Burma Roadster - 1943

BURMA ROADSTER - 30 March 1943

Lt. Robert Ervin Hairston

373rd Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, 14th Army Air Corp

The Burma Roadster of Lt. Robert Ervin Hairston, the original co-pilot of "Axis Nightmare".  He arrived in China 20 March 1943 and departed on June 1944, after 88 combat missions totaling 405 hours.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with OLC, Air Medal with OLC and other medals.

 The Chinese 10 Yuan note was signed by air crew members on Saturday, 20 March 1943, the night they arrived in China, 33 days after leaving Florida.  The "X" indicates that the airman was, at a later date, KIA (Killed in Action) or MIA (Missing in Action).

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Donald B. Smith – 2^nd Lt. Donald Boyd Smith (O-793188) was co-pilot of B-24D “Temptation” (42-24129), on 15 Sep 1943 when it was shot down by enemy aircraft on a combat mission to bomb a cement factory in Haiphong, French Indochina (Vietnam).   He was not killed; however, the pilot 1st Lt. William A. Rutledge was killed.  Donald B. Smith was captured by the Japanese and was later released from a POW camp at the end of the war. A Chinese observer, 2^nd Lt. Cheng C. Wang, listed below, was also on this aircraft and survived this crash, but died 7 months later in another crash.

X - Marvin J. Silvershatz – Capt. Marvin J. Silvershatz (O-791639), born 1919 and was from Nashville, TN.  He was the original navigator on “Axis Nightmare” (41-24138) with 2^nd Lt. Robert E. Hairston and listed with nickname “Silvers” in personal photos. Later in the war, Capt. Silvershatz was the navigator on a B-24J (42-73430) that crashed during a combat mission on 21 May 1944 and was killed.  His co-pilot was Yeh Chao Wang (listed below).  - KIA - The American Battle Monuments Commission lists Captain Marvin J. Silvershatz (O-791639), 373rd Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy.  He is listed "Missing in Action" and date of death as 20 May 1944.  Posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart and Air Medal. 

J. G. Hull– 2^nd Lt. Junior G. Hull (O-730123) from Des Moines, Iowa. Was the original co-pilot “Dippy Dave” (41-24143) - Lt. Junior G. Hull survived a forced landing after a mechanical problem. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 16 Aug 1943 and Air Medal 19 July 1943 & OLC 5 Apr 1944.

X - Burdette A. Pearson – Capt. Burdette A. Pearson (O-1699366) was the original pilot on “Tail Heavy” (41-24125). He was from Madison, Wisconsin. He died 1 December 1943. - KIA - Posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 25 May 1944 and Air Medal 16 Aug 1943.

X - Max M. Nichols Jr. – 1^st Lt. Max Montague Nichols (O-401085). The original bombardier on “Tail Heavy” (41-24125). Later he is listed on Missing Air Crew Report on 10 Apr 1946 – KIA - Posthumously awarded the Air Medal 5 Apr 1944.

Ralph W. Ilmanen – 1^st Lt. Ralph W. Ilmanen (O-729174), born 1917- died 2007, from Berkeley, California.  He was a C-47 pilot flying the Hump with 10^th Air Force. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 7 Jun 1944 and Air Medal 19 May 1943.

X - Chas S. Drake – 1^st Lt Charles S. Drake (O-791575), from South Lansing, NY. The original navigator on “Tail Heavy” (41-24125). He was listed on Missing Air Crew Report on 10 Apr 1946 – KIA – Posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 25 May 1944 and Air Medal 5 Apr 1944.

X - William A. Rutledge – 1^st Lt. William A. Rutledge (O-373011) the original co-pilot on “Tail Heavy” (41-24125). Later he was the pilot of “Temptation” (42-24129) on 15 Sep 1943 when it was shot down by enemy aircraft on a combat mission to bomb the cement factory in Haiphong, French Indochina (Vietnam).  The co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Don B. Smith, said that William Rutledge bailed out and was probably shot and killed while parachuting.  The French found his body. He was from Sharpsburg, Iowa. - KIA - Posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 25 May 1944 and Air Medal 19 Jul 1944.

X - Yeh Chao Wang -   2^nd Lt. in Chinese Army (not US Army) – 2^nd Lt. Wang was flying with Capt. Silvershatz (listed above) on a B-24J when it crashed on 21 May 1944 during a combat mission near Yangkai, China. - KIA

Ken J. Breitschopf – Kenneth J. Breitschopf, UAL (United Airlines) - survived the war, retired from UAL, (b. 1918 - d. 2012)

X - Clark Robinson – Capt. Clark Robinson (O-471209), born 11 Aug 1894 Bangor, ME – died 12 Dec 1943, set up an entertainment show called Hump Happy. He had been a scenic designer at Radio City Music Hall before the war. Major Robinson died in a plane crash on 12 Dec 1943.

X - Dennie Beasley Jr. – 1^st Lt. Dennie Beasley Jr. (O-664951), born 29 Mar 1918 - died 23 Oct 1943, he was the pilot of a C-46 (41-12325) that crashed flying cargo from Kunming, China over the Hump to Chabua, India. – KIA – Posthumously awarded the Air Medal 18 Dec 1943.

Jim Nolan – 2nd Lt. James F. Nolan (O-663306), from Elmira, NY, survived the war, (b. 1918 - d. 1979), the original bombardier on “Axis Nightmare” (41-24138), awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 2 May 1944 and Air Medal 19 Apr 1944.

X - Clark Robinson – signed twice, see above.

Ken J. Breitschopf – signed twice, see above.

Tony Tilotta – 1^st Lt. Anthony Tilotta (O-793462), born 25 Apr 1919 NY – died 5 Sep 1998 FL, son of Peter & Susan Tilotta, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 28 Jul 1944 and Air Medal 4 Oct 1944.