Observation Squadrons in North Africa

[MPicciotto]

Ok, here's the scoop. I'm researching for a reenactment. I'd like to do something a bit more tactical AF then the heavy bomber groups that my unit usually does. I was thinking of portraying an observation or similar tactical unit, was thinking North Africa for the theater.

Any suggestions on units to research?

Thanks
Matt

 

[Sgt Brown]

Matt,

A thought... Why even do N Africa? A bunch of us in the PA/OH Wing always said that a perfect scenario for a small airshow would be to do the 6th AF. There you are, toughing it out in Barbados, Jamaica, etc., spending your days searching for submarines then returning back to base for dinner and pina coladas! And, seriously, you can do a crew briefing rather than a group briefing laying out your search area, emergency procedures, etc., etc. Everything downsized to fit the smaller show.

Did I mention pina coladas?:eusa_clap

Tom

 

[MPicciotto]

Tom,

Good thinking. And it's something some of us have kicked around. Will probably do at a future show. The gang's on board with doing N. Africa now. And we'll have some Germans to harass too. The plan right now is to send the pilot/observer teams to go "observe" the Germans. Report back to ops with sketches and estimates of troop strength etc. A report to 12th AF headquarters will be drawn up and sent via courier. Except our courier is going to be participating in the "Downed Airman" scenario with the Germans. So that report will be a *pleasant* surprise for them to find on his person.

So no briefings. Just kitchen, Ops, couple of L-bird flight crews.

Matt

 

[Stearmen]

Matt,

A thought... Why even do N Africa? A bunch of us in the PA/OH Wing always said that a perfect scenario for a small airshow would be to do the 6th AF. There you are, toughing it out in Barbados, Jamaica, etc., spending your days searching for submarines then returning back to base for dinner and pina coladas! And, seriously, you can do a crew briefing rather than a group briefing laying out your search area, emergency procedures, etc., etc. Everything downsized to fit the smaller show.

Did I mention pina coladas?:eusa_clap

Tom

Don't you mean, "Rum & Coke-cola"? [video=youtube;zGxL2uNr7bk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGxL2uNr7bk&feature=related[/video]

 

[Sgt Brown]

Don't you mean, "Rum & Coke-cola"?

That'll do!!:cheers1:

Tom

 

[Sgt Brown]

Tom,

Good thinking. And it's something some of us have kicked around. Will probably do at a future show. The gang's on board with doing N. Africa now. And we'll have some Germans to harass too. The plan right now is to send the pilot/observer teams to go "observe" the Germans. Report back to ops with sketches and estimates of troop strength etc. A report to 12th AF headquarters will be drawn up and sent via courier. Except our courier is going to be participating in the "Downed Airman" scenario with the Germans. So that report will be a *pleasant* surprise for them to find on his person.

So no briefings. Just kitchen, Ops, couple of L-bird flight crews.

Matt

Gene Oshrin usually attends Geneseo. He's a PA Wing member and his L-3 is done up in N. African camo. Look for him. Might be able to get him parked in your camp, depending on how much he is flying at the show.

Tom

 

[obxgyrene]

Matt,

A thought... Why even do N Africa? A bunch of us in the PA/OH Wing always said that a perfect scenario for a small airshow would be to do the 6th AF. There you are, toughing it out in Barbados, Jamaica, etc., spending your days searching for submarines then returning back to base for dinner and pina coladas! And, seriously, you can do a crew briefing rather than a group briefing laying out your search area, emergency procedures, etc., etc. Everything downsized to fit the smaller show.

Did I mention pina coladas?:eusa_clap

Now that's what I'm talking about!!! Don't forget a visit to Havana for a Cuba Libre.

 

[MPicciotto]

Was looking up the DAF (Desert Air Force) that was a joint operation between the USAAF and British air elements that was a tactical AF supporting the British 8th Army. I noted in a few different locations a reference to an AAF "Air Ambulance Squadron" but nothing more. No specific squadron number as was done for most other units listed in the DAF. Can anyone tell me any more about this squadron?

