An 8th Air Force Combat Veteran of WWII, Lt. Marshall Thixton was the B-17 Bombardier officially credited with releasing the first American bombs during the first daylight bombing mission of Berlin on March 4, 1944. Marshall was also the catalyst behind their book which ultimately became a collaborative effort amongst former B-17 crewmates, George Moffat and John O’Neil. Marshall was a career US Air Force Officer. He was born in Texas in 1924 and was sent to the state orphans’ home in Corsicana, Texas at age nine after the death of his father. Marshall graduated from the state orphan home in May 1941 and with $6.50 in his pocket, went out into the world. Like most people of Marshall’s generation, the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor changed everything.

Marshall J. Thixton enlisted in the US Army Air Force on March 10, 1942. He went through basic and aviation candidate training. Marshall was assigned as a Bombardier on the Lt. Bill Owen crew of the 95th Bomb Group. Marshall also served in the 482nd Bomb Group when Lt. Owens’s crew was transferred to the 482nd Bomb Group. After the war, Marshall received a degree from Texas Tech University in 1949. Marshall retired from the Air Force in 1968 as a major and joined the Air Force Reserve. Marshall married the former Lorraine Lewis on February 14, 1943. They had two children named Cecilia and William Ray. They had lived together in Corsicana, Texas until Marshall’s death on August 31, 1996. Sadly, Marshall passed away prior to publishing Bombs Away by Pathfinders of the Eighth Air Force in 1998.

George (Bud) Moffat of Grosse Point Michigan was the ball turret gunner on the first B-17 to release its bombs on Berlin. George kept a detailed diary of every combat mission he flew which he wrote immediately after the mission was complete. George was an 8th Army Air Force Staff Sergeant and combat veteran on many of the most difficult missions the 8th flew. George was the colorful member of the Owen crew. He once said about his pilot Lt. Bill Owen that, "I’d fly clear to hell with him and figure I had a good chance of getting back." It was George’s diaries that provided the basis for the descriptions of the combat missions in their book. George married his British bride, Phoebe, in Edinburgh, Scotland during the war.

After the war, George initially returned to Grosse Pt., Michigan for 8 years until heading west to California. George was a police officer, Vice President of Prudential Insurance, a stock broker and real estate broker. After George retired, he became active in Civic Affairs in the San Diego area. George and Phoebe had two children, Jim and Gail. George passed away on June 28, 1993. Sadly, George he never saw his book Bombs Away by Pathfinders of the Eighth Air Force published.

U.S. 8th Army Air Force Staff Sergeant John J. O’Neil was the waist gunner on the first B-17 to release its bombs on Berlin on March 4, 1944. It was John, who after reconnecting with Marshall and George at an 8th Army air Force reunion, became involved in their project. He completed Bombs Away by Pathfinders of the Eighth Air Force in their memory and published it with his family-owned publishing company.

John was born in Malden, Massachusetts on February 13, 1923. He entered the service on July 3, 1941, and was assigned to Grenier Field, Manchester, NH. He arrived in Scotland on January 12, 1943 and was sent to the 4th Fighter Group. He trained to be an aerial gunner at RAF Kirkham, Lancashire. In August, 1943, he joined the 482nd Bomb Group (Pathfinder) at Alconbury and completed his first mission on December 20, 1943 to Bremen. On March 4, 1944, he flew with the 95th Bomb Group to Berlin, and was credited with being the first USAAF heavy bomber to bomb Berlin. In March 1944, the 482nd BG (P) became a radar training station for navigators and bombardiers.

John was discharged on August 19, 1945. He flew 14 missions and received two Air Medals, Presidential Unit Citation, European Theater of Operations and four Battle Stars, American Defense Medal, and Victory Medal. He attended Boston University and received a BA degree in 1952 ad a MA degree in 1953. He attended MIT and received a MS in 1956. He spent 10 years in food R&D, and entered publishing in 1966. In 1976, he started his own publishing company, and expanded the company to include a military division in its later years. FNP Military has remained a family owned business dedicated to John‘s memory. He married Lillian Mildred Bechan in 1954 and they had six children. John passed away on April 22, 2006 after a brief illness. John was the founder of FNP Military Press and his spirit lives on in everything we do.

Ian Hawkins of Suffolk, England is a military historian. Ian is considered an authority on 8th Army Air Force operations of WWII. He became interested in the history of the Eighth Air Force as a young boy growing up surrounded by the airfields from which the 8th flew. Ian incorporates a unique style of writing relying heavily on the personal accounts of the actual battle participants which puts the reader right in the middle of the action. Ian’s father, a British Navy Destroyer commander and his uncle, a Royal Air force squadron leader were both killed in action in WWII.

