Us Official Photographs

USAAF airmen and air crews

The daily communiques from the various battle fronts over the world invariably tell of the accomplishments of the USAAF. Subsequent news stories have developed tales of the deeds of individual airmen and air crews. But little publicity has been afforded to the men who actually keep the planes in the air—the maintenance forces who disassemble, clean, repair, test and reassemble USAAF planes on a regular scheduled routine. All of these men are experts in their various technical phases of the work in which they are engaged. These photos show but a few of the operations necessary to "keep 'em flying". Inside the plexiglass turret top of a Martin B-26 Marauder, Sgt. William R. Shoum, Phillip, S.D., operates a buffer mechanism to clean the top.