We owe these guys a debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they made. All those who did not return RIP.

I'm 75 and retired now. My dad was a B-17 pilot. He was shot down on his 3rd mission on July 26, 1943 by Senior Flight Lieutenant Decker flying an FW-190. The target that day was the Hanover Rubber Works. En route, his plane was hit by fighters and flak killing the navigator, the radio operator, the ball turret gunner and the two waist gunners. His plane made it to the target and dropped his bombs, but on the way back to England, his plane fell behind the formation and was shot down. The pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, flight engineer and tail gunner survived. My dad was wounded, landed near a German village and the people were angry and ready to kill him when a German patrol interrupted them and saved his life. He spent nearly 2 years as a POW and was liberated from Stalag VIIA outside of Moosburg but the lead elements of Patton's 3rd Army. However, he wasn't able to return to his home until late August 1945. Ironically, Senior Flight Lieutenant Decker was shot down and killed 4 days later by an American P-47. He remained in the Air Force flying B-29's, B-47's, and B-52's until he died on active duty in 1971 at the age of 51. They were truly the Greatest Generation. As for me, I served 21 years in the Marine Corps as an infantry officer with 3 years in combat beginning as a Marine platoon commander in Vietnam 1968-69 and retired from the Marine in 1989.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your family story. Very inspiring.

@markpaul8178

2 жыл бұрын

I really enjoyed that story,thank you.

@leon15776

2 жыл бұрын

RESPECT & LEST WE FORGET

@danielhemple8649

2 жыл бұрын

Great story thanks for your service

@megarouge61

2 жыл бұрын

Semper Fi Brother

My dad was in the RAF and was shot down in a short sterling bomber over Germany on his 27th mission. He was wounded but successfully parachuted to the ground and hid for 24 hours. He was captured having been seen by a civilian going into a barn to hide. He was beaten, brutally interrogated and made to walk in the snow bare footed. He ended up in Stag Luft 1 for two years until the Russians arrived and he was liberated. I think my dad was particularly lucky to survive because quite rarely for the time, he was black and an officer. You can imagine how shocked the Germans were to see a black man in an RAF uniform!

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your family story and thanks for watching.

@thewatcher4552

4 ай бұрын

Wow amazing! Thanks you from a grateful nation! It's great men like him who paved the way for me to serve as black OIF/OEF Veteran

@mebeasensei

4 ай бұрын

Anyone know how many aircrew baled and survived in WW2？

@eddysmythe708

4 ай бұрын

@@mebeasensei Statistics are difficult to come by but only 25% of airmen safely exited Stirlings and Halifaxes and 15% from Lancasters. Sometimes crew members, particularly gunners did not wear their parachute in the turret and only put it on when the order to bale out was given. Finding a relatively small escape hatch in the dark, in a possibly burning and smoke filled aircraft out of control was very challenging.

@mebeasensei

4 ай бұрын

@@eddysmythe708 thanks for your response. I have been asking myself this number for years. It seems fighter pilots routinely bailed out and survived, but only ‘seems’ so. There were tens of thousands of captured airmen the Stag Lufts , but I assume most of these stayed in their aircraft as they glided into the ground.

My father was a navigator and was shot down over Germany in mid 1943. He spent 18 months as a POW. He weighed 170 when captured and about 100 when he was liberated. My uncle who was deploying to Germany a couple of months into 1945, told my grandmother that he would go there and liberate dad and he actually did liberate the camp that dad was in and found my dad in that camp.

@jerseyforhawks

Жыл бұрын

God bless

@joeverna5459

Жыл бұрын

Wow, what a brother!

@billysmith5721

4 ай бұрын

thank you for your service

I met a 98 year old guy yesterday. He was a waist gunner , in the 447th Bomb Group in Rattleston England. He completed 30 missions. His name was Sassaman. What a great guy.

@robertmontgomery6060

2 жыл бұрын

Had a uncle served in the 447th. 708th. Kia 12-30-44

@AwesomeBeatles

2 жыл бұрын

@@robertmontgomery6060 Sorry to hear about your uncle.

That was the best interviews I have heard. Those guys had guts. God bless them!

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching. These veterans would have really appreciated your comment.

@anthonysmith3851

2 жыл бұрын

More than guts.

