This is a copy of an e-mail sent to secretary-treasurer Irv Baum by John L. Budd on the passing of John's father, John H. Hartman (325th Squadon tail gunner):
Dear Mr. Baum:
It is with great sadness, but also tremendous pride and love, that I report to you today that my father, John Henry Hartman, S/Sgt., USAAF, Serial Number 19 100 238, Date of Birth 4/27/11, passed away on Monday, 6/12/2000. Dad was a B-17 Tail-Gunner assigned to 325th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, Podington, England, where he and the other brave aircrews flew 35 missions from 7/25/44 (first mission) to 1/2/45, his final mission before returning home.
I just recently discovered the 92nd Bomb Group Web page and your e-mail address. As you apparently are one of the primary gatekeepers of information pertaining to all the heroic men and women who flew and supported the 92nd Bomb Group, I felt I should advise you of his passing. My Step-mother, Marge Hartman, is residing in Auburn, WA where she has close family members near by for support and over the years she has communicated occasionally with the pilot (and his wife) of the B-17 my dad served aboard during his tour of duty. The pilot, Mr. Mack E. Clarke, is 77 years old and is currently residing in Tulsa, OK. I have Mr. Clarke's address and plan to write to him soon.
My mother and father (John H. Hartman) divorced when I was six years old and--for reasons I will not bore you with at this time--I was not raised by my dad, but raised by a step-father. I did not have a father-son relationship with my dad during all the years I was growing up and long into my adult years. I did not know where my father lived, did not even know for sure if he was still alive and certainly knew nothing about his life and his military service to our country.
In May 1992 I began a search to find my dad; In June 1992 I successfuly located my dad and his wife, Marge Hartman, and a father and son became reunited. He and I had eight wonderful years to make up for 40-some years of separation, anger, doubt, questions, sadness, etc., etc. I am 52 years old and I treasure each and every one of those eight years we had together. I'm saddened at his death, but know that he is no longer suffering from his painful arthritis and the other scurges that old age relentlessly assaults the human body and mind with in our later years. I will miss him terribly, but know that his final mission took him into very friendly territory this time.
Over the next months, Marge Hartman will be searching out old photographs and service records detailing my father's life, including his honorable service to our country and the free world during WWII. As a memorial to my dad and to all the aircrews that never came home, I plan to compile information and photographs and make it available to the 92nd Bomb Group's webpage and/or any other museum or Internet location you (or others) might suggest.
Please feel free to communicate with me via this e-mail address and, if you like, pass my e-mail address and other contact information along to former 92nd Bomb Group aircrew members or their surviving relatives. Though I have read many books and watched many documentary films/videos about the Heavy Bombers of WWII over the years, I feel I still have much to learn about the men who flew these great warrior planes and the aircrews that fought and died carrying the war to Nazi Gernamy and other enemy targets. If you or anyone else have books or documentary videos to recommend, I would appreciate your input greatly. It will take me some time to compile the information and photos my step-mother has been saving all these years; she said she knew it was only a matter of time, but that I would eventually come looking for him and would want to know everything. She was, and still is, right.
I can be contacted at this e-mail address: waynereece92ma@earthlink.net.
Thank you for allowing me to share this information with you and perhaps with others.
Sincerely,
John L. (Hartman) Budd
PLEASE take the time at the reunion this October to record your history! It is important! You are important. The history of World War II (and Korea and Viet Nam and Desert Storm, etc.), will not be complete without your story.
If you cannot make the reunion or if you are not a member of this group, you can do it on your own. All it takes is a tape recorder, a microphone and a little time. Please don't let your story get away.
When you're done, please make copies for us and for the 8th Air Force museum in Savannah.
Thank-you!!