I grew up believing the tale my father told me -- that I had spent World War II being toted around on his back. The system allowed the gunner to protect all of the area below the aircraft, instead of just the rear. Greg Allen/NPR This Veterans Day, we're hearing. Gunners protected, constantly twisting and turning -- checking for enemy fighter aircraft. Their mission: Bomb Oberphoffen-Hoffen, a suburb of Munich. And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. More from us: The Mark 14 Torpedo Scandal of 1941-43, Poet Randall Jarrell, who served in the US Army Air Forces, outlined the terrifying and grim nature of being a ball turret gunner in his poem, The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner. The poem, written in first person, gives the deceased turret gunner a 'live' voice. Kuhl was a ball turret gunner. Franks last combat mission (Mission #32) was to a synthetic oil plant in Politz, Poland, on October 7, 1944. Arguably one of the worst was as a ball turret gunner. I knew we had lost an engine and I thought we were going down. Dad was a 20-year old young man when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Its movement was controlled by a self-contained, electrically-powered hydraulic system, and could rotate at high speeds important for tracking fast-moving enemy aircraft. (LogOut/ This left him positioned with his eyes roughly level with the pair of light-barrel Browning AN/M2 .50 caliber machine guns which extended through the entire turret, located to either side of the gunner. He felt a need to enlist in the Army and defend his country. Often soldiers who were smaller in stature were selected for this gunner job since it would have been even more uncomfortable for a taller or bigger person to fit in this awkward space. And, if there was a water landing the ball turret gunner would be submerged first. Director Steven Spielberg Writers Steven Spielberg Joshua Brand John Falsey Stars Kevin Costner Casey Siemaszko Kiefer Sutherland Clickhereto view the War Tales fan page on FaceBook. My dad was never in the war because of his health history and being 4F. The Death Of A Ball Turret Gunner Analysis. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. A ball turret was a Plexiglas sphere set into the belly of a B-17 or B-24 bomber. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Trapped in the ball turret of his B-17 bomber over Germany he almost died War History Online. Growing up near an aircraft manufacturing plant, he became interested in airplanes. So, many were tossed out in parachutes, in the hopes that German troops would give them emergency care before shipping them off to P.O.W. Ball Turret Gunner Alan Magee decided to join the US Army after Japanese attacked the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. For 1941 this was cutting edge technology. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life. Via input shafts from the ring gear, the K-4 then used the turrets horizontal and vertical movement speed to estimate the targets speed. I just know that everything in the 8th AAF was so well documented I thought I would have read about it. According to a 1944 summation from US Air Forces command the ball turret gunners could "swing on an attacking enemy fighter whether he attacks from head on, from under one side, or from under the tail." "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" written by Randall Jarrell is a poem that introduces three major ideas in only five lines. Every time we flew above Nazi-occupied Europe and survived it was a miracle. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Another story on this web site, WWII Camp Shanks, New York: And a Visit by Archbishop Spellman, addresses the comfort that faith in God provided the men and women who fought and died in the war. I SAW A GREAT MANY TRAIN STATIONS AND NOT ONE WAS FREE OF ANY DAMAGE. The name arose from the turret's spherical housing. Motivational speaker, consultant, author, blogger. The city was the site of a Nazi nuclear energy project. Samantha Franco is a Freelance Content Writer who received her Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Guelph, and her Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Western Ontario. In 1943 the Ground Echelon of the 401st BG stayed at CampShanks before boarding the Queen Mary in New York City to cross the Atlantic Ocean to England. He recalls at the B-24 base that they ate out of mess kits unlike Deenethorpe where they ate from plates. Many of the US planes were equipped with an invention of the 1930s: the ball turret. Andy Rooney is supposed to have told about seeing it happen. The formation would be maintained on the way over, during the raid, and on the entire way home. I'll keep digging for an actual bellied in incident. I could see the whites of the German pilots eyes, Burling said. The turret mounted two Browning 50 caliber machine guns that would fire 750 to 850 bullets in a minute , that's about 14 bullets a second. