Letters from the Fall, 2002 Issue

Open Letter to Members
From: Irene and Bob Arnold

What legacy will you leave?

Number one – A very honorable one. Serving your country to preserve our freedom.

Number two – How about giving one around 30 years or so down the line. I mean a real live person to step in for you with love and caring to keep our 390th Museum in good shape.

Yes, this is possible and can be done!!!

Give a “LIFE MEMBERSHIP” to a son, daughter, grandchild or great-grandchild; even very young. Through their growing up years they will continually receive mailings from the museum. They might not show much interest in many of their younger years, but will be constantly reminded of the 390th Museum. Marketing and advertising studies have proven that if something is brought to mind often enough it will have an effect. Hopefully, they will want to get involved and be an active part of the 390th family. By doing this they will help take care of what Col. Joe (Moller) and you as one of his boys left for them.

This is what we did and is our hope. We gave our oldest grandson, Aaron Arnold, a Life membership to the museum when he was nine years old and in that year we took him to the museum for a 3-day stay as worker, tour guide and goodwill ambassador to museum visitors. He speaks often of that event in his life and thought it was really cool, He will be starting college next year and we are very proud of him.

Join us!!! Don’t delay - $500.00 will do it for a descendant of yours. It’s our insurance for a lasting legacy to be proud of!!

Bob and Irene Arnold

In Memory of 1st Lieutenant 
Harold E. Reich

My father, Technical Sergeant Francis G. O’Connell, flew missions with the 390th Bomb Group, 569th and 570th Bomb Squadrons. On 22 April 1944 during a mission to bomb the Hamm, Germany marshalling yards my father’s aircraft was shot down. The pilot, 1st Lieutenant Harold E. Reich and the tail gunner, Staff Sergeant John M. Zediak were killed in action. My father did not speak much of the war so after his death I started to search for answers. I remembered as a child photos of my mother pregnant with me standing in Arlington National Cemetery. That was the year 1949. After much searching on the internet and the National Archives I found the answer. My father was visiting Lieutenant Reich’s grave.

In memory of the Lieutenant I would like to quote the individual casualty questionnaire in which Staff Sergeant Peter M. Filippone (lower ball turret position) completed during his debriefing after being liberated as a POW.

“1st Lieutenant Reich in my opinion was a serious and courageous pilot. The very best I think. I still don’t know how he was able to handle that ship with the control cables and wires hanging down by the tail wheel as I was getting ready to bail out (of) the waist compartment. If he was at the controls then, its just like him to wait to see us all bail out before him. Then again he may have been just hanging on in his position cause he was shot up and died a true pilot’s death after his job was fulfilled. I shall always remember him and I hope as his parents do that his life was spared by some miracle and that he’ll show up alive PS. If you could possibly find out where the ship went down for certain, I do wish you’d tell me as I’d like to know as someday I may be in a position to want to visit the spot. Thank you”.

According to the captured translated German records provided to me by the National Archives (KU — 1490 Air Base Command Wiesbaden) the aircraft was shot down at 0745 p.m. on 22 April 1944 at Alsbach north of Hoehr-Grenzhausen. Case Number KU 2365 states he was buried on 24 April 1944 at the Cemetery at Hilgert/Unterwesterwald, Germany.

The Lieutenant and my father are now buried not far apart in Arlington National Cemetery. I am sure there were others my father was visiting - that will probably be lost to the past. Thank you Lieutenant for the ultimate sacrifice.

Catherine Bishop, MSgt, USAF (retired)
(widow of Major Halford R. Bishop, USAF—fighter pilot)