Postage Stamp:  FREE
Postage Date:  Mar 9 5:30PM 1943

Pvt. Ben R. Hartley
A.S.N. 18,232,843
Barracks 293, Service Squadron 32
308th Training Group
B.T.C #3
Sheppard Field, Texas

Postage Stamp:  FREE
Postage Date:  Mar 8 5:30PM 1943

Pvt. Ben R. Hartley
A.S.N. 18,232,843
Barracks 293, Service Squadron 32
308th Training Group
B.T.C #3
Sheppard Field, Texas

Postage Stamp:  FREE
Postage Date:  Mar 7 5:30PM 1943

Pvt. Ben R. Hartley
A.S.N. 18,232,843
Barracks 293, Service Squadron 32
308th Training Group
B.T.C #3
Sheppard Field, Texas

Postage Stamp:  FREE
Postage Date:  Mar 4 5:30PM 1943

Pvt. Ben R. Hartley
A.S.N. 18,232,843
Barracks 293, Service Squadron 32
308th Training Group
B.T.C #3
Sheppard Field, Texas

Postage Stamp:  FREE
Postage Date:  Mar 3 6PM 1943

Pvt. Ben R. Hartley
A.S.N. 18,232,843
Barracks 293, Service Squadron 32
308th Training Group
B.T.C #3
Sheppard Field, Texas

Postage Stamp:  FREE
Postage Date:  Mar 1 6PM 1943

Pvt. Ben R. Hartley
A.S.N. 18,232,843
Barracks 293
408 T.S.S
Sheppard Field, Texas

Postage Stamp:  FREE
Postage Date:  Mar 1 6PM 1943

Pvt. Ben R. Hartley
A.S.N. 18,232,843
Barracks 293
408 T.S.S
Sheppard Field, Texas

Adolph Hitler’s Germany was spreading its evil brand of "order" throughout Europe, while Japan sealed its control of Malaysia and the western Pacific with the Imperial Army’s occupation of Singapore. Then, in a classic case of misjudging an enemy, the Japanese navy struck a devastating blow to Pearl Harbor and other U.S. Pacific garrisons.

Admiral Yamamoto spoke a vision when he said, "I fear we have awakened a sleeping dragon." For the people of the United States quickly recovered from their shock and began gearing for battle.

Flak Haven is no kin to Flak Alley, but if you were in on the construction of our local GIN MILL you might have suspected otherwise.

It all began in a harmless sort of way when Major Jenkins gathered his clan about him in the shade of "Ye Olde Apple Orchard" and said, "Chillun, what do you think of the idea of constructing a Rec Hall for the amusement of all the lads and (with a gleam in his eye) possibly a few lasses?" Well, when he said lasses, the deal was cinched and now all we had to do was build it. It is surprising how dexterous some of the local talent suddenly became, and strangely enough they were all volunteers. The special orders issued forth the following day.

Excerpt from forthcoming book by Joe Molyson
1Lt John Drummond oral history, January 22, 2003

The ALGs were dangerous, cramped places limited by lack of available real estate and surfacing materials. Based at one of these was the 405th Fighter Group, the unit of then 1Lt John “Ace” Drummond. Drummond is now President Pro Tempore Emeritus of the South Carolina Senate but his memories of Christchurch are vivid after almost sixty years. Christchurch was sandwiched into the local terrain just west of Southampton on England’s Channel coast. The airfield was tiny and surfaced with PSP (pierced steel planking). The men lived in tiny neighboring cottages taken over for the war and in tents. The runway was very short for a loaded Thunderbolt. On June 29, 1944 the hazards of a temporary airfield claimed 13 lives and caused 14 other casualties in what came to be known as the “Foxwood Avenue Disaster”: