A Hairy Day - Dad in his B-17 Bomber

OregonWetDog

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Monday May 26, 2014 · 2:46 PM PDT

2014/05/26 · 14:46

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Dad is front row, 2nd from right - John H. Jones, right waist gunner

A Hairy Day

The B-17 bomber was not a glider, but it was not a brick either. I found this out on a cold, damp 22nd of February, 1944…

We had been on a trip to Bernberg – halfway across Germany. Our task: to deliver a load of 500-pound bombs on an aircraft assembly plant. In this, we were successful with 90% of our calling cards square on target. Our group of 18 airplanes was in tight, well-formed order. We were to release our cargo by “toggling” on the lead ship in the formation. So, when the lead bombardier said, “drop” (the bombs) we did, and with good result.

This, usually was the climax on a mission. When we turned away after the drop and toward our base in England, antiaircraft (“flak”) bursts stopped. Enemy fighters devoted their attention to the slower, more dangerous, arriving bombers. Although alert and ready, we crew members could relax a little on the trip home.

(Things get hairy below the fold)

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