340th Bomb Group 487th Bomb Squadron

340th Bomb Group 487th Bomb Squadron based in Alesani, Corsica

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-27541 - 7B BITCH N MITCH

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-28074 - 7C
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340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-27556 - 7D

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-27540 - 7E WATCH COPIER
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SN 43-27540 was the second Mitchell to carry 7-E on it’s rudder. The 7 indicated that the plane was part of the 487th Squadron, and the E was the plane’s designation within the squadron. The first 7-E was a C model and apparently lost early in the unit’s deployment. Lt Dave Mershon, who flew as bombardier on 7-U occasionally, also was in the crew of this aircraft on more than one mission. Named Watch Copier by it’s ground crew, this plane carried a picture of Bill Mauldin’s G.I. Joe checking his watch on it’s nose. Mershon took the picture below of 7-E after one of his missions and kept it. It shows 137 missions (marks) which makes it a veteran by most measures.

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-27510 - 7F

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-27738 - 7G
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340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-27570 - 7H WHITE LITENIN
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340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-4011 - 7K Early Bird III

340st BG 487th BS - SN 44-30343 - 7N

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-27633 - 7Q

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-27531 - 7R UNCLE WILLIE

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-4056 - 7T

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-36102 - 7U UNCLE WILLIE
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SN 43-36102 was one of 13 that carried variations of Bill Mauldin cartoon characters as noseart in the 487thBS, 340thBG on Corsica, 1944-45. According to the mission marks, the plane completed at least 65 missions, most of them from the unit’s base in Corsica, and there is no official record of its being shot down. Crews varied from mission to mission, but on 24 March 1945 records show it was flown by Capt J.C. Rau, with Lt. M. C. Rau as co-pilot. It not clear how the two fliers were related, if at all. We found three photos of this plane, 7-U in flight and formation, probably on combat missions. The quality of the G.I. Joe and Uncle Willie nose art seems to have varied from plane to plane. This was one of the best.

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-4078 - 7W

340st BG 487th BS - SN XX-XXXX - 7V SNOW WHITE II

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-4065 - 7X GI JOE
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This aircraft, 7-X (SN 43-4065) of the 487th BS, 340th BG in Corsica flew more than 132 missions and carried another version of Bill Mauldin’s character, “G.I. Joe.” According to one source, the primary artist for the “Dogface” nose art on B-25s of 487th BS, 340th BG was Sgt. Durley Bratton (below), a crew chief from the 488th BS at the same base. It seems certain that several different painters actually did the work, but maybe Sgt. Bratton was in charge. One publicity shot shows the group’s top brass standing by the nose of this aircraft with a Pvt. Barton painting G.I. Joe on the plane. Several crews flew this plane during its time with the 487th, but mission records show that on 20 April 1945 it was flown by Lt. R. E. Brown and his crew. Must have been a heavy mission, because the load was listed as 1000-lb. bombs. The plane was photographed on several missions in formation.

340st BG 487th BS - SN 43-4031 - 7Z SHIRLEY ANN
AIRPLANE COMMANDER	LT. W.E. GRIFFIN
CREW CHIEF	T/SGT C. J. BARANIKOVICH
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2LT Robert H. Meek KIA October 19, 1944 over the Magenta Bridge near Milan while flying as co-pilot of 7Z "Shirley Ann" At eternal rest in the Sicily Rome American Cemetery Nettuno Italy.