NAME TP - M# SER - BLK - MF

SERIAL #

AF

BG

BS

SC RCL/# V#-P

PHOTO CREDITS

TEPEE TIME GAL

B

-

24

H

-

15

-

CF

41-29583

15

455

743

~

69 00-4

N/A

Port (Left) Side - Renamed from WATTACROK

Contributor - Brendan Wood

Info Contributor - Sandee J. Coppinger (Daughter of Co-Pilot - John F. Jureka)

Pilot - 1st Lt. Franklin H. (Nick) Nichols, Jr.
Co-Pilot - 2nd Lt. John F. Jureka 
Navigator -  Ralph J. (Jeff) Rovie
Bombardier - Bud Corbett
Radioman/ R/Waist Gunner - S/Sgt. Robert "Bobby" SW Lee
Armorer/Gunner - S/Sgt. Hackett
Nose Gunner - Sgt. Schwarz
Tail Gunner - Sgt. Walter Trzasko
Left Waist Gunner - Cpl. Anderson
Crew Chief -  T/Sgt. Haney

Info Contributor - Seymour (Sy) Gaynes (formerly Ginsburg) - Navigator
I was the Navigator on the original crew (Pilot was David G. Bellemere) who flew TEPEE TIME GAL in the 743rd Sq / 455th Group out  of Cerignola. The C. O. (David Thayer) promised us the first plane brought over by a replacement crew and TEPEE TIME GAL was that plane. It had that beautiful picture of an Indian girl already painted on it but it had the "gawd awful" name WATTACROK, which may have seemed great to that replacement crew, but we soon  blacked that out and re-named it. Our E. M. had become close friends with a squadron photographer (who was also an artist) and they came up with TEPEE TIME GAL. We each got our name painted next to our position. On the right side near the nose, there is a Jewish Star of David and my nick name, "SAMMY".

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B-24 Best Web. Published on Veterans Day 11/11/97. Last modified: 27-Mar-2021