----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "MaxMoore55@aol.com" <MaxMoore55@aol.com>
To:
jim@maloney.com
Sent: Monday, December 3, 2007 3:59:44 PM
Subject: Fwd: Fw: RB-47H 4304 55SRW/343SRS
-----Inline Message Follows-----
Max and Rob, I share these comments
with you from Dr Tent, Chair of the Department of History at the
University of Alabama, in reference to the RB-47 picture 'on our way
to the Barents Sea in 1963,' which I shared with you. I
think his comments are a tribute to all of our fellow 55th flyers of
the Cold War era. cheers, wolf samuel
Wolfgang Samuel wrote: Nov. 30, 2007
To: gerkehofstra@home.nl
Subject: RB-47H 4304 55SRW/343SRS
This picture was taken in February
1963 from a KC-135 tanker near Bear Island, our last refueling
point, as we (Crew S-67 led by then Lt/Col 'Rusty' Rust from the
343rd Strat Recon Squadron/55SRW, Forbes AFB, Kansas) then headed
toward the Barents Sea and the Kola Peninsula. The bad guys
were not pleased with us. The pod on the lower mid-belly of
the aircraft is an ALD-4 automatic reconnaissance system. Last
picture. ws
Max and Rob, I share these comments
with you from Dr Tent, Chair of the Department of History at the
University of Alabama, in reference to the RB-47 picture 'on our way
to the Barents Sea in 1963,' which I shared with you. I
think his comments are a tribute to all of our fellow 55th flyers of
the Cold War era. cheers, wolf samuel
Dear Wolf,
Thank you for this rare photo. Wow,
your own B-47 leaving
Bear
Island (how
many of us even know where it is? Or understand the significance of
it’s location?). You and your fellow comrades-in-arms “saw the
world.” Alas, this was not a high-seas adventure, courtesy of the
U.S. Navy. It was the antithesis of
a civilian luxury cruise. In reality, it was the equivalent of a war
patrol with all of the latter’s uncertainties, dangers, discomforts,
and continuous stress. Yet, the public never knew about it or a
thousand, ten thousand other patrols of the Cold War. Generally
speaking, the participants didn’t receive DFCs or other recognitions
at all, or if they (a few), did, it was long after the fact and
conferred clandestinely. And yet, you and your colleagues continued
to fly in support of, i.e. for the love of their country. That is a
form of dedication which we who follow after should always respect.
God bless you and your Squadron mates of that special era. May it
never return.
With all good wishes,
Jim
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