My uncle flew B-29’s in the Pacific and he never mentioned it while I was growing up. The only way I knew was a couple of photos of him with his crew. Truly one of the greatest generations ever produced by this country. May they all Rest In Peace.

"...and the plane broke in half so then I just got out ..." For the next time I think I'm facing a big challenge.

I'm an old dog. Grew up completely surrounded by front line veterans of the army and airforce. One KIA, one a guest of the Imperial Japanese Army. Love them all . . . the long, the short & the tall.

It's unbelievable, what these guys went through. But the saddest thing is, that mankind didn't learn anything from these stories to avoid war

@Vince-lq3ve

Ай бұрын

Maybe they did.

Incredible stories from these vets. Great job compiling these accounts for present and future generations.

When ever I hear these stories of what these men went through I often get teary eyed. These guys were only young men, the same age as my sons and younger. They barred the weight of such an incredible task where the stakes were at their highest.

@billysmith5721

4 ай бұрын

thank you for your service

@davebrittain9216

4 ай бұрын

@@billysmith5721 I did not serve.

When I was a kid you had loads of these guys in the neighborhood. Now they are all gone. Videos like this are the one record we have of what they went through, All those veterans in the neighborhood in the sixties didn't want to talk much about what they had seen. These are important videos.

@djstl100

Ай бұрын

My neighborhood too..some of the dad's had tattoos with parachutes or ship names etc . Not really appreciating who the men were.

I had the opportunity to work under and learn from 2 gentleman that had been pilots/crew members on B-24s. One was an 8th grade typing teacher and the other guy was the purchasing agent for the first company I worked for after college. Mr. Lance was the typing teacher and Tom Roberts was the purchasing agent. They didn’t share too much but they sure taught us young knuckle heads many good lessons about life. They both had a calm/pleasant demeanor but you knew that they were running the show.

How in the hell could anyone put a thumbs down to these men telling their stories.

@falconeaterf15

2 ай бұрын

Maybe they be German , eh.

@marcusbreitmeyer2357

2 ай бұрын

​@@falconeaterf15Don't think so. More likely some pacifists.

These men's stories are more precious than gold. God rest each and everyone.

My uncle was a B-26 nose gunner. He never spoke to me about the war. But I have pictures of him and his buddies posing in front of their B-26. His name was Jim. He had 4 other brothers, including my dad who were also in the war. Very brave men. I did ask him once why they never talked about the war. His answer was: "Why would we"?

@edparkinson1962

2 жыл бұрын

My dad also flew in 26’s. Second seat. He also never talked about many of his experiences until he was 80. My son who is now a history teacher once asked him if he knew what they were fighting for. My dad told him “sure we had some idea but really we were fighting for the guy sitting next to you. I was trying to keep him alive and he was doing the same for me.” All these guys were special.

Great interviews. They all tell them so vividly, it’s almost like it happened the day before. They really bring you there.

Incredible stories. There is no word for how courageous these men were.

Very poignant for me. I am British but live in Germany. At the back of my garden a B17 came down. The crater still is there. Bits of metal under the surface - If you dig. All died. On the other side of my valley, a Lancaster came down. Again all died. Not so long ago, the families of the RAF plane were invited for a ceremony. They came from all over Britain and the Commonwealth to see where their husbands, fathers, grandfathers perished. I consider to make the same for the B17 crew. Could not find any records so far - as to which plane it was. I live in Elmshausen, Hessen.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this information and thank you for watching.

My step-dad was a navigator on a B-17 over Europe. That marriage didn’t last long enough for me to find out the adventure and loss that he experienced. Your interviews were riveting. These guys had guts whether they wanted to or not. Wow.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

My grandfather’s brother flew 85 combat sorties in a ‘17, he flew 3 as a waist gunner and 82 as a tail gunner, made it through the entire war.

@vivians9392

2 жыл бұрын

Your great uncle flew with an angel on his shoulder!

@chriszelez7970

Жыл бұрын

That sounds a bit excessive. Usually, 35 missions were enough to get you sent home. Initially 25 missions were to be the limit. But in 42 and 43, those were the deadliest years for ariel combat. Plenty of shoot downs w/ plenty of KIAs, POWs and WIAs.

