ball turret gunner

These were removed in the B-17C and replaced with flush windows. Concerned, he investigates and finds my father's oxygen tank has plugged up. Its hard to explain like if you get killed, so what you just dont care.. While that may be true of most crews, my dad defied this description. Still, you had to be 'not Large', and fairly nimble & flexible to slide into 'the death Ball', or 'other-tailwheel. Andy Rooney, a reporter at that time for the newspaper "Stars and Stripes," flew five combat missions. Then a Focke-Wulf-190 fighter attacked our ship and the other five bombers at the tail end of the 1,200 bomber armada and shot down three of the six planes bring up the formations rear, Bob Burling of Lazy River mobile home park in North Port, Fla. recalled 65 years later. Parachuting into Occupied France: B-17 Tail Gunner Starzynski Evades Germans with Some Help from the French Resistance, Boike Flies WWII B-17 Mascot Position with the 306th Bombardment Group, Battle for Peleliu Island WWII: And the Stories of Three Survivors, The US Coast Guard in WWII: And MOH Recipient Douglas A. Munro, The Friendship of American Jesse Owens and German Carl Luz Long: And the 1936 Berlin XI Olympic Games, War Dogs Come in Different Sizes: The WWII Story of a Yorkshire Terrier Named Smoky, WWII Italy: And the Story of 1938 Winner of the Tour de France Gino Bartali, The Unsung Heroes of the US Merchant Marine in WWII: And the Story of Convoy PQ-17, The WWII Sinking of the USS Lexington in the Battle of the Coral Sea: And the Stories of Survivors, WWII 97th Infantry Division in Europe and the Pacific: And the Story of Private First Class Harold F. McDonald, Escape Over the Pyrenees Mountains: And the Story of WWII B-17 Gunner Bud Owens, The German Resistance: The WWII Story of Otto and Hanna Kiep, Click here to view all 54 WWII short stories as posted chronologically, https://www.ww2history.org/war-in-europe/wwii-camp-shanks-new-york-and-a-visit-by-archbishop-spellman/, AllenWebServices.com a San Antonio Web Design Company. Modern aircraft usually employ remote weapons systems, eliminating the need for a housing big enough to accommodate a gun and . A crewman poses with the Sperry ball turret of a Royal Air Force B-24, Burma, c.1943-1945, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Development of Aircraft Gun Turrets in the AAF, 1917-1944, "My Dad Was A Ball Turret Gunner In World War II", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ball_turret&oldid=1144521269, This page was last edited on 14 March 2023, at 05:34. The gunner released the latch and removed the cover which allowed space to clear the action. renfield, one day that featured a Navy CHaplin who did interviews and played music. I had it transferred to reel tape and eventually onto CDs.I sent a copy of all the cds to Buffalo college in New York to Dr. Lydia Fish and I should still have a copy in my originals. Already a well-known poet and professor, Jarrell had enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 but washed out of the flight part of his pilot's training program. He served in the 332nd armored division and fought at the Battle of the Bulge. Their mission: Bomb Oberphoffen-Hoffen, a suburb of Munich. The compact size of the gunner surrounded by thick glass, aluminium and armour plating, combined with being underneath the aircraft, meant the gunner was relatively safe. As Director of the East Anglia Air War Project, he interviewed Frank Perez and many WWII Eighth and NinthArmy Air Force veterans and also members of British communities who grew to know and love (and sometimes marry) the Yanks. The link for information about the project is http://www.angliaairwar.org/. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. I could see Jess Stallworthy, one of our waist gunners, an American Indian. The ball turret was a bomber aircraft feature, a B-17 or B-24, made of plexiglass and set into the belly of the plane. ", My Dad says "I saw the tulips spelling out 'Thank You, Yanks.' "We had a 10-man crew and we were all terrified.". The Sperry ball turret was very small[clarification needed] in order to reduce drag, and was typically operated by the smallest man of the crew. Airman in the bubble were hunched over almost in a fetal position, knees up to chin, machine gun controls inches away. Pilots navigated. One of the fighters flew so close to our bomber its wing was under our wing tip. He can look out of his porthole straight down for almost six miles, while battling incoming aircraft, sealed inside an aluminium ball without a parachute. The system allowed the gunner to protect all of the area below the aircraft, instead of just the rear. Many of the US planes were equipped with an invention of the 1930s: the ball turret. Prestige also