Bob Cary Family Memory - Lady Bugs, Hartwell Davis, Tavaux, and Postwar Leads

New Leads From Peggy's Email

Lead	Family memory	Research status
B-26 Marauder	Bob flew a B-26 Marauder, remembered as a demanding "widow-maker."	Supported by 320th / 444th B-26 unit evidence.
Hartwell "Pappy" Davis	Peggy remembered Hartwell Davis as Bob's co-pilot and lifelong friend.	Strongly supported by Davis/Cary mission pairings and return-visit evidence, though crew roles varied by mission.
Lady Bugs	Bob's bomber was remembered as Lady Bugs.	Family-memory lead. The inspected 320th aircraft page lists 42-95746 Lady Bugs as 444th B/N 78, not B/N 79; current mission sheets do not yet tie Cary to that aircraft.
Nose art	Lady Bugs reportedly had a Bugs Bunny figure in a flight jacket riding a bomb.	New photo/caption research target.
Name origin	"Bugs" was remembered as the nickname of Hartwell Davis's wife.	Needs Davis-family confirmation. Hartwell's wife is otherwise known as Nancy.
Tavaux children	Bob loved the French children; Jeanne was named Jeanne Ramonde after one of them.	Strong human lead. Tie to Tavaux/Rue Berthelot photos and Chekhab book pages.
40th return	Bob and the 320th returned to France with wives and recreated a 1945 photo with grown French children; one child was missing.	Strongly aligned with 1985 Tavaux evidence.
Dog Pal	Cousin Kenneth Lyle kept Bob's dog Pal during the war; Bob sent a telegram asking about the dog.	New family-record target. Find the telegram.
Loose bomb pins	A gunner, possibly Leo, tried to replace pulled bomb pins before landing after a no-drop return.	Supports the existing oral-history lead; possible crew name added.
Christmas chalet	The group spent Christmas in a chalet in France, nailed or screwed a Christmas tree to the floor, and Bob built a bar upstairs.	New story lead. Needs date/place context.
First night overseas	Bob saw photos of a woman and family above his bunk and later learned the previous pilot had been killed.	New human story lead. Needs corroboration.
Flight jacket	Bob took pride in still fitting into his flight jacket all his life.	Family character detail.

Character Lead: Keep on Pluggin'

Peggy's attached devotional remembered Bob's phrase: "Don't hustle. Just keep on pluggin'." It connects his steadiness to the Great Depression, family hardship, World War II, dental school, church life, mission work, and cancer.

Read the character sketch

Additional Leads From James Angus Cary

James Angus Cary, Bob's son, added a close-family memory note in June 2026. These items are especially useful because they point to records, photos, reunion programs, medals, or letters that may still exist in family hands.

Lead	Family memory	Research status
Overseas route	James remembered North Africa and then Italy, and asked whether Bob may have flown from the United States to the Azores and then on to Africa.	Best current reconstruction is October to very early November 1944 via the Azores/Lagens-Lajes and North Africa, then into the Mediterranean theater before Dijon. The 4 November 1944 diary replacement note is a strong unit clue, but Bob is not named.
New airplane	Bob reportedly left the United States with a brand-new airplane, then had to give it up at the battlefront for a less polished combat aircraft.	Strong family-memory lead. Could mean a B-26 ferry delivery, but could also reflect replacement-aircrew travel or a ferry-stage/training aircraft. Needs aircraft delivery, flight-log, or movement-order proof.
Ramon or Ramonde	James remembered a French girl named Ramon, possibly Ramonde, whom Bob helped by getting a bicycle. Bob and Grandma may have met her again during a later reunion.	Strong Tavaux/French-local lead. Compare with the existing Ramonde naming memory and 1985 reunion evidence.
French recognition	James remembered that the French gave Bob some kind of medal or recognition for helping defeat the Nazis.	New family-record target. Needs the medal, certificate, citation, photograph, or reunion-program context.

Conversation Leads From Dad

Dan's conversation with Dad adds a broader set of family-memory leads. These details are useful because they point toward records, letters, photos, orders, or mission reports that may confirm or narrow the stories.

Lead	Family memory	Research status
Hartwell "Pappy" Davis	Dad remembered Pappy as wanting captain's bars, while Bob was more low-key. Peggy's memory also uses Hartwell "Pappy" Davis.	High-value identity and call-sign lead. Mission reports, letters, photos, or Davis-family records could confirm the wording.
B-26 reputation	The B-26 was remembered as a hard aircraft to fly, tied to "one a day in Tampa," high landing speed, and wing changes.	Useful aircraft context. Bob's individual training base and aircraft variant still need service-record or training-record proof.
Overseas route	Dad remembered the Azores, likely Lajes Field, then North Africa and Italy before France.	Aligns with James Angus Cary's route question, 1944 ATC middle-Atlantic routes, and the 444th's Sardinia/Corsica/Italy unit context. Bob's individual route and date of arrival are still not proven.
France base life	Dad and Dan discussed liberated French towns, children, schools, possible local help, and pilots possibly living in a chateau.	Compare with Tavaux, Rue Berthelot, Chekhab book pages, reunion photos, and Ramon/Ramonde memories.
Battle of the Bulge context	Mission logs may line up with attacks on bridges, train stations, factories, and supply infrastructure during the Battle of the Bulge period.	Good campaign-mapping lead. Direct claims need mission dates, targets, and supported ground operation evidence.
Formation flying	Bob was remembered as describing extremely close flying, possibly "wing under wing"; formation bombing followed lead aircraft and visual target identification.	Useful operational story. Needs formation diagrams, mission reports, or B-26 tactical references for technical detail.
Red-haired pilot	Dad remembered a red-haired pilot who drank too much and then flew too close in formation, which Bob thought was reckless.	Character and safety lead. The name should stay out of the public story unless solid evidence supports it.
Bomb loads	The conversation mentioned 1,000-pound bombs and smaller parachuting bomblets or area-effect weapons.	Needs extraction from mission reports and official munition terminology.
California / B-29 training	Dad remembered Bob and Grandma marrying on August 6, 1945, then going to California because Bob was apparently headed for B-29 training before the war ended.	Major postwar-transition lead. Needs marriage record, orders, letters, or base assignment evidence.
Western	Dad remembered Bob attending "Western" for one or two years before service.	Now supported by Western yearbooks showing a 1941 freshman entry, likely 1942 sophomore spelling variant, and 1943 junior entry. Major, graduation status, transcript, and exact departure date remain open.