American Air force and Navy photos

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Hi Guys

Here are some photos of the US Air Force and Navy I just picked up.
There are a couple of wirephoto's and offical Naval photos mixed with Press photos.

Bombers vs Flak -
(WX6-Dec. 7) FORTRESS EXPLODES IN FLAK-FILLED SKY--WHITE CLOUD (TOP CENTER) RESULTED FROM EXPLOSION OF A FLAK-HIT FLYING FORTRESS ENROUTE, ON A U.S. ARMY EIGHTH AIR FORCE MISSION, TO ATTACK OIL TARGETS AT MERSEBURG, NEAR LEIPZIG, IN CENTRAL GERMANY. CONTRAILS STREAM BEHIND TWO FORTRESS FORMATIONS (ONLY FAINTLY SEEN JUST BELOW AND TO THE LEFT OF WHITE PUFF; OTHER IN CENTER). FORMATION OF WHICH EXPLODED PLANE WAS A PART HAS FLOWN ON, ARMY SAYS, AND IS NOT VISIBLE. (AP WIREPHOTO FROM ARMY AIR FORCES) (HK51540) 1944

Messerschmitt-
(WX26-JUNE 17) - RARE VIEW OF GERMAN MESSERSCHMITT - THIS UNUSUAL VIEW OF A GERMAN MESSERSCHMITT 410 LESS THAN 25 FEET FROM THE WING OF AN AMERICAN FLYING FORTRESS WAS TAKEN BY A COMBAT AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER FROM THE RADIO ROOM OF THE B-17 "LADY GODIVA" DURING A U.S. ARMY 8TH AIR FORCE ATTACK ON THE SYNTHETIC OIL PLANTS AT BRUX, NEAR THE BORDER OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AS MORE THAN 100 GERMAN FIGHTERS ATTACKED THE FORMATION OF FLYING FORTRESSES. (AP WIREPHOTO FROM AIR FORCES) (J72007) 1944

There is hand writing on the back of some photos in pencil and a typed notation with reference - Wake Island.

Cheers

Danger

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Bombers vs Flak

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The Wake Island photo dated 6th October 1943 is an poignant date indeed.

On 5 October 1943, American naval aircraft from Lexington raided Wake. Two days later, Japanese Naval Captain Shigematsu Sakaibara ordered the beheading of an American civilian worker who was caught stealing. He and 97 others had initially been kept to perform forced labor. Fearing an invasion, Sakaibara ordered all of them killed.[27] They were taken to the northern end of the island, blindfolded and executed with a machine gun. One of the prisoners (whose name has never been discovered) escaped, apparently returning to the site to carve the message "98 US PW 5-10-43" on a large coral rock near where the victims had been hastily buried in a mass grave. The unknown American was recaptured, and Sakaibara personally beheaded him with a katana. The inscription on the rock can still be seen and is a Wake Island landmark.

B-17G “Lady Godiva” of 388th Bomb Group and Me 410 A-1/U4
Combat Wing Assignment: 45th CBW
Base: Knettishall, England
Group tail code: H (square symbol)
388th BG squadrons:
560th Bomb Squadron
561st Bomb Squadron
562nd Bomb Squadron
563rd Bomb Squadron