JOHN CHOPELAS COLLECTION
M00-10
John Chopelas was born on October 10, 1923 in Dallas, Texas to Pete and Olga (Vastures) Chopelas. Both of his parents were Greek immigrants with his father coming from Megalopolis, Greece and his mother from Yeraki, Greece. John was one of six children and he lost a nineteen-year-old brother who was killed in World War II in action on Bougainvillea while serving with the American Division.
He was educated in Dallas and Lubbock, Texas before moving to Waco, Texas where he graduated from high school in 1941. He was living in Levelland, Texas with his mother when Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan.
John enlisted in the Army Air Forces at the age 18 on January 1, 1942. He took basic training as Sheppard Aviation Cadet Training under the Sergeant Pilot Program. His Preflight training was a Maxwell Field, Alabama, and Primary Flight training at Union City, Tennessee. He flew a PT-17 Stearman “Kaydet” solo before leaving the Pilot Program. He was then assigned to gunnery school in Las Vegas, Nevada and to a crew at Salt Lake City, Utah. He received combat phase training at Rattlesnake Field in Pyote, Texas.
John and his fellow crew members flew the northern route to England via Kearney, Nebraska-Grenier field; Manchester, New Hampshire; Presque Isle, Maine; Goose Bay, Labradore; Keflavik, Iceland; and to Prestwick, Scotland. Their plane became lost over Scotland during stormy weather and they were rescued by a Spitfire that was piloted by a Polish refugee who guided their B-17 to a Royal Air Force Base at Peterhead. John’s duty station was the 425 Bomb Group (BG) 728th Squadron at Deopham Green near Norwich-Norfolk, England.
The ten-member crew of John’s B-17 completed 33 missions over enemy occupied Europe. He then returned to the United States in September 1944 aboard the Queen Mary. The VIP passenger on the Queen Mary during this voyage was Winston Churchill. Prime Minister Churchill was on his way to meet with President Roosevelt.
John disembarked the Queen Mary in New Jersey and served at several bases including Scott Field, Langley Field, Virginia; Sioux Falls, South Dakota and back to Scott Field before going to Boca Raton, Florida.
John was discharged from the Army Air Force on September 30, 1945 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
While in the service of his country John was awarded the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars, and the Russian Medal for participating in one of the shuttle missions to that country.
In the spring of 1946 John shipped out to Greece as an “animal tender” on the Park Victory, with a load of Mexican Mules to replace the depleted livestock of that country. He entered Baylor University in the fall of 1946 and later worked briefly in Sequoia National Park in 1949. John graduate from Baylor in 1950, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. After working for five Texas newspapers, he grew tired of the night hours and spend some time traveling by bus and train in Central America.
After he returned from his travels he worked a year in a law office and obtained a job with the Texas Employment Commission as an unemployment insurance claims examiner. John retired in 1982 and survived a bout with prostate cancer in 1990. His wife of 37 years passed away in 1999. John keeps busy by collection World War II Army Air Force history and baking Greek Pastries.
The John Chopelas Collection is arguably one of the best collections of World War II Army Air Forces History in existence. His collection contains primary records of hundreds of Army Air Force personnel complete with diaries and photographs.
