Chronology of Bloom's Tombs

Numbers I to IX

1.	22 March 1944	406th leaves Camp Shanks, New York for Liverpool, England, on H.M.S. (His Majesties Ship) "The Sterling Castle".
2.	4 April 1944	406th Fighter Group arrives at Liverpool, England.
3.	5 April 1944	406th arrives at ALG 417, near Ashford, England.
4.	9 May 1944	406th's first Operational Mission over France.
5.	8 June 1944	Lt. Hall made belly landing in "BLOOM'S TOMB" No. "I". Hydrolic system on left wheel failed. Pilot uninjured.
6.	29 June 1944	1st Lt L.C. Beck, flying P47D 42-8473, MIA. (Beck actually crash landed in enemy territory in France, and was sheltered by members of the French Underground.) The plane he was flying that day was "BLOOM' S TOMB II".
7.	10 Sept 1944	Lt. Dorsey flying "BLOOM'S TOMB (probably No. III), hit by flak and had to make a belly landing on "Front Line" (between Americans and Germans), at Louisville, France. Pilot rescued by an American Infantry Non-Com. Returned to Squadron two days later.
8.	11 Sept - 21 Oct 1944	We have no information, written or pictorial, to tell us what may or could have happened to "BLOOM'S TOMB IV" and "V".
9.	22 Oct 1944	Capt. Lewin-Epstein, flying "R" (Serial No. unknown), on strafing mission of Marshalling Yard, hit steel pole and tore off 4 feet 8 inches of right wing. Made VERY HOT landing at (A-80), Mourmelon, France. Pilot O.K., ship dropped off to Sub-Depot. While S/No. of plane unknown, have picture of plane (bubble top) showing damaged wing, with notation on back of photo (from S/Sgt E. C. Matzel's collection), indicating this was "BLOOM's TOMB VI".
10.	2 Dec 1944	Maj Kelly and Capt Van Bloom leave for States, for 30 day Leave.
11.	17 Dec 1944	Lt. Don Dorman, flying "S", a P47D28-44 20081 (which Dorman is positive carried the name "BLOOM'S TOMB"), hit by flak; pilot bailed out. Captured by German troops and became POW. If plane Was "BLOOM'S TOMB", it could have been No. VI, VII, or possibly VII-A. (Explanation follows).
12.	30 Dec 1944	Lt. Pittala, flying "R" a P47D28-44-19747, MIA. (According to eyewitness report of Col. G.I. Ruddell, who was leading that flight, Lt Pittala was KIA). (If the letter "R" is correct, this ship could have been "BLOOM'S TOMB VII-B".)
13.	11 Feb 1945	Gained new ship, P47D30-44-33182 "R". (Van Graffeiland's Operational Log shown no further record of that plane, and it could have been assigned to some one else.
14.	13 Feb 1945	Maj Kelly and Capt Van Bloom rejoin Sqdn.
15.	15 Feb 1945	Gained new ship P47D-30-33087 "R". This happened at Asch, Belgium, and according to photos and written records, this was "BLOOM'S TOMB VIII". Crew Chief, John Orr; Armorer, J.Richard Bulford; Assistant Crew Chief, Sgt. Glen Pendelton.

Have no idea when or why "BLOOM'S TOMB IX" (Model and Serial No. P47D-30-44-33353) was assigned to the 514th and to J. C. Van Bloom, but it probably was after 5 June 1945, after the 406th Fighter Group moved to R-56, at Nordholz, Germany.

I'm in hopes that someone in the 514th Squadron can fill in some of the gaps in the above chronology.