The Dixon Crew

Dixon crew in front of brand new B-24J that they were delivering on their way to combat. Fairfield-Suisen AB (now Travis AFB) 21 May 44

This wasn't just any crew.  It was the lead bomber of the 307th Bombardment Group, piloted by Captain Gordon Dixon, the commander of the 372nd BS, and it's members were made up of the best of the best - all instructors: pilots, bombardier, navigator, gunners.   The crew was formed by special request as a lead crew and composed of relatively senior Captains, 1st Lieutenants and Staff Sergeants, not 2nd Lt's or corporals.  They were hand-picked by Captains Gordon Dixon and Bill Terry from their instructor crews while part of the late phase B-24 399th Bombardment Combat Replacement Training Group at March Airfield, Riverside, CA.  They were the crewmembers that trained other crews how to operate as a crew, fly close bombing formation and put bombs on target.

They had 23 combat missions under their belt and were waiting to complete another to gain their mid-combat rest leave in Australia. The above picture is one taken in Los Negros, Admiralties after Captain Dixon had been given command of the squadron and they had flown over a dozen missions in combat over Truk, Noemfoor, Woleai and Yap Island Groups.