Box 1
File 1 – Map and History of the 452nd Bombardment Group at Deopham Green England (undated)
File 2 – Pictorial History of 452nd Bombardment Group
File 3 – Reprint of “The Philadelphia Inquirer”, President Truman announces Japanese
surrender (Aug. 15, 1945)
File 4 – Information and photos of the Flying Fortress B-17
File 5 – The American Battle Monuments Commission, Normandy American Cemetery
and memorial and Cambridge American Cemetery
File 6 –“A Golden Monument to Bravery” by Mary Grauerholz, Lucky Lady-B17 (1996)
File 7 – Maxwell Field, Alabama Headquarters S.E.A.A.F. Training Center
File 8 –Pearl Harbor Remembered (Dec. 7, 1941)
File 9 – “Pyote Perspective”, Pyote, Texas by Bob Doherty
File10-Flak Report and Battle Casualty Report
File 11-12 0’clock High, comic book, No. 1, B-17 The Flying Fortress (Jan. – Mar. 1965)
File 12-Unit Codes
File 13-Leaflets dropped by American Planes over Germany during WWII, Orders
Specific Missions
File14-Officers and Cadets f the 67th AAFFTD
File15-Information on Bomb Runs
File16-“Back In The Wild Blue Younder” by Don Bedwell, B-17’s restored, copied from
Americana (Feb. 1992)
File17-“Broken Wings: The Swiss Internees of World war II” by Hunter W. Davis
(Apr. 22, 2002)
File 18-“The Hump” the high and treacherous Himalayan Mountains
File 19-“The Legend of Lady Moe” Mascot of 96th BG, by Valda Kester
File 20-Article, “Retracing Their Path” over Pyrenees Mtns., from Retired Officers
Magazine (Jun. 2001)
File 21-B-25 Crash on Sharp Top Mountain, 5 Airmen killed (Feb. 2, 1943)
File 22-Glenn Miller, Army Air Force Band (1943-1944)
File 23-Pictures/Clips of “Nose Art” on Bombers & Fighter Planes of WWII-designers
and crew
File 24-Liberator Lore-Air Museum Journal, Vol. 2, Nose Art
File 25-World War II Nose Art In Color by Jeffrey L. Ethell (1993)
File 26-Information on Plane Names
File 27-Photos of Bombardment Planes with Nose Art, Jack Botts
File 28-Miscellaneous Correspondence
File 29-452nd Bomb Group Reunion (2001)
File 30-WWII Video by Mirwood Starkey – 32 minutes, 452nd BG 1997 Reunion –
24 minutes, and a B-17 at Lancaster, Ohio – 3 minutes
File 31-The National D-day Memorial, Bedford, Virginia, USA and video of Memorial
Day (2001)
File 32-Bill Huddleston Interview Videotape
File 33-Serenade to the Big Bird by Bert Stiles (c. 1947)
File 34-Air Combat With The Mighty 8th: A Teenage Warrior In World War II by Wm,
Cramer, Jr. (c. 1993)
File 35-On Wings We Conquer by John H. Mitchell, the 19th and 7th bomb groups of the
United State Air Force in the Southwest Pacific in the first year of World War II
(c. 1990)
End of Box 1
Box 2
File 1 – Correspondence from Pilots (1985-1993)
File 2 – Correspondence from Pilots (1994-1999)
File 3 – Correspondence from Pilots (2000-2003)
File 4 – Correspondence from Pilots (undated)
File 5 – Correspondence from Pilots” (1997)
File 6 – “The White Bear Express” by Leland Apperson, Jr. WWII Memoirs during
1942-1946 in the United States Air Force (1999)
File 7 – Correspondence from Harry Bremner, Pilot (2000)
File 8 – Photograph of Pappy Boyington’s Black Sheep Marne Fighting Squadron #214 (Nov. 1943)
File 9 – Names of Hispanic Air Force Personnel in various bomb groups
File10-Correspondence from Manual Cervantes, Pilot
File 11-Correspondence from Nick Chacos, Pilot
File12-Correspondence fro Santiago Flores, Pilot from Mexico
File 13-Newspaper Article on Captain Jennings Dawson, WWII and Korean War Pilot
File 14-Diary of Joseph A. DeRidder, Pilot
File 15-Information and photographs of Robert Dilworth, WWII Pilot
File 16-Correspondence from William T. Emmet, Pilot
File 17-Correspondence from Wayne Eveland, Pilot
File 18-Information and Photographs of Don Franklin, Pilot
File 19-Information on Robert Gray, A Doolittle Tokyo Raider
File 20-Correspondence from George Grau, Pilot
File 21-World War II Recollections by Roy Lee
File 22-Correspondence from Frank Hanzalik, Pilot
File 23-Correspondence from Robert Kerr, Pilot
File 24-Information on E. Robert Kelly, Pilot
File 25-The Secret of Anzio Bay by Lt. Michael Mauritz and other correspondence (2002)