@TonyC419

4 ай бұрын

85 missions🤔🤔

Ordinary men who were measured against extraordinary events, and met that measure. Respect.

My step Dad was Raymond Roscoe Pursley a paratrooper who made several combat jumps. I was never allowed to listen to the stories he told but as an adult learned of his service. These were men, they were hero’s, they came home to tell their stories as did Ray. Thank you for taking the time to listen and record.

@raymondmcfalone26

4 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching. Ray

@martinmeaders2067

4 ай бұрын

My WWII relatives - 5 Uncles on father's side would never talk. I found out later why and don't blame them. My father was exempted from combat due to his skill set needed. I aways thought he would have been the one killed.

@billysmith5721

4 ай бұрын

thank you for your service

All excellent interviews. You let the interviewee speak his mind with few interrupting questions. Well done production.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the nice feedback, much appreciated.

I can't imagine the he'll these guys went through weekly. True heros, all of them.

Thank you for putting this together. For the life of me, I do not understand why anybody would give this a thumbs down-...But I must remember that there are at least 9% of the people out there that are insane

The greatest generation, I am 72 and have had to work with many veterans from WWII. I was fortunate to hear many stories from land, sea and air forces. Great guys and mostly all gone now. Miss them all.

@johnmiller4617

2 жыл бұрын

The Greatest Generation folks stole everything they could lay their hands on and mailed it home.

What are the odds of getting shot down over Germany and meeting a Luftwaffe officer from Chicago?

@markpaul8178

2 жыл бұрын

Astronomical .

@vivians9392

2 жыл бұрын

Amazing!

As a lifelong WWII Scholar, I greatly enjoyed this vidya...My Father served in th Pacific Theater of operations, interceptin/decryptin Japanese code, an locatin their broadcast positions, via ADF...As a fellow veteran, with multiple combat tours, I have nuthin but th utmost praise an admiration fer alla them what fit in WWII, they are th Dad's of my childhood, an th Heroes of My Life!!! Without their sacrifices, none of what we have, an take fer granted would have ever been possible...God Bless them, an Grant Them Eternal Peace...Amen.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your insight and thanks for watching.

@paulsuprono7225

2 жыл бұрын

@@raymondmcfalone26 WAR . . . is brutal, in the end run - are there really any 'winners' ? People die . . . lives change, not always for the better ! The BEST 'war' . . . is successful negotiations be the first bomb, is tossed ! 😢 😬 😢

My uncle was a P-51 Musting fighter pilot .We are proud of his service ...👍👊🇺🇸💪

Outstanding interviews. Really brings home what these men went through, and seeing the emotion that comes back, are still going through. Thank you for this video.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching.

These interviews are amazing. They could se easily be made into a movie. Man they had some guts and determination. We thank them for their service.

@raymondmcfalone26

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching.

Thank you Mr. McFalone for documenting, before it became too late, and for many it sadly has, the thoughts and experience of the greatest generation of men and women who served in WW II. The world owes these heroes, every single one of them, a debt of gratitude that could never be repaid. They were a magnificent bunch whose legacy we should remember for all the generations to come.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it.

May God bless these men, as they have me.

To get an idea of escaping from a stricken B-17 Flying Fortress, you had to disengage your earphones and oxygen mask, remove your body armor and clip on your chest pack parachute, either exit the rear crew door or make your way to the bomb bay catwalk with your heavy shearling flying pants and jacket and jump clear, sometimes through flames and avoiding the horizontal stabilizer. Made all the more difficult if you had to set the controls as the pilot, grab your parachute chest pack frroom beneath your seat and clip it on, shinny around the top turret and out, or the ball turret gunner cranking the turret 'full down' and clambering out of the turret with help and putting on your chute and jumping. On average, each crewmember had around 45 seconds to do so before the plane went into its 'death dive'....Harrowing if you survived...

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very your well thought out description. In a video we uploaded a few weeks ago - Shot Down Over Poland - we interviewed a B17 pilot in the cockpit of a B17. He describes how he bailed out. There was a bit of funny side to it because he said he had a fear of heights - but he bailed out anyway - no choice. You can find the video in my channel. Thanks for watching and, again, thanks for your helpful comments.

