93rd BG (H) 330th BS

B-24 Flight Engineer

Staff Sergeant John D. Purvis

LOG BOOK, DIARY, and MISSIONS

 

[WWII  European Theater England 1945]

 

Submissions of J.D. Purvis material from his son John Purvis

Site edited and maintained by Doug Cook

 

Last Update June 1, 2010

 

 

PILOT                                     Robert H. "Bob" Heller

CO-PILOT                              John S. "Luke" Lucas          

NAVIGATOR                         Mario J. Rota                        

FLIGHT ENGINEER             John D. "Jack" Purvis          

LEFT WAIST GUNNER       Cecil D. Kenny                     

RIGHT WAIST GUNNER      Joseph R. Davis                   

NOSE GUNNER                   George R. Light                    

RADIO OPERATOR             Leonard B. Bartchak           

TAIL GUNNER                      Michael J. Gentile

 

(Navigator probably had a dual role as Bambardier)

Navigator probably had a dual role as Bombardier

 

Navigator probably had a dual role as Bombardier

                       

 
 

 

 

Heller Crew Bombing Missions from Hardwick, England  1945

 

 

330th BS B-24 ‘H’  return with flak holes and wounded crew.

 

 

WWII, Victory in Europe B-24 Liberator "Trolley Missions"

 

The "Trolley Missions" began a few days before the war actually ended, but only over Allied controlled zones in Western Europe; after VE-Day some fights extended further East. Most of the flights took place on B-17 and B-24 heavy bombers; many of the low altitude photos came from these all but forgotten missions. The "Trolley Missions" took the ground crews (mechanics, cooks, etc..) and VIP's over the war time mission targets at low altitude; over 30,000 non-crew personnel rode the “Trolleys”. A few planes actually landed. Trolley passengers were given permission and in few cases encouraged to take photographs. Generally a five man crew was used to fly the plane; the four officers and the chief engineer. The newer crews were generally used, but not always. For many of the battle seasoned crews this was their first up close view of what of what the missions had accomplished. A few “Trolley Mission” pilots were brought up on Court Marshal charges for “buzzing” military and civilian personal on the ground.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day or VE Day) was on May 8, 1945, the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich.

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

BOMB DAMAGE IN GERMANY

 

 

RETURN