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. These were removed in the B-17C and replaced with flush windows. He knew what they had to do. By the first sign of daylight, the flying fortresses were on their way. Over twelve thousand B-17s were built by Boeing. The ball turret was mounted underneath the aircraft and was used to defend the bomber against aircraft attacking from below. B-17 models A and B had blister canopies on the waist section of the fuselage armed with machine guns. He had to get into one to see why it wasn't working, then redesign them and get the back in the war all within a 6-week period. My Dad relates, "I saw one of our planes -- right next to me -- shot down. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. ' The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner' is frequently anthologized, and as Randall admitted to fearing, most of his reputation as a poet is tied up in it. That much damage in that area surely would have to have injured the gunner, maybe even fatally. I lost everything but my oxygen. That trauma changed him and the course of his life.Thanks for sharing a bit of your family history. Powered by Invision Community. Due to scheduling and additional training received by some members of Franks crew, he flew his first combat mission as a ball turret gunner with the Lt Dow C. Pruitt crew on April 18, 1944. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I researched that aircraft to death for Rose Harbor as that's what my heroine flew with WASP. Their friend in the ball turret had been calm, they said. I hope he is well and I want to let him know how much I enjoyed reading his story.. 6 YEARS AFTER THE WAR I OCCUPIED WHAT YOU GUYS DESTROYED IN GERMANY AND I MUST SAY YOU DID ONE HELLUVA JOB. The turret on the B-24, however was retractable, as it hung much lower down. And often did. My uncle, Frederick Raymond Restle Jr., was a ball turret gunner on a B-24 Liberator, who served in the 13th Army Air Force in the Pacific.His death is probably due to the design flaw, and inexperience of pilots with the B24. ", My Dad says "I saw the tulips spelling out 'Thank You, Yanks.' 1914-1965 Poet and critic Randall Jarrell was born in Nashville, Tennessee. I guess that didn't matter since your dad was over six feet. As you get in, take these steps carefully and in proper order. In 2012 oral history interviews * **, Frank spoke of the anxiety and fear felt by many men flying combat missions. They were most famously used on the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, but also saw use on the B-24 Liberator bomber. Answering the call to arms, Dad joined the US Army Air Corp and became a Ball Turret Gunner on a B-17 bomber. The Brits however weren't totally enamored with the boys from the U.S.A. As they said, "The Yanks were overpaid, oversexed and over here. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. Frank Delgado Perez was born in Los Angeles, California, on January 14, 1924. A few gunners wore a chest parachute. Additionally, the spheres were difficult to escape from, as they were raised and lowered by a mechanism that was easily damaged. Small windows allowed them to see under the plane, but not above. He saw me and he gave me the OK sign, Burling remembered. I looked it over and noticed a puncture in the left wing behind #2 engine. B-17 gunners had a high casualty rate. The gunner released the latch and removed the cover which allowed space to clear the action. We lost our number three engine and were forced to drop out of the formation because we couldnt keep up. Poet and critic Randall Jarrell was born in Nashville, Tennessee. The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" was written around the end of World War II in 1945 by Randall Jarrell. Pilot: 8. A trunnion system provided vertical movement. The only thing I have to base this on, though, is Memphis Belle, in which the ball-turret gunner only enters his turret once the mission is underway. This provided some incredible firepower in a small space. Its hard to explain like if you get killed, so what you just dont care.. Twenty-six thousand never returned. At 5'6, Lowell got the short straw. After gunnery school at Laredo Army Air Field, Texas, and ten days leave, Sergeant Perez reported to Salt Lake City Army Air Field, Utah, where flight crews were being formed. Frank could not get out of the ball turret due to the centrifugal force created as the plane fell from the sky. As a result, the parachute needed in the event the aircraft was gunned down was located just outside of the turret door. The Death Of The Ball Turret Gunner From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. I hope I learn the truth. It was mounted above and in front of the gunners head, so its reticule would be in line with his eyes. And once very 30 days, a three or four day pass to London (and the British pubs). The Ball Turret Gunner tells us how he basically got to be in the army, "From my mother's sleep I fell into the State" to me this seems like his mother is unaware of her son being in the army. Hesaw the ground getting closer and closer. guns firing. Expecting to be assigned to a B-24 crew but due to the needs of the service, Frank was assigned to the Lieutenant (Lt) John J. Connolly crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Left Waist Gunner: 5. And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Permanently fixed and unable to be retracted, there was no hiding from enemy attack. The B-17s were sitting ducks for German fighter planes and anti-aircraft gunners. The target was the German U-boat pens at Saint-Nazaire, France. Small, tight, difficult to