FRE_001560

“Roscoe,” the bear mascot of the 390th Bomb Group sits atop crates of ammunition in August 1943. Adopted by a group squadron as a cub while the unit was still in the United States in early 1943, “Roscoe” was later found to be a female and renamed “Ann.” Beset by health problems later in the year, the bear had to be put down, much the anguish of the group and the local English village children who had become attached to her. (Roger Freeman Collection FRE1560)