Photos furnished by son of Kirby Smith : Mike Smith and Son of S/Sgt. Jose Pineda: Richard Pineda. This is a temporary site in order to fill in the information. I am wondering if the a/c "Little Joe"/"Georgianna" was so named because Kirby Smith's girl was Georgianna and the plane itself belonged to Jose "Little Joe" Pineda. Just a thought.
Keith
  • 350thPhotoProject 1
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  • Pilot: Fred N. Smith
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 8
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  • 346th pilots Harold M Simmonds (of Philadelphia, I believe), Kirby E. Smith (from Orrville, OH), and Fred N. Smith (Vancouver, WA). Simmonds was flying Kirby Smith's wing when Smith shot down a JU-88. Fred N Smith was reassigned to the 347th FS after spending about a month in the 346th.
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 9
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  • photo of Kirby E. Smith, apparently before he shot down the German (Aug '43). The P-39 is "Little Joe". Note the name can be seen on the fuel tank as well. Crew Chief is S/Sgt Jose (Joe) Pineda. Tail number 29385
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 19
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  • Kirby E. Smith 346th FS
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 11
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  • Tail number 29385 with "Georgianna" on the left side of the nose. "Little Joe" on the right. Pilot: Kirby Smith CC: S/Sgt. Jose A. Pineda
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 4
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  • "Little Joe" of the 346th F.S. Bird of pilot Kirby E. Smith and crew chief : S/Sgt. Jose A. Pineda. Tail number 29385
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  • Richard Pineda Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 13
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  • "Little Joe" of the 346th F.S. Bird of pilot Kirby E. Smith and crew chief : S/Sgt. Jose A. Pineda. Tail number 29385
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 2
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  • Stateside Article of 346th Crew Chief S/SGT Jose Pineda.
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  • Pineda
  • 350thPhotoProject 6
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  • Here's a picture of 346th pilot Ben Jones (Texas). He nailed a JU-88 about a week after Kirby Smith got his. Apparently he was a great guy, well-respected by others in the squadron. Tragically, he was killed--I think when his P-39 spun out. (This is recounted in The Memories Are Still Fresh, a published work on the 346th.)
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 15
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  • Kirby Smith's aircraft taken after he downed the JU-88. Note the victory swastika on the fuselage. "Little Joe" tail number 29385 with unidentified enlisted men doing their work. Possibly Jose Pineda CC: S/Sgt. Jose A. Pineda
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 16
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  • A wartime article provided by F.N. Smith (with his notes in margin) about the 67 Sad Sacks.
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 10
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  • Original 67 Sad Sacks who went to England and became members of the 350th Fighter Group in Feb/1943
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 6
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  • Kirby Smith showing him wearing his "67 Sad Sack" patch. Text below is from R.A. "Bob" Hoover's book Forever Flying (great book!) about the origin of the 67 Sad Sacks, p. 38: When we arrived at Mediouna, all of the pilots were disappointed to learn we had been assigned to a replacement pilots' pool. One of the men decided we should rename the group the Sad Sacks to show our displeasure with not being ordered into combat. Tom Watts recorded the incident in his journal: Coates had the idea that the 67 of us should get an insignia for ourselves on the basis that we were somewhat of a rare collection. We [learned] we were not supposed to have been sent to England in the first place. We had gone to different places there, and they had no idea what to do with us. We were sent to five places in Africa, being received the same way we were in England.... Everyone agreed to Coates' proposal that we should be the 67 SAD SACKS, with the group title of SNAFU (Situation Normal All Fouled Up). Immediately, we donned our insignia, which, painted on leather, had the large numbers 67 with a face in the background of a sack weeping sadly; below was SAD SACKS, on top was SNAFU. Comments by Mike Smith, son of 346th pilot Kirby Smith: Hoover's understanding that many/all of these guys weren't intended for the European/Med theatres corresponds to Dad's understanding as well. Dad believes that at least the sergeant pilots were supposed to be assigned to the Panama Canal Zone but that someone screwed up. They were ordered to New York City. Hoover describes this on p. 33: Before we left the United States, the Army issued us backpacks, standard infantry uniforms, and old World War I "doughboy" helmets and rifles. Marching down Fifth Avenue in New York City in full regalia caused quite a scene. Thousands lined the streets and supported us with their cheers. We had not fired a shot, but we already felt like heroes. An hour later we boarded the Queen Elizabeth, an enormous cruise ship that had been converted for troop transport.....Even though I was just a sergeant (see Appendix) I was put in charge of sixty-seven pilots. Comments by Mike Smith, son of 346th pilot Kirby Smith: I'm attaching a scan of the Appendix from Hoover's book. You'll notice Hoover's name, Dad's name, FN Smith, KB Smith, et al. Note the attempt to conceal the pilots' specialization as described in Hoover's narrative . Dad said that the pilots were told to conceal their wings and any other insignia that would indicate that they were flyers, hence the effort to make them appear as infantrymen. The Queen Elizabeth is/was the sister ship to the Queen Mary. Both ships were fitted out as troop transports and criss-crossed the Atlantic time and again all alone (!), without escort or convoy, depending on zig-zagging and their incredible speed to avoid U-boats. One of these ships about this time was actually hit by a dud torpedo, the closest either came to being sunk. Don't know if that occurred to the QE or if that happened while Dad and the others were aboard.
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 3
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  • Comments from Mke Smith: I'm attaching a scan of the Appendix from Hoover's book. You'll notice Hoover's name, Dad's name, FN Smith, KB Smith, et al. Note the attempt to conceal the pilots' specialization as described in Hoover's narrative . Dad said that the pilots were told to conceal their wings and any other insignia that would indicate that they were flyers, hence the effort to make them appear as infantrymen. These individuals were marched down the center of New York City wearing infantrymen's overcoats and carrying rifles.
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 4
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  • Comments from Mke Smith: I'm attaching a scan of the Appendix from Hoover's book. You'll notice Hoover's name, Dad's name, FN Smith, KB Smith, et al. Note the attempt to conceal the pilots' specialization as described in Hoover's narrative . Dad said that the pilots were told to conceal their wings and any other insignia that would indicate that they were flyers, hence the effort to make them appear as infantrymen. These individuals were marched down the center of New York City wearing infantrymen's overcoats and carrying rifles.
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 5
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  • Comments from Mke Smith: I'm attaching a scan of the Appendix from Hoover's book. You'll notice Hoover's name, Dad's name, FN Smith, KB Smith, et al. Note the attempt to conceal the pilots' specialization as described in Hoover's narrative . Dad said that the pilots were told to conceal their wings and any other insignia that would indicate that they were flyers, hence the effort to make them appear as infantrymen. These individuals were marched down the center of New York City wearing infantrymen's overcoats and carrying rifles.
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 7
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  • Log Book : KIrby Smith (346th)
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection
  • 350thPhotoProject 8
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  • Log Book : KIrby Smith (346th)
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  • Mike (KIRBY) Smith Collection