the Pacific.

The Plan and Problems

From the beginning I found myself coping with such things as: technology limitations, method, content, file structure, presentation & distribution choices. 

Technology Limitations are covered in a subsequent section – the endeavor was of necessity limited by what technology permitted.  It was not until about 2000 that hardware and software were adequate to do the task.

Method: At the outset I made the decision to convert all hard copy text and photos to electronic files.  I wanted something that could be quickly replicated, upgraded and distributed to others at low cost.  I knew this could eventually be done if converted to electronic files.  This choice, good for the long run, was beyond the capability of early hardware and software; I continued this method having faith that technology would catch up with the need.

Content Choices: As the task grew choices had to be made, often in face of conflicting wishes.
1.  Expand the scope to include all 19th BG activities, not limit it to Guam or WW II.
2.  Use contributed stories essentially as is, for me to provide introductory or explanatory comment only.
3.  Include all personal stories, to not eliminate some to reduce size.
4.  Tell the complete story, including flight & ground crews training – for it to be more than a collection of "scary missions".
5.  Make a separate section for AGOM and POW stories, these are an essential part and should stand alone.
6.  Include political information, to provide a new reader a feeling for public opinion and environment of the time.
7.  Describe aircraft and engine status and availability; before, during and at the end of the conflict.  The war was fought with what they had – change was rapid, initially feeble by later standards.
8.  Include concurrent war events, which influenced their efforts directly or indirectly.
9.  To leave the history open ended so others can add to it as other material comes to light.

File Structure:  There was soon a large amount of diverse information.  While converting hard copy and photos to electronic files I soon realized I needed a structured method for storage, retrieval and upgrade of electronic files.  The process evolved.  Initially I saved all files under the name of the author in “Source” subdirectories.  Later under “Version” subdirectories.  As the history evolved it became necessary to identify the format and end usage.  Those prepared in Word.Doc format were “W” files, those converted to HTML Browser format were “H” files, those compiled to print a book were called “B” files.  Eventually the Source files became “Author” files in two sets  W42AUTH for those from 1940 to 1942 and W45AUTH those from 1943 to 1946 and H42AUTH and H45AUTH when converted to Browser readable format.

Story files were compiled from Author file content and filed by time and place such as 41US, 41PI, 42US, 42JA, 42AU, POW, AGOM, 43US, 44US, 45US, 45GU, . . . etc; with each of these broken down into sub-tier files when applicable.

Scanned photos were initially placed in separate “P” files, for insertion as appropriate in various stories.

            The filing method was revised many times trying to come up with an acceptable method.  In retrospect the filing method becomes one of the most important choices to be made.

Presentation & Distribution:  Initially it was planned that the history being gathered would be printed in a hard copy book.  It soon became apparent there was too much content for a single book.  I was being pushed to complete a B-29 version for a hard copy book – however by then I’d become convinced the story would be incomplete if it did not include earlier events in the Far Pacific.  I recognized the desire for a 19th BG hard copy book now, while very much aware the history gathering task was far from done – much information had not yet been converted and compiled. 

To solve this dilemma I made copies of what I had available to anyone in the 19th Association who asked for it, initially on backup tape and later on CD-R’s. 

            I took my computer to the 1998 reunion in Tucson AZ and made copies of the 19th BG history CD’s for all who requested them -- the machine was kept busy writing CDs.

Making 19th BG History CD’s

            Many had indicated they wanted a hard copy book.  At this 1998 reunion Turner Publications made a presentation for doing a 19th BG book.  This would be similar to what they had done for other military organizations where persons sent in their stories which were compiled into a book.  The association voted to proceed with the Turner proposition; so I made the history CD’s I had prepared available for their effort, and provided a computer for their use in reading and editing the material.

 

CD Labels

Bob Ley when President of 19th BG Association

            About two years later they sent Bob Ley, 19th BG President, a draft for review and approval.  Bob sent it to me for review.  I found what was there was fine but that much of the 19th history on the CD’s had not been included.  I discussed this with Turner Publications and with Bob Ley.  It was decided they would go with what they had and that I’d continue with my more extensive effort.