Thanks
Matt

 

[Sgt Brown]

Matt,

Been in touch with Gene Oshrin. He will be at Geneseo and will look for you guys. As I said, he has a L-2 done up in N African camo.

Here is a shot of his plane at Reading 2005

Tom

 

[MPicciotto]

Sgt Tom,

Thanks for the reminder. I'll be looking for Gene when I get up there. Do you know what day he is flying in? I'll be there from Thursday afternoon onwards. I'm guessing he's flying in on Friday like most.

Matt

 

[Sgt Brown]

Sgt Tom,
Thanks for the reminder. I'll be looking for Gene when I get up there. Do you know what day he is flying in? I'll be there from Thursday afternoon onwards. I'm guessing he's flying in on Friday like most.
Matt

I just sent him an email asking his ETA. Will advise.

Gene is also a VW nut. In the above photo you can see his 1944 Beetle as captured "somewhere in Europe". On top is a US flag, hand-painted on a piece of table cloth. He is currently in the process of building a "feldwagen", the rather rare Beetle body on a Kubelwagen chassis - the original "Baja Bug".

Tom

 

[cco23i]

DANG!! One of these days fellows, we WILL be up there and set up!

Scott

 

[MPicciotto]

Scott,

If you're group ever wants to make an epic trip East then I'd suggest the Virginia Beach Airs how put on by the owner of "The Fighter Factory" Jerry's collection is SAWEEET!!!

www.vbairshow.com
http://www.fighterfactory.com/

Would love to do a massive AAF event.

Matt

 

[Sgt Brown]

Got the word:

Gene will be arriving Friday afternoon, weather permitting.

The airshow assigns where all planes will tie down. No exceptions.

:eeek: He is having a little mag trouble and may have to fly his L-16 (postwar) instead of the L-2 this year.

Tom

 

[MPicciotto]

Thanks for the recon! Geneseo is a fly in first and reenactors are secondary. We get an AWESOME location near our cars and near a public entrance so we get lots of traffic but we only park about a hundred feet away. But the aircraft are all lined up along the flight line. Which is insanely long there so the farthest A/C are probably a 1/2 mile from us and the nearest only about a hundred feet. But the L-birds will be at the far end from us, usually we get a B-17 or B-25 next to the camp.

Matt

 

[MPicciotto]

Here is my AAR that I wrote up after the event. Even though I was the DO for the event, my character was a Flight Officer who was transfered to the Air Force after two things happened; 1 I let slip that I had done some crop dusting before the war and 2 that I had fooled around with the daughter of some brass in DE. See I had this cushy job in the 261st Coast Artillery. I was at the beach with binoculars...

Capital Wing, APS

Geneseo, NY July 2011 AAR

Thursday 7 July 2011 (23-Apr 1943)

A C-47 departed the Grasonville Annex of the Pasadena Quartermaster Depot at 0600 hours, made a brief landing at the Pasadena Quartermaster Depot and proceeded to the West Virginia Redneck Militia HQ. Additional equipment and personnel were added to the manifest at each layover. By 0930 the HQ section of the Detached Observation Squadron of the Capital Wing was on it's way to Geneseo Air Base, Tunisia North Africa. On board were Flight Officer Picciotto, formerly of the Delaware National Guard and 261st Coast Artillery, Corporal Dumbass (sp?) MP, Sergeant Snyder, Squadron Operations and Army regular, and Captain Hall S-2 Reconnaissance specialist.

Through use of signal generating equipment and radio direction finding equipment the second C-47 of our flight was able to fall in on our wing within an hour. On board was the field kitchen, enlisted quarters and the kitchen staff consisting of Sergeant Valenzo, head cook and WAC Captain Valenzo.

