MILITARY: Lt. Ira M. Bird, World War II - Coke County, TX Contributed by Mary Love Berryman 7 September 2003 Copied from the Josephine Bird Collection, West Texas Collection, Angelo State University - 2 September 2003 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/txfiles.htm *********************************************************************** San Angelo Standard-Times, date unknown Sanco Navigator In New Guinea Writes Mother That Bomber Engines Seem Expression Of Vigor Lt. Bird Asserts Raids Grow Old Standard-Times News Service SANCO, Oct. 28 - Maklng raids against the Japanese in the area around New Guinea today are not as hazardous as when he first went into the section, Lt. Ira M. Bird, recently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, has written his mother, Mrs. L. S. Bird, here. Lt. Bird is a navigator in a bombing crew and is a nephew of I. A. Bird, Sanco ranchman and Hereford breeder. * * * Mrs. Bird was informed this week in a letter from high ranking Army air officers in the Southwest Pacific, that Lt. Bird had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition of courageous service to his combat organization. The award was made by Lt. Gen. George C. Kenney. The Sanco navigator was cited for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flights in the Pacific from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1, 1943. Lt. Bird took part in more than 200 hours of long-range bombing missions during which hostile contact was probable and expected. These operations included attacks against enemy installations, shipping and supply bases, and aided considerable in recent successes in the Pacific theatre. * * * Lt. Bird has been in the Pacific for more than a year. He writes that when he first went over the raids were made at night by about 15 planes, the bombers having to drop their loads on enemy ooncentrations and then "run" for their home bases. Today they, fly during daylight hours and go in formations. Part of a letter from Lt. Bird dated Oct. 3 reads, "It Is raining a lot here, although this is supposed to be the dry season. The mosquitoes are getting worse again, and our screens are a big help now. "Yesterday a bunch of us took a plane to Lae, which was taken about two weeks ago. We saw the results of our own recent bombing. Not much was left, just rubbish. They really took a beating over there. The area is littered with scores of wrecked Jap planes of several types. Some are in pretty good condition and will be flying in a few weeks. I took a lot of pictures. The ack-ack guns were interesting because they had shot at us so often. Some were In condition to fire, and there was ammunition. I got a helmet, some small empty cannon shells, a piece of a Zero, and other odds and ends; nothing too impressive. One of the boys found a Jap, officer's pistol in good condition, with holster and ammunition. I was green with envy. I would have given any price for it, but didn't try to buy, it would have done me no good, as those pistols are a rare treasure. The price, when one can be bought, runs up to a hundred pounds-$322, American. * * * "There were no dead to be seen, but the smell was all about. The strip is short for our heavy units, but 0. K. for everything else. Unless the censor is in a generous mood you will have to use imagination on this entire topic, but I hope you can still figure it out. Of course, a correspondent could send much more, for general publication, but that is a different thing. (Incidentally, the story was not cut). * * * "I am getting a pretty good tan, but the sun bleaches my hair, so that I look kind, of funny-light hair and dark skin. My hair is getting pretty dark, actually, but the sun makes it lighter than it was when I, was at home. "You want to know whether I will still be here Christmas. Yes, I will, but don't send Christmas presents. I don't need anything and It takes about six months for Christmas presents to arrive. Some never get across. * * * "I don't think I told you of our last raid on Wewak. We hit the town itself and blew it sky-high. One exploslor must have been a hundred yards across. The whole place was In flames when we left, and our fighters were knocking down theirs in a way to make the heart glad. Later In the day a convoy came in there, and our mediums were on hand to greet them. They got their half of the Pacific - the bottom half. "New crews and material have been coming in about as fast as we could utilize them. In this theatre raw units cannot be used in bulk-there must be enough experienced men to indoctrinate them as they come in. Otherwise, they don't last long. We are doing all right now, and have a nucleus large enough to train a real air force. Many of thi old boys wore out and had to be sent home, and that delayed the process. The man are tougher than the planes, but finally they play out too. * * * "The whole business has grown old to me. The only time I get a thrill is when we take off. Sometimes that makes me tingle. The big engines just outside my window seem to be the expression of American vigor. They roar so defiantly as they heave the tons up and away. You think nothing could hold them, and that's not far from the truth. Our planes have more power than any locomotive." Permission granted by the San Angelo Standar-Times for publication in the Coke County TXGenWeb Archives.