A Village Remembers
As a little boy in Norwich during the Blitz David Hastings hung around air bases in East Anglia, England watching the B24 Liberator bombers of the 2nd Air Division 8th USAAF take off and return. Years later David produced films about the 2nd Air Division and he and his wife, Jean, organized reunions in Norwich with veterans of the 2nd Air Division and their British friends.
A Village Remembers is a unique film with rare archival World War II footage and archival footage from the 1980s of old air bases, the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library and city scenes of Norwich. David shot this film on Super 8 so the original quality is much higher than this digitization of a vhs copy. We have been looking for the original film and the raw footage for some time. If we find it, we will re-publish this video.
You will see an extensive amount of footage of B24s, crews and the base of the 467 Bomb Group at Rackheath that was filmed and narrated by Colonel James Mahoney, Deputy Group Commander of the 467th. My father served under Colonel Mahoney. Dad flew five missions as a navigator on the 8th's champion bomber, Witchcraft, pictured in the thumbnail you see here.
Also, you will hear Jordan Uttal, a leader of the 2nd Air Division Association, narrate footage of the old Memorial Library.
At the end of the war in 1945 and in the years since the 2nd Air Division raised funds to create a "living memorial", what is now named the American Library 2nd Air Division Memorial, a place to not only remember those lost, but to also build upon the cultural and enduring ties between the peoples of America and the United Kingdom. The Library, in Norwich, England, has books, events, lectures and an extensive research archives, serving as an important resource for information about a family member who served, about the war and about American culture.
David became a lifetime governor of the Memorial Trust of the 2nd Air Division--the trust with the donations from 2nd Air Division veterans and British friends that created and sustain the American Library Memorial to the 2nd Air Division. This Library is a treasure that is unique to Norwich--no county, state, region or country has anything like it.
We encourage you to become involved, to find out more about how you can connect, research, volunteer or contribute to the American Library 2nd Air Division Memorial:
www.americanlibrary.uk
Пікірлер: 16
My father was a tail gunner with the 467th group at this time. I spotted a couple of the planes he flew on. Thanks to Colonel Mahoney for documenting this for history!
@2nd.Air.Division.8thUSAAF
6 күн бұрын
My dad was a navigator with the 467th. Did your father go to any of the reunions? There are 8 or 9 videos that I we produced that have dozens of 467th vets. They are on my KZread channel. We have about 50-60 more to digitize and publish.
@MrDakotakid
6 күн бұрын
Hi Joe, dad (Roy Winden)was on Blackie Dunnams crew. They came over from the 492 in sept of 44. Dad was at the reuniin in 86 in Omaha. I spotted Blackie in a couple of your reunion video's
@MrDakotakid
6 күн бұрын
I had the honor of helping crew Collings foundation “Witchcraft” as a copilot in 2014 the year dad passed away. It was to honor his service and his brother, my uncle John. John was a B-24 pilot with the 15th AF. His wife Naomi worked on the B-24 assy line at Consolidated Ft Worth. B-24 stories were thick in my family growing up. Probably why I took up a career in aviation.
@2nd.Air.Division.8thUSAAF
4 күн бұрын
@@MrDakotakid That would've been quite special for your father to know you flew the Collins plane. I have digitized a 15-minute interview with Blackie Dunnam that we did in Chicago in 1986. I will try to publish it up on KZread.
My Dad was stationed at Burtonwood I think it was. Must have been an exciting time in the lives of so many very young men. Hard to imagine being around twenty years old and going through so much. I miss he and all of his WW2 and Korean war vet buddies that helped raise me. They taught me many things as I grew up in the woods and swamps behind the main levee of the Mississippi river. Helped keep me around.
@2nd.Air.Division.8thUSAAF
9 күн бұрын
Thanks for commenting. Your father must have had many stories from two wars. I will be posting an interview this week of a pilot who flew bombers in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He found it extremely difficult to share some of his stories.
Thank you one and all our freedom fighters never will they be forgotten ⭐️🇺🇸
My father was a pilot with the 445th 702nd bomb group. After he passed I took my family to visit Norfolk. It was very moving. He told us of his experience flying all those missions. It means so much to many of us that these Americans are remembered and honored. Thank you for sharing. Took a flight on the B24 Witchcraft when it came to Van Nuys CA. Amazing experience.
@2nd.Air.Division.8thUSAAF
9 күн бұрын
Thanks for the nice comments. We met many pilots and air and ground crew with your father's bomb group. You'll see a number of interviews with vets of the 445th. More to come. I am so glad that you visited Norfolk and I am envious because I filmed that B24 but never flew it. My father, a navigator in the 467th, flew five missions on the Witchcraft. I will be putting up some interviews and footage related to it when I finish digitizing the tapes. Thanks for sharing your comments. If you get a chance, you will see many of the 445th in Roll of Honor (it's long!) kzread.info/dash/bejne/hImN286RoKubpM4.html
Brilliant and unique.
@2nd.Air.Division.8thUSAAF
7 күн бұрын
I will forward your comment to David and Jean Hastings. They will be pleased to see it.
@trinovantian1
6 күн бұрын
Many thanks…from a grateful limey. 🫡
Great memories I wonder what those men would think of norfolk now I think I'm right in saying what's left of the airfield is going to be built on like just about everywhere else
@2nd.Air.Division.8thUSAAF
9 күн бұрын
I know how much my Dad, our family and hundreds of veterans felt about the people of Norfolk. Regardless of whatever happens with brick and mortar their hearts were so warmed by the friendship and appreciation of the people throughout East Anglia. They had such a deep respect for the British military and for the people who they fought with and lived with in the war and for the people they met on our visits since. It is not the same here in the states. They are not honored or remembered like they are in Norfolk. And they don't have a chance to express their appreciation for their British friends while they are here. Watch Roll of Honor and you'll see what I mean. Thanks for commenting. kzread.info/dash/bejne/hImN286RoKubpM4.html
@stephenvince9994
6 күн бұрын
Yes its an ugly mess now Im afraid