Within the Latimer Crew section you will encounter several overlaps
with
the Mission, Recovery, and Identification sections.
The date the Latimer Crew photo was taken is unknown.
The crew would have come together following the 58th Bomb Wing's
departure
from their bases in Kansas during April and May 1944.
The 58th was the only Wing to fly East to their destinations in India
and China.
Corporal John W Welsh arrived at Smoky Hills Army Air Field ( SHAAF
) on 21 April 1944.
The exact date when he became a member of the Latimer crew is unknown.
Following the Crew Photo is a page from Operations Order Number 27
issued at Mather Army Air Field on 6 November 1944.
This Movement Order concerns several crews and
the Latimer crew is at the top of the page.
These crews were part of the Flight Echelon.
Note that Cpl John W Welsh does not appear in this Movement Order.
It was common practice for one of the Gunner Positions
to be taken by the Ground Crew Chief.
The other men in the Latimer Crew departed SHAAF on 13 October 1944
and arrived at Herington AAF the same day.
They departed Herington on 3 November 1944 for Mather AAF.
According to records in both Sgt Irvin C Ellingson and Sgt Chester
A Johnson' IDPFs,
the crew departed Mather for Saipan on 10 November 1944.
The 14 November 1944 878th Morning Report shows them arriving that
day in Saipan.
Cpl Welsh's name appears at the bottom of
SO 305 issued at Herington AAF on 31 October 1944.
He would travel with the Air Echelon by rail to Hamilton AAF, Novato,
California.
His departure date from Herington is unknown but
by 10 November 1944 he had arrived at Hamilton AAF.
At Hamilton AAF the crew members with the Air Echelon flew on C-54s
to
Saipan via Oahu, Johnston Island, and Kwajalein.
The date that Sgt Welsh arrived at Saipan is not known.
His name appears in the 2 December 1944 Morning Report with
other men promoted from Corporal to Sergeant.