Several brief layovers for fuel and chow later the Detached Observation Squadron arrived at the Geneseo Forward Air Base at approximately 1530 and by 1930 had transformed a barren field of dry grass into an operational base with Officers, Enlisted and WAC quarters, Operations Tent, Shower Tent and Field Kitchen.

Meeting us in country was Private English (rumor has it, Private English was running a school for orphans in the area before we arrived and because of his CCC experience enlisted and fell in with the AAF)

Friday 8 July 2011 (Apr-1943)

Bad weather to the South limited reconnaissance opportunities. The winter rains hadn't yet cleared out of the region. Limited observation of German patrols showed a weak and demoralized force with broken lines, many smaller units were in fact completely surrounded by Allied Forces. Prvt English was trained in Field Cartography and Sketching, promoted to Technician 5th Grade and given his Observer Wings.

Late in the evening after duty hours replacements arrived. Well one replacement a fresh faced 2nd Lieutenant by the name of Wayne. So young that Sgt Snyder inquired as to whether his Mother was aware of his being in the Army. The new 90 day wonder was to prove to be a trouble maker in the days to come. Somebody should make new lieutenants leave their army manuals home when they come overseas.

Saturday 9 July 2011 (May-1943)

Took Lt. Wayne up for a check ride and he rewards me with a Farby Inspection!! That little SOB nicked me for not having a lock on my footlocker. No flying was done, not much to observe. The Germans in Tunis took a hell of a pounding the night before from artillery.

Do to limited quarters space the new Lt had to bunk with the enlisted men. At first this did not prove to be a problem in any respects. Until Cpl Dumbass (sp?) began beating the officer at poker on a routine basis. After having to advance his pay twice it became necessary to post signs warning officers to not gamble with the enlisted men.

Finally after over two years of waiting to see her The Outlaw with Jane Russell made it to North Africa. The plot although a bit stiff at times was more then amply made up for by the twin talents exhibited by Jane Russell

Sunday 10 July 2011 (9-May-2011)

Another G-D inspection, when is this kid going to lay off? I've been in this war since he was sucking on his mommies__ Sgt Snyder had to be told to bite his tongue around officers, even ones young enough to be his grand children.

The 90 Day wonder called me out on not wearing my uniform shirt. Well maybe if he'd been around for the rest of the operation he'd have seen how we were playing cat and mouse with the Africa Corps and the last time I saw my shirt some German was using it for toilet paper!

A pilot was reported missing to me by Sgt Snyder, unable to raise him on the radio it was finally concluded that we needed to do a search. With the fall of Tunis imminent we only wanted to make sure “Sparky” wasn't injured out in the desert. Captain Hall, knowing that we would get back any POW's in a few days, ordered us not to engage the enemy if we found Charlie captured. Lt. Wayne, T/5 English and myself drew emergency rations from the mess and took to our Grasshoppers in search of “Sparky”. We found him alright. Drinking Whiskey with some Africa Corps Officers. We attempted to make contact, instead we were shot at by the German's. The insulting part was it appeared that Major Dixon was assisting them by pointing to us!

Upon return we were debriefed and I was put on reprimand for not having signed out with the duty Sgt. I was accused of being AWOL! Good thing for me that within a few hours word came down from 12th AF HQ that the Africa Corps had surrendered at Tunis. Orders were to pack up we were shipping out to Corsica. Or if we didn't pack fast enough we'd be on the next C-47 to Tehran.

It is with great sadness that I must report we missed the C-47 to Corsica by 45 minutes.

As I type this report from a sand pile next to the army railroad I am swelled with pride in how well Capital Wing did in Tunisia in those closing hours of the war for North Africa.

Flight Officer Picciotto

 

[Sgt Brown]

As I have mentioned elsewhere, you really need to have your meds adjusted Matt![huh]

Tom

 

[cco23i]

OUTSTANDING REPORT! You and Captain Bill our maintenance officer should get together. He is a AAR writing fool. GREAT JOB!

Scott