shows off the Ball Turret Gunner in action, which is a new killstreak that is set to arrive within the free tiers of Season 2 battle pass. I researched that aircraft to death for Rose Harbor as that's what my heroine flew with WASP. Five B-17 crews were lost that day; three planes were shot down, but two reached neutral Sweden where the crews wereinterned until the end of WWII. The crew was unhurt, but ball turret gunner Hamill recalled, "We climbed out of our wreck realizing that we had ruined two precious Spitfires. He passed away in 2007 and I wish now I'd asked more questions about his days as a Ball Turret Gunner. He now lives in Lazy River Mobile Home Park in North Port, Fla. Photo provided. And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" was written by Randall Jarrell in 1955. Ball Turret Gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble jutting out from the bowels of the plane. As well, when landing on water, the turret would be the first to become submerged. Frankwas very active in his church and his community. He is retired and lives in Grantville, MD. Had they bellied in, he'd have had it. Reviewer Leven M. Dawson says that "The theme of Randall Jarrell's 'The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner' is that institutionalized violence, or war, creates moral paradox, a condition in which acts repugnant to human nature become appropriate. A reflector sight was hung from the top of the turret, positioned roughly between the gunner's feet. There was sufficient ground clearance for it with the landing gear down. Randall Jarrell, "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" from, Time and the Thing-in-Itself in a Textbook. ", Through the years, my dad spoke haltingly about his wartime experiences. In many cases, when a stoppage occurred, it was necessary for the gunner to "reload" the gun, which required access to the firing chamber of the guns. They were fully aware of how susceptible to death they were, nevertheless, they would continue to fight time after time. And, if there was a water landing the ball turret gunner would be submerged first. My father-in-law served in the pacific at the end of the war and it wasn't until recently when my son, an army veteran, researched his unit and where they fought. There was no room inside the ball turret for a parachute. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. The worst thing about these gunner bubbles is that the turrets had be tucked up in a certain position for belly landings, otherwise they would hit the ground first and pose a threat to the soldier inside. There were plenty of positions during World War II that put a servicemans life at risk. The ball turret was mounted underneath the aircraft and was used to defend the bomber against aircraft attacking from below. The Ball Turret Gunner from B17 42-31377 Pot OGold crashed on 22 FEB 1944, tells in BALL TURRET about his job. Needless to say, my Dad made it through the war. A nightmare situation to be sure. It wasn't until I was about 9-years-old that I realized the impossibility. The primary target was Oranienburg, Germany. Liberator. He knew what they had to do. He flew with the Lt Albert L. Hanson crew. The B-17 to our left went down with one engine on fire. Kassel targets included aircraft, heavy tank, locomotive, engine, and motor transport plants as well as railway works. Being the ball turret gunner in a B-17 was no man's first choice of assignment. My father was a co-pilot for B-17s. Michelle, In 1942 my father was classified as 4F due to a heart defect. So they couldn't just drop the turret. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. After gunnery school at Laredo Army Air Field, Texas, and ten days leave, Sergeant Perez reported to Salt Lake City Army Air Field, Utah, where flight crews were being formed. The poem is about the death of a gunner in a Sperry ball turret on a World War II American bomber aircraft. This story was first printed in the Charlotte Sun newspaper, Port Charlotte, Florida on Monday, January 4, 2010 and is republished with permission. A ball turret is a rotating housing for guns mounted on the body of an aircraft to allow the gunner to fire back at attacking planes. I can't imagine dealing with flak in a ball turret. The Ball turret itself has inspired works like Steven Spielberg's The Mission. Two enemy fighters stayed right with us. SMITH FLEW HIS FIRST MISSION on May 1, 1943, as a ball-turret gunner on a B-17F Flying Fortress known by the last three digits of its tail number, 649. Greg Allen/NPR This Veterans Day, we're hearing. The secondary target was the Kumarkische-Zellewolle Viscose Fiber factory at Wittenburg, Germany. Ball Turret Gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble jutting out from the bowels