CBI – July 1945
From: the CBI Roundup – the Major has no wish to go home…..
Among the 10th Air Force *wallahs it is highly doubtful which is the better known story, that of Maj. George E. Williams or the crashing, smashing glorious finale of Little Audrey.
We can’t tell you the Little Audrey yarn, for the chaplain would probably raise hell, but we can and will tell you the sad history of “Hard Luck” or “Good Luck” Williams, depending on whether you look at it from your own or his attitude.
Williams is Quartermaster for the 10th, and scheduled to return shortly to the States. He is currently trying to avoid flying Stateside, so before we begin the sad saga of Williams, if anyone knows of a nice, comfortable boat with a fearless skipper who doesn’t ask questions, please inform the major.
Williams, according to the 10th AF PRO, is an affable soul, healthy as anyone can be who has sweated out about two years over here and is a moderately happy-go-lucky Air Corps *wallah. Unfortunately there is no one in the entire 10th who will knowingly ride in a plane with him.
Shortly after his arrival in the then CBI Theater the major had to be piloted to the Arakan. He arrived safely. On the takeoff the B-25 failed to rise fast enough and after hitting a tree the only part left intact was the fuselage which skidded along the ground to a dead stop amidst a huge puddle of gasoline.
The gasoline failed to ignite and out stepped William and the entire crew – unscratched. Williams then entered into the full stride of his “accident” career. Included were several L-5 crackups, getting lost while flying less than 50 miles over flat country on a perfectly clear day, another B-25 mishap and an episode in a C-46 over The Hump.
It was the second B-25 adventure which soured Williams’ associates on flying with him anywhere for any known reason. After completing a tour of Burma bases, he had to be flown back over the little hump into India. The B-25 took off without incident and the plane flew towards the tricky Ledo Pass. But before crossing over into India, Williams found he could get off at a Burma strip just this side of the Burma side of the pass and complete his business.
Our hero was safely deposited on terra firma and gaily waved goodbye to the B-25 crew as they headed for India. The plane was never heard of again.
Williams’ final air chapter came on a C-46 trip over The Hump. Unable to hold his altitude, the pilot ordered the passengers to bail out. Williams was number two in the parachute line. As number one stood hesitating to gather his courage before leaping, the pilot suddenly changed his mind and decided he could hold the plane in the air.
Williams, keeping his parachute on and gloomily reflecting that he would probably have to jump anyway, “sweated out” the rest of the trip until the plane put its wheels down. “Well, we made it,” commented the pilot, with a grim look at the dejected Williams.
So Williams is now awaiting transportation back to the States. And all things come to him who waits. Or do they?
*wallah – slang for a chap or fellow
HQ., NORTH BURMA AIR TASK FORCE – He is the oldest member of the 10th Air Force, having served three years both in the headquarters of the 10th and its units; he has been in service for more than five years, four and a half of which have been spent overseas, both in North Africa and the India-Burma theaters; but he is not a member of the USAAF nor does he wear an American uniform. He is Squadron Leader W. B. Page, of the RAF, serving as liaison officer with headquarters of Brig. Gen. A. H. Gilkeson’s North Burma Air Task Force, a 10th Air Force combat unit.
Page’s long tour with the 10th began just three years ago when he worked with the Seventh Bombardment Group. From there it was a jump to the original India Air Task Force, under Brig. Gen. Caleb V. Hayes and then to the headquarters of the 10th under the command of Maj. Gen. Howard C. Davidson.
Page is a natural for the job of liaison between the USAAF and the RAF. Although born and raised in England he lived in New Jersey and worked in New York City prior to entering the British forces five years ago.
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Military C.B.I. Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Thomas Braatz – Kenosha, WI; US Army, All-Star Football Team
William V. Fuller – Hadley, ENG; RAF
Albert Madden (100) – Hyannis Port, MA; US Army, WWII, Korea & Vietnam, Bugler 9th Infantry Division
Jason M. McClary – Export, PA; US Army, Afghanistan, Sgt., KIA
Richard Murphy Jr. – Silver Spring, MD; USMC, WWII, PTO, SSgt., KIA (Saipan)
Dennis Norling – MN, TX, & FL; USMC, Vietnam, 2 Purple Hearts
Robert Patten – Holllywood, FL; US Army, Korea & Vietnam, 1st Sgt.
Raymond Plank – Minneapolis, MN; US Army Air Corps, WWII, bomber pilot
Leonard Segal – Bourne, MA; US Army, radio operator
Edward Shapiro – Schenectady, NY; US Army, 2nd. Lt., Dentist
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Posted on December 6, 2018, in Uncategorized, WWII and tagged 1940's, CBI, History, Humor, Military, Military humor, Pacific War, veterans, war, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 82 Comments.
This is so damn cool GP. I loved it. How are you getting your hands on these anecdotal incidents? You kept a log of it or got hold of Squadron Record Book. Glee.
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The CBI Roundup was the military weekly newspaper distributed to the troops, much as other papers and magazines were, such as ‘Yank’, ‘Stars and Stripes’, etc.
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Great.
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Williams was one lucky guy, but I wouldn’t have volunteered to ride with him…just in case his luck ran out.
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haha, Bev, there have been a few people who agree with you!
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
SAWING HIS BED IN HALF—THE MILITARY VERSION OF SHORT-SHEETING THE BED? WE HONOR YOU FOR REMEMBERING AND HONORING THEM!
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haha, sawed in half or just too drunk to get into bed? You help is much appreciated!
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Remembering college, that’s all—My first drunk!
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🙂
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Off topic – Hoping you did view posting at Jester’s mace. I amended the link to point that out. Thanks.
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I missed being able to reply, had computer repaired You do not have to bring your own dish for ice cream. >
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Good to see you, Sheila!!
