Keep 'Em Flying

The photos of a 5th Air Force Service Mechanic in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. Cpl. Heberling served as an airplane mechanic in both the 27th Air Depot Group, and the 80th Airdrome Squadron, servicing front line combat units, most notably the 90th Bomb Group, the famed The Jolly Rogers. His photos and negatives, all Army Censor approved, and stored away for 70 years are reproduced here as stark reminders of the aircraft, camp life, Luzon Invasion and the post battle destruction of Manila. The New Guinea section gives the reader just a taste of the privations found in a part of the world featuring the harshest of environments the Service Groups labored under just to keep airworthy planes ready for their missions. His experiences no doubt model that of thousands of fellow service mechanics. nodocs.