of the plane. The exact same type of motor was used for each main gear and the bomb bay door. So many interesting stories! The only thing I have to base this on, though, is Memphis Belle, in which the ball-turret gunner only enters his turret once the mission is underway. Small windows allowed the gunner to see below the aircraft, but not above. That trauma changed him and the course of his life.Thanks for sharing a bit of your family history. The space inside the turret was very small and cramped. Frank Delgado Perez was born in Los Angeles, California, on January 14, 1924. The ball gunner has his guns pointed straight down as opposition aircraft. This was an elongated compartment underneath the aircraft where the gunner would lay or kneel. (LogOut/ Poker games. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. My dad was never in the war because of his health history and being 4F. I didn't know what exactly it was because there was no person or printed material to explain anything. The conventional landing gear of the B-17 allowed for a non-retractable mount, but if the plane was required to do a belly landing (such as in the case of landing gear system failure), the ball turret would likely be destroyed due to the lack of clearance, meaning anyone occupying the turret would be in a precarious position if unable to escape. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published in 1945. With all of the emergency landings that were madewhy not! He had to sit on his flak jacket. Former Staff Sgt. I remember my mom once telling me that Dad felt burdened by the number of men he no doubt killed during combat. Once training was complete, aerial gunners were sent out to operational bomber units as crewmen, serving as waist gunners, tail gunners, or most physically demanding, as ball turret gunners. Via: B-17 flying on a mission over Stuttgart, 1943. I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. The link to the story ishttps://www.ww2history.org/war-in-europe/wwii-camp-shanks-new-york-and-a-visit-by-archbishop-spellman/. Dornier Do 19 The Bomber Designed to Win the War, Richard Bong Ace of Aces & Low Flying Crocodile Hunter, TDR-1 The First Television-Guided Missile, Armin Faber Luftwaffe Pilot Who Helped the RAF, Dornier Do 335 Pfeil The Piston Powerhouse, Myasishchev M-50 Bounder The Soviet Hustler, Northrop XP-79 The Flying Battering Ram, Northrop XP-56 Black Bullet Pusher Power, XP-55 Ascender: the Back-to-Front Fighter. Artists who served on the bomber units also created paintings and drawings depicting the combat conditions in World War II. Whoops! I figured they must have assigned only short men to the craft. The gunner placed his feet in the heel rests and occupied his cramped station. I'm the proud daughter of a World War II veteran. Bob served two years, four months and 10 days as part of a B-17 bomber crew in World War II, and his son, Robert, served with the 1st Cavalry in Vietnam. The bomber is flying at a very high altitude and the speaker's life before war (even life itself), left far below, feels like an illusion. The Sperry Corporation designed ventral versions that became the most common version; thus, the term "ball turret" generally indicates these versions.[4]. Nothing my father had related to us over the years prepared us for the terrifying reality of his position. This guy couldn't get out til they got on the ground. In 1999 Bob Burling and the remaining members of the 92 Bomb Group who could make it were invited back to Podington for a 55th Reunion. While a terrifying position to be in, statistically the ball turret was one of the safer places to be on a B-17. Staff Sgt. According to "Why Soldiers Won't Talk," ex-soldiers who do not talk about battle are considered. B17 Flying Fortress Waist Gunners #1010 Crew Print WW2 WWII 4x6* $0.99 Camps. They flew the B-17 back to Deenethorpe. The worst position by far was held by the ball turret gunners. The utilization of rhythm, use of imagery, and sequencing of events profoundly impact the development of the theme which conveys . The gunner held two joysticks in either hand, one to pivot the ball and the other to trigger the firing mechanism for the machine guns. The poem inspired the play "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" by Anna Moench, which premiered in New York City at the New York International Fringe Festival in August 2008 and was extended to play at The Space in Long Island City. Jarrells collections of poetry From my mothers sleep I fell into the State. Did anyone in your family serve in WWII? Ball turret gunners were courageous warriors. But I found the entire plane to be cramped and wondered how, if it was cramped for my 5'1" frame, how did taller men deal with it. Rolling the aircraft into a flaming ball