Cadets in Training/Florida

If you click on the picture, you will see Logan Charles on the right with an arrow pointing towards him. This group of pilots had no idea they would be in WW2. The war had not been declared yet.

The WWII Night Fighters were a different breed of men. The Pilots, Radar Observers and Tail Gunners were all volunteers. They had special technical training as did the ground personnel. Prior to the establishment of the Night Fightes, our combat troops and installations, in the combat zones, were nightly targets for strafing and bombing by the enemy. When the Night Fighters became operational, these problems basically stopped, thus saving the lives of untold numbers of our troops and much needed equipment and supplies.

Flight School in Florida

The WWII Night Fighters of the USAAF were "Pioneers" in the use of "Air Bourne Radar" to hunt flown enemy aircraft. This operation was most frequently done in the dark and stormy skies over enemy territory.

This picture was taken when my father was in flight school. Eighteen years of age.

Discharged

Logan Charles spent a significant amount of time in the hospital in New Guinea. He had a full body cast and caught Malaria. This is the last known picture of my father in uniform taken when he was back in the states. He received an honorable discharge.
My father was color blind. He studied during the night while in flight school to learn the different shades of colors. Of course he never told the Army Air Corp that! He was a determined young man who wanted to become one of the best pilots ever.

Injured

This is how the P-61 Black Widow looked when it was found on Mt. Cyclops in New Guinea.

Logan Charles suffered a broken back. Benny his radar observer had the top of his head scalped.

Props

New Guinea

This picture was taken at Hollandia Air Field in New Guinea. My father Logan Charles is seated on the left. I have the ID bracelet you see on his right wrist. Inscribed on the back of the ID bracelet is "Fritzie loves Red." That was my mothers nickname and my father had red hair.
On occasion, I still wear his ID bracelet to work. It's heavy and is sterling silver.

Standing to the left is Radar Observer Benny who flew with my father. They became close friends and he stood up in my parents wedding. He passed away not to long ago. Benny lived in Southern California after the war.

Logan Charles and Car

P-61 Black Widow

When the plane was located, it still had oil in the engine and the rubber was still on the tires.

P-61 Black Widow

After my father took off for a routine flight, he lost power and crashed. Luckily, all on board survived. The plane layed there for close to 40 years. He never knew the plane was going to be recovered and placed in a museum.

Hollandia Air Field New Guinea

The remains of the P-61 Black Widow laying on Mt Cyclops. Natives from the area took dials from the instrument panel.

Logan Charles

This is the second to last picture taken of my father before the crash that I have.

The last pilot of P-61B 239445

P-61 Black Widow

The P-61 Black Widow was the first radar_equipped night-fighter designed by Northrup Grumman. Flown initially in 1942, over 400 P-61s would be built before retirement at the end of World War II. The Black Widow topped out at 366 mph and had a maximum take-off weight of 36,200 pounds. The aircraft was armed with four 20 mm cannons (lower forward fuselage), four 12.7 mm machine guns (dorsal barbette) and could carry up to 6,400 pounds worth of bombs.

P-61 Black Widow at Hammer Field. 550th Night Fighter Officers Logan Charles sixth from the left top row.

P-61 Black Widow

The P-61 Black Widow was a large airplane that was painted all black. It had no lights on it and flew only at night and low to the ground. This picture was taken in Fresno, California at Hammer Field. This is the 550th Night Fighter (full) Squadron that would soon be deployed to the South Pacific to fight in the Pacific Theatre.

Guns

The P-61 Black Widow was built by Northrup. It was designed to seat a tail gunner in the rear of the plane facing backwards. Logan Charles is 3rd from the left.

Logan Charles at the Officers Club

This picture was taken in Fresno, California at Hammer Field. The 550th Night Fighter Squadron was stationed here and trained to fly the Northrup p-61 Black Widow.
Benny is on the left who was my fathers radar observer on the plane. Mom is in the middle and was a model for Zukors and Anita Dress Shop. My dad is on the right.

My mother always told us that during WW2, she would date nothing less than an "officer."

Logan Charles is married!

My father has returned to the states, met and married my mom.

Pearl Harbor

Logan Charles at Schofield Barracks, Honolulu Hawaii

Pearl Harbor

The 550th Night Fighter Squadron arrives at Pearl Harbor and is stationed at Hickam Air Force Base . This is my father, Logan Charles who survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He would be around 19 years old when this picture was taken.

Flight School

Graduation from Flight School. Logan Charles on the left.

Florida Flying Formation

Logan Charles is in the first plane.

Training Plane

Flying Formation

Buck Private