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Author
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Topic: Grandpa's Left Waist Gunner Story
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FarmerJoe
Pilot
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posted 11-08- 11:57 PM
   
They were in a b-17 at 20,000 flyin into brussels to bomb you guessed it a ball bearring factory. About 15 miles outside of the city they entered a well-defined flak field. The flak bombardment lasted about 5 miles out of the city when they were jumped by some 190s. On the first pass by the 190s 2 fortresses were knocked out of the air. Then when the 190s came back around one rolled over on her topside and sprayed the left side of my grandpa's b17. Engine 2 immediately lit up and damage check was called. While everyone was checking in the left waist gunner said he was hit and wasn't going to make it back home! What had happened in that pass he got hit right in the leg by a cannon shell and decapitated his leg. He pulled himself back up to his gun and and balanced himself on one leg and commenced firing again until he blacked out and eventually died. He got one of them bastards too!!! Grandpa said his last words were to tell his wife he loved her and to tell his unborn son that he was sorry he wasn't gonna be there for him. When my grandpa told me that...Sent chills up my spine, that's the only war story he told me about his b17 career. I thought it was very interesting though, sounds like it was kinda neat but then it makes you think hmmm glad I wasn't there.  ------------------
So many things so little time
FarmerJoe IP: Logged |
ReaperMan
Pilot
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posted 11-09- 01:32 AM
Holy shit, FJ, that's INTENSEMy Grandpa on my dad's side was on the front during the Battle of the Bulge and he had some pretty harrowing stories. For example, one guy who was shot with a flare gun... goddamn that had to suck. Also a wounded German that they were trying to pick up, he pulled a knife on my Gpa, so he had to kill him. My Grandpa on my mother's side was in a sub in the Pacific. Heard some stories mainly about the uncomfortable conditions in the subs and "those dirty Japs" Reaper out. ------------------
-=TheReaper=- IP: Logged |
semmern
Pilot
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posted 11-09- 08:16 AM
Well, my mother's dad was in the Norwegian resistance. Sadly, he's dead now,and he left a lot untold. He did recieve some of those supply containers out in the woods with the Germans breathing up his neck.
My grandpa on the father-side was a Russian who moved to Norway in the symbolic year of 1933, and as the almost only Russian in Norway, had nothing to do when the Germans came but to hide somewhere.[This message has been edited by semmern (edited 11-09-2000).] IP: Logged |
Mirthain
Pilot
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posted 11-09- 08:28 AM
Had a marine for a next door neighbor growning up, but the interesting person was his wife, who had grown up in North Japan, very rich family who had it all taken away by the Japanese during the war. She talked alot about how people didn't like what was happening but couldn't do a thing to stop it. The government came and took everything from them. What is really interesting is that my father was in the Army during Korea, and had to spend some time in Japan... turns out he was right where she lived. Small world... ;}
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Mirthain=FC=
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Blasius1
Pilot
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posted 11-09- 10:43 AM
and my grandfathers grandfather have a grandfather ,and he have a grandfather too,
and his grandfather on mothers side dont know from my grandfather father sides ,but they wasn t in the resistance.and not on the right side for win anyone war.
good story ????????????????------------------
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