@timengineman2nd714

2 жыл бұрын

@@raymondmcfalone26 A lot of the crew had a parachute that was attached to their harness that they sat on if they had a seat! Also, a lot of times the smallest guys in group were assigned to be Ball Turret Gunners, so they could wear their chute inside the turret. Some of the newer models of B-17 had an enlarged hatch so the ball turret gunner was able to open his hatch and bail out without going back into the fuselage. Also, most cases, the crew did wear their parachutes. BTW, this is what I was told about the parachutes (by a b-17 waist gunner who served thru early 1945 until he was rotated home). I guess some units made do with what they had available, or other units ordered the type they wanted.

@spreadeagled5654

2 жыл бұрын

Even more difficult is when the B-17 is spinning with the crew attempting to escape and deal with the G forces.

@karifredrikson8492

2 жыл бұрын

I hope I will never be tested for this level of courage. God bless you, “Greatest Generation” !

@northwestprof60

2 жыл бұрын

Of course, the alternative was a bit worse. You'd be amazed what kind of incentive that is.

These gents were all from the 390th Bomb Group ( 568 BS, 569 BS, 570 BS, 571 BS) , (Note the "Square J" Group Marking ) according to their Polo shirts . The 390th was based at Framlingham. There is a great Museum for the 390 BG on the grounds of the Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, AZ

One of the best documentaries I have watched on KZread. Well done Raymond!

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the nice comment - much appreciated. And thanks for watching.

Thank you for producing and sharing this! I wish I could hear every story there is to tell, from people like them.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening

The stories brought me to tears ..... At any point in time they could have been killed ..... But weren't. There are far greater things than "Mankind" ...... I am sure of it.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

It makes you think that these guys were just meant to survive. Thanks for watching.

@juhopuhakka2351

2 жыл бұрын

Semper fi

Thanks for this interview of these amazing surviving airmen.

Thank you for posting my dear departed Grandfather was a RAF Lancaster Pilot 2 combat tours they had many USAAF friends

Thank you for this upload and for all of the interviews that you filmed. This is one of the most rivetting of the fascinating interviews with WW2 veterans that you have uploaded on your channel. I'm really enjoying the process of working through them all.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

50 dislikes for heroes !!! shows what humanity has become ,Thank you USAAF from Yorkshire/England

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

And thanks for watching - much appreciated.

@garyginther6742

2 жыл бұрын

They quit showing the number of Dislikes, at least on MY cell O/S.

@vettefool

2 жыл бұрын

I assume most dislikes were from nazi’s in Argentina or kids.

@steveniksid5874

Жыл бұрын

The Greatest Generation sacrificed everything so today's gayest generation could be a bunch complainers.

@indridcold8433

Жыл бұрын

The flunky Nazis of today are the only ones that would dislike any World War II footage even if they took that footage. They are pathetic nothings today. The Japanese lost as well. However, the Japanese are not a bunch of whiney idiots that do not know how to make the best out of something bad. While the Nazis are nothing but a bunch of stupid inbred, idiots, purpose made for prisons, Japan has risen to a world power with its new allies. After all, there are no more powerful friends than former enemies.

all we have & the liberties you appreciate every day of your life is because these kind of guys ,from this "Greatest Generation" of Americans, sacrificing themselves w/out trepidation in honorable fashion , for those who come after them to have the same , family based lifestyle they got to have. 🇺🇲 God bless them & sacrifices they made so selfishlessly.

My uncle had the same thing happen in Italy. The S.S. Officer whose Staff car he had just destroyed rescued him from angry civilians gatherrd around a lake he landed in by parachute. My uncle said "you speak incredibly good English" to which he replied, I'm from Manhattan.

My Father Roderick James Stewart was a Maryland pilot WW2. He was a major in the South African air force, squadron 22. His plane was shot down over North Africa. He mqanaged to bring the plane down before he succumed to his wounds. His crew barring one also died of their wounds. I have a beauiful portrait of him with a citation signed by George R I. Rodwyn Mc Laren (nee Stewart)

Now THAT is ONE HELLUVA story.After getting shot down and meet up and saved by a German American from Chicago??? What are the odds?

