Hi, all! Wanted to let you know about an online resource for WWII historians. My father, Lt. James R. Smith, was radar observer aboard a high-scoring night fighter team in the CBI. He and pilot Carl Absmeier had two air-to-air victories in three days, as well as many successful intruder missions aboard a Black Widow called "Jing-Bow Joy-Ride." He left a detailed memoir about his war experiences, which has now been posted at www.nightfighter.info. Please visit on this Veterans Day, as we celebrate the sacrifices our soldiers have made for the U.S.

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Alisa Williams

Hi Alisa. The story is a great tribute to your father. The role of U.S. nightfighters in the far East deserves to be known more. Thank you for sharing this with us. It is a great comfort to know that more and more of the younger generation are proud of their veteran parents.

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Very interesting. The P-61 has always been one of my favorite planes, perhaps because of its name, color, and purpose.
There was always one or more who tagged along with my Fathers Squadron of Mustangs for obvious reasons, (the other half of the day) when the Germans sent their Ju-88s to interrupt sleep.
So they got 32 missions out of him anyway, instead of 25? Typical that he still did not want to quit, though from what you've posted, ever increasingly more dangerous.
Boys will be Boys.
A tribute indeed.

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All opinions expressed here are those of "Little Green Men" and don't necessarily represent views, positions, policy, thoughts, actions, or anything else.

P-61 Black widow was one of the best Night fighter bombers, Nice story to about him and the pilot.

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P-40, P-51, and the Spitfire for my opinion these were the three best allied aircraft.