The 489th Bombardment Squadron on Corsica

Introduction

This site is established as a personal history and tribute to my father, Quentin C. Kaiser, who served as a radio-gunner on B-25 Mitchell medium bombers in the 489th Bombardment Squadron of the 340th Bombardment Group stationed at Alesani, Corsica in 1944-45. My father flew 65 combat missions from Alesan Air Field during his time on Corsica from May 16, 1944 through March 11, 1945. This site is also meant to be a tribute and memorial to all those who served and participated in the Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force during World War II, especially those who sacrificed their lives in doing so.

I have always been fascinated with my father's old "WWII stuff" including his uniform, A2 flight jacket, mess kit, dog tags, medals, decorations, piece of flak, burst 50-caliber machine gun shells, mission log, squadron book and especially his collection of photographs from Corsica. Now I have an opportunity to share his interesting collection. Recently, my father and I along with my brother Richard, decided to preserve, document and share his photographs and memories from Corsica through the creation of this web site. My father chooses his favorite photographs and writes down what he can remember about them, gives them to my brother to scan and my brother emails them to me to post on this web site along with my father's comments and recollections. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

The 489th Bomb Squadron Book published in 1947 by staff and personnel of the 489th probably tells the squadron's story most completely and accurately.

Finally, I have obtained an enormous amount of information and assistance from many people with an interest in the 489th Bombardment Squadron, the 340th Bombardment Group, the 57th Bomb Wing, the 12th Air Force and WWII aviation history in general. It has been a real pleasure to become acquainted with these people and to share information centered around our mutual interests.

I am especially indebted to Dominique Taddei from Migliacciaru, Corsica who has an amazing collection of photographs and information obtained from veterans of the 57th Bomb Wing and from years of personal research. Dominique has also helped to create a memorial tablet (monument) to the men of the 57th Bomb Wing on the air field at Ghisonaccia, Corsica. The link provides pictures and a description of the monument and the 1997 ceremony of its unveiling.

The following people have contributed to this site:

Quentin C. Kaiser
Richard C. Kaiser
Dominique Taddei
Alexandre Durastante
Guy Juliens
Giuseppe Versolato
Jean Michel Casanova
Michel Martraix
Steve Pace
Bob Perry
Dana Craig
Bob Silliman
Mike Laney
Bob Haney
Family of Joe Moore
Herman Voss
Michael Ramirez
Tom Sullivan
George Underwood
Joe Koplitz
Erich Hetzel
George W. Marsh
Bill Devine
George Carter
Walker Harris
Peter Steehouwer
George Jackson Bauer
William K. Kaiser
Christophe Couturier
Jeff Wolford
Rick Wolford
Harry George
Hank Del Percio
Keith Johnson
Ed Williams
Dr. Gordon Ainsworth
Leon Jansen
Martin Biener
Mary Ann Stacy
Sergio Costaglia
Nick Webster
Vinny White
Hugh Dow
Pamela Feltus
Bob Meek
Victor Hancock
Sherrie Eller Sherertz
Paul Draper
Ogden Babson
Bob Lessard
Fred Krause
Robert Curtis
Brian Bagby
Georges Kunzel
Glenn Crisp
Jarrett Crump
Jason Harper
Joe Kline
Joe Murray
Zarm Keljik-Geisenhoff
Keith Vizcarra
Peter Bezek
Randy Kimberly
Roger Juglair
Ron Holman
Ray Bowden
Richard Krause
Russell Smith
Steven Parris
Tal Donaldson
Tom Callahan
Tracy Taylor
Dwight Orman
Dick Spingler
Alexandre Cadel
Angelo Baroni
Bill Bierds
Bob Burger
Charlene McGowan
Charles Duke
Charles Summers
Christian Gloor
Denver Kissinger
Daniele Cammilli
Don Jackson
Don Phillips
Ed Lueddeke
Ernest Baldwin
Franco Gobbato
Francois Grinnaert
Lionel Giannini
Gerald Rosenthal
Harold Yocum
John Spoonamore
Martin Barsass
Monro MacCloskey
Robert Spikes
Steve Hershberger
Walter Cantrell
Vicente Vazquez
Steve Wiginton
Barbara Connolly
Vicki Copeland
Ralph Truly
Michael Hemp
Glen Houpt
Faye Anderson
Coert Munk
Barbara Williams
Cecile Burandt
Charles Burandt Jr.
Jacqueline Burandt
Lorraine McRae
John Fitzgerald
Jean O'Connell
Vince Mango
Jeff Elliott
Irving Schaffer
Alden West
Terry Webb
Joe Mitchell
Bob Crouse
Philip Weiner
Frank Dean
Barbara Silliman
Bob Zulauf
Carl Lindberg, Jr.
Chris Gilbert
Ernest Baldwin
Patti Johnson
Mary Jane Anderson
Richard Anderson
Cherryl Crouch
Janice Rosa
Diego Vezzoli
Keith Kemp
Terri Morris
Charles E. Dills
Doug Casper

Special Thanks to the staff of the 489th Bomb Squadron Book: Jack A. Casper, Ver Keljik, Howard Taylor, Walter Greve, Jack G. Mair, William H. Robinson, John H. Cameron, Bernett Kupferman, Oliver C. Burkholder, Frank C. Tenente, William M. Stehle Robert F. McRae, William A. West, Howard J. Garry and Robert L. Gillies. Many thanks to all who have contributed pictures and info.
Further acknowledgements appear elsewhere on these many websites. I apologize for any omissions