info on George Laven, 8th FS, 49th FG??

[tjlaven]

Oh thanks, I think that would be sufficient. Just wanted to be sure his P-38E, "Itsy Bitsy" would've been flown by him during the period when USAAF insignia was surrounded with the red border.

Incidentally, I believe he served with the 54th FS, 343rd FG, while in the Aleutians, and transferred to the 8th FS, 49th FG.

The 55th FG served in the ETO, I believe.

Thanks for your help!

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by tjlaven

Oh thanks, I think that would be sufficient. Just wanted to be sure his P-38E, "Itsy Bitsy" would've been flown by him during the period when USAAF insignia was surrounded with the red border.

Incidentally, I believe he served with the 54th FS, 343rd FG, while in the Aleutians, and transferred to the 8th FS, 49th FG.

The 55th FG served in the ETO, I believe.

Thanks for your help!

you are correct - it was a typo.in Olynyk's book and I was braindead - so I do not know whether it was42, 56 0r 57th FS

He went from 49th FG to England in May 1942 to the 78th FG, then (I assume) to to 55th FG in July in Alaska. (Frank had written 55th FG/54th FS - there is no 55th FS in either the 54th or 55th FG - it is in the 20th FG another P-38 group in 8th AF))

Frank had the typo after the move from 78th FG. As the 55th was nearby to the 78th and in 8th AF, he may have crossed wires as aresult.

sorry for confusion

Bill

[tjlaven]

Here is a skin I made of George's early P-38, when he was serving with the 54th FS in the Aleutians. The time frame is 1943; the shark-mouthed plane was flown by Lt Colin MacDougal. I added the lens flare effect, grain, and desaturated the image to try to make it look like a color photo from the period. Just thought I'd share.