Re: 9 Aug 44 - 3 COs in a day - 353FS/354FG/9AF
 

You're very welcome, Juha. I still remember when my uncle showed me the clippings about Bud....20 years ago, and how much we've learned from all of the excellent sources like: this Forum, the living veterans of the 354th Fighter Group, Frank Olynyk, <354thpmfg.com>, <354thfightergroup.homestead.com>, Daniel Carrizales and Gene Lamar whose dedication maintains these two websites, and especially Pflugplatz Giessen (who started the thread on Bud), and many others (like: cybermodeler.com/history/354fg/354fg.shtml).

Thank you all...!
Tripp

Re: 9 Aug 44 - 3 COs in a day - 353FS/354FG/9AF
 

Paul Sailer, author of the book "The Oranges are Sweet" about the life of Don M. Beerbower informed me today of the death on 8/23/13 of Frederick "Bud" Deeds, 353FS, who was Don Beerbower's last wingman.....on 9 Aug 44 when Don was shot down by ground fire over the Luftwaffe aerdrome near Reims, France.

An article by Paul Sailer will appear close to this coming Veterans Day on the editorial page of the Omaha World Herald. It is entitled "The Last Wingman".

The eyewitness report from Bud Deeds on 9 Aug 44 was posted earlier in this thread.

Tripp

Re: 9 Aug 44 - 3 COs in a day - 353FS/354FG/9AF
 

354FG Friends,


I received word just a little while ago from Cathy that Mike Rogers has passed on....in his 90s from the effects of Parkinson's Disease.


What a great guy!....he took over the 353FS on 9 Aug 44, the day that Don Beerbower & Bud (Wally) Emmer were shot down. Mike
stuck with this business and retired as an Air Force 4-star general.


We'll remember Mike & Cathy from our 2009 Reunion in Las Vegas and his excellent quips on the bus ride out to our tour of the Air
Warfare Center at Nellis AFB.


His BEANTOWN BANSHEE FT-O lives on in a great piece of artwork painted some years ago.

Mike was an ace with 7 aerial victories confirmed. He grew up in Newton, MA. and had retired

to the Montecito/Santa Barbara, CA area.




RIP Mike......



Tripp

Re: 9 Aug 44 - 3 COs in a day - 353FS/354FG/9AF
 

Correction: that's "Cathie".

Sorry.

Tripp

Re: 9 Aug 44 - 3 COs in a day - 353FS/354FG/9AF
 

9 Aug 1944


To remember that day when Bud Emmer ("Red One") was shot down while leading the 353rd Fighter Squadron on an armed recce mission near Rouen, France.


His best friend, Don Beerbower, was his tentmate. Don was Sqdn CO and had just recently pinned on the oak leaves of Major. Bud was his OPSO. When they awoke that morning little did they know that, by the end of the day, Don would be dead and Bud would be badly burned and in German hands...this is war.


Their "Bonnie B II" (Don) and "Arson's Reward" (Bud) would be destroyed, but not before they had shot down a combined 29 1/2 enemy aircraft.


70 years ago today.....'Lest we forget.


Tripp

Re: 9 Aug 44 - 3 COs in a day - 353FS/354FG/9AF
 

To remember the 71st anniversary of 9 Aug 44 when 353FS CO Don Beerbower and Acting CO Bud Emmer were shot down by German groundfire. Don was KIA and Bud became MIA then POW and died 6 months later at the POW transit camp at Dulag Luft Wetzlar.

Their contribution to the war effort on the Allied side and their supreme sacrifice will not be forgotten!

Tripp

Re: 9 Aug 44 - 3 COs in a day - 353FS/354FG/9AF
 

On this Memorial Day weekend, a pause to remember the sacrifices of so many service men and women as they fought for our Freedom!

Let's remember them and their families as we say.....Thank You!


Tripp

Re: 9 Aug 44 - 3 COs in a day - 353FS/354FG/9AF
 

To remember Bud Emmer & Don Beerbower on this fateful day in 1944. Also, the officer who took their place, Mike Rodgers, passed on recently.

We thank them all for their service to our nation.

God bless......


Tripp

Re: 9 Aug 44 - 3 COs in a day - 353FS/354FG/9AF
 

A quiet, thoughtful & respectful pause to remember Don M. Beerbower and Wallace N. "Bud" Emmer. They were best friends and leaders in the 353rd Fighter Squadron. When 353FS CO Jack Bradley went home on leave, Don moved up to take command of the "Fighting Cobras". By 9 Aug he had pinned on his oak leaves as a Major in the U.S. Army Air Forces. Don's tentmate from St. Louis was Capt. Bud (also "Wally") Emmer.

They had been classmates in 42-J at Luke Field in Phoenix, Arizona. Like Bradley, Don was part of the original group in the formation of the 354FG at Hamilton Field, CA. Bud came over from the 20FG at Paine Field shortly after. That famous 353FS photo of the men standing in front of the hangar on 29 July 43 shows Bradley kneeling to the right, Don with his B flight (front row, right half) and Bud with D flight (back row, right half). They were at the Tonopah gunnery range in NV for training prior to deploying to the ETO. So many of those guys would not return:

CO Owen Seaman, CO Don Beerbower, Wah Kah Kong ("No Tickee, No Washee" & "Chinamans Chance"), Don McDowell, James "Snapper" Parsons, Bud Emmer, Edward "Edy" Hunt.

Also, there would be POWs from the 353rd: James Cannon (Ldr A Flt), Buford Eaves (Ldr C Flt), Bud Emmer (CO/OPSO/Ldr D Flt) (later died) and Ed Regis.

Also in the Tonopah photo, a member of Don's B Flt, was Felix M. "Mike" Rogers who would assume command of the 353rd the evening of that fateful day. The 354th CO, Col. George Bickell, wouldn't let Mike fly the evening mission and said: I've already lost two commanders, I'm not going to lose a third!

We remember all these guys for their service, dedication, patriotism and sacrifice....Thank you Boys....Rest in Peace.

Note: D Flt member and former POW, Ed Regis, survives and lives in California....Best wishes, Ed & Betty!

Tripp