File 26-Photos of Ivan Potts and his B-29 crewmember, also newspaper clippings, Super
Fortress acts, and a fact sheet on the 40th Bombardment Group-CVH
File 27-Information of Eddie Rickenbacker, WWI Flying Ace
File 28-Correspondence from Clark Rollin, Pilot
File 29-Correspondence from Charles Roundtree, Pilot
File 30-Correspondence and photographs of Reggie Thayer, Pilot
File 31-Correspondence from Robert Wilcox, Pilot
File 32-Video cassette of WWII Pilot Billy Wisner’s Funeral (Nov. 21, 2001)
File 33-Correspondence from Kirby Woehst, Pilot
File 34-Newspaper clippings, Pilots from the All-Black 332nd Fighter Group
File 35-Newspaper article on Female Pilots
File 36-Newspaper articles concerning pilots
File 37-Correspondence from Squadron Navigators
File 38-Corresponence from Alfred Lea, Navigator
File 39-Correspondence from Arthur Leedy, Navigator
File 40-Correspondence from Father Benedict Sellers, Navigator
File 41-Corresponence from Harry Ladanye, Navigator
File 42-Corresponence from James W. Hill, Navigator
File 43-Correspondence from Robert Graves, Navigator
File 44-Correspondence from Warren Franklin, Navigator
End of Box 2
Box 2A
File 1 – Correspondence and photographs
File 2 – Information on Robert Graves, Bombardier
File 3A– Correspondence from Bud Lembke, Bomardier
File 3B-Ups and Downs in a Flying Fortress: Were Those Trips Necessary? By Bud
Lembke (1998)
File 4-Correspondence concerning Herbert Martin, Bombardier
File 5-World War II B-24 “Snoopers” by Stephen Perrone, Bombardier
File 6-Correspondence concerning August Weiss, Bombardier
File 7-Corresponence with Ball-Turret Gunners
File 8-Correspondence and photographs from Nelson Liddle, Gall-Turret Gunner
File 9-Correspondence from Nose-Turret Gunners
File10-Corresponence from Tail Gunners
File11-Information on Michael Arooth, Tail Gunner
File 12-Correspondence from Chris Brassfield, Tail Gunner
File 13-Correspondence from David Eagles, Tail Gunner
File 14-Information from Charles Hickman, Tail Gunner
File 15-Correspondence from Coots Matthews, Tail Gunner
File 16-Backwards Into Battle: A Tail Gunner’s Journey In World War II by Andy Doty
(c. 1995)
File 17-Mission to Brux – May 12, 1944 by Martin a. Smith, Tail Gunner (2001)
File 18-Correspondence from S.J. Maloukis Jr., Waist Gunner
File 19-Correspondence from Paschal H. Powell, Waist Gunner, one of two survivors on
Inside Curve, B-17F, 452nd Bomb Group (Oct. 12, 1944)
File 20-Correspondence and media from Waist Gunners
File 21-Correspondence from Bomber Ground Crew Personnel
File 22-Corresondence from Bomber Radio Operators (1989-2003 & undated)
File 23-Information on John Chopelas, Radio Operator
File 24-Corresponence with M.L. Ferguson, Radio Operator
File 25-Correspondence with Robert Mazzacane, Radio Operator
File 26-Correspondence with Al Winant, Radio Operator
File 27-Correspondence with Flight Engineers/Top Turret Gunners
File 28-Correspondence with George Glawe, Flight Engineer
File 29-Correspondence with Ray Matheny, Flight Engineer
File 30-Correpondence with Clyde Mueller, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
File 31-Articles about Flight Engineers and Top Turret Gunners
File 32-Correspondence (1987-1998)
File 33-Correspondence (1986-2002)
File 34-Correspondence with Nicholas Bouras, Bombardier
File 35-Correspondence with David Brown, Grandson of a Bombardier
File 36-Correspondence with Quentin Brown, Bombarier
End of Box 2A
Box 3
File 1
Env 1 – one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque, In memory of those who made
the supreme sacrifice for their country while serving with the 7th Bombardment
Group (1941-1945
Env 2 – two 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque, “Zemek’s Wolfpack” 56th
Fighter Group, dedicated to those who served in WWII and to those who waited
(Jul. 6, 1990)
Env 3 – one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque of the 94th Bomb Group of
Roughan Airfield, AAE Station 468 in Bory St. Edmonds, England (1943-1945)
Env 4 – one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque of the 305th Bomb Group-
H B-17 WWII, The “Can Do” Group in Chelveston, England (Mar. 1942-Sept.