escape from and with minimal visibility, the ball turret was a sphere of danger. I hope someone can post a source other than Andy Rooney. The secondary target was the Kumarkische-Zellewolle Viscose Fiber factory at Wittenburg, Germany. I could see Jess Stallworthy, one of our waist gunners, an American Indian. He flew with the Lt Albert L. Hanson crew. Answer (1 of 5): 5-6. Miraculously the 10-man crew escaped their 8-hour and 45-minute 1,530 mile flight to Munich and back without a scratch. His assignment on the ship while crossing the Atlantic Ocean was to guard German prisoners of war (POW) who would be interned in stateside POW camps. The pilot and the co-pilot must be able to start and to land the machine well and safe. The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner Randall Jarrell - 1914-1965 From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Because of this surprise attacks from 12 oclock were not uncommon. The small size of the ball turret didnt allow for additional equipment to be housed within it. The date was April 20, 1944. He wrote, When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.. He understood. (A pretty impressive bit of aviation engineering!). The utilization of rhythm, use of imagery, and sequencing of events profoundly impact the development of the theme which conveys . Sadly, a number of B-17s and crews were lost enroute. B-17 Ball Turret Gunner (Dangerous Jobs in History) Simple History 4.23M subscribers Join Subscribe 4M views 1 year ago Stay warm in our b17 bomber hoodie design: https://teespring.com/SH-b17. Hot meals. The ball turret gunner was one of the most dangerous assignments in World War II. $15.95. Now that shows what kind of catastrophic damage would immobilize the turret with the gunner in it. Ball turret gunner. Camps. It was a manned turret, as distinct from remote-controlled turrets also in use. There was no room inside for a parachute, which was left in the cabin above the turret. It was equipped with two Browning AN/M2 .50-caliber machine guns, a Sperry optical gunsight and two ammo cans with 250 rounds for each weapon. The poem is about the death of a gunner in a Sperry ball turret on a World War II American bomber aircraft. From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Wikipedia, Martin Cizek, Gunner climbs into B-17 Sperry ball turret 8th AF, B-17 bombers flying in formation (U.S. Air Force photo), https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085F4YQ11/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0. Every person involved in fighting or caring for the wounded in World War II had a risk to their life. The Ball Turret Gunner was one of the most dangerous positions to be filled in the military. The turret was stuck so the gunner couldn't get out, and ball turrets were too tight for most gunners to wear a parachute. They were fully aware of how susceptible to death they were, nevertheless, they would continue to fight time after time. I can't imagine dealing with flak in a ball turret. Another time, we glean a little more. Already a well-known poet and professor, Jarrell had enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 but washed out of the flight part of his pilot's training program. The B-17 landed at a B-24 base in England. To enter the turret, the turret was moved until the guns were pointed straight down. The poem is about the death of a gunner in a Sperry ball turret on a World War II American bomber aircraft. Normally, German fighters didnt attack during final approach because of the flak, but this time they did. Originating from air bases in England, the B-17s left to attack enemy targets in broad daylight because The Air Force believed in precision bombing -- bombing to hit a specific target. See much more from Sgt Lester Schrenk! The Sperry nose turret was tested and preferred, but its use was limited due to poor availability of suitable aircraft designs. In 1945, towards the end of the war, a newspaper article told of planes flying over a tulip field in Holland on their way back from a mission. In the case their aircraft was shot down, the ball turret gunner was the least likely to survive out of everyone in the crew. Injuries from flak accounted for more loss of life among the B-17 crews than any other factor. Pintrest. Ramey found the turret in a surplus shop many years ago. The gunner was forced to assume a fetal position within the turret with his back and head against the rear wall, his hips at the bottom, and his legs held in mid-air by two footrests on the front wall. In conjunction, enemy shells would be exploding at predetermined altitudes -- blasts of flying flak raining down upon the ship. Entered Service: 21 November 1942 Ball turret gunner. They flew the B-17 back to Deenethorpe. This guy couldn't get out til they got on the ground. Small, tight, difficult to escape from and with minimal visibility, the ball turret was a sphere of danger. There is an episode of Amazing Stories about a ball turret gunner trapped in his turret and the plane has no more landing gear. 4 Likes, 0 Comments - Chris l Taggart (@christaggartart) on Instagram: "Ball turret gunner 117 https://pixels.com/featured/ball-turret-gunner-117-chris-taggart.html" The shortest man goes in the cramped chamber to hug the double-barrel machine gun that hung beneath