PA458
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Personal Account of Robert Hippenstiel
Donor Original Source PIMA ID Donor ID Category
Richard P. Ellinger Robert Hippenstiel NA RPE-PA.458 OCR-G-DA-P
This is an OCR scan from a letter from Robert Hippenstiel. The Personal Account that he refers to in the MHS Thunder Centerfold, "Taylor, you are in the Infantry" can be accessed in its entirety as "James W. Taylor's WWII Experiences."
Since this scanned at 99.44%, no graphic is included.

4 October 1999

Re: Robert Hippenstiel's article response to the Thunder Centerfold in July 1999 Issue. As I read the Marauder Thunder story of "Taylor, you are in the infantry." It brought back many memories for me as I had experienced many of the same events in training. I thought I too should be a pilot. However, I was luckier than Taylor. I got to be a Bombardier/Navigator just before those MOS's were ended.

When I got to Stone, England for replacement, I and the crew I arrived with were assigned to the 322 BG, 449 BS. I made 28 combat missions with the 449th. and I must say now, "thanks to the ground and maintenance men who kept us flying-" I didn't see them then but our B-26's were always on the line ready for the mission.

After wars end, I with six pilots and the necessary maintenance men from our squadron were assigned the duty of flying the squadrons B-26's down to Landsberg, Germany. We made one flight a day, each time being returned to our base on a C-47. We were close enough to spend some evenings in Brussels, Belgium. It was great duty for a 24 year old. The next day was like the previous one until the duty was complete. Being of this young age I didn't think of why we were doing this. I was to later find out that all those great B-26's were to be destroyed. The thing that really caught my eye in this story was the picture of the B-26, "Mary Ann" that Taylor got in La Harve. That picture was taken in Landsberg, Germany. The nose gear on Mary Ann collapsed as she was taxied over a ditch on way to being parked. I also took that picture of her in this embarrassing configuration. This was truly a sad ending for the maligned but great B-26 Marauders that indeed carried the best and safest record in WW-II.

Though I had some close calls, like a spin from 8,000 to 300 feet before pull out, flak and Me- 262s, I am grateful. that I was assigned to fly in the B-26 Marauder during this world conflict.


Enclosure: 1. Picture of B-26 Mary Ann in Landsberg, Germany.

For the picture of the "Mary Ann" in James Taylor's Personal Account

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