Roger C. Roland, 95th Bombardment Squadron, Airplane Sheet Metal Worker (555).

"The 25th of Oct. 1944 all our Squadron left, but our unit, and we were left as a holding party. We got our first repair job in France and it was plenty rough. We also had a salvage ship, “Cokie Flo" We sweated out the Lake of Tabasco after we finished the job. But it got off O.K. and is still making missions over Germany." (The last post came right before Nov. 20, 1944). There's a picture of him working on TABASCO, too)

The printer's date on the one of them sitting on the bomb was Dec. 1944. Carl Roland is the one in the back. None others labeled.

The group holding rifles standing in front of the tent - no idea of date or location. Names are as follows in NO PARTICULAR ORDER:
Russell Brinley - Michigan
Hans Frederickson - Wisconsin
Burton Wilson - Michigan
Joe Poponick - Pennsylvania
Carl Roland - North Carolina (back row, center)
John Park - Pennsylvania

Caption for "France 1944" working on engine: Changing engine on B-26 for the 387th Bomb Group. 557th Bomb Sq. Jack Shapiro - Fla, Joseph Poponick - PA, (?)Patrick Piscopo - WA, Carl Roland - N.C (back row, center), George Myers - PA, James Jason - OH. Ship Grueling (not sure of that word?) Chaser. St. Quentin, France.

On the back of daddy leaning on plane: Engine Repair just completed

Large group photo (printer's date on back Dec 23 1944) NOT IN ORDER

Russell R. Brinley (Mich), John S. Park (PA), George R. Myers (PA), Johnnie R. David (MISS), Edward M. Follett (N.Y.), Burton J Shapiro (FL), Roger Carl Roland (N.C.), James R. Traynor (PA), Patrick Piscopo (Maine), Hans G. Frederickson (Wisc), James E. Jason (OH), Kenneth L. Miller (CA), Donald H McLaughlin (WA D.C.), Curtis W. [illegible] (OR), Joseph Poponick (PA)

****

My dad, Carl Roland is right smack in the center, with big smile and slightly upturned cap brim.

My daddy never told horror stories about the war - the story I remember hearing most often is about how the French kids would poke carrots thru the fence at them when they were on guard duty. He was such a happy person he attracted kids. In his diary, he told of his buddies and him having to seek shelter in the London Tube during an air raid. Daddy says, "I gave my cookies to the babies." That sound so typical of something he would delight in doing. He tried to find the good in things. He stayed in touch with and remained good friends with a couple of these men for years after the war.