Naming of the "Circus"

     In late February 1943, a young former Nebraska newspaperman summoned a YANK magazine correspondent to write a story about the Eighth Air Force heavy bomber group of which he was the public relations officer at the time. Because the censors would not allow the designation of the group to be published, Sergeant Carroll "Cal" Stewart instead identified the group as Ted's Travelling Circus, the Ted standing for the group commander, Colonel Edward J. Timberlake, and the traveling circus sobriquet representing the group's activities in recent months. After having a couple of drinks too many, the correspondent wrote up a 2-page piece and entitled it Ted's Flying Circus.

     The newspaper used a file photograph of a B-24 belonging to the 44th Bomb Group, which did not endear the 93rd to the men of its sister group. A large contingent of newspaper and radio reporters, including Walter Cronkite, came to the homecoming party the 93rd threw in recognition of the return of the group's three squadrons who had wintered in the warm climate of North Africa The 93rd's return was well publicized, and the Travelling Circus suddenly became famous.

     Carroll "Cal" Stewart, pre-war newspaper editor, was given a field promotion to Lieutenant and became General "Ted" Timberlake's Aide. He is the author of the 93rd BG History and co-authored with James Dugan the book on the Ploesti raid.

     Information on these excellent books is listed below.   

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