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Williams led a charmed life, or had one powerful guardian angel!
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Someone or something was definitely watching over him.
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💕💖💞
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Wat een verhaal.Zoveel pech en ongelukken .Hij had vast een goede beschermengel.
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Ja, daar ben ik het zeker mee eens!
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I’m pretty sure that Peggy’s dad would have been amused by the Hump story after his own experience. –Curt
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I’m sure he could relate to it. The Hump was a rough route.
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A whole world unto itself, G.
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Remarkable story. I wonder how long he survived once he was “safely” back Stateside.
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Now THAT would be a great question!!
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I tried to locate an obituary, but I haven’t as yet.
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You’ll fall over it one day and won’t remember which blog post it belongs to 🙂
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Of course I will!! That’s sure happened before!!
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He had a charmed life
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I should say so!!! haha
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It’s Pearl Harbor Day — and somehow this post fits today, too. It’s a reminder of the nature of war. Some escape, and some don’t, and sometimes the reasons for either can’t be explained!
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I’ve done a few stories on Pearl Harbor and felt it was perhaps someone else’s turn to tell of that day. I don’t expect you to visit all of these, but I should have included them in today’s post. Thank you for your kind words, Linda.
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I wonder if he felt lucky or guilty!?
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That would be hard to say now that I think about it. Good point.
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In a similar vein is the RAF’s belief in a “chop-girl”. She would go on a date with an aircrew member and then he would fail to return. Same thing for the next boyfriend, and the third. Within a very short time she would be known to one and all and, surprise surprise, she never got a boyfriend again!
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haha, thanks, John. I hadn’t heard the story of the ‘chop-girl’ before.
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Reblogged this on Dave Loves History.
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Your generosity is appreciated!!
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Reblogged this on John Cowgill's Literature Site.
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Much appreciate, my friend!
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You are one entertaining Story Wallah.
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haha, seems I gave people a lost word to throw around, eh? I might try to find some more, we can’t have language disappearing along with history!!
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Since I read a lot of British fiction, I was familiar with the term Wallah. Interesting choice of words and perfect for the location of the story.
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The CBI Theater had a lot of British and Commonwealth Nations represented, so the newspaper had to appeal to everyone, not just the Americans. I don’t think wallah is a term used here very often, which is why I included the definition – I knew quite a few would ask.
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He seems quite lucky – the crews with him are the unlucky ones.
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Isn’t THAT the truth! A flying jinx.
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🙂
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I so much appreciate your farewell salutes. A friend of mine passed away on Tuesday night, former Air Force Captain Tom Knibbs who fought cancer for the past 18 years. Tom served on active duty for six years during the Vietnam War and then went on to pilot Jeb Bush for a number of years. A truly good man. I shall miss his intelligence and his sense of humor.
Semper Fidelis
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We lost another hero. I would be honored to have Captain Knibbs in the Salutes, do you happen to know anymore about him?
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Thomas J. Knibbs 4Nov48 – 4Dec18 Boca Raton, FL Capt USAF (Vietnam).
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Thank you very much.
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I don’t blame those who wanted to avoid flying with Williams.
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Nope – I don’t think anyone would. 🙂
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😀
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Williams was something of a walking jinx indeed. It hardly seems possible that one man could have been involved in so many mishaps. I think I would have avoided him too. He had good luck, that’s for sure, but there was none for those around him. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Very true. Does this prove the “When your time is up.” theory?
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Did you list #41? Did I miss it?
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Our former President was in the Farewell Salutes on Monday’s Naval post. Being he was such a humble man, who didn’t even think anyone would come to his funeral, I put him with his fellow serviceman rather than a post by itself. Thanks for asking, he was a good man.
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Yes… So I did miss your inclusion in your farewell salutes… 😪 This guy rec’d a few medals too as you know.
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His personnel file is quite large, I agree. I really didn’t know where to pick and choose!
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What a career. If I read it in a book, I wouldn’t believe it.
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Strange things do go on in this world, eh Jacqui?! You never know what’s around the corner. I know fate sure keeps me guessing! 🙂
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Great post, GP. I think I must be related to Williams… Some people are born without a sense of hearing, or a sense of sight. Me — I was born without a sense of direction! “getting lost while flying less than 50 miles over flat country on a perfectly clear day” is something I could do. Hugs on the wing.
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haha, good one, Teagan!
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Williams had his guardian angel watching over him or his number was not up yet.
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Makes you wonder how that works, eh?!! Thanks for stopping by, Rose!
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I used to pray a lot to my guardian angel when I was little. Learned it from the nuns. Here goes:
Angel of God, my guardian dear
To whom His love, commits me here
Ever this day, be at my side
To love and guide, to rule and guard. Amen.
Funny I can still remember the verse. I only say it now when I’m scared, like when I go on a plane.
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It wouldn’t hurt to say it daily – for a lot of people!
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Great survival story of good luck Williams! Recently I read a story of someone being delayed by a traffic jam and not catching the plane, which he intended to take. He was obviously very annoyed, but called himself lucky after he heard that the plane had crashed. Good luck and bad luck are often close together.
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All depends on the recipient, eh Peter?! haha
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Great story, GP! I think he really was “Good Luck” Willams. Best wishes, Michael
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If he wanted to go home, the Universe would have probably worked against him – right!! haha
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:-))
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Lucky Williams wallah 🙂
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Isn’t THAT the truth!! haha
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I’m going to go with “good luck” – that’s some record.
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There are stranger things in this world, eh?!!
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I think he was “Good Luck” Williams. 🙂
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Good one!!
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It is always nice to see a post on a forgot theater of World War 2….thanx….chuq
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They have some terrific stories that have been mostly unheard of too. Thanks for stopping in!
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It is always enjoyable….chuq
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Thank you.
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Thank you, Ian.
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