tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post8034448041048429933..comments2024-03-29T04:54:50.435-05:00Comments on Bayou Renaissance Man: Revisiting the Balikpapan RaidPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-40136557852337393142019-01-12T06:47:39.506-06:002019-01-12T06:47:39.506-06:00Forgot to add, that "Capt. Hobstetter became ...Forgot to add, that "Capt. Hobstetter became my Fathers Operations Officer shortly after this mission as he had completed 45 missions, but I am certain that my dad and Capt Hobstetter flew at least, maybe two more missions together. I sure would love to receive an email from anyone in the know.<br /><br />CAVU<br />Thomas French, Esq<br />USMC VeteranAristarchushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18430089266902317003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-53759554476057404192017-11-24T11:35:57.171-06:002017-11-24T11:35:57.171-06:00Hi My name is Thomas French (USMC Veteran), fascin...Hi My name is Thomas French (USMC Veteran), fascinating piece by Hobstetter, ...My father recently deceased at 94 flew 45 missions as Lt and then Capt with the 370th Sq....from 10-22-44 thru sometime in June 45.....my research shows he lead the entire 307th BG on the last raid to Balikpapan on 6-13-45 [hard to decipher the correct dates from actual missions to the posting of who was going up]....his first missions were from Noemfoor 10-22-44, 10-26-44, 11-2-44 11-6-44 11-10-44,.....the rest were from Morotai....I was hoping mr Hobstetter might see this or if someone could give him my email tcf62@hotmail.com....I am still going through Mission reports and 370th history and am unclear on some stuff. ....seems POp might have been on a 6-8-45 Balikpapan raid?? and Tarakan on 6-11-45 and a shipping drop Bandjermasin Borneo 6-2-45.......<br /><br />There are no words to describe these guys other than Heroes, may they all rest with God the Father for eternity.<br /><br />Kindest Regards<br />Tommy French<br />USMC Veteran<br />added another email below but hotmail bestAristarchushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18430089266902317003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-45353333934388353962016-01-19T04:28:46.152-06:002016-01-19T04:28:46.152-06:00Dear Judith Owens,
So glad to meet daughter of a ...Dear Judith Owens, <br />So glad to meet daughter of a man who lived in Balikpapan. Do you still have pictures or notes about Balikpapan when your father was there? It's very important to us in Balikpapan to know memories from the past since our government doesn't care about it. Can I have your email to contact you directly. If you don't mind i need to ask about your father. Thank you in advance. You can contact me via email jonathanryt@yahoo.com or my twitter account, @handryjonathan. I write about Balikpapan history. You can read some of my article at handryjonathan.blogspot.com.Handry Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14024331618680883086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-43602048811662563252016-01-18T20:51:32.620-06:002016-01-18T20:51:32.620-06:00Hi Peter, Balikpapan was a pow processing center. ...Hi Peter, Balikpapan was a pow processing center. Sinde my father was a pow in Japan, my dad was taken there. When authorities discovered he had a construction company in Jakarta before the war, he was asked to stay on and help reconstruct Balikpapan. He did. We lived there until 1958 when once again Balikpapan was bombed. This time by covert CIA pilots as part of the Permesta, when Sulawesi rebelled against the government. I didn't realize Balikpapan role in retaking Indonesia from the Japanese. Your article is very insightful.<br /> Judith Owensnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-87516983889448058742015-12-13T08:07:48.459-06:002015-12-13T08:07:48.459-06:00Dear Peter and all person who related to Balikpapa...Dear Peter and all person who related to Balikpapan Raid,<br /><br />Probably it is to late to reply and comment this posting.<br />But here's the thing.<br />My name is Handry Jonathan. I am a native Balikpapan.<br />Me and my colleagues is collecting historical data, documents, photos, and things about Balikpapan.<br />We believe Balikpapan has a well known history. Balikpapan had important role during WW II. Gen. MacArthur and Admiral Mountbatten visited Balikpapan in 1945. Balikpapan is very important.<br />But it is ironic that our government doesn't give any attention of this. For example: Balikpapan map from 1939 is kept in seminary library in Jogjakarta.<br />So me and my colleagues do anything we can with limited resources, with no funding at all to collect our history. We are trying to write our history. I wrote some of my short article about history of Balikpapan on my blog, handryjonathan.blogspot.com<br />So Peter, I would need your permission to quote your writing.<br />And If you don't mind, is it possible me get photos or diary note from Capt James Hobstetter? Or any other documents related to Balikpapan?<br />Feel free to contacy me at my email: jonathanryt@yahoo.com<br />Thank you very much.Handry Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14024331618680883086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-92057742639601561542013-06-10T03:42:30.538-05:002013-06-10T03:42:30.538-05:00Kenneth Bollan a B24 pilot and my neighbor died Ju...Kenneth Bollan a B24 pilot and my neighbor died June 6, 2013. He spoke to me about flying on the Balakapapan raids. He described very long missions against the target.<br /><br />Unfortunately some years ago, disheartened after no longer being able to fly as PIC due to medical conditions he burned his log book. So sad as I wish his information could have been added to here. <br /><br />Ken was killed shortly after 2:00 PM and I would assume he was driving to get some lunch.