Here are the words to the fighting 500th song book.  These songs have been put into a MicroSoft Word .Doc file by Marith Reheis.  We thank her for the hard work and efforts to keep the memories alive.  To down load the file just click on the link below.

Thanks to the Collings Foundation, a re-born Tondelayo has been flying the U.S. skies since August of 2002.

Earlier, the Foundation had their B-25 (Hoosier Honey) repainted with our 500th Squadron markings, including re-naming the aircraft with our original Tondelayo nose art. Thanks to their kindness, the story of our squadron's most famous B-25 will in a way be perpetuated as the aircraft graces the skies in years to come.

The Collings Foundation has asked for our help in the purchase of a set of bomb racks for Tondelayo which will cost $4,000. It is against our Association's policy to make such donations. Even if this policy did not exist, we just don't have funds to make such a donation.

In view of the foregoing, we are making all of this known to our Association membership in the event that there are individuals who would like to make their individual donations toward the purchase of the bomb racks.

If you wish, you may make your individual, tax deductible, donation (payable to the Collings Foundation) and send it directly to the following address: The Collings Foundation, P.O. Box 248, 137 Barton Road, Stow, MA 01775.

Together with your donation, please identify yourself as a member of the 500th Squadron Association, Please do NOT make your check payable to the 500th Association, nor should you send your donation to our Association. Any donation made is strictly an individual one directly to the Collings Foundation.

Many thanks for any individual donations made.

One of the responsibilities of the 500th Association's Secretary is to publish and disseminate a Newsletter on a Quarterly basis (February, May, August and November) to all active Association members.

Thanks to the cooperation of many members who contribute items, the newsletters continue to receive favorable comments from readers within the Association, as well as "outsiders."

Regular contributors are asked to continue doing just that. At the same time, we would very much like to receive items from those who haven't yet done so. This applies not only to regular members, but to honorary members as well.

So... put on your thinking caps and send items to Bill Cavoli, Newsletter Editor. Items could be about something interesting/funny that happened to you while a member of the 500th Squadron. Honorary members might write about their father/uncle/brother who was assigned to the 500th Squadron, or something else that might be interesting reading to our members. Please keep your items brief (500 words or less) and legible (preferably typewritten).

Many thanks to all of you who have helped your editor with items in the past. Hopefully, this notice will generate items by previous non-contributors.

Items may be sent via e-mail to: <Kathy Rubin> or FAXed to (210) 493-5438.

I have a special request for anyone with any knowledge of what may have happened to the enlisted members of this crew.  It's believed they were captured and interned at Wewak prison, but this has not been confirmed.  The Officers 1st Lt. Stookey, and 2nd Lt. Evans were executed near the end of the war.  Their remains, along with some 15 other American and Australian airmen, were interred at Jefferson Barracks Missouri.  If you have any information as to the fate of the others  Please E-Mail The Warbird at The Warbird Thank you!!
 
 
 

Back Row:   BAKER,           2Lt. EVANS,    1Lt. STOOKEY  Sitting:      DWYER,   SSgt ROBERTS,        SSgt. LAIRD

Ship # 41-30561 after it was shot down off Wewak  on  16 October, 1943.  The crew were seen later in the raft.