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This is a long, but fascinating read of the log book kept by one crew member (Navigator in a B-17). Basically this is the history of the air war in Europe at it’s peak. This is what our bomber crews had to cope with day after day until they completed their 25 missions. Statistically you couldn’t survive 25 missions.
In 1981 I was an escort for three days to General Curtis LeMay (former Air Force Chief of Staff) while he was lecturing and visiting Air War College. General LeMay and two other senior officers that served in WWII told stories of events that occured during these and other bombing raids during the war. Several of the raids over German occupied Europe were led by then BG LeMay. I might add that two other Lt Colonels and myself were like kids listening to Santa Claus talk about the North Pole.
Once you read the log book of one B-17 aircraft crew that flew into the European inferno of late 1943 and early 1944, you can begin to know how difficult it was just to survive one mission over German occupied Europe.
Bob Watson 3671 Monticello Drive Fort Worth, TX 76107 817-737-3352
