Where to find L-Bird Info

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo all,

Unfortunately in terms of US aviation research anything to do with the US Army Ground Forces liason aircraft/units/personnel during WW2 is by far the most difficult area (of US aviation history). Or such has been my experience.

My interest began because of one US Army liason aircraft in particular which force-landed here in Ireland during 1944. Unfortunately the details of its landing here are almost non-existant in our own Irish Defence Forces Archives, mainly because it was only on the ground for some 4 minutes !

To make a short story longer I was told that the unit diaries for the Air Sections of the US Army Field Artillery Battalions and HQ units were held at the Fort Sill Artillery Museum, Oklahoma and that they had been accessible by personal visit - at least in the 1980s. Actually this information came from Ken Wakefield author of the two books mentioned and probably the most knowledgeable person on the subject.

After several attempts to contact them I eventually received a reply in 2007 from Fort Sill. They stated that due to understaffing they cannot undertake research for interested parties like me, nor can they facilitate hired researchers or personal visits. They seemed to suggest that they did not have such records as I was looking for (unit diaries, etc.) and recommended I try other agencies such as the US Army Aviation Museum Research Library at Fort Rucker, Alabama. I had already done this and likewise received a reply in 2007 that they did not hold such records either. I should say here, on re-reading my correspondence, that Fort Sill did not deny they held those unit diaries.

I fear until there is a sea change in funding and appreciation of such records that we will not see them again. I just hope and pray they are at the least retained and conserved in the meantime.

Sorry that I cannot bring good news on the matter.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.