398th Experiences

Getting There

Rapid City to Nuthampstead

The original crews left Rapid City in April 1944 with their B-17s. The route they generally followed was:

  • Rapid City, SD
  • Grand Island, NB
  • Manchester, NH, Grenier Field
  • Goosebay, Labrador
  • Keflavik, Iceland
  • Nutscorner, Ireland
  • Nuthampstead, England
USS Wakefield

One member of each of the original crews was bumped on the flight over and their places taken by key officers. The bumped aircraft crewmen along with ground support personnel traveled by train from Rapid City to Boston where they boarded the USS Wakefield and then sailed to Liverpool, England.

  1. Chaplain Duvall Conducting Services on USS Wakefield - probably 16 April 1944
Other Routes
  • Later crews followed varying routes.
  • Some crew members went via ship.

 

Getting There Articles

The following 398th web site articles include information about Getting There. Note that in some cases the information may be just a few sentences within a story. However, even though just a few sentences or paragraphs, the reader will begin to get a feel for how the veterans traveled to Nuthampstead. Arranged alphabetically by author.

  1. Lt. Robert J. Beckley's Diary Introduction
  2. Walter E. Boland: My Personal History by Walter E. Boland (briefly mentions transport there via ship)
  3. T/Sgt. Frederick Chester Bradley, Jr. Engineer / Top Turret Gunner Howard F. Traeder Crew by Lee Anne Bradley
  4. Why I Should have been Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by Lew Burke, Co-Pilot, 603rd
  5. Donald Dunn, 398th Tail Gunner/Spot Jammer - 603rd Squadron Video Interview Transcription
  6. Chaplain Duvall Conducting Services on USS Wakefield - probably 16 April 1944
  7. Bebe - Boeing B-17 # 43-37982 N7-K by Dallas Ebest, Ground Crew, 603rd Squadron
  8. Lt. E. Dalton Ebbeson, Bombardier/Navigator, 603rd
  9. Dick Frazier, 398th Pilot - 602nd Squadron Video Interview Transcription
  10. T/Sgt. Armand Fugge's Diary for April 20 to April 25, 1944
  11. Getting There And Back Was As Perilous As The Real War by Robert Geiryn
  12. George Graham, 398th Radio Operator - 600th Squadron Video Interview Transcription
  13. S/Sgt. Ken Green's Diary for July 26 to September 2, 1944
  14. S/Sgt. James Holloway's Diary Introduction
  15. Phil Jones WWII Recollections by Phillip H. Jones, Tail Gunner
  16. Lt. Edward C. Jordan - The War Years by Dave Jordan (see Rapid City to Nuthampstead Chapter)
  17. S/Sgt. Chilton H. Jorgenson's Diary for April 12 to April 23, 1944
  18. Arthur Laughlin, 398th Pilot - 601st Squadron Video Interview Transcription
  19. Lt. Harvey B. Kramer's Diary for April 23-24, 1944
  20. 2nd Lt. Charles J. Mellis, Jr. - Co-Pilot, 603rd Squadron
  21. A Flight Never to be Forgotten by Newell (Newt) Moy
  22. A Great Day with John Driscoll's Family by Malcolm "Ozzie" Osborn
  23. Philip Stahlman, 398th Pilot - 601st Squadron Video Interview Transcription
  24. Crossing The Atlantic by Phil Swan, Co-Pilot
  25. Sgt. Claude W. Tracey's Diary for 22 November 1944
  26. Bluie West One (BW-1) by Howard Traeder, Pilot
  27. A Memorable Trip - December 1944 by Paul Wagner
  28. The Tallest Gunner in the Air Force by Ralph F. Will, Flight Engineer