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Burton Gardner - B-17 Flying Fortress Pilot
What I have presented here is some memorabilia from former Flying Fortress co-pilot Burton Gardner. A co-worker who has much interest in WW2 history like I do, happened to meet his wife. Mr. Gardner had passed away a few years back and she had all of his stuff and offered it to him, as she had no interest and there was no one else in the family to passed it on to. So he became the happey owner of some very interesting books and documents.
Mr. Gardner's history
What we do know is that he was born in 1922, and was a native of Cook County,Illinois. He was a student with two years college and un-married. He enlisted into the Air Corps at Sheppard Field, Witchita Falls, TX. as a Private - serial #17152454. Thanks to info on NARA website.The picture above is found in a class book for Class 44-D at Ryan Field, Hemet,CA. He trained at Hemet Ca., Mered Ca., Stockton Field Ca., Las Vegas Nv., Dyersberg Tn., Lincoln Nb. then on to England and Snetterton in September 1944, to be attached to the 96th Bomb Group, 413 Bombardment Squadron. After the war he ferried an aircraft back to the states in August of 1945.
The other crew members with him were Wylder Modine, Donald Northington, Harold Dobson, John Albert, Obie Beene, Walter Brock, Marion Hanson, Walter Liddle, Ted Stott.
They flew Aircraft number 38-38744 until pilot Wylder Modine crashed landed the aircraft inside enemy lines after the crew bailed out, he was rescued by a small airplane. Gardners wife says it was a P-51 according to Burton. We have not been able to find the name of this aircraft. They were given another Flying Fortress for the remaining missions. Mr. Gardner also won the Silver Star! The story behind this is unknown.
B-17 Pilots Documents
What I did was scan the books and documents to use online. I used another hosting service to post the info to link to here, I hope it works out OK.
Please enjoy this info because it is not something you see every day and if you are a WW2 buff its a must see. Some of these documents such as flight records are not easy to find.
The links will open in a new window.
Please enjoy this info because it is not something you see every day and if you are a WW2 buff its a must see. Some of these documents such as flight records are not easy to find.
The links will open in a new window.
WW2 Pilot Training Book
This issue of Contact was for Class 44-D at Ryan Field. The Flight Lines book was from Merced, Ca. I have scaned all the pages in each book. When you go to one of the links below, you can then select the individual pages by number.
- Flight Lines
- Scans of the Class book, Flight Lines
- Contact
- Scans of the Contact class book.
Pilot Transition Training Record
- Pilot Transition Training Record
- This is page 1 of 2 pages. I think this shows he has been signed off on these items. Maybe it qualifies him as a pilot?
- Page 2 of Pilot Transition
- Page 2 is actually the back side of the page.
Orders
- Order Page 1
- Shows all the 2nd Lieutenants in this class rated pilots. Stockton Field, Stockton, CA.
Two pages - Orders page 2
- Page 2 of Orders
B-17 Flight Records
Burton Gardner was able to save all his flight records. They start with his flight training all the way to his combat missions. You can actually track his time from training in U.S. all the way to England and the missions he flew in. The C that you will see in the far left colume designates combat missions.
- Flight records
- There are 23 Pages to view
- Missions
- This is a list of missions they flew. The Number is the mission number for the squadron. You can look at the date and compare that with the flight records to see how long the mission was.
Links to other aviation stuff
- The B-17 Flying Fortress of WW2
- The formidable B-17 Flying Fortress of WWII, it was a tough aircraft that helped win the war over Europe.
- The Supermarine Spitfire of WWII
- Here is a brief history of one of Great Britains best fighter planes of World War 2, The SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE
- Video's of WWII Fghter Planes and Bombers
- Watch Fighters and Bombers from the major countries that fought during World War 2 on Video. They are mostly of airplanes that have been rebuilt back to like-new condition and are again flying.
The 12 O'Clock High Logbook
Amazon Price: $25.60 (as of 01/03/2010) 
Twelve O'Clock High (Special Edition)
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 01/03/2010)
Twelve O'Clock High
Amazon Price: $13.49 (as of 01/03/2010)
Command Decision
Amazon Price: $5.79 (as of 01/03/2010)
B-17 Bomber Pilot's Flight Operating Manual
Amazon Price: $17.08 (as of 01/03/2010)
Swordfish-Able-Leader: A Pilot's Narrative of B-17(H) Air Combat
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 01/03/2010)
The Bomber Boys: True Stories of B-17 Airmen
Amazon Price: (as of 01/03/2010)
Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
Amazon Price: $14.40 (as of 01/03/2010)
Hope you enjoyed this info, any feedback would be good.
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- Tom Porter Tom Porter Jul 20, 2009 @ 9:18 pm
- Good job
My dad ,Pay Porter, was a civilian instructor at ryan field Hemet during the war.He is in the squadron four . Also a Ryan pt22 (N56565)he had when he passed away is in the Prop And Jet Air Museum at Ryan Field.
Again Good Job
B-17 Flying Fortress Pilot
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