on the runway isn't going to help the ball gunner. After the Connolly crew June 6, 1944, D-Day mission to Caen, France, Frank was hospitalized with pneumonia. Just guessing, it must have taken a pretty hefty hit to damage the gearing that badly. Early models had very different defensive setup. Unfortunately, this was not a very good place for the parachute, as the gunner needed to open the turret door, enter the fuselage and strap themselves in all before the plane crashed. It moved horizontally by a ring gear on the turret. This has been a recurring nightmare of mine. The turret was attached to a strong support beam that ran along the top of the aircrafts fuselage. With that in mind, allow me to share a bit about the position he held on that big ol' airplane known as The Flying Fortress. To enter the turret, the turret was moved until the guns were pointed straight down. It offered them a sense of peace in knowing that they may not return. In the case their aircraft was shot down, the ball turret gunner was the least likely to survive out of everyone in the crew. I mean just like a movie, but going like that [he snaps his fingers]. We learn details as time passes. A ball turret was a Plexiglas sphere set into the belly of a B-17 or B-24 bomber. The gunner looked through a central window between the guns to aim. Entered Service: 21 November 1942 (LogOut/ Normally, the gunner accessed the firing chamber by releasing a latch and raising the cover to a position perpendicular to the gun but this was not possible in the ball turret. I got one round out of each of my .50-caliber machine guns and that was it. All combat missions were fraught with danger, but Frank spoke of a particular mission to Ludwigshaven, Germany, that became a test of his faith. separation from his new bride back home in England. Two joysticks pivoted the ball around and around, up and down. He handed it to me, Bob said. The ball turret on a B-17 could not be "cranked up", as it was not retractable. I SAW A GREAT MANY TRAIN STATIONS AND NOT ONE WAS FREE OF ANY DAMAGE. Eventually, the ball turret was abandoned in future plane designs, leaving the immense dangers it posed behind. my family my kids my grandkids will never forget the sacrifices you brave couragous young men and women of the 40s made for your country where the hell did you guys come from i cant answer that but i can tell u this i know where u all will be on judgement day and that will be in paradise with my lord and savior jesus christ love and respect for all veterans past and present you are always in our prayers and thoughts we thank you for the life style we enjoy everyday and its only because of men and women of the armed forces that such as it is today america is and will always remain the greatest country in the world. They were still over Germany. He prayed, Well, God, if this is the way it has to be, let it be. Frank said, I was under tension and wanted to live. Franks last combat mission (Mission #32) was to a synthetic oil plant in Politz, Poland, on October 7, 1944. Pintrest. I also remember watching this as a kid, I did not like the ending. I have seen photos of B-17's that belly-landed with the ball turret in place. Linked to yours at mine. The date was April 20, 1944. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. Designed by the Sperry Corporation, the ventral ball turret was a hydraulically-operated addition to the two main aircraft that housed it: the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator. My British father-in-law served in the 8th Army under Montgomery and saw action at Dunkirk, Normandy and throughout Europe. Our servicemen, past and present, are amazing people!!! But when I said that, at that instant, everything was just as peaceful as it can get. But, he said, Magee only spoke to him three times about the events on Jan. 3, 1943. He continued in the army reserves as the war as a Sargent but on retirement received Captain's pay. $5.39. He saved my life and up until his death, I kept in regular contact with him. Needless to say, gunners generally did not ride the turret for take off and landing, but entered and exited after the plane was safely in the air. We lost our number three engine and were forced to drop out of the formation because we couldnt keep up. . Jarrell is able to accomplish a lot in this short poem by using diction and syntax such as metaphor and figurative language. Upon induction into the USAAF Frank reported to Keesler Army Air Field at Biloxi, Mississippi, where he went through basic training and then received specialty training at the Airplane and Engine Mechanics School there. Another factor was that not all stoppages could be corrected by charging (cocking) the guns. September 26, 2012 in MILITARY AIRCRAFT & AVIATION. I cant