# Ripped off and honored



## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I got a book on the P-47 printed in Poland today, and on the very last page I found a color profile of my Dad's plane, Icky and Me! 











I have no doubt that the artist found the info on my website, and used the color prifile I drew as his reference. I know this because there are no photos of Icky anywhere, and the markings under the cockpit are exactly as I drew them on my website. He made it look a lot better than the one I whipped up for my website! 










I don't mind a bit! There's Dad's name in an internationally-available reference book on Jugs! Pretty cool!

Of course, the artist got the shape of the P-47N's dorsal fin all wrong, the dope.


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

Now I want to get ripped off too.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

That's cool but, really, why didn't he just ask permission or list your website as a reference or something? It's not as if you'd have not wanted it published.

Otherwise, congrats! That's really cool!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Well, technically, I don't think a WWII color scheme can be copyrighted, and he just used my art as a guide for his own. So what the hell.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

If the information was gained from what you provided, it should at least be referenced according to proper procedure, otherwise it's plagierism.

I know what you mean, though. It's hardly worth pursuing as it does spread the word about your father's craft.


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## Brent Gair (Jun 26, 1999)

I go by the rule that, once you post something on the internet, it's essentially public domain. Of course, I know that's legally incorrect...but trying to enforce copyright these days is darn near impossible. It's especially difficult when dealing with Asia and Eastren Europe (noting that the book is from Poland).

It is very cool to have your work (more or less) stolen. There's an undeniable though slightly perverse pleasure in doing work good enough that people want to snatch it.

But, yeah, how did they screw up that dorsal fin. That is the single most prominent identifier of the P-47N in profile.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

And now that I've skimmed through the text and gotten a feeling of deja-vu, I see the author also took Dad's writeup of his August 8th 1945 mission right off the site and printed it! In Polish and English! :lol:

Well, it seems to be the most thorough mission description in the book, so I hope everyone finds it informative!

Maybe I should have started the website when Dad was alive, so he could _see_ all this nice tribute-like stuff.


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## superduty455 (Jun 21, 2000)

Congrats John! Well sorta?
What a great tribute for you father. I would at the very least email or write the author and see if you could at least get an autographed copy.
Something IN MEMORY for your father.
Very cool!
Chris


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## Parts Pit Mike (Jan 3, 2001)

I remember reading that August 8, 1945 account! All in all whatever helps to spread the word about the heroism of the time is in my mind a good thing.

By the way... who was Icky?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Parts Pit Mike said:


> By the way... who was Icky?


 When Dad was assigned the plane, it was sitting in a mud puddle. The crew chief said, "She sure is icky, sir!" So the plane was Icky, "and Me" was Dad .


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Thanks for the history, John. Your Dad must have been quite a guy.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I sure thought so!


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## Parts Pit Mike (Jan 3, 2001)

When Dad was assigned the plane, it was sitting in a mud puddle. The crew chief said, "She sure is icky, sir!" So the plane was Icky, "and Me" was Dad .

DIORAMA!!! DIORAMA!!! I can see it now!!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Not enough info. The plane wouldn't have had its squadron markings yet, and I have no idea what its serial number was.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

John P said:


> Not enough info. The plane wouldn't have had its squadron markings yet, and I have no idea what its serial number was.


There should be a record of that somewhere.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

You would think!

God only knows where!

For one thing, most of the squadron's records were lost when a typhoon swamped the base toward the end of the war. Then any offical Army records of anyone who served before the 1970s was lost in a fire in Washington DC.

The ONLY mention of Dad's name anyone ever found for me was a surviving 333rd squadron record that said he transferred to that sqdn in June 1945. That's all it said.


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## spe130 (Apr 13, 2004)

John, the fire was in St. Louis - and not all records were lost, but a lot were. The Army has a website where you can request records.

My paternal grandfater served in WWI and my maternal grandfather served in WWII. Both of their files survived the fire, although the WWII set were singed around the edges. Some very facinating stuff there. We found that my mom's dad had only been given about half of the medals he earned (you can request those, too - be ready to wait). My dad's dad was at the base in Kansas where the 1918 flu epidemic probably got started (and was quarantined there before he could be sent overseas).

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/standard-form-180.html


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I seem to recall sending for those records a few years ago, and getting the "lost" form letter in response. But I'll gladly try again!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Have you looked up men (and/or their familes) who served with your father? There may be reunions listed in the past or such for you to find them. There may be some photos here and there or other items that may give you more information on your father during the war and his planes.

(Forgive the attempts at brainstorming here in case you've already tried what I am suggesting.)


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

PerfesserCoffee said:


> (Forgive the attempts at brainstorming here in case you've already tried what I am suggesting.)


 Oh, I have! 
I got a couple of photos from his former wingman, but they were of Dad and him, not of the planes.


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## heiki (Aug 8, 1999)

spe130 said:


> John, the fire was in St. Louis - and not all records were lost, but a lot were. The Army has a website where you can request records......


And how many people know that the fire was for a reason and backup files can be obtained.....

John,
Have you tried to contact various VFWs to see if your father's former crewmates are still around? Some of the VFWs kept their own archives as well and something about your dad may be out there.


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