John Mongell's Flying Tigers Tribute - A Photo History of the 11th Bomb Squadron

Administrative Officers

Richard E Voland, Intelligence

Lt. Martin D Scheffler, Supply

Lt.Col. Charles G. Willes, Commanding Officer

Maj. Milton L. Jungwirth, Executive Officer

...He would be proud of his granddaughter who is now in the U.S. Air Force Academy assigned to the Flying Tiger Squadron ...

Capt. Frederick S. Wolf, Medical

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Flying Officers - Chenkung Bound

Radebaugh, Birou, Cates, Wendling,

Baroody, Shepherd, Spoonts

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Flying Officers

front row : Freeman, Ponge, Corkin, Hanley, Dichiara

standing : Perigo, Frederick, Leech, Whitley, Tarpening, Zogheib, Jancziewski, Arbiter, Wingate, Barnhart, Kelly, Easter

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Editorial Staff of 'The Record- the Official 11th History'

standing: Richard G. Leech, Associate Editor and Historian, Mitchell D. Cates, Editor in Chief Ronald E. Irwin, Photographic Editor, David M. Martin, Staff Photographer

seated : Joseph Causey, Assistant Editor, Waldo B. Stubbins, Records, Harry E. Williams, Records, Peter M. Szczygiel, Staff Typist

All photos courtesy of Lt. R. Leech, Official Historian of the 11th Bomb Squadron.

In March, 1942, the Group moved to India, where the 11th and 22nd were the nucleus of the 7th Group.

On May 4, 1942, at Columbia Army Air Base, Columbia, South Carolina, the ground echelon of the 11th Bombardment Squadron (M), AAF, was activated, with permanent location unknown. The following officers were assigned:

1st Lt. Joe G. Sparks, Commanding Officer

1st Lt. Paul N. Dousal, Adjutant

2nd Lt. James C. Routt, Operations Officer

1st Lt. Chase Briggs, Intelligence Officer

1st Lt. Carl R. Sedore, Supply Officer

2nd Lt. John D. Raymond, Armament Officer

2nd Lt. Ralph S. Jordan, Communications Officer

2nd Lt. Chester P. Luke, Engineering Officer

1st Lt. Melvin R. Wilcox, Jr., Medical Officer

On May 25, 1942, the ground echelon embarked from Charleston, S. C. on the Santa Paula, destination unknown, landing at Karachi, India July 23, 1942, and moving to the Malir Cantonment there.

In the middle of April, 1942, B-25 combat crews began to arrive at Morrison Field, Fla., as part of Project 157. Each crew was assigned a ship, and the entire unit was put under the command of Major Gordon C. Leland.

Some two weeks were spent outfitting the ships, testing all the apparatus, and getting the crews accustomed to working together. The night of May 2, 1942, the first crews left for overseas. The ships were not only completely fitted and ready for immediate combat, but were loaded with a great variety of extra ground equipment for maintaining planes and crews. Every one of the ships had at least 500 pounds over the maximum overload for safe flight and this route had never been flown over by combat crews before, though part of the trip had been made in the same type ship by ferry pilots, with lighter loads.

The regular ferry route to India was followed, routing through Brazil, across the South Atlantic to Africa and across Africa to Karachi, India. At Accra, on the Gold Coast of Africa, several B-25's picked up formations of six to eight P-40's which had landed from a carrier. These were led across Africa to India by way of Asia Minor. Many of these same P-40's and pilots later flew escort on missions in China.

Several planes never reached India and some arrived several months after the others.

By the last of May most of the other crews of Project 157 arrived in Karachi and were assigned to the 11th Bombardment Squadron, which was being reactivated after the Java campaign as a medium outfit, though the squadron remained part of the 7th Bombardment Group(H).

Major Leland was given command of the new 11th and on 27 May led 6 ships to Allahabad, India, where bomb bay tanks were dropped and six 500-lb. bombs put in their place.

All photos courtesy of Lt. R. Leech, Official Historian of the 11th Bomb Squadron.