Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The Men of the B-17

This may be a repeat from awhile ago, but I thought it was worth watching again. The greatest generation talking about their time flying the B-17. There are no words that we can say growing up at this time that can express our gratitude to that generation for their courage and dedication to preserving and protecting the life we are able to enjoy. Even if we are screwed up at this time in history. I pray that God has prepared a very special place for them in heaven.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF-KWcDCTbw

Their courage is humbling.

What I find astonishing (and impressive beyond belief) is that after going on one mission, they went on another - and another, and ....

Certainly some of the best Americans, ever. I have heard that we lost more Airmen than we did Marines in WWII. I grew up knowing a B-17 tail gunner. He was a special man, indeed.

Never got to meet him, but my paternal grandfather was a B17 flight engineer/top turret gunner. Makes me wonder when I’ll do something good enough to earn the blood that runs in my veins.

Nicely said. Reminds me of the line in Saving Private Ryan: "Earn this".

My grandfather was a technical Sargent on bombing missions over France and Germany . I was fortunate enough to know him till his passing in 2008

My father was a B-17 pilot- - - - -In command of the aircraft and a crew of nine officers and enlisted men at the ripe old age of 19!

My father-in-law was a ball turret gunner on a B-17. Flew 51 missions with the Forgotten Fifteenth. Best man I ever knew.

My dad's first cousin was a B-17 Co-pilot with the 100th Bomb Group (Heavy) He flew his first combat mission in January of 1945 and was flying until the end of the war. He actually stayed for 32 years. He retired in 1975. Guiher Gene Greenwood
https://100thbg.com/

https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=crew&id=3026&Itemid=414

On March 23rd 1945, Gene's airplane had a mid air collision with an a B-17 that took a direct flak hit. This is the crew of the airplane that hit Gene's B-17 on the way down. No one survived in the B-17 that took the hit. This is the crew. 3 of the 9 are buried in one grave at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=crew&id=2061&Itemid=414

One of my college buddies was the son of an enlisted bombardier in B-17’s. He was a humble man. When I was in the usaf he talked to me about some of the things he saw as a late teen/early 20’s young man. The last time I spoke with him was in the late 90’s. He still teared up when he told me about a plane in formation next to him that took a direct hit from AAA. It blew up in small pieces. He knew every man on the plane.

I don’t recall how many missions he flew over Europe, but guys like him were braver than many of us have ever had to be.

In the mid-80’s, I was able to get a set of photos of the Norden Bomb Sight for him from the old Navigator Museum once located at Mather AFB in Sacramento. He had not seen one since he mustered out. He was able to show his family the tools he used during the war.

OP—thanks for sharing.

Our family friend Bob was was a pilot and operation officer in the 532nd Sqd. of the 381st Bomb Group. His plane was shot down over Schweinfurt ball bearing factories on August 17, 1943. He earned a Silver Star for being the first airman to evade out of Germany through France, Spain and finally to Gibraltar. He was taken by sub from Gibraltar back to England for a detailed debriefing of his route. His widow gave me a book titled Triumphant We Fly a 381st Bomb Group Anthology . It is a collection of stories written by crews of the 381st B-17s.

My mother was engaged to an 8th Army pilot that was killed over Europe, my father was in the states after being wounded and they met and married in 1944 before going back to the south Pacific

My mother was engaged to an 8th Army pilot that was killed over Europe, my father was in the states after being wounded and they met and married in 1944 before going back to the south Pacific

tag

Most folks don't realize that we lost as many men in B-17s as we did in Vietnam.

Their courage is staggering.

Yep, can you imagine in today's World giving a goal to a bunch of 19-25 year old kids survive 25 mission's

Indeed it is, Dan.

My uncle John (by marriage to my Aunt Ruth, my Dad's sister) was a B-17 waist gunner. He had a huge angled scar on his back between his shoulders where he caught a round from a Messerschmitt 109. I have no idea how he survived that. He and my Dad became great friends over the years. Like my Dad, he always took his wounds in stride and even joked about it, saying he could tell me when it was gonna rain.

Most of the crew were very young. Some were 17 or 18 years old. Can you imagine trying to get today's youth to fly a bomber into harms way like they did in WW 2?

Same here - My father was a flight engineer/top turret gunner with the 842rd out of Sterparone, Italy. He flew 53 missions over Europe,Ploesti, and the shuttle missions to Russia. Seems the paper pushers in the 15th never could count right. Quite a few people flew more than their required 50 missions. He never talked much about it, and I knew enough to not push the issue. He was my personal hero, but thanks to all those heroes.