Preface
Having a comprehensive 398th web page adds a great deal to our Association's effort to preserve 398th history. It also provides facilities for presenting our many activities to 398th members, friends and the public in general. Computer skills and technical know how are major requirements for a successful Internet web page creator. We have one such individual in Dave Jordan as the 398th Webmaster. Last year Dave began a personal web page that focused on his father's experiences while flying twenty eight combat missions with the 603 Squadron of the 398th. In doing this, Dave found that much of the material had interest for the entire 398th. When I became aware of Dave's web page activity and experience, I convinced him to expand his efforts to focus on the whole 398th, both the Memorial Association and 398th history. In July 2002, Lee Anne Bradley, Geoff Rice and I agreed that we would be a small working group, with Dave as the webmaster, to produce a new 398th web page. I sincerely thank them for undertaking this significant endeavor and much appreciated effort for our Association.

Wally Blackwell,
President, 398th BG Memorial Association
January 2003

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History
The current 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association Web Pages are an outgrowth of an earlier 398th Web Page activity by George Hilliard. Prototyping of the new web pages began in the summer of 2002. Early activities focused on creating pages about the Memorial Association, choosing a permanent host and address, and the inclusion of some content related to the war years. The new 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association web pages were announced to the on-line membership on January 1, 2003 and to the general membership in the January 2003 Flak News.

The 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association Web Page
The 398th Web Page is divided into two main parts. The first part provides information related to the 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association, including its purpose, board of directors, dues, and other matters related to the running of the organization. The second part provides information, pictures, records, and stories from the 398th's days in Rapid City South Dakota and Nuthampstead, England during 1944 and 1945.

Goals
The 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association Web Pages were commissioned to fulfil a number of goals. Among these are:

1. To provide an additional means of dissemination of information for its members.
2. To provide an additional means of preserving 398th history.
3. To provide an additional means of providing information about the Association and 398th history to the general public.
4. To encourage new membership.
5. To encourage future generations to continue the preservation of its history.
6. To encourage more participation and communication among its members.

Future Plans
There is still much to do to preserve our 398th history and to display it on the web. Future web efforts will focus on adding veteran personal histories, transcribing diaries and original records, documenting the missions, adding pictures of the planes and the crews. One particular effort will be to add Geoff Rice's work on 398th Crew Pictures. Volunteers are needed in a number of areas, so please check our 398th Volunteer Page to see if you can help. Our effort willl be years in the making.

Dave Jordan
398th Web Master
January 2003