The Writing 69th: Unanswered Questions

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Unanswered Questions

Even though the bulk of the research on The Writing 69th is complete, there are some areas where additional connections could still be made. For this particular page, I am counting on the searching capability of the Internet to bring a select group of people to see what is assembled here. I am looking for:

Relatives of the crew from Capt. Adams' plane
Experts on newsreel photography who may know more about the cameramen listed below
Anyone who knows who might be in the photograph below of New York Times staff

Relatives of the crew from Capt. Adams' plane
I have been in touch with many of the families of the crew members of Post's plane. There are still two left that I have not been able to locate. If you know anyone from the Jones or Mifflin families, please let me know. The names, wartime addresses, and burial places of the crew members are as follows:

44th Bomb Group (The Flying Eightballs), 66th Squadron, aircraft #41-23777 (Maisie):

Capt. Howard Adams, pilot, Rutland, VT (Family contacted)
- U.S. Military Cemetery, Neuville-en Condroz, Belgium (Plot B, Row 33, Grave 5)

2nd Lt. Stanley McLeod, co-pilot, Oklahoma City, OK (Family contacted)
- U.S. Military Cemetery, Neuville-en Condroz, Belgium (Plot B, Row 33, Grave 10)

2nd Lt. Wayne Gotke, navigator, San Antonio, TX (Family contacted)
- Salt Lake City, Utah

2nd Lt. William Hannan, bombardier, Canton, NY (Family contacted)
- U.S. Military Cemetery, Neuville-en Condroz, Belgium (Plot B, Row 33, Grave 8)

T/Sgt. Robert Vogt, engineer, Danville, PA (Family contacted)
- Odd Fellows Cemetery, Danville, Pennsylvania

S/Sgt. Linwood Jones, radio operator, Greenville, NC (No contact)
- Greenwood Cemetery, Greenville, North Carolina

S/Sgt. Donald Bowie, gunner, North Conway, NH (Family contacted)
- U.S. Military Cemetery, Neuville-en Condroz, Belgium (Plot B, Row 33, Grave 6)

S/Sgt. James Mifflin, asst. radio operator, E. St. Louis, IL (No contact)
- Not known

S/Sgt. Scott Brewer, gunner, Boise, ID (Family contacted)
- U.S. Military Cemetery, Neuville-en Condroz, Belgium (Plot B, Row 33, Grave 7)

Sgt. William Welch, gunner, Loudon, NH (Family contacted)
- Mount Hope Cemetery, Loudon, New Hampshire

The above photo shows the enlisted men of Capt. Adams' crew. The man in the center is Pershing Rolfe. His hands were frost bitten in a previous flight and he missed the fateful mission. (The men in the photo are, left to right, Scott Brewer, Robert Vogt, Perch Rolfe, Linwood Jones, and Jim Mifflin.)

Newsreel cameramen
Five cameramen took part in the training along with The Writing 69th. I would be interested in talking to any of them and learning about their careers after the war. They were: George B. Oswald of Universal Newsreel, Ernest J.H. Wright of Paramount News, J.L. Ransden of Movietone News, Robert K.L. Gordon of Passe Gazette News, and Harold J. Morley of Gaumont British. (Note: It turns out that the document listing the cameramen's names and companies included at least two errors. It's "Ramsden" not Ransden" and "Pathe Gazette" not "Passe Gazette.")

Update: Biographies of these men can be found on the search page of the British Universities Film & Video Council's News on Screen site. These links will take you directly there:

George B. Oswald
Ernest J.H. Wright - Known as Jim Wright; was an RAF sergeant; see newsreel clip of him and his son, also a cameraman
J.L. Ramsden - Research has confirmed that Ramsden, known as Jack, flew with the 8th Air Force's 305th Bomb Group (see Writing 69th home page)
Robert K.L. Gordon - Known as Ken Gordon; see this newsreel clip for more on Gordon
Harold J. Morley
The photograph contains at least three of the cameramen. Ken Gordon is at the far left, Jim Wright is next, and Jack Ramsden is in the middle. Can you help identify the other two men in the picture?

The London Bureau of the New York Times
The photo below was taken in London the late 1930s or early 1940s. I believe that James McDonald is the third from the left, Raymond Daniel is in the center facing McDonald, Robert Post is third from the right and David Anderson is on the far right. Can anyone identify the others in the photo?

The Doll
The small wooden doll that was found in the wreckage and given to Leni Eilers is a bit of a mystery. Leni Eilers kept it long enough for her own daughter to play with it. Heinz Knoke mentions it in his journal. But no such item was mentioned by Captain Adams in his diary and it was not familiar to Perch Rolfe, who was part of the original crew. I've wondered whether it was a gift to the crew from a girlfriend or a niece. Perhaps Robert Post even brought it aboard. If there is someone out there who has the key to this mystery, please write.

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