This is the article desribing the missions of the Marauders, as it appeared in the "Martin Star" publication in 1943. Excerpts of the article are provided below: Two proud B-26 Marauders decorated with the silhouttes of eleven Japanese surface vessels on their nose. With them they brought a message from the Pacific theater - A message of their sister ships, which have stood like Horatio at the bridge in stemming the advances of the Japanese hordes against Alaska and Australia. Sturdy Marauders checked the Japs in the New Guinea theater - The only effective aerial opposition to the sons of heaven for many weeks in the Southwest Pacific. With them, too, they brought back two crews of four Army flyers each. One headed by Captain Kenneth E. Dempster, of Oakland, California and winner of the Air Medal. Flew both aircraft in actual combat in the Alaskan theater. Captain Edgar Graham Gammon, of Hampden-Snyder, Virginia who piloted the other plane, won the Silver Star while participating in over 20 combat missions in the Southwest Pacific - New Guinea warfare.

The Marauders and their crews took their bows in an 18 hour show on May 18th. There were six performances sponsored by the War Production Board. Begining at 9:00 AM with the Army's division first shift. The principal event was held at 2:00 PM before the first shift, plant 1. and 36 high ranking Army and Navy officers and members of the National Inventor's council. It all wound up after midnight with the 3rd shift.

When the crowds had been assembled, the two Marauders, which had been flown the day before from Macdill field, Florida were taxied into position to start the show. The eight crew members were introduced - battle front soldiers to the production front soldiers. Speaking first, Captain Dempster described the battles of the B-26 in the Alaskan theater from January to December 1942. In that entire period only two Marauders were shot down, one by ack-ack fire in Kiska and the other by Destroyer A A fire.

"We received the two ships you see behind you just before the war broke out" Captain Dempster said. "They were used not only as bombers, but as torpedo planes, convoy escorts, depth charge carriers, on submarine patrol and as long range fighters. "We added a bit more forward fire power, mainly as a reassuring factor for the pilots. We had few difficulties with the ships. They were mainly small factors that were ironed out by your service representative, Clarence (Pinky) Kommalan. That man earned every bit of respect we could possibly have. he worked long hours, kept the ships in good condition and kept up our morale with his good humor".