            Because many desired to have a hard copy I decided to prepare one by extracting material from what I had, to reduce the amount of material to be printed.  Even so this consumed 6 volumes.  During the summer of 2000, while at our home in Oberlin KS, I composed a front and back cover for the books, the same for each book, with differing end covers to show each volumes content.  I did the printing on my home printer and had them bound for $20 each by the Book Binder in Seldon KS. 

The 19th BG History Set prepared 2000.

            An estimate was made that it would cost about $60 each to produce the books in small volume, such that a set would cost $360 plus shipping.  This became a bit expensive when compared to the same material on a free CD.

 

Front Cover for 19th BG History volumes

Back Cover for 19th BG history volumes.

 

Front Cover of Personal Experience book

Personal Experience Book

While “on a roll” I did a 7th book I called “From Oberlin and Back” which contained stories I’d written of my experiences as Civil Engineer KS Highway, Process Engineer GM Korean War tooling for F-84 F and Research Engineer with North American – Rockwell Autonetics division on Navaho, Minuteman I, II, III, MX then B-1B, C-17 and C130 Gun Ship.  Beginning in Flight Control Hydraulics, to Rocket Engines to conversion from analog to digital electronics.

Back Cover of Personal Experience book

The Technology Evolution that made this history version possible

Available Technology:  Upon retirement I upgraded my desk top computer and scanned family photos – including those taken on Guam in 1945.  With this equipment I began the task of compiling a history of the 19th BG.  I was soon caused to realize available desk top technology was simply not up to the task; but kept going on faith that technology would be developed to meet the needs.

Prior to retirement I had participated in a company plan where the company would buy the computer equipment and employees pay for it with monthly deductions.  It was an excellent plan were employees were learning the emerging technology on their own time and the company gaining from increased employee capability.  Through this plan I’d gone through multiple upgrades to the early Commodore Computer machines which were setting the pace at the time, even selling Apple the microprocessors used in their machines.  I also bought an IBM PC when they were forced to play catch up and enter the desktop market.  Those IBM machines used an Intel 8 bit processor and used a Microsoft DOS operating system.  DOS software was improving rapidly but Microsoft Word was slow and sluggish.  I wrote Microsoft stating that they needed to write their Word Software in Machine code to speed it up.  Later I received a letter from them thanking me for my comments and telling of their new faster version of Word.  I had once written software for a word processor in machine code for use on the Commodore computers we were using when restarting the B-1B program and had told Microsoft I knew the hardware technology could support much faster Word software.

In 1992 I upgraded to an AST IBM compatible machine that used the new Intel 386 16 bit microprocessor and new Graphics mode software called Windows 3.1 from Microsoft.  This used then new 3.5 inch Floppy disc with 1.44 meg capacity in lieu of the 5.25 inch truly floppy discs with much less capacity.  These machines could be upgraded to have more RAM but 1 meg of RAM was considered adequate at the time – RAM was still small and costly.  I paid about $6000 for this machine, top of the line at the time. It included a 30 meg hard drive for about $600 and a 60 meg back up tape drive for a bit less.   I added to this a $750 HP Scanner and a $1000 HP Laser jet 300 dots per inch printer, though the best on the market, they both soon proved to be inadequate.  The photos produced were of news paper quality.   

This rapidly changing leading edge technology was expensive – as well as inadequate.

About 1995 I bought a new HP4C scanner for $1000 – finally I had a quality scanner that could produce photo quality images – on the Monitor.  High resolution printers were still not available for the desk top.

Printers that used toner for ink could be upgraded to do 600 dots per inch by the addition of more memory, which was still expensive.  I skipped that step.  Even professional printers such as Kinkos could not do better.

About 1999  quality ink jet printers came out which could produce photo quality images.  It was with one of these I printed the book covers, in color.  The cost of a quality printer had come down to $400 but the cost was the ink at $29 to $37 per black and color cartridge.  When printing a book, ink not the paper, is the primary cost.

Though I upgraded to the newest version of Word, it did a poor job of handling photos inserted in text. 