<br /><br />http://www.thedailytimes.com/Local_News/story/Man-killed-two-injured-in-crash-on-US-411-id-037216<br /><br /><br />Forrest EricksonForrest Ericksonhttps://www.facebook.com/forrest.erickson.5noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-488337464301579732012-03-14T18:28:26.156-05:002012-03-14T18:28:26.156-05:00My father, Lewis Paul Bowers (now 90 and still pre...My father, Lewis Paul Bowers (now 90 and still pretty sharp) was the navigator on many of Jim Hobstetters missions. They trained together in San Marcos, Texas. Although he was not on the Sep 30th mission, he did go to Balikpapan on Oct 10th. He didn't keep a journal, but I have all his training and flight records (922 hours and 45 combat missions) and am matching them up with Jim Hobstetters journal to make a more complete picture. The stories these veterans have to tell are amazing and we really owe them a debt of gratitude.<br />Barry Bowers, Des Moines, Wa.B A Bowersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-17354108337410433632011-10-11T20:47:21.333-05:002011-10-11T20:47:21.333-05:00My father Forrest M. Briley spoke of these mission...My father Forrest M. Briley spoke of these missions many times. He was a reserve colonel who worked for Consolidated Aircraft out of Wright Field. He helped designed the planes that flew these missions. He described how they were instructed to gut the planes of everything not vital to the mission so they could minimize the weight. He described these planes as “flying gas tanks”. I am very excited to read your account as I have not found any documentation of these missions as was, frankly, beginning to question the validity of his stories.Vicki Briley Kerrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-31279719534337054752011-09-10T09:02:09.103-05:002011-09-10T09:02:09.103-05:00My father recently passed away peacefully on Augus...My father recently passed away peacefully on August 10, 2011. On his dying day, pulling his oxygen mask off to talk, he told of this raid. His plane hovered over another that was shot down (against regulations) to see them safely parachute down. Without this covering, those men most likely would have been shot. My dad said his plane was the last one in on that first raid. They measured less than a cigarette lighter's worth of fuel. My dad, Jack Christensen was in the 23rd squadron, 5th Bomb group and was awarded the presidential unit citation. He was the top turret gunner, under great attack the pilot calls, "Chris, when the hell are you going to start shooting?" To which my dad replied, "I'm already out of ammunition." Thank you so much for the aerial photo. While my dad's scrapbook has pictures of planes and crews, he did not have any of these missions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-10569266781691434712010-05-11T20:50:07.036-05:002010-05-11T20:50:07.036-05:00My cousin, Dale Enderson, was also in the 370th Sq...My cousin, Dale Enderson, was also in the 370th Squadron., 307 Bomb Group (Heavy), 13th AAF and was lost during the war. <br /><br />I found out that his plane was shot down on October 3rd, 1944 after another bombing raid Pandasari Refinery.<br /><br />There is a website dedicated to the heavy bomber groups called "missingaircrew.com" They have similar aerial photos and reports.Lyle Endersonhttp://misterend@aol.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-72661747322064920182009-08-15T17:17:43.913-05:002009-08-15T17:17:43.913-05:00And I am Sharon Crowley Connor, only child of Sgt ...And I am Sharon Crowley Connor, only child of Sgt Wm Crowley, the armorer/gunner on the Diederich plane. Pete sent me his dad's diary observations of the crash, and it was the first version that gave me the visual on it. I was stunned. Especially the description of the disintegration of his plane. No doubt about survival or capture. I saw how painful the writing of it was. I am grateful to Pete for sending it to me. Jim, I'm pleased to meet you, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-56349887233973674682009-04-11T15:25:00.000-05:002009-04-11T15:25:00.000-05:00I am Jim Hobstetter Jr. brother to Pete and also a...I am Jim Hobstetter Jr. brother to Pete and also a Viet Nam Helicopter pilot vet... After reading my Dad's diary I was reminded of how special these W W II veterans really were. They truly were the " greatest generation". I am so proud to be my father's son. <BR/>IJim Hobstetternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-80011112710361220482009-04-11T15:05:00.000-05:002009-04-11T15:05:00.000-05:00I am Pete's brother and son of Jim Hobstetter..I a...I am Pete's brother and son of Jim Hobstetter..I am Jim JR. and like my brother a Viet Nam helicopter pilot vet. When I read my dad's diary<BR/>I was remined of how special these WW II vets were and how proud I am to be his son. They truly were the "best generation". We suspect that dad did not continue with the diary because after that mission he did not expect to survive. Question....How did he fly missions 37 through 44?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-88427734212815518372009-03-20T16:11:00.000-05:002009-03-20T16:11:00.000-05:00Outstanding! Many thanks to the Mssrs. Hobstetter...Outstanding! Many thanks to the Mssrs. Hobstetter.Brandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010868377109696846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-77678651304577690372009-03-12T06:35:00.000-05:002009-03-12T06:35:00.000-05:00Well done, indeed!JimWell done, indeed!<BR/><BR/>JimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-10790074856934319562009-03-11T22:23:00.000-05:002009-03-11T22:23:00.000-05:00Great Post. Thank-YouGreat Post. Thank-YouAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com