@markpaul8178

2 жыл бұрын

The odds would astronomical .

l had a friend he was a p47 pilot shot down over france he was to low to jump out belly landed his p47 in a sugar beet field it took him two weeks to get back to friendly lines but he made it.l lost him 3yrs ago he was 94 his name was Jim Lewis the name of his plane was Ghost 2 amazing story.

Thanks Raymond for all that you do.You are greatly appreciated .

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome

My father, William R Gaylor, Jr. (Gabe was his name to his crew) was on this mission (Merseberg). He was a bombardier with 851BS of the 490BG(H). He said it was the worst mission. Very heavy flak. They flew back on one engine, 3/4 of the tail stabilizer blown off. They were flying at 50-100 feet over the channel throwing out everything they could break off. Took them 3 attempt to crash land. He said he killed a fifth of Bourbon and didn't feel it... His combat diary notes 740 flak guns. And yes, they missed the IP he told me.

Thank you so much for this video. Maximum respect from the UK to the men of the USAAF.

Most people think that when a WW2 bomber airman bailed out, he would survive. Tragically, the German (and Japanese) populace were so incensed seeing their cities razed that oftentimes a surviving bomber crew would be summarily lynched by angry civilians. It's sadly ironic how the fact that the Germans, who started that horror and were the first to commit to area bombing, still felt justified in killing helpless aircrew.

@josephmajewski9241

Жыл бұрын

I would feel the same way if we were bombed

Beautiful tales of a time before I was born. We don't know what courage is; these guys had real guts. The interview that ended with the gift of the parachute to the bride-to-be was very moving..... thank you

Wow....amazing stories....I never get over how old time vets can recall the time they took off, the guys name who was next to him or whatever, the city they went to or parachuted into....such a sureal time in history

I have the utmost respect for any person forced to fight in war.

I have no words to describe my love and admiration for these ordinary American boys caught up in the war. Their courage, their fears, the trials they experienced. These common American boys who sacrificed their lives in the skies over Nazi Germany.

@jeffpotipco736

2 ай бұрын

And now , terrorists walk across the border with impunity.

I was a very young worker in a paper mill in Oregon in 1970. I worked with crew of men who were former WWII vets, Korean War vets, and Vietnam War vets. One was a former B-17 pilot named Jim who got shot down over Germany. He spent a year in a Stalag. As he bailed out, one of the airmen couldn't find his parachute,and he decided to jump on the back of another airman as they both left the plane. The airman trying to hang on to the other airman lost his grip and screamed all the way down as he fell to his death. Jim told many stories of life in a Stalag. I wanted to be a tank commander, as I was going through the Army Induction Center in 1971. I became a formulations chemist and developed armor and explosives suppression systems in the Arab world.

Heroes, ever one of them. Thank you for your service and for bravely recounting your stories. May we never take you forgranted all these years later.

Brings home the sheer bravery of allied bomber crews flying into the teeth of the very efficient German air defence system. Huge RESPECT to out American allies for their part in the strategic bombing campaign. Balls of steel! My father served in BAOR from 1956-60. He was in the Royal Signals, because of his technical trade, he was posted to support the RAF at Butzweilerhof. He wore the RAF insignia on his army uniform. On numerous occasions whilst using public transport, my father received abuse from Germans- who gesticulated towards his RAF insignia. Unfortunately for them, my father spoke decent German and he boxed- so invariably, they got told in German to shut their mouths or face a left hook and a right cross. My father told me about a town nearby to his base where during the war, a number of survivors from a USAAF bomber that was shot down were executed. The Burgermeister ordered the executions, and the American airmen were put up against the town hall wall and shot. When the US Army subsequently reached the town and captured it, they got wind of the execution of the US airmen. The US soldiers promptly dragged the Burgermeister out of the city hall, put him against the wall and executed him. Karma. I've often wondered how many allied airmen who baled out over German towns and cities met a brutal end at the hands of the civpop, or civil authorities. For any American's visiting Britain, you must visit RAF Duxford air museum. There is a huge hanger devoted to the USAAF/USAF which displays the B-17, B-24, B-29, B-52, Dakota, Mustang, P-47, SR-71, Phantom, F-15 Eagle etc. There is also poignant memorial to the USAAF airmen who lost their lives. Each man is represented by an aircraft etched on glass panels- there are lots of panels........In addition, 'Sally B,' the only airworthy B-17 outside of the US operates from Duxford. Last time I visited three years ago, I witnessed her taking off. You can also see other warbird activity- twin seat Spitfire flights and a Hurricane can be seen flying too. It's a superb museum, and Duxford is historically significant. The first Spitfire Sqn- No 19 was based at Duxford in 1938. Greetings and RESPECT to our American mates from the other side of the pond! :)

Thank you so much. I have an understanding I never had before. My appreciation overwhelming.