the plane. While anyone who flew on a B-17 bomber during World War II had a pretty dangerous job, the ball turret gunner was undoubtedly put in the most-precarious position. Ball Turret Gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble jutting out from the bowels of the plane. The crew was unhurt, but ball turret gunner Hamill recalled, "We climbed out of our wreck realizing that we had ruined two precious Spitfires. Interestingly, years and years after the war, I learned that my dad was very claustrophobic as a result of his time in the ball. The B-17s brought the men home when they didn't think they had a prayer. $5.99 + $1.09 shipping. separation from his new bride back home in England. Artists who served on the bomber units also created paintings and drawings depicting the combat conditions in World War II. After a pause Frank continued his story. In the case of the B-24, the Liberator's tricycle landing gear design mandated that its A-13 model Sperry ball turret have a vertically retractable mount, so that the turret would not strike the ground as the plane pitches up for takeoff or during the landing flare. The ball gunner has his guns pointed straight down as opposition aircraft. Thank you to Josie Navarro, Franks niece, for her help in researching this story, sharing family memories, and for permission to post the photographs. Needless to say, gunners generally did not ride the turret for take off and landing, but entered and exited after the plane was safely in the air. I mean just like a movie, but going like that [he snaps his fingers]. Normally, the gunner accessed the firing chamber by releasing a latch and raising the cover to a position perpendicular to the gun but this was not possible in the ball turret. It wasn't until 1944 that fighter escorts were deployed to accompany them on their missions. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The target that day was Kassel, Germany. The turret on the B-24, however was retractable, as it hung much lower down. I know he flew in both.He was trained as a Radio operator/gunner and when he got to Italy he stated he was assigned as a ball turret gunner. Poker games. Once the B-17 was in the air, the gunner would enter the turret . During the oral history interview Frank asked for a moment to collect his thoughts. Ball turret gunners were courageous warriors. The American writer Randall Jarrell published "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" in 1945, the final year of World War II. I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. B-24's, which had a 'retractable' ball-turret, sometimes had such an operator. Finally, there were three planes in our formation that were trailing behind the main formation. B17 Flying Fortress Waist Gunners #1010 Crew Print WW2 WWII 4x6* $0.99 A nod to the poem can also be found in John Irving's 1978 novel The World According to Garp, in which the protagonist's father died from a "rather careless lobotomy" by enemy gunfire while serving as a ball-turret gunner in World War II. Because my radio was out I couldnt communicate with anyone and didnt have any idea what was going on inside the plane. What was the name of the plane or the pilot. After what seemed like an eternity, he saw the White Cliffs of Dover on the English coastline. Here's what he wrote: There was quite a dscussion about this story on the armyairforces forum. ** Thank you to Dr. Vernon L. Williams, Military Historian and Professor of History, at Abiliene Christian University. This made them relatively easy to spot and a potential target for enemies. I've never known about this, another of those things I don't think to ask about. Kush is at the left end of the front row. This however quickly flips when the aircraft is shot down, as the gunner has to turn to the turret to the exit position, climb out and put on his parachute, all while the aircraft is falling out the sky. Part of HuffPost News. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. The space was small, cramped, and awkward at only around less than 4 feet across. Frank sailed home to the United States (US) after completing his required combat missions. The Amazing Stories episode is "The Mission". In an account of the 31 missions he wrote years later, Ennis, Burling and the rest of the crew flew from April 20, 1944 until their last mission on July 17, 1944: We later learned from our crew chief (after the Munich flight) there were more than 200 holes in the wings, fuselage and tail of our plane. The design was mainly deployed on the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator, as well as the United States Navy's Liberator, the PB4Y-1. The K-4 sight worked by using data inputs from the gunner to calculate the required deflection (lead). That meant a bullet or piece of flak had entered the leading edge of the wing, exploded and torn apart the top of the wing where one of our gas tanks was located. Hometown: Dayton, Ohio Armed with two 50-caliber machine guns and capable of rotating 360 degrees, the. Armed with two .50-caliber machine guns and capable of rotating 360 degrees, the ball turret's gunner was responsible for protecting the otherwise-exposed underbelly of the flying fortress. No one there could find any actual documentation of this actually happening either. The Sperry Corporation designed ventral versions that became the most common version; thus, the term "ball turret" generally indicates these versions.