A year in the making using technology the bomber boys couldn’t have imagined 75 years ago, this is a new history of the 44th Bomb Group in WWII drawing from 1.5 million data points.
The quick links above make it possible search for a veteran’s mission and personnel records or explore the 44th’s missions. The best news — you can explore the journey of one man or the whole group looking at the data by missions, men, bombers, and targets – all with a few clicks.
Explore and learn more about the dashboard here: www.44thbombgroup.org
At the intersection of data science and history – you get me (Mara Truslow, in case we haven’t met) – the granddaughter of a 44th vet, a management consultant who deals in data by data, a student of the 44th by night.
I spent the last year scraping the world for the 1.5 million data points in the dashboard, which builds on the inimitable 44th BG Dashboard Will Lundy spearheaded. This summer, I took a 4 month sabbatical from Deloitte – the final sprint to finish the dashboard.
Here you have it! A history of the 44th fit for the 21st century.
The Mighty 8th Air Force at Shipdham 
Mara, amazing work! My dad Howard Latty was a nose gunner in the 44th BG. Lt Kleiderer was his pilot. I took dad and my son to Shipdam a few years ago. It was an incredible experience. Dad will be 96 next month and is in excellent physical and mental condition. Do have any idea the number of surviving vets from the 44th? Would love to connect with you sometime!
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Hi Kevin,
Thanks for reaching out – it’s great to hear from you. I also owe you a giant thank you for your generous donation – which will fund hosting for both this site and the 44th BG dashboard site for the next year. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.
Happy early birthday to your dad! I can think of just a handful of 44th BG vets who are still around – though because there isn’t a central veterans association for the 44th anymore, it’s a little harder to keep track of everyone, so there certainly could be more.
Would love to connect more with you, too!
-Mara
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Would be happy to help more with the cost of the website. Also, when Collings foundation resumes flights of Witchcraft, the only remaining operational B-24, I would love to treat you and a guest to a flight. Did it with my son and dad a few years ago. Incredible experience! My mobile number is 404-234-5016. Grateful for what you do
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Grateful for you, too. Amazing how 44th connections still bond strangers today because of what our fathers and grandfathers did a lifetime ago. And all the more incredible that your dad is still kicking. Would love to connect with him at some point too, if he’s open to it. (Not sure where y’all are located – I’m in Nashville but travel often for work and love nothing more than 44th BG-related side trips.)
And how unbelievably generous to offer a ride on Witchcraft. I also had the good fortune of taking a ride on her in 2018. Actually organized a mini-family reunion in CA for the occasion – including two of Wally’s sons and three grandkids. Agree it was an experience for the books.
Would love to keep in touch – my email is best: maratruslow@gmail.com
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