Absolute legends and heroes in my world, l cannot express my gratitude enough for what you service men and women do and have done. I’m a brother in arms myself. Lest we forget

Just watched "Twelve O'clock High", it contains a lot of 'combat' footage.

My grandfather was a first lieutenant in the Wehrmacht, Flak Department 603 this belonged to the 10th Army. In France he arrested a US soldier who had parachuted over Sospel in southern France. It was the first black person he ever saw and so were his soldiers. He took him into the position and they tended his cuts, gave him food and drink. After the war, they met again in 1960 and became friends. I met Robert in 1976.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing this amazing story.

I was painting a house for a man in San Antonio. He invited me to have lunch with him on the back patio of his home. As we were enjoying the vista of the Texas Hill Country he shared with me his service as a captain of a B-17 during WW2. He and his crew survived 26 missions and were able to return home. His most harrowing mission was the ball bearing factory at Schwienfert. God bless you, Len and all brave servicemen of th Greatest Generation.

Thank you so much for sharing these fascinating stories of survival by these lovely airmen. We must never forget. Peter

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Great stories, fantastic that you have recorded their history, too much is forgotten or lost. Thank you gentlemen for your service.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

No words, just humbled to hear such history.

Thank you, Raymond, Sally et al. May your effort remain available for the many generations yet to come.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome and thanks for watching.

Over 300,000 men died in the skies Over Europe. This is inclusive of all combatants combined. Still, that is an incredible number. Anyone who survived this Hell in the Heavens was indeed fortunate

@harrycurrie9664

2 жыл бұрын

I read somewhere it was 70,000 aircrew, but maybe that was only RAF.

Excellent work Raymond. Best interviews that I have seen.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

I have to wonder, Did Eddie Denazillo's family ever learn how he saved the first person interviewd? Was ever an award issued?

Thanks for this. So good to hear these stories.

Thanks for putting these up.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you like them!

Thank you for filming and sharing these stories. Such brave and humble men.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Fantastic interviews. Those folks lucky enough never to have experienced war really have no idea what it was like. It's amazing to think that thousands of men, from both sides, have similar stories; and most are never told. These are invaluable records. Mr. McFalone has done an admirable job in preserving this history in such a clear, concise, and interesting way. Bravo! Thanks, so much.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

My father flew bombers over France as well as Germany and had to bail at least twice. Heroes.

I pray you meet your lost comrades in a better place one day so you know that they're okay now.Thanks for your service .

At one of my farm stops to pick up the mornings milking, the owner was a B-17 Navigator in WWII. When I found this out I asked him "So you did your 25 missions and came back home?" "No", He said, "I did two and a half - and stayed". Such a Vermont response...and what a good man he was

I had a boss who volunteered in 1943 when he turned 18. Became a top turret gunner on a B17. Credited with 2 kills, was shot down and worked his way back to England. Refused to go home and went back on missions again. Shot down over Germany by AAA and spent the last 3 months in a POW camp nearly starving to death.

Thank you. I've just come back from Parham airfield. Spent all day there. Just found this interview. Thanks from a resident living in Framlingham.

@raymondmcfalone26

4 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching. Raymond

Great stories!!!! Endless thanks to all of them and may God bless them always!!!! ✝️🇺🇸🇬🇧🇫🇷🇨🇦✝️👍