1945)
Env 5 – one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque of the 306th Bombardment
Group- H WWII
Env 6 – one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque of the 376 the Heavy
Bombardment Group (Sept. 1997)
Env 7 – one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque of the 381st Bomb Group-
HB-17, 432nd Air Service Group WWII
Env 8 – one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque of the 463 Bombardment Group
WW
Env 9 – one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque of the 487 Bomb Group-
Association former A.F. Station 137, Lavenham, England, The Gentlemen
From Hell” (Nov. 1943-Oct. 1945)
Env 10-one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color of memorial plaque of the 498th, 499th , 500th and 501st
Bomb Squads
Env 11-one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque of the African-American Men &
Women of the United State Army Air Corps, (1941-1946)
Env 12-one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of memorial plaque of the United States Army Air
Forces
Env 13-one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of Air Force memorial
Env 14-one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Memorial
Env 15-one 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photo of Tuskegee Airmen Memorial
Env 16-one 2 ½ x 3 ½ Historical Images of Captain Robert W. McClorg, USMC, VMF
214 Blacksheep, USMCR Corsair
Env 17-one 3 x 4 ½ black and white photo, B-17 WWII Airplane
Env 18-one 2 ½ x 5 black and white photo, B-WWII Airplane
Env 19-one 2 ½ x 4 black and white photo, WWII Plane (B-18?) “Bashful Betty”
Env 20-one 2 x 4 ½ black and white photo of B-26 WWII Plane
Env 21-one 3 x 3 black and white photo of B-26 WWII Plane Crash Landing
Env 22-one 2 ¾ x 4 ¾ black and white photo of B-26 WWII Plane
Env 23-one 3 x 5 black and white photo of B-29 WWII Plane
Env 24-one 3 x 4 ¾ black and white photo B-26 WWII Plane
Env 25-one 3 x 4 ½ black and white photo of Lockheed Ventura WWII Plane
Env 26-“The Crew The Day They Finished”
Env 27-one 3 ¼ x 5 black and white photo, “Slienthe Je Vaur”
Env 28-three 3 ½ x 4 ½ color photos of Air Force Museum WWII Plane Exhibit (1992)
Env 29-three 3 ½ x 5 color photo, Model-Dioroma by Joe Titus
Env 30-one 3 ½ x 5 ½ black and white photo of B-26 WWII
Env 31-three 4 x 5 ¾ color photos of WWII Planes
Env 32-seven various size photos black and white of Iceland (1944)
Env 33-eight 4 x 6 color photos, remains or Rattlesnake Field Air Base Combat Phase
Training in Pyote, Texas
Env 34-six 4 x 6 color photos of Vintage WWII Planes at Dallas Air Show in Dallas,
Texas (1997)
Env 35-fourteen 4 x 6 color photos of WWII Memorials and Museums in France and
England
Env 36-twelve 3 ½ x 5 Model Planes, models were made by John Chopelas’ friend Joe
Titus
Env 37-one 3 ¼ x 7 black and white photo of Dornier Do 335 PFEIL German Fighter in
RAF Marines
Env 38-Sketch of WWII Fighter Airplane
Env 39-Set of five WWII Plane Paintings, 8 ½ x 11
Item 1 – Photo Album
Item 2 – Photo Album
Item 3 – Photo Album
File 2 – War Cartoons, qty. 5
End of Box 3
Box 4
File 1 – Aircraft History Roll Call of Chanute Air Force Base, by Donald O. Weckhorst-
Chief Historian (1917-1990)
File 2 – Boys At War Men At Peace Former enemy air combatants meet to remember and
reconcile, by E.D. McKenzie (1998)
File 3 – Big Friends, Little Friends Memoirs of a WWII Fighter Pilot, by Richard E.
