| This document is an OCR scan of a 2 page typed letter. It is believed that it reproduces the original with reasonable clarity.
See photos of examples PH-2148 through PH-2151
Office of C. Leslie Hard
14 June 1999
Dick Ellinger Editor
MHS Ne2wsletter
Marauder Thunder
Sir:
I read with much interest the caption under the picture in the Center fold of the last issue of Marauder Thunder and I am sending you three versions of Field I D Markings that were used by the four squadeins of the 336th Bombardment Group from PAGE Field through the Bombing Range, MacDill Field and at LCAAD, Lake Charles, Louisiana.
I joined the 335th Bombardment Group on 9 October 1942 and was assigned to the 481st Squadron as an Aircraft Armorer having trained at Buckley Field, near Denver, CO.
The 481st Squadron was the newest of the four in the Group and for the first month from 1 October to 9 November 1942 did not have any planes. On 8 November the first two Marauders were assigned to the Squadron and the men in the Orderly room going trough Service records, noted that I had painted signs before entering the Service so I was assigned to layout and paint the big Field I.D.Numbers on the sides of those planes.
The specifications were very clear and with the help of two men in the Engineering Section we did the job. Those big numbers were 53 inches in height with stroke of 9 inches and the numbers from 2 through 0 were 26 inches in width. Space from the trailing edge of the wing to the Waist windows was ample. Starting about four inches from the trailing edge to about four inches from the waist widow. As we continued getting planes in we continued laying out and placing numbers. Then we received orders to move to a new base, the Bombing Range at Avon Park, FL. Since my job as Armament Section Clerk became having layed out a set of patterns for the Engineers to use and they continued placing the Numbers on our Marauders. WE moved again after 10 months on the Range, this time to MacDill Field Near Tampa; Florida but our stay was rather short and we were ordered to make another move, this time it was a long trip *by train. Our new Base was LCAAF, Lake Charles,LA.
the Group arrived here on 9 November 1943. THen shortly after the first of the year 1944 a Directive came through removing the I.D. Numbers from the sidles of the Fuselage aft of the trailing edge of the wing to the nose section of the Planes.
I was assigned the job of making a new set of patterns and the men in Engineering placed the new I. D. Numbers on the nose sections/
Then some time right after April 1944 another Directive came through changing the I.D. dersignations to Letters as well as numbers.
Again I was given the assignment to make patterns and this time they were taken to the Sub Depot Wood shop and sets of wooden patterns were cut from very light aircraft plywood a set being given to each Op the four Squadrons 478th, 479th, 480th and 481st.
Then in Mid year the 336th Group was Phased out and we became a Base Training Unit and four Squadrons became letters. THen after s short period we were told that our Marauders were to be assigned to' the FREE FRENCH AIR FORCE nd all identification Leters/Numbers were removed.
Please excuse my terrible typing as my sight is much anymore but I do the best Icam. Hope this will shed a little light on he numbers on the plane in the picture in the Center fold.
With All Sionmcerity,
Charles L. Hard MHS Member 1955 Fomer member 481st Squadein of the 336th Bombardment Groug. Armament Section Clerk
See photos of examples PH-2148 through PH-2151
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