I live in a small town Long Grove Iowa. It was a gentleman that was born in 1936 his name was Lieutenant and Gerald Duffy. His plane on November 8, 1944 was called the tag along. They were flying to Mooresburg on that day November 8, 1944. Before they got to Murfreesboro Germany his plane was hit by flak. Lost two engines number one and number four. They were flying at an altitude of 25,000 feet when they were hit. The plane started Descend. Lieutenant Gerald Duffy turned the plane to head back to England or try to get as far away from Germany as possible. They dropped their pay load of of bombs to lighten the load of the plane. They were getting close to the border of the Netherlands and when they were hit again my flag and he lost one more engine number three. Told his crew to bail out they all did it successfully Gerald was then trying to control the plane as it descended rapidly to turn the plane away from a small village known as Well in the Netherlands. As he tried to bail out his parachute didn't open correctly because he was too low in altitude. Jaron was killed that day as he hit the ground. All of the crewmembers except one were taken to different POW camps one of the crewmembers actually head in a bale of hay which is him was a big mound of hay at that time and one of the farmers came and helped him. Another story Of one of the other crewmembers the ball tour at gunner was placed in a prison camp and was then able to escape and make his way back to England. This little town of Long Grove Iowa is maybe the D8 900 people back in 1936 it was less than 200. I feel proud and privileged to have studied Gerald Duffys life

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your detailed description and thanks for watching.

Excellent video! Thanks 😊. I've always wondered what it had to be like surviving a ww2 bomber shoot down from bomber crew perspective.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Thank You....These are fantastic stories of American exceptionalism

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

I could listen to these guys all day.

if the last 2 generations would watch this type of videos instead of playing video games America would be in better shape

Nothing but Heroes......plain and simple.......I will not forget you...

Awesome interviews, perfectly done! We need more like these before all these heroes are gone.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the nice feedback - much appreciated. And thanks for watching.

@frankcasey7423

2 жыл бұрын

@@raymondmcfalone26 absolutely! Your very welcome!

Thanks so much for all these interviews !! HISTORY !!!

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening

This was a great video, what an awesome one. Being retired AF, I can totally empathize. Of Course, I was in the AF 34 years after the end of WWII, but this is great info.

@paulsuprono7225

2 жыл бұрын

Were you SAC, MAC, or TAC ? 🇺🇸

It's hard to believe that in short order, there will be no living WW2 veterans.

@larryjenkinson4789

Жыл бұрын

When I was a kid in the 60's some of them were only in their 40's. Now even the ones who were teenagers at wars end are in their late 90's All of my dad's Lancaster crewmates have passed away.The last one died last year and another one a couple of years ago. The golden generation nearly all gone.

@kenduffy5397

2 ай бұрын

@@larryjenkinson4789 Yes, you are right, and it is extremely unfortunate.

this is incredible. deserves way more views and likes

He was behind ball turret gunner William Pace's B17 which was in the collision with another plane, who was interviewed at this same reunion and he mentioned that their here.

So glad I found your channel. Bravo and Thank You.

@raymondmcfalone26

5 ай бұрын

Welcome and thanks for watching. Raymond

Thank you for sharing this video. It’s so important that we share the stories of the men and women who served in WW2. Sadly, the inevitable is happening. But videos like this mean we will still keep some of the memories. We are lucky to have the technology and it’s affordable for us to share it.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching.

The greatest generation. My grandfather was in the second marines and another grandfather was exempted because of his ability to build oil refineries here in the states.

The second interviewee was shot down on a mission to Kassel Germany. My uncle did two missions to Kassel in July '43 as a substitute Waist and Tail Gunner for the 351st out of Polebrook England. Henschel Motor Works was the target. The first of those was recalled for cloud cover so they were waiting for the return. The second of those two was my Uncle's fatal 12th mission of the 25 missions required to complete in '43. The B17, "Poisonality" made it back on one engine and the pilot, James J. Maginnis made the first single engine B17 landing on record I believe. It was a remarkably good landing but the B17 was scrapped for battle damage after the mission . . . Risky duty.

An excellent set of interviews! Some of these Gentlemen don’t look old enough, do they? 😊 Just north of Bedford, lies the old Bomber Base of Thurleigh. It was, during WW2, home to the 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it’s component Squadrons the 367th, 368th, 369th and the 423rd. The unit insignia was a Triangle with an “H” inside of it. The men and women and the B17G’s left a long time ago but here we are in 2023 and you’re not forgotten! God bless you all.

Such good men. On both sides. Its been a long time since I have come across an upload as good as this. I sincerely thank you for sharing this with us.

@raymondmcfalone26

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the nice feedback - much appreciated.

@denest3435

3 ай бұрын

Yes there were good men on both sides