This site is dedicated to Mr. Jim Ridge and, more specifically, to his uncle,
Mr. Mel Harms.
Mr. Harms served as a bombardier with the 38th Bombardment Squadron during WWII
and it is a selection of photos from his collection, passed on to me by Jim Ridge
(along with several more that he himself has collected), which served as the
basis and inspiration for this website.
I am gratefully indebted to Jim for sharing these images with me so that I may
share them with you, Joe Q. Public. I am also indebted to Mr. Harms. Not only for
these wonderful photos of his but also for his service to his country during the
darkest days of its existence. Dark days which, ironically, are also among its
brightest. I fear we may never again see the likes of Mr. Harms and his
comrades.
To you and your pals, Mel, we are all indebted...
All photos are courtesy of Jim Ridge and/or Mel Harms unless otherwise noted.
Online References and Resources Used in the Preparation of this Website
In no particular order...
Seventh Air Force 30th Bomb Group & 11th Bomb Group Memorial Web Site
Vandenberg Portal - Vandenberg AFB, Home of the 30th Space Wing
30th BG on Army Air Forces.com
11th Bomb Group (H)
on
Web-Birds.com
B-24 Best Web
Consolidated B-24 Liberator on Joe Baugher's Site
Aircraft Serial Number Search
Printed References and Resources Used in the Preparation of this Website
In no particular order...
B-24 Nose Art Name Directory -
by Wallace R. Forman, published by Specialty Press
Famous Aircraft Series: The B-24 Liberator -
by Steve Birdsall, published by Arco
Famous Airplanes of the World #54, September, 1995: B-24 Liberator -
published by Bunrindo
Air Force Colors Volume 3: Pacific and Homefront 1942-47 -
by Dana Bell, published by Squadron/Signal
Classy Chassy -
by Ian Logan and Henry Nield, published by A&W Visual Library
World War II Nose Art in Color -
by Jeff Ethell, published by Motorbooks
Vintage Aircraft Nose Art -
by Gary M. Valant, published by Motorbooks
For the Boys -
by Max Allan Collins, published by Collector's Press
Planes, Names & Dames Vol. I 1940-1945 -
by Larry Davis, published by Squadron/Signal
Osprey Airwar 22: USAAF Bomber Units - Pacific 1941-45 -
by Eric Munday, published by Osprey
-
And lastly, various clippings and fragmented magazine articles...
