I am looking for anyone who might have known my father, Ralph Klus, Jr. He was a 2nd Lt, then a 1st Lt. in New Guinea and a B-25 pilot, 822nd Bomb Squadron, Black Panthers, stationed in New Guinea from 5 Aug 1943 to 11 Aug 1944. Tonight, I was thrilled to find him pictured on the 38th Bomber Group's website, picture gallery #10 of the 822nd (first picture in that gallery). He is in the back row, on the right. However, the caption of the picture is incorrect, stating that all but the submitter of the picture were lost. Not true, my dad came home from New Guinea. Anyone who might have known him, I would love to hear from you. We have a huge photo album of pictures dad took in New Guinea. It may take some time but we could get them to you, Chris, so you could post them. Let me know what email address to send them to, if interested. Unfortunately, my dad passed away in 1973. I was at an age where history didn't seem important but now I am much older and wiser and would love to learn all I can about the brave men of the 38th Bomber Group! Thanks for any help.
Pam Klus Johnson

My name is Tom Drake and my father was a pilot with the 822nd B.S. I have his flight log, and he was in New Guinea the same time as your father. I don't see your father's name mentioned in any of his remarks, but if you have some dates I could see if his mission history remaks have anything. Tom Drake

I am attempting to gain some info regarding my father who was also a b-25 pilot in New Guinea and was wondering how you obtained your father's flight log.

Hi,
I am fortunate enough to have copies of some of my dad's military records. He had them in his possession until he died and I now have them. The mission log is contained in these records. I believe it was used to track the number of flying hours he logged during combat. They state the date, mission #, the type of mission and the target name. It also clocks the actual flight hours. It does not include any remarks or details, however. I have no idea how you go about obtaining a copy of your dad's mission log but maybe someone on this forum can help you. Good luck. If there is anything I can help you with, I'd be glad to.
Pam Klus Johnson

I just found this on the web on how to obtain military records. I hope this helps you obtain information about your dad. Good luck
http://www.af.mil/faqs.asp?cat=4

Hey Joe:
I have forgot to check this site for awhile, sorry for not responding sooner. About the flight log of my fathers. He kept his own, with personal notes. Let me know if there is specific data's 7-30-43 until 11-30-44, I might be able to help you. Tom Drake tomdrake@sbcglobal.net

Hi Tom:
Thanks for your reply. I apologize for not responding sooner (forgot to check back on the forum). I do have my dad's combat mission log but not much in the way of remarks. I think it is part of his military records to show his combat flying hours. The first entry in the log is dated 15 Oct. 1943 and the last one is dated 3 Jul. 1944. I also have the mission numbers if that would help. I have been in contact with another relative of a 822nd squadron pilot who was MIA/KIA and he is sending me copies of records which reference my dad's missions while in New Guinea. I am attempting to email Chris Guest again(the webmaster for this site) as my family and I have just scanned 67 photos of New Guinea which my dad took while stationed there. There are many men pictured in these and some have the names written on the front, unfortunately many do not. My email is not going through to Chris Guest for some reason so CHRIS if you read this please email me so I can get the cd with the pictures mailed to you.
Thanks so much,Tom, for any information you have. If I can help you in any way, please let me know.

For your information, here are some of the men's names who do appear in pictures I have. Maybe this will help to see if any served at the same time as your father.

Airplanes
"Pappy's Passion"
"Yankee Gal"
"Daddy the Link"

Names on Photos
Alexander
Bohichik
Bolger
Brown
Bryant
Crutchfield
Currier
Davis
Digiacomo
Hagler
Knaver
Kustich
Lein
Loftus
Lorenzetti
McClanahan & crew
McLean
Ogle
Oldham
Piper
Popham
Poplanski
Rimar
Shaw
Smith
Sutherland
Thompson
Whitman

Pam:
Sorry I did the same thing as you did forgot to check the site. Some of the names are familiar to me as my Dad's friends. Thompson, my Dad called him "Ugly", was I believe "Buck" Thompson another pilot, and Davis might have been Dick Davis of Charlston S.C. Both were life long friends of my father. I think that Thompson might be alive still, but Davis has past. If you have specific data's of interest or missions let me know. I will try to check more often, or contact me direct, tomdrake@sbcglobal.net

Pam,

I returned from the 38th BG 2004 reunion in St. Louis last night. The best news is that the Association will not be disbanding. We have scheduled our next reunion to be held in Phoenix in 2006, probably in mid-October.

I posted your request at the reunion but received no responses. Someone may yet respond to me.

At the reunion, I was made aware of a large file of information about the 38th that will become available to me in the near future. When I receive that CD, I will search for further information for you and get in touch.

I would appreciate receiving an e-mail from you so that I may contact you more directly.

I will be the new editor for our Association news letter. We may be able to make this available to you electronically. When we get that set up, I will let you know if you have contacted me by e-mail.

David Gunn

I am assisting a relative of M.L English - 822 Sqdn, known to have survived a crash landing with his crew in Papua New Guinea - April 44, suspected to have been executed by the Japanese. My effort is not commercial but to document the event and perhap gain enough info to gain a search/ dig for remains in New Guinea by the Army ID Lab.

Any assistance for contact with anyone with knowledge of his mission/ crash landing -- and air drops to the support the crew for 4 days would be greatly appreciated.

Steve Cushman
U.S Army (ret)
Adventure@GoRemote.net
Posted Oct. 26 05

I am assisting a relative of M.L English - 822 Sqdn, known to have survived a crash landing with his crew in Papua New Guinea - April 44, suspected to have been executed by the Japanese. My effort is not commercial but to document the event and perhap gain enough info to gain a search/ dig for remains in New Guinea by the Army ID Lab.

Any assistance for contact with anyone with knowledge of his mission/ crash landing -- and air drops to the support the crew for 4 days would be greatly appreciated.

Steve Cushman
U.S Army (ret)
Adventure@GoRemote.net
Posted Oct. 26 05