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david leigh-smith
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On This Day…December 15th

December 15, 2018 · in News · · 5 · 1.9K

The Norseman C64 (44-70285) was the aircraft in which Glenn Miller boarded en route to France on the 15th December 1944. That aircraft disappeared somewhere over the English Channel with the loss of Major Glenn Miller, Pilot Flight Officer John Morgan, and Lt.Col. Norman Baessell.

F4U-4 Corsair fighters of US Navy squadron VF-671 (flying from the USS Tarawa) in flight over the Mediterranean Sea, 15 Dec 1951.

USS Iowa decked out in her Christmas lights, December 15th, 1984.

American troops with captured King Tiger of the Heavy Panzer Battalion 506 in Gereonsweiler, Germany, December 15th, 1944.

15 December 1953, the first flight of the Lockheed SeaStar.

USS Hancock (CV-19), one of 24 Essex class carriers that have been featured in this series. Dec 15th, 1944 in the Philippine Sea. Originally laid down as the Ticonderoga, the name was changed after the John Hancock insurance company raised the money for the ship and covered her first year’s operating costs. Launched in 1944, she saw extensive service throughout the Vietnam War.

Reader reactions:
5  Awesome

5 responses

  1. Speaking of carriers, on this day in 1975, the last day of a 30 DAY ORE[operational exercise] around mid-morning the Saratoga CV-60 while taken on fuel from Missesenewa AO-144 side swiped each other, damaging a fuel sponson and cat walks on the Sara. We went to general quarters and pulled out fire hoses on the flight deck. There also was a JP-5 fuel spill from one of the aircraft. The word later was that the fueler lost her steerage. The photos were from my trusty 110 instamatic of that day. They wouldn't let us take photos of the damage. In that same time period there was a rash of ship collisions, some attributed it post Vietnam war cut backs. David, forgive me for hi-jacking this day.

    6 attached images. Click to enlarge.

  2. No forgiveness required, Rob. Thanks for the fascinating contribution!

  3. Lovely print of the Norseman.
    It put me In The Mood for a bit of Glenn Miller tonight.

  4. Say what you like about the Nazi regime ,and I've said quite a bit , they knew how to build tanks... can you imagine being dug in somewhere and seeing a King Tiger heading your way and looking for trouble. Sheesh
    N.
    Great set Dave Cheers

  5. Maravilloso cartel recordando a Glenn Miller !.Los King Tiger son impresionantes.

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