In 1995 I had my AST computer upgraded to the new Intel 486 32 bit processor with a mother board that used the IBM standard ISA 16 bit data bus supplemented by a second 16 bit data as a way to feed 32 bits between memory and processor.  I also upgraded the amount of RAM and installed a new 60 meg hard drive and a 120 meg back up tape.  I also upgraded to Windows 95 and new improved Word software.  These changes were welcome but still not up to the task I’d taken on. 

I decided to build my own computer systems to save money and was thus able to make upgrades about every six months.  Intel had come out with new motherboard chip sets that made use of PCI 32 bit cards and 32 bit data buss.  This required an upgrade to new 32 bit RAM modules called SIMMs.

In 1997 Microsoft came out with Word software written in 32 bit code; and in 1998 Microsoft came out with Windows 98 a much improved operating system. 

Hard drives had remained small and expensive until there was a sudden leap from 1” thick hard drives to ˝ inch thick drives that reached the DOS limit of 540 meg.  Drives of this size had previously cost over $1000.  My first “big” hard drive was a 540 meg that cost $600 – I was delighted to have such “huge” capacity.  During this time the industry had resorted to “compression” software methods to “double” hard drive and disk capacity.  This was a disaster for me -- on two occasions I lost some 6 months work, compressed and non retrievable when I moved a hard drive from one machine to another – which unknown to me, caused loss of conversion codes.

One of the greatest improvements was the availability of CD’s for data storage – these were immediately put to use at the 1998 reunion in Tucson. 

About 1999 Intel added 64 bit AGP video card slots, increased processor speeds to 233 mhz and 66 mhz data bus rates.  There was also a shift to 64 bit SIMM RAM memory cards. 

In 2000 Microsoft came out with new Office Suite software which included improved Word, Excel, Access and new PhotoDraw and Front Page software.  For the first time software was able to accommodate the needs, this software made it possible to do the books shown previously.  The Front Page software and improved Word made it possible to convert Word.doc files to Browser readable files in .htm (HTML) format.  This permitted a user to simply click to & from topics of their choice as if browsing the internet.

In 2000 Intel came out with their Pentium III then Pentium IV series.  Processor speeds jumped to 1 gig and to 2 gig by 2002.  Motherboard chip sets were improved and bus speeds increased to 133 mhz, then by use of Double Data Rate  DDR RAM increased to 266 mhz.  During this time hard drives leaped in capacity and came down in price.  I went from 20 gig capacity per drive in 2000 to 80 gig capacity per drive in 2002, at a cost of about $100 per drive.

The limited 700 meg capacity of CD’s required multiple CD’s to hold the 19th BG history.

DVD technology now permits storing up to 4.7 gig per disk.  Most people now have computers and DVD drives.  At present DVD writers come in two formats, DVD+RW and DVD-RW.  I recently purchased a dual mode DVD writer by SONY and used it to store the full content of three prior CD’s – using less than half the rewrite able disks capacity.  I put this DVD in a standard DVD drive and called up it’s content in browser software.  The technology has finally arrived to archive and distribute the 19th BG history.

Internet capability had also improved making it possible for others to make information such as this available to all via Home Pages of their design – our thanks to all of them.

Thanks to contributing Authors

Plaques were provided to each Author as thanks for their special efforts, readers know them by their stories. 

Special Memorabilia

Thanks to Art Aronsen 28th sqd for glass balls presented at the 2000 reunion in SanDiego.

 

 

            19th BG tail fin M was a familiar sight to all on North Field Guam.

This plaque was added to Great Bend KS Memorial in 2000, no one had include ground crews who “Sustained the Wings”.

This plaque was added to the Great Bend memorial in 2000.  It seemed appropriate to include two from Kansas that didn’t come back, Nelson was my room mate at Kansas State in 1941-1942

 

 

 

Refurbished Heart 2002 – A Personal Event

I’m writing this shortly after my 80th birthday while my heart is using a “fabricated tissue valve”.  A heart murmur led to an echo gram test which revealed my output valve was clogged with calcium.  Mid 2002 it was replaced with a valve constructed from cow tissue – the lining that holds the heard, treated to remove protein and attached to a ring to enable installation in one hour. 

  

            Medical technology also advanced – we the lucky veterans, could be refurbished.