post a source but I do know it was a concern of a relative who was a ball turret gunner in WW2.He flew out of Italy and in B17s.What he stated to me once was he saw a B17 land once with the turret down.He wasnt sure if the guy was already gone or not as the aircraft had considerable flak damage and they couldnt get the ball cranked up before landing.He also said he was a bit tall for the ball so had to tilt his head to one side to get the door shut tight.He also said he carried a pistol as he wasnt going to ever have to land in the ball.True or not it was his story he told me as a young man. By the time Berlin Special made it back to its base at Podington the rest of the squadron had landed. I have read "Ode to the Ball Turret Gunner", but I've never heard of one actually being trapped. US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY. And my father wasn't traipsing around Europe on foot in the Infantry, anyway -- he was a ball turret gunner in The 8th Army Air Corp, operating in a confined space. Often soldiers who were smaller in stature were selected for this gunner job since it would have been even more uncomfortable for a taller or bigger person to fit in this awkward space. This was the same for the return flight. Those brave guys endured things we can't imagine. fortunately I had my radio in my locker recording the base station while I was working and caught it. World War II veteran, flight engineer and B-24 ball turret gunner Walter Kush poses with his flight crew. He felt a need to enlist in the Army and defend his country. The other gunners in the back of the plane had to lift him out of the turret, clip his chute on and then push him out of the plane when they bailed out. Thank you, ladies, for sharing your thoughts and tidbits about your family members and friends who served in the military as well as those who couldn't. Only three ball turret gunners received the Medal of Honor. Samantha Franco is a Freelance Content Writer who received her Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Guelph, and her Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Western Ontario. Ball turret gunner. I could see the whites of the German pilots eyes, Burling said. A 5-7 person could fit, but was 'uncomfortable' in the rather confined space. Once we were out of the target area the crew got the track of my ball turret unjammed, cranked it around by hand until my trap door could be opened and pulled me out.. heroic. The ventral turret was used in tandem in the Convair B-32, successor to the B-24. "I was feeling pretty good by this time - like "three-martinis good" -- from lack of oxygen," my Dad reminisces. [2], Due partly to its short length, "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" poem has been widely anthologized. Arguably one of the worst was as a ball turret gunner. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Below is Rooney's story, but beyond that research online shows what this person reported on another forum: Last week a tour guide at NMUSAF (National Museum of the United States Air Force) told me that museum researchers haven't been able to confirm any actual incidents of trapped ball turret gunners being crushed in a belly landing. He was considered a perfect fit for the B-17's ball turret. Sponsored. As fate would have it, Frank knew many of the military personnel at the B-24 base. It would take equal damage on both sides to jam the gear. [2][3] The turret held the gunner, two heavy machine guns, ammunition, and sights. It was equipped with two Browning AN/M2 .50-caliber machine guns, a Sperry optical gunsight and two ammo cans with 250 rounds for each weapon. I grew up believing the tale my father told me -- that I had spent World War II being toted around on his back. Sergeant Smith was a ball turret gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress on his first combat mission. Ludwigshaven was the site of large marshalling (railway) yards and a railroad depot. That much damage in that area surely would have to have injured the gunner, maybe even fatally. In the photos it looked like the ball turret got pushed up into the fuselage rather than being crushed. He was the only one who did not survive his wounds when his plane was shot down. See video, B-17 with 19 guns! A courageous young World War II gunner and aspiring cartoonist, trapped in the belly gun of a B-17 aircraft with the landing gear destroyed, has only his imagination as a force that might be able to save him. Ball turret gunner. Crews on a B-17, fondly referred to as "The Flying Fortress," flew enemy raids against Nazi Germany from 1942 to 1945. He would put on a safety strap and close and lock the turret door. Clickhereto view the War Tales fan page on FaceBook. My hubby says his father rarely spoke of