It is our goal to assemble a complete record of all personnel who at one time served with the United States Army Air Corps, and the Eighth Air Force during World War II, and the 44th Bomb Group.

The records of those who were on flying status have been obtained from declassified group mission reports which have been stored in the National Archives. These records have been copied by Tony Mastrodone and other dedicated members of the 44th Bomb Group. From this, a matrix has been developed which will allow for the search and retrieval of the following information:

Who flew on each mission, and the total flown by each person - - - All Group, Squadron and  Flight Crew Members on each mission - - - In what plane, including the A/C name and/or number - - - To what city and what target - - - On what date - - - Enemy opposition - - - Aircraft and Personnel losses - - - A detailed summery for each mission  - - - A Roll Of Honor, with details on those who made the ultimate sacrifice - - - A Legacy Section, with personal stories, diaries and POW experiences - - - A Folded Wings Section remembering those who have "passed" since their time in service - - - Pictures of your Crew and of you "then and now" - - - Your own voice on a sound clip, if you have provided one - - - And hundreds of cross referenced bits of detailed information.

 

Most of us never spoke of the War  to our children. For those of us ,"Who Were There," this record of the 44th Bomb Group can be a treasured gift to our children, our grandchildren, our great- grandchildren and all future generations.

Regardless of our individual contribution, we who have been called, "The Greatest Generation", should not allow our stories, our sacrifices and our legacies to be forgotten. There is much to "Remember And Share - - With Those Who Were There". 

We are now recording individual biographies, personal stories, diaries and recollections. Included in the biographies are crew photos, pictures of you "then and now", and your own voice on a sound clip that you may choose to include with your biography. Personal Legacy Pages have been added, a Roll Of Honor, paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice is being updated, and sadly, a Folded Wings Section is constantly being added to. The Database is updated constantly.

We need more information, including biographies, and stories of Ground Crews and other Group Support Personnel. Not enough credit has ever been given to their efforts. Without their support the Eight Air Force could not have accomplished it's mission and left such a major mark on the history of World War II. 

To make the database come "Alive", your stories, memories, photographs and voice recordings are essential.

Cassette recordings of your memories are welcome and should be limited to two (2) minutes per incident.

Please provide a "then and now" photo of yourself and a crew photo if available. Make sure all crew members are identified.

Copies of this multi-media database are now a part of several National and International Military Museums.   Other copies will soon be available to Public Museums, Libraries, Universities, Schools and on the World Wide Internet. You may also purchase your own copy of the full database on a CD to run on any home or commercial computer.  A donation of $150.00, to the 44th BG, includes the current CD version of the 44th BG Database, 3 future NO CHARGE updates of the CD, unlimited access, AT NO CHARGE, to the Internet Version of the 44th BG Database, and also supports the continual updating and enhancement of the Military Heritage Database Program..

Please fill out the Military Biography form carefully so that the person entering your data into the database can interpret what you have written. It is important to include your special memories, they are an important part of the database. Your memories make the database come "alive" and will be preserved for future generations of your family in an electronic format.

Your legacy should not be lost in an attic, or stored in a garage, where it may later be disposed of as trash. Should you require more space, on the form that is provided to acquire the information that will become a part of the 44th BG database, please add additional pages. Ask your children, your grand-children and even your great grand-children to participate in this effort to preserve your history. I believe they will share in an experience they will never forget.

When you return the completed form please include a $10.00 donation* if you have not included  photographs. If you have included photos, please submit an additional $15.00 donation*. Should you commit to a $150.00 donation* the 44th Bomb Group will wave all other charges, including shipping.

Donations should be mailed to:

Photos will be returned on request if a self addressed stamped envelope is included.