Ian Hawkins is a former civil engineer. He resides in Suffolk with his wife Mary. In addition to The Munster Raid: Before and After, Ian has also written B-17’s Over Berlin: Personal Stories of the 95th Bomb Group (H). Ian also edited the book 20th Century Crusaders: 392nd Bombardment Group (H), January 1943-September 1945: true tales of the air war over Europe told by those who lived them. Ian recently authored the book Destroyer: An Anthology of First-Hand Accounts by Those Who Served on the B- and C-Class Destroyers in the Second World War.

Frank D. Murphy, a native of Atlanta, Georgia. Born on September 9, 1921, Frank grew up in Atlanta, GA. In the fall of 1939, Frank entered Emory University in Atlanta where his principal interest was music. In December 1941, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he applied for an appointment as an aviation cadet in the US Army Air Corps. He was accepted and entered the Army on January 19, 1942. After basic instruction at Maxfield Field, Alabama he was sent to the Air Corps navigator’s training school at Turner Field, Albany, Georgia.

On July 4, 1942, Frank graduated from the navigation school at Turner Field with an appointment as a second lieutenant, US Army Air Forces. Following a short training course at the Army Air Forces Combat Crew School, Sebring, Florida, Frank was transferred to the 2nd Air Force Training Command and sent to Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho where he was assigned as B-17 navigator on Crew 31 of the newly formed 100th Bomb Group. Frank and his crew were with the 100th Bomb Group when it was sent to England in June, 1943 to become part of the United States Army Eighth Air Force. From his base at Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, England, Frank flew twenty-one daylight combat missions with the Eighth Air Force. On his twenty first mission, he was shot down at Munster, Germany and was a prisoner of war until the end of the war nineteen months later. He holds the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, The Purple Heart, The U.S. Prisoner of War Medal, the Presidential Unit Cititation and the European Campaign Ribbon.

After his release from the army, Frank returned to Emory University and received a BA degree in 1948. He married his wife Ann and started a family. He and Ann were the parents of 4 children, Frank, Jr., Patricia, Liz and Kevin He was the resident representative for the Lockheed-Georgia Company in Saudi Arabia for a number of years and retired in 1987 as Vice President, Lockheed-Georgia International Services. In retirement, Frank was active within Veteran affairs, and served as a Trustee of the Mighty 8th Museum in Savannah, GA. Frank enjoyed playing clarinet, saxophone and flute in local Atlanta bands. Frank wrote his book Luck of the Draw; Reflections on the Air War in Europe, between the years of 1995-2000. Frank directed that all author royalties from the sales of his book be directed to the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum in Savannah, GA in memory of all that served in the Mighty 8th. Frank passed away on June 16, 2007. For all of us who came to know Frank at FNP Military Press we are so thankful that he decided to fly one more mission for the Mighty 8th.

Harry Conley was born on November 7, 1916. He was raised in San Francisco. He graduated from Stanford University in 1938 with a degree in aeronautical engineering. With no jobs available in his profession Harry went to work for a large beef company. The day after Pearl Harbor, Harry entered the Army Air Corp on December 8, 1941. An 8th Army Air Force Officer and 95th Bomb Group squadron Commanding Officer. Harry would later become the Chief of Staff of 93rd Combat wing.

A B-17 Bomber pilot Harry was a veteran of 89 combat missions during WWII. He crash landed three airplanes and was wounded. Harry was the recipient of 4 Distinguished Flying Crosses, A Purple Heart, and Bronze Star. He received a total of 14 medals. He was particularly fond of the Croix de Guerre with Palm he received for several secret missions he flew for the French. The medal was personally presented to Harry by General Charles De Gaulle. Harry was only one of three from the original one hundred squadron compliment who completed a combat tour. Harry went on to become the project officer for the 509th Bomb Group, destined to deliver the atomic bomb and end WWII.

After an illustrious WWII service record, Harry returned to Northern California and operated cattle ranches in California, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho. He managed cattle feeding operations in Texas, Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming. Harry was one of the incorporators of the town of Portola Valley and created the Portola Valley Training Center, a major racehorse facility. Harry was encouraged to write his memoir from his many friends, in particular his good friend Stuart Whittelsey Jr. who would listen to Harry’s many stories while riding horses. Stuart continued to encourage him to record his remarkable story for all of us to enjoy. Harry was married to Marcy Harris Conley for over 17 years. Sadly, Harry passed away on July 9, 2002 just prior to the publishing of his book. He worked on proofing his book right up to the very end. Harry was a beacon pointing the way to all who came to know him and so it was for all of us at FNP Military Press who worked with him on No Foxholes in the Sky.