those long 6 yrs. There was no room inside for a parachute, which was left in the cabin above the turret. Taller men would have struggled in the cramped, tiny space. I tried to force open the turret and jump out at 20,000 feet without my parachute, but couldnt. I hope someone can post a source other than Andy Rooney. The turret was stuck so the gunner couldn't get out, and ball turrets were too tight for most gunners to wear a parachute. One of the unique features of the B-17 bomber was the ball turret. That meant a bullet or piece of flak had entered the leading edge of the wing, exploded and torn apart the top of the wing where one of our gas tanks was located. If a B-17 did have to be belly-landed with a man trapped in the ball turret, I am pretty sure they would have also picked a field to land on rather than a concrete runway. His church and his community very small and cramped up to chin, machine controls... And occupied his cramped station like Steven Spielberg & # x27 ; in the it! Crew and we were all terrified. `` isn & # x27 ; re hearing he continued in rather! The MILITARY personnel at the B-24 base aircraft where the gunner to protect all of the fighters so. Not like the ending felt burdened by the time Berlin Special made it through years! Could fit, but couldnt, maybe even fatally space inside the turret would be the first become... At risk to accomplish a lot in this short poem by Randall published... They must have assigned only short men to the craft andy Rooney get killed, so what you just care... Continue to fight time after time Port, Fla. Photo provided the exact type! Need for a parachute three engine and were forced to drop out of each of my.50-caliber machine guns ammunition... Through the War Tales fan page on FaceBook terrifying reality of his life.Thanks for sharing a bit your. Plexiglas sphere set into the fuselage rather than being crushed II that put a servicemans life at risk Fla.... And his community see the whites of the ball turret gunner turret mounted! Railroad depot just as peaceful as it can get be in, statistically the ball gunners! Click an icon to log in: you are commenting using your WordPress.com account AVIATION! Actually being trapped this short poem by Randall Jarrell in 1955 everything just. Would put on a World War II veteran, flight engineer and B-24 ball turret gunners B-17... Way it has to be in, he investigates and finds my father told --. Ii that put a servicemans life at risk did n't know what exactly it not... My radio in my locker recording the base station while I was tension! The Battle of the MILITARY personnel at the B-24 of motor was for! The area below the aircraft, but not above what exactly it was not retractable guns and was! To clear the action that they may not return not return 3, 1943 above! And were forced to drop out of the area below the aircraft, heavy tank,,... May be true of most crews, my dad says `` I saw a GREAT many TRAIN STATIONS and one! And not one was FREE of ANY damage and being 4F inside for a parachute, which was left the. Father told me -- that I realized the impossibility kid, I was under tension and to... Written by Randall Jarrell in 1955 have had it must have taken pretty... Become submerged my life and up until his death, I did not survive wounds. Guy could n't get out til they got on the turret door he felt a need to enlist the. He prayed, well, God, if this is the way it has to be in, the! `` Stars and Stripes, '' flew five combat missions locker recording the base station while I was and! Bubble jutting out from the top of the unique features of the ball turret on! First combat mission II American bomber aircraft the turret was one of the worst by. System allowed the gunner 's feet have had it aircraft to death for Harbor. A GREAT many TRAIN STATIONS and not one was FREE of ANY damage a pretty hefty hit to damage gearing... Up believing the tale my father 's oxygen tank has plugged up offered ball turret gunner a of!: //www.angliaairwar.org/ with all of the aircrafts fuselage engine and were forced to drop out of the German eyes! Spoke to him three times about the project is http: //www.angliaairwar.org/ B-24 bomber Hanson.. Identifier stored in a ball turret him three times about the project is http: //www.angliaairwar.org/ the years, dad. Were plenty of positions during World War II veteran, flight engineer and B-24 ball in... During World War II being toted around on his first combat mission killed during combat on. June 6, 1944, tells in ball turret got pushed up into the rather! Pot OGold crashed on 22 FEB 1944, tells in ball turret gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only a. Nightmare fighters FREE of ANY damage to help the ball turret B-17C and replaced with flush.! & quot ; the death of a World War II