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Bismarck man recounts days as member of bomber group

      Cecil S. Kankey, originally from Arkansas who now lives at 4249 Kings Road in Bismarck, served in the Army Air Force during World War II, in the 458th Bomb Group (Heavy) and 755th Bomb Squadron (Heavy).  He was a Corporal and served in the European Theatre. 

     "I and 22 other young men from Izard County, Arkansas were inducted into the Army, Feb. 15, 1943 at Little Rock.  My first touch of Army life was Feb. 22, 1943 at Camp Joseph T. Robinson (near Little Rock)," Kankey   began. 

     "I received basic training at St. Petersburg, Fla.  It was here we learned alot of the dos and don'ts of the Army.   The leaders said, 'Men, we can't make you do anything but we can make you wish you had.'  I saw this demonstrated a few times.  One example:  One of the men was not bathing so the leaders got him in the shower one night and used laundry soap and stiff bristle brushes and cleaned him well.  We were told if we didn't keep clean, that could happen to us. 

     "From St. Petersburg I was sent to Buckley Field, Colorado then to Fort Collins, Colorado for two months of Engineering and Operations Clerical Schooling.   After completing school at Fort Collins, I was shipped to Salt Lake City AFB, Utah and later shipped to Wendover AFB, Utah (out in the middle of no where). 

     "At Wendover I was assigned to the 755th Bomb Squadron (Heavy) of the 458th Bomb Group (Heavy).  The 458th Bomb Group was made up of four squadrons.  The group was sent to Tonopah AFB, Nevada for additional training of the crews with the B-24 Liberator Bombers.  I was assigned as a clerk in the 755th Operations office but was transferred to the communications section as a teletype operator for the duration. 

     "Our group departed the U.S. on Jan. 15, 1944 and arrived at Glasgow, Scotland on Feb. 1, 1944.  From here we were sent to Horsham St. Faith (an air base) near Norwich, England. 

     "On Feb. 24, 1944 the group began flying missions over designated targets, such as manufacturing plants, supply depots, bridges along enemy supply routes, railroad depots and marshalling yards. 

     "Most of our missions were performed during the day but some were done in the evening.  I remember the first evening mission the group went on, the enemy followed them back.  It was exciting for a while. 

     "Planes were running low on fuel. If the runways were lighted the enemy would have a good target to strafe or take pictures.  A.A.A. Gun Crews made it uncomfortable for 'JERRY' and he left.  We lost only one plane.  I don't remember how many of the crew were killed but the pilot crash-landed the plane and walked away from the crashed plane. 

     "The 458th participated in six campaigns.  They were: 1. Air Offensive Europe;  2. Normandy (the 755th Bomb Squadron flew lead ship over target June 6, 1944);  3. Ardennes;    4. Central Europe;  5. Rhineland, and  6. Northern France.  I will not go into details of casualties like other units did. 

     "From Feb. 24, 1944 to April 15, 1945, 240 missions had been carried out by the 458th.  And apart from the normal high-altitude bombing, one of the group's squadrons carried out experimental single-plane sorties with Azon radio-controlled bombs."

 The DAILY JOURNAL, St. Francois County., Wednesday, April 26, 1995.


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