Nuthampstead Photo No. 1: Lt. Sam "Bugs" Walker was Killed in Action on 3 Feb 1945 as Co-Pilot of the Perry Powell Crew. Their aircraft was lost in a mid-air collision with McCormick Crew.

 

In October 2006, Scott Welty wrote:

"My father and Sam “Bugs” Walker were never tent mates in England but good friends.  In fact I think they were best friends. 

The tent in the background is not my Bob Welty’s tent but it is Sam Walker’s tent.  The clue is in the lettering on the door.  Between my father and Sam, what can be read is:

1. E. Pow
2. T. Wa
3. E. Ph

These are the middle initials and first letters of the last names of:

1. Perry E. Powell - Pilot
2. Samuel T. Walker, Jr. – Co-pilot
3. Bruce E. Phelps – Navigator

These men were officers in the same crew.  Their names are listed on the door in order of pilot, co-pilot, and navigator.  These men were killed 3 February 1945 in a mid-air collision with the McCormick crew. A long time ago Dad told us of seeing it happen and it involving prop wash – whether of these two planes or of a third plane I can’t remember.  Prop wash flipped one plane and it went into the other.  Dad kind of knew it could or would happen.  He thought the planes were flying too close.

According to photos found in a candy box, Dad’s tent number was 17."

 

Wally Blackwell provided the following background on the door and tent:

"It is a door, but installed on a standard US Army tent, square, with 3 or 5 foot sidewalls, with a roof from the four sides up to a point at the top.  I remember they had wooden floors and a standard stove with a stove pipe.  They were put to good use as new crews arrived and crews left.  I was in one for maybe 2 or 3 weeks in July and it was "living in a hot tent."  In winter they were cold. The option was to be moved to a 12 man quanset hut when space became available. The tent housed a single crew of four, and there were cases where some crews elected to stay in a tent, fix it up their way, rather that get involved with others in a hut with different life styles.  The 601 officer area had six or more of them lined up on the other side of the latrine. The symbol on the door is a 3, probably Tent 3."

Welty Photo No. 11016

Nuthampstead Photo No. 2: Lt. Bob Welty, Co-Pilot and S/Sgt. Al Dougherty, Toggilier flew together on the Joe Tarr 603rd Crew. Here they are in their parachute harnesses. Nuthmapstead airfield is in the background.

Welty Photo No. 12017

Nuthampstead Photo No. 3: This photo was labeled Bob Welty after a hard day at the office! Lt. Bob Welty is in his parachute harness, A2 leather jacket, helmet and wool scarf. It could be the same day as the photo with Al Dougherty.

Welty Photo No. 13018