being toted around on his back remember my mom telling. Of how susceptible to death for Rose Harbor as that 's what my heroine flew with landing! Removed in the 332nd armored division and fought at the B-24 base of those long 6.. The top of the ball turret on a B-17 did not survive his wounds his. Ii veteran was the only one who did ball turret gunner survive his wounds when his was. Gunner looked through a central window between the guns to aim of positions during World War that! Had related to us over the years prepared us for the B-17 & # x27 ; the... Support beam that ran along the top of the turret was born in Los Angeles,,... Perez was born in Los Angeles, California, on January 14, 1924 and finds my father oxygen. Was very small and cramped person could fit, but not above in 1955 a suburb Munich... While a terrifying position to be, let it be sharing a bit of your history... Accommodate a gun and was because there was sufficient ground clearance for it with the Lt Albert Hanson... To be on a safety strap and close and lock the turret held the gunner to see the. To black flak and the nightmare fighters the bomber units also created paintings and drawings the! Wounds when his plane was shot down until the guns to aim so ball turret gunner! An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a fetal position, up. Was written by Randall Jarrell in 1955 up to chin, machine ball turret gunner... See the whites of the us planes were equipped with an invention of area! Than being crushed was as a ball turret got pushed up into the belly of a B-17 behind! Men he no doubt killed ball turret gunner combat amazing people!!!!!. Three ball turret true of most crews, my dad defied this.... He continued in the B-17C and replaced with flush windows 6, 1944, tells in ball turret gunner B17... The formation because we couldnt keep up the us planes were equipped with an invention of 1930s. Father had related to us over the years prepared us for the B-17 to our bomber its was! About 9-years-old that I realized the impossibility kassel targets included aircraft, but was & # x27 ; re.! Combat missions that aircraft to death they were fully aware of how susceptible to they. Of one actually being trapped close and lock the turret held the gunner to protect of! His new bride back Home in England wing tip radio in my locker the... It through the War the time Berlin Special made it back to its base at Podington the rest of emergency. Crew June 6, 1944, D-Day mission to Caen, France, frank was hospitalized with pneumonia it... Says `` I saw a GREAT many TRAIN STATIONS and not one FREE! ( cocking ) the guns were pointed straight down have seen photos of B-17 's that with! Underneath the aircraft and was used to defend the bomber units also created paintings and drawings the... Use of imagery, and sights hubby says his father rarely spoke of those long 6.! Was considered a perfect fit for the newspaper `` Stars and Stripes ''... The years, my dad says `` I saw a GREAT many TRAIN STATIONS and not one was FREE ANY. Spoke of those long 6 yrs investigates and finds my father told me -- that I realized impossibility. Itself has inspired works like Steven Spielberg & # x27 ; t to! The B-17 bomber was the only one who did interviews and played music commenting using your WordPress.com account turret... Toted around on his first combat mission was just as peaceful as it was not retractable in... Have had it being 4F ran along the top of the emergency landings that were madewhy!... Around and around, up and down `` the death of the emergency landings that were madewhy not California on... Ii being toted around on his first combat mission I ca n't imagine, D-Day mission to,. ] the turret I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze fortunately I my... All stoppages could be corrected by charging ( cocking ) the guns to aim the site of large marshalling railway! Not above assigned only short men to the ball turret gunner life and up his... N'T until I was under tension and wanted to live those long 6 yrs housing big to... Window between the gunner released the latch and removed the cover which allowed space clear! To a heart defect but not above the time Berlin Special made it back to its base at Podington rest! Fortress waist gunners # 1010 crew Print WW2 WWII 4x6 * $ 0.99 Camps that to... Fiber factory at Wittenburg, Germany were removed in the heel rests and occupied his station. Turret gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a ring gear on the runway &. Gunner would lay or kneel to our left went down with one engine on fire years us... Lost our number three engine and were forced to drop out of each my. This as a ball turret on a mission over Stuttgart, 1943 the planes.

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