The 489th Bombardment Squadron in Corsica

1. 489th BS Insignia from B-25 at MAAM, 2. 340th BG Insignia from Q. Kaiser's A2 flight jacket (1944), 3. NASA space shuttle photo of Corsica, 4. 12th Air Force patch, 5. U.S. Army Air Corps Patch .


The Airfield and Base at Alesani, Page 4


Sitting by the top turret of a B-25. Holding a 50 caliber machine gun. Relaxing at the 489th camp.
Here are several more pictures of my father, radio-gunner Quentin C. Kaiser, taken at Alesani, Corsica in 1944. The picture on the right shows the radio operator's patch on his lower right sleeve quite clearly.


"Early in August 1944 I flew on a mission with a slight cold and got an earache. The flight surgeon really reamed me out . I guess he was concerned with having healthy flight crews for the invasion of Southern France on August 15 but he did not tell me that. So for about two weeks starting then the 489th was on the Southern France campaign and we had no targets in Italy. We lost some planes at "sur le pont d'Avignon" on D_Day so I did not mind being grounded."

"My only diary is my flight record but there may be historical details in my V-mails to Mom which are in a box in the attic.
       That fellow Underwood must have a detailed diary. I don't remember seeing H-models on Corsica at all. His story sounds to me like a pre-war Dare Devil Aces magazine since he went on missions where they cruised around looking for targets of opportunity. None of that in the 489th. The radiomen went to briefing with the officers and we knew exactly where we would go and when and where the German flak guns were and if we would have escorting fighters or area cover. I always felt that the Air Force was taking care of us."




Quentin Kaiser pointing to Flak hole from July 15, 1944 mission #17 over Ferrara, Italy. Quentin Kaiser in flak suit and flak helmet.
Left picture: Flak hole. "I am not sure but I think this is the hole made by the flak that hit my ammunition container." (Notes for mission #17: 'July 15, 1944, 9J, Ferrara, Italy. Hit in neck. Over 50 holes. Hit northern approach to R.R. bridge.') "I have the piece of flak and several of the exploded 50s. If it is that hole, that was the day I grabbed the red handle on the rear hatch. There is more to this, too." Right picture: Flak suit. "You can see the red tag in the front which you pull to open the snap fasteners at the shoulders which I did in the above instance. The normal draft was clearing the dense smoke from the cabin so I started to replace the flak suit when I saw that the falling flak suit had disconnected my microphone and headset. I connected the headset first and I could hear the pilot calling me and then telling Carter to give me assistance. Carter was loathe to enter the smoked-in area and just about then I had the microphone connected and could respond. I think I have already mentioned reaming Carter out for not coming to my aid."



Quentin with his wagon. Ange with his wagon.
"There was a truck park by the Operations Tent and the showers were down on what I suppose was the Alesani River about a mile down the road. If you wanted a shower you could hitch-hike but you could also borrow a truck if available. I had to teach myself how to double-shift." My father took the picture on the right of a local Corsican boy named Ange with his wagon.



Truck used to transport crews to and from airfield.
A truck used to transport combat crews to and from their B-25 Mitchells (from Dominique Taddei).


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