Following training at Biggs Field, the crew was transferred to the air base at Topeka, Kansas, arriving about June 17, 1944, for assignment overseas.
The crew had the fortune of being assigned a B-24-G, AAF NO. 42-78456 (Tank Town Myrtle), for delivery overseas.
Under Operations orders No. 72, air transport command, dated June 23, 1944, they proceeded to Dow Field, Bangor, Maine, for the start of their overseas journey via the North Atlantic route to El Aouina, Tunisia.
After a 81/2 hour flight and a severe thunderstorm off the Great Lakes, the crew arrived at Bangar, Maine, for a three day layover.
June 27th had the crew on a 5:30 hour flight to Gander Lake, Newfoundland.
The next lap was over water to Lagens, Azores Islands, in the North Atlantic Ocean. After take off in the early morning hours on July 3rd, the navigator and radio operator were kept occupied with monitoring their route
for this 81/2 hour leg.
The solitude of the flight was marred by a concern for a safe landing caused by the plane's nose gear retracting with the wheel in a cocked or turned position. The first landing on a steel mat
runway created noise and vibrations previously not experienced.
Their flight on the 4th of July took them to Marrakech, Morocco, in 7 hours, and on the 5th to El Aouina, Tunis, Tunisia in 61/4 hours, for
further assignment and duty with the 15th Air Force.
It was in Tunis where the crew received their assignment to the 721stSquadron, 450th bombardment group(H), 47th Wing, 15th Air Force, US Army.
The crew arrived in Manduria, Italy, on July 6th, 1944.
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