Brian J. Duddy, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Retired), sent in the photos below which show his
father, John Duddy, and some buddies from the 98th Fighter Squadron... and, of course, some P-40s!

John M. Duddy grew up in LeRoy, NY, graduating from LeRoy High School in 1940. Within the following
year or so he went to work for Curtiss-Wright in Buffalo, NY until he was drafted into the USAAF in
late 1942, and initially assigned as an aviation cadet. Brian outlines his dad's AAF service...

"Since he was physically qualified, he was assigned to the aviation cadet program and was sent
to pilot training at Ryan Field in Tucson, which had just opened. I have his log book and he flew
PT-22s there from May to July 43, at which point he washed out and was sent to aircraft maintenance.
He went to a succession of maintenance schools at Chanute Field and at Lincoln Nebraska.
Then he ended up in Sarasota as his final assignment".

At Sarasota John Duddy served as a crew chief with the 98th Fighter Squadron... first on P-40s, then
P-51s. After the war he served as a police officer in LeRoy, NY, and was also a volunteer fireman,
holding the post of Fire Chief from 1963 to 1965. John Duddy passed away in August of 2009.

Most of these photos show John Duddy and a few of his buddies with
P-40K 'J35' (a long-tailed 'K') from the 98th Fighter Squadron.
In these first two shots, John is the fella in the middle...


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image

P-40K 'J42' of the 98th Fighter Squadron.


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image

A P-40N that's seen better days... perhaps it was used as an instructional airframe?


Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image

In this last shot, taken at Sarasota's NCO club, John is the second fella from the left.

The 337th Fighter Group was part of the Third Air Force, and a couple'a these guys wear
the III AF patch on their shoulders. Also worthy of note is the hefty radio-phonograph combo
in the right background of the photo. Before joining the Army, Glenn Miller had a weekly radio
broadcast and, as part of a write-in contest during each show, hundreds of records were given
away to various military bases across the country. The weekly grand prize was a radio-phonograph
combo. I wonder if Sarasota was ever awarded one of these and, if so, perhaps this is the 'prize'?



Brian Duddy collection - Larger Image

Back to '337th FG'