Heroic Tale of a Tail Gunner

[AZPhil]

My Uncle Joe. The tailgunner!
My Uncle joe was attached to the 8thAF 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron he was stationed in Grafton Underwood in the UK. This story was told to me by the Phil Chaperon left waist gunner of the B17 "Mrs Geezil". He is alive an well and still sharp as a tack at 94. "My Uncle and Phil the left waist gunner are sent to a flak house when the command found out that they had over 20 missions . So off they go to the local duchess summer estate for some R&R. After a couple of days,the people running the place tell them that they have a new crew coming in and would they mind if they went to London to finsih the week off. So Phil and Joe head off to London. Phil mentions at this time that "He is as pure as the driven snow" No drinking , No smoking or any of that stuff. Now my uncle Joe was a drinking, smoking, gambling type of guy. While in London Phil says that he is bored and talks my Uncle into returning to base early. So they head back to base on April12th 1944. Well the next morning they are told that they are on the loading list for that days mission. April 13th 1944 mission to Schweinfurt. This is my Uncle's 25th mission. On there way to schweinfurt some german fighter draw off the escorts fighters and as soon as the escort takes off to chase them. The main fighter group come in out of the sun. 15 FW190 (20mm heavy's) and attacks the 545th .Between 13:54 and 13:57 6 out of the 7 B17's from the 545th are shot down. My Uncles B17 "Mrs Geezil" is on fire and the copilot.top turret,radioman and ballturret gunners are killed during the attack. Phil says I heard your uncle say it was time to go. I looked at him at the tailescape hatch, looked forward and saw the radioman down on the floor. I turned around and helped the right waist gunner put on his chute.Your uncle was sitting on the edge of the open hatch when I tried to open the latch of the rear door. Phil could not lift his right arm due to the schrapnel from the 20mm that hit the ball turret. So just as his left hand touched the latch the B17 exploded. All thre are blown out of the B17. Phil said he woke up to air rushing by his head and past out. when he woke up again his chute was deployed. He said that his guardian angle was with him that day. The other crew landed in a field outside of the town of Scheilerback. Phil hit the roof of a barn and broke his jaw and ankle. So they are all caught by some German soldiers that are on R&R in the area. They are taken to a train and then to Frankfurt Germany where they are taken to the Dulag Luft Oberussel.(Interrigation center for all airmen) Phil said that they were the lucky ones because when the got to Frankfurt there were airmen hung on the street lights. From there they are sent to Stalag 17B for the duration of the war. Phil add's "Man could your uncle ever hold a grudge" I know that this was to be his last mission, But he didn't talk to me the whole time we were in Stalag 17B. I might have been my fault that we returned early but Man your uncle just ignored me the whole time." I laughed but Phil said I not kidding around. Not a word to me..........
That was a long type.
Semper Fi
Phil
The list below was given to me by the Pilot of the only B17 from the 54th to make it back to base that day. His Name was Dewayne "Ben" Bennett. He told me the one thing that he wanted was that the names of the men that died that day will always be remembered. I promised him I would do that. Been passed away in March of 2010 and every April 13th I post this list and thier story. I'm keeping my promise.