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| Melvin Rosenfeld, WWII |
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| Recent Address: |
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1515 Barrington Rd., Apt. 815, Hoffman Estates, IL 60194 |
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| Email: |
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| Family Information: |
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Wife: Eleanor; Children: David, Ellen |
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| Hometown: |
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Chicago, IL |
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| Date Entered Service: |
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November 22, 1942 |
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| Service Number: |
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O-860330 |
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| Bomb Group: |
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462nd Bomb Group |
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| Squadron: |
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769th/ 770th Bomb Squadron |
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| Location of Unit: |
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Walker AAF, KS; February 1944 |
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| Missions Flown: |
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10-12 |
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| Hump Missions Flown: |
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12? |
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| Targets: |
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Bangkok (2), Yawata, Anshan, Palembang (aborted), Anshan (shot down), Formosa (2), Omura (2), Singapore
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| Awards/Decorations: |
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Air Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with 4 Battle Stars, American Theater Ribbon, WWII Victory Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation, Chinese Medal |
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| Service Schools Attended: |
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Aviation Cadet-Yale Univ., Communications November 1942-March 1943; Radar and RCM, Boca Raton, FL April-December 1943; Primary Flight Trng, Brooks Fld, TX & Tulare CA March-May 1945 |
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| Military Specialty(ies): |
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MOS 7888-Radar Observer, RCM |
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| Rank Upon Discharge: |
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1st Lt./Capt. (Res.) |
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| Crew Type: |
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Flight crew |
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| Airplane Serial No.& Name: |
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42-6360 (unnamed) and others. |
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| Were you a POW? |
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No |
| If so, where? |
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| Were you interned? |
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No |
| If so, where? |
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| Date Transferred from the 58th: |
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December, 1944 |
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| Date Discharged from the 58th: |
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December 10, 1945 |
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| Post-WWII Military Service: |
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In Reserves until November 1953, gained rank of Captain. |
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| Post-WWII Civilian Occupation(s): |
| Petroleum Geologist, Montana 1946-47; Research Associate PhD, Penn State 1948-53; Senior Research Geologist, Mobil Oil 1953-57; Director Exploration Research, Pure Oil 1957-56; Senior Scientist, Manager Computer Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic 1965-80. Retired December 1980. |
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| Thoughts on the 58th Bomb Wing: |
| First, it meant that I had done my duty to my country. My draft number was so high that I may never have been called so I enlisted. The exciting part of the 58th was being in at the beginning of the B-29 activity and suffering the initial problems, particularly engine failures.
The sad part of my subsequent relations with the 58th is that I never was part of a single crew and thus never formed the close relationships that developed. As RCM observer I flew with many different crews defending what plane I put our Raven equipment on.
One other thing about the 58th (or any other unit for that matter) is the ability to exchange war stories with all the other old guys in my senior residence.
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| Comments: |
| I regret that I did not have an opportunity to become a regular part of an air crew. There was only one RCM (7888 Radar Counter Measures-RAVEN) per squadron and we each flew with many different crews. During 1944 I flew on missions or over the Hump with Captains Mason, Walker, Boyd, Sullivan and Majors Rosebush, Slack, Vaucher. I was most familiar with Jimmy Walker's crew.
When I returned to the States in December 1944, it was as an individual, not part of a crew. Since then I have had no contact with anyone or any organization for over 50 years until the late 1990s. Then, with the inspiration and help of Jody Smith, I have become a member of the 58th Bomb Wing Assoc. and have been able to get in touch with a few Hellbirds. It is very gratifying and I will be going to my first reunion in Tucson, September 2003.
Mr. Rosenfeld passed away August 19 2012.
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| RAVEN (radar counter measures) group. Mel Rosenfeld - first row, bottom right |
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