Turner – Lt. Col. USAF, Retired (1969)
File 4 – B-17 Flying Fortress Unites of the Eighth Air Force (part 1) by Martin Bowman
File 5 – Carl Clark and The Unforgettable Takeoff by Navigator John W. Howland and
Carl Clark (1995)
File 6 – Death Of A B-17 by Jackson S. Wallace (1995)
File 7 – 50th Anniversary Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 1935-1985 by Peter M. Bowers
(1985)
File 8 – A history of the 452nd Bombardment Group-H 728th, 729th, 730th, and 731st third
edition (1980)
File 9 – Laughter and Tears by Captain George Reye, Pilot of WWII 379th Fighter
Squadron 362nd Fighter (1996)
File 10-More There I was… by Bob Stevens (1974)
File 11-My Thirty Missions Over Europe: The 1944 Diary of A WWII Pilot by 1st Lt.
Philip S. Jackson
File 12-Patriots Will by Jack C. Hubbard (2002)
File 13-The Planes of the 449th Bomb Group In World War II by the 449th Bomb Group
Assoc., edited by D. William Shepherd (2001)
File 14-Postcards From World War II: Sights Sentiments from the Second World War by
Robynn Clairday amd Matt Clairday (2002)
File 15-Remembrance of War by J. Ivan Potts Jr. (1995)
File 16-The Second World War Airplane Coloring Book illustrated by Richard King
(1996)
File 17-Straight and Level-Growing Up In the 40’s by Jack Botts, Radio Operator
File 18-A Texan In the C.B.I. by 1st Lt. Monroe S. Withers, Pilot (China-Burma-India,
Theatre of War)
File 19-Treetop Airmen by Dr. George C. Shelton (2001)
File 20-We’re Poor Little Lambs, the Last Mission of Crew 22 and “Piccadilly Lilly”,
100th Bombardment Group (Oct. 8, 1943)
File 21-Yesterday’s Dragons The B-17 Flying Fortress Over Europe during WWII by
Abel L. Dolim, Pilot (2001)
End of Box 4
Box 5
File 1 – Pilot’s Flight and Handbooks
File 2 – Scrapbook of Bomb Squadron and Newsletter
File 3 – Scrapbook and letters of Bomber Squadrons
File 4 – Scrapbook of Bomber Squadrons ONLY!
File 5 – Scrapbook of Postcards and Newsletters
End of Box 5
Box 6
File 1 – Scrapbook of Personal Information and Letters to John Chopelas
File 2 – Various magazines on planes
File 3 – One Day At A Time by Joe G. Gunn (c. 1996)
File 4 – “My Three Years”: 1942 Enlistment – 1945 Liberation by Edward Patterson
(c. 1999)
File 5 – In My Book You’re All Heroes by Robert E. O’Hearn (c. 1984)
File 6 - The Planes Of The 449th Bomb Group In World War II (c.2001)
File 7 –Memoirs of Combat Airman by Ernie Neal
File 8 – World War II B-24 “Snoopers” by Stephen M. Perrone (c. 2001)
File 9 – The True Story: Burning Hitler’s Black Gold by Frank Way and Major Robert
W. Sternfels (c. 2002)
File 10-Booster McKeester and other Expendables by Willie Chapman, Pilot 415th Sq.
(c. 1994)
File 11-Top Stick Top Stick by Harold A. Jacobs (c. 2002)
File 12-Cadences: The Jody Call Book, No. 1 edited by Sandee Shaffer Johnson
(c. 1983)
File 13-Letters and a book Pilot From The Prairie by Edgar Allen (c. 2002)
File 14-Booklet on Combat Tours
File 15-Miscellaneous Items
End of Box 6
End of Collection