My father proudly served during WWII, my grandfather during WWI. All three of my brothers served in the Armed Forces, as have uncles, cousins and many other family members over the years. I am extremely proud to come from such a patriotic family lineage. And while I myself have not served, it has been a tremendous honor to 'serve' the Military and Aerospace / Defense community as a significant portion of my client base over the years.
When launching HOPEWELL Companies in 2014, I intentionally sought representation of VOSB's as a way to honor the men and women who have served or selflessly do now serve in the Armed Forces for our safety and prosperity. Since then, HOPEWELL Companies has expanded to include a wide range of US manufacturing and engineering services provided by Small Businesses, SDB, WOSB in addition to VOSB to help satisfy the Supplier Diversity Requirements of our Military and hi-rel client base.
If you would like to learn more about how HOPEWELL Companies can support your engineering and/or manufacturing requirements, please use the link above to "start a conversation" or call at the number below.
When launching HOPEWELL Companies in 2014, I intentionally sought representation of VOSB's as a way to honor the men and women who have served or selflessly do now serve in the Armed Forces for our safety and prosperity. Since then, HOPEWELL Companies has expanded to include a wide range of US manufacturing and engineering services provided by Small Businesses, SDB, WOSB in addition to VOSB to help satisfy the Supplier Diversity Requirements of our Military and hi-rel client base.
If you would like to learn more about how HOPEWELL Companies can support your engineering and/or manufacturing requirements, please use the link above to "start a conversation" or call at the number below.
Sampling of Contract Vehicles:
Orion Spacecraft, Space Shuttle, ISS, GPS-III Satellite, DELTA Rocket, USS Virginia, Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), F-22, F-35, C-130H, Army Tacticle Missle Systems (ATACMS), Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), MRAP-ATV, STARS, THAAD, Patriot Missile, PAC-3 MSE, Soldier Worn Devices (including Night Vision and Secure Communications) and many others.
Sampling of Client Base
Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, BAE, L3 Harris, UTAS, Excelitas, Northrup, Elbit, Boeing, MOOG, Collins Aerospace, Mayflower Communications, FLIR, Atlas Devices, GE Aviation, NUWC, NAVSEA, US Army Devcom and many others.
My father honorably served in the HELLS ANGELS 303rd Bomb Group during WWII as Waist Gunner on "Miss Liberty". The 303rd Bomb Group was an Eighth Air Force, B-17 Bomber Group stationed at Molesworth, England from 1942 to 1945. Their motto, Might in Flight, was earned on each of their record 364 combat missions. Their place in history and the legacy they left behind will live forever. Like many veterans during his time, my father rarely spoke of his missions. It wasn't until after his death that we discovered a sock full of medals he had received for his service.
photo credit 303rdbg.com
VERNER HARRY NAFIUS CREW - 360th BS
B-17 #42-31340 Miss Liberty PU-D
by Richard L. "Spider" Smith
On August 15th 1944 I experienced one of the scariest missions of my 35 mission tour with the 303rd. We were flying in the lead of the low Squadron, and I was copilot on Nafius' Crew. As we started on the Bomb run, I looked out my window toward the right wingtip. I saw what I thought was flak bursts far out to the right of the formation. At that time the tail gunner came on the radio shouting that we were under attack from enemy fighters. What I thought was flak bursts was in reality 20MM shells exploding above the wing. The right waist gunner said that we were hit in the flap behind the #3 engine . A FW-190 went by us and Bombardier Jim Cummins fired the chin turret and made several hits. Just then we began to lose power on number three engine, the loss of power continued until we had to feather number three. We saw no more fighters as P-51s and P47s had joined us as escort. We had sustained a hit at the wing trailing edge behind number 3 engine and were able to keep up with the formation and drop our bombs. The flight back to Molesworth was fine with no more problems.That night as we were eating supper in the officers mess there was a call over the loud-speaker for the Nafius crew to report to the lobby of the Officers Club. We all went to the lobby and were met by our aircraft's crew chief who showed us a 20MM shell he had removed from the number 3 supercharger, the shell was full of sand instead of gunpowder. We owe our lives to some slave laborer in Germany who had sabotaged the making of this shell, as this shell had gone through the number three main tank . Talking to Keith Ferris who painted the Picture of Thunderbird leading the Wiesbaden mission, I learned that this mission was the first time the Germans had tried a new tactic of Line Abreast attacks from the rear all firing their guns in unison. I think we lost twelve aircraft on this mission. When I spoke with Jim Cummins about the painting, he said that in his memoirs he has a probable shooting down of a German fighter listed for that mission. Thanks again to whoever put the sand in that 20MM shell! [source: V. Harry Nafius Crew]
B-17 #42-31340 Miss Liberty PU-D
by Richard L. "Spider" Smith
On August 15th 1944 I experienced one of the scariest missions of my 35 mission tour with the 303rd. We were flying in the lead of the low Squadron, and I was copilot on Nafius' Crew. As we started on the Bomb run, I looked out my window toward the right wingtip. I saw what I thought was flak bursts far out to the right of the formation. At that time the tail gunner came on the radio shouting that we were under attack from enemy fighters. What I thought was flak bursts was in reality 20MM shells exploding above the wing. The right waist gunner said that we were hit in the flap behind the #3 engine . A FW-190 went by us and Bombardier Jim Cummins fired the chin turret and made several hits. Just then we began to lose power on number three engine, the loss of power continued until we had to feather number three. We saw no more fighters as P-51s and P47s had joined us as escort. We had sustained a hit at the wing trailing edge behind number 3 engine and were able to keep up with the formation and drop our bombs. The flight back to Molesworth was fine with no more problems.That night as we were eating supper in the officers mess there was a call over the loud-speaker for the Nafius crew to report to the lobby of the Officers Club. We all went to the lobby and were met by our aircraft's crew chief who showed us a 20MM shell he had removed from the number 3 supercharger, the shell was full of sand instead of gunpowder. We owe our lives to some slave laborer in Germany who had sabotaged the making of this shell, as this shell had gone through the number three main tank . Talking to Keith Ferris who painted the Picture of Thunderbird leading the Wiesbaden mission, I learned that this mission was the first time the Germans had tried a new tactic of Line Abreast attacks from the rear all firing their guns in unison. I think we lost twelve aircraft on this mission. When I spoke with Jim Cummins about the painting, he said that in his memoirs he has a probable shooting down of a German fighter listed for that mission. Thanks again to whoever put the sand in that 20MM shell! [source: V. Harry Nafius Crew]