[4]. The space inside the turret was very small and cramped. Once we were out of the target area the crew got the track of my ball turret unjammed, cranked it around by hand until my trap door could be opened and pulled me out.. He knew they were going to make it. A ball turret was a spherical-shaped, altazimuth mount gun turret, fitted to some American-built aircraft during World War II. Linked to yours at mine. A good friend of mine was a flight engineer on B-17s. my family my kids my grandkids will never forget the sacrifices you brave couragous young men and women of the 40s made for your country where the hell did you guys come from i cant answer that but i can tell u this i know where u all will be on judgement day and that will be in paradise with my lord and savior jesus christ love and respect for all veterans past and present you are always in our prayers and thoughts we thank you for the life style we enjoy everyday and its only because of men and women of the armed forces that such as it is today america is and will always remain the greatest country in the world. In "Why Soldiers Won't Talk," Steinbeck uses the imagery of a body waking up from anesthesia to describe. John ww2vault Member 1,231 Location: North Carolina, USA #11 "I flew my first mission on a B-17 as a ball turret gunner with the 8th Air Force at the age of 21," he tells me while driving me to school one morning. 1 Be sure the elevation hand clutch is in the IN position. The gunner in these turrets had to be in a reclined, almost fetal position. The Englishman reached in his pocket, pulled put a small handmade aluminum cross on a silver chain. Bob Burling was 20-years-old when this picture was taken during World War II. Ball Turret Gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble jutting out from the bowels of the plane. "Airmen badly wounded from flak would die without immediate medical attention at that altitude due to shock. I couldnt open my hatch and escape into the plane and I could swivel my turret around. The Ball turret itself has inspired works like Steven Spielberg's The Mission. Between the ages of 78 and 88 he went hang gliding, parasailing, skydiving, and paragliding. The ball turret gunner was crushed to death when a mechanical malfunction trapped him inside his plastic cage and a damaged electrical system made it impossible to lower the plane's wheels. Frank was still in the ball turret and was there for the entire mission. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published in 1945. The bomber was so badly damaged that, on landing, the airplane's structure failed from battle damage and it broke in half. Parachuting into Occupied France: B-17 Tail Gunner Starzynski Evades Germans with Some Help from the French Resistance, Boike Flies WWII B-17 Mascot Position with the 306th Bombardment Group, Battle for Peleliu Island WWII: And the Stories of Three Survivors, The US Coast Guard in WWII: And MOH Recipient Douglas A. 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Arguably one of the worst was as a ball turret gunner. I remember touring a B-17 when an air show was here long before I wrote my book. The legendary stamina of this incredible aircraft became a well documented fact. It was critical that the ball turret gunner assume a particular position for belly landings, otherwise the sphere would hit the ground far before the landing gear and pose a threat to their safety. Frank said before a combat mission a priest was available to those men who wanted to receive Absolution (part of the Sacrament of Penance). Thank you for sharing. April 19, 1944, Frankssecond combat mission, he rejoined the Connolly crew. I had no idea how cramped it was for the men to go in that thing. Crews on a B-17, fondly referred to as "The Flying Fortress," flew enemy raids against Nazi Germany from 1942 to 1945. Magee suffered . The date was April 20, 1944. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life, Five B-17 crews were lost that day; three planes were shot down, but two reached neutral Sweden where the crews wereinterned until the end of WWII. I want you to have it., On the flip side of the cross molded into the aluminum is one word and a number: Boeing 1-18630., Name: Robert Burling From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder. Dad didn't talk much about the war, but I think he'd be tickled that I'm writing a blog about Ball Turret Gunners. They could be raised or lowered with hand cranks. So this undated photo shows what looks like a disintegrating turret, and the purported victim is still anonymous. He was a devout Catholic and wore a crucifix on the chain with his dog tags. September 26, 2012 in MILITARY AIRCRAFT & AVIATION. A ball turret comes back to life! Frank did not drink alcohol but said if he did he would rather have had the shot of whiskey before the mission instead of during the interrogation when they returned to their base. Her research focused on Victorian, medical, and epidemiological history with a focus on childhood diseases. Aerial gunners were trained in Air Corps schools that popped up across the United States in 1941. He spent almost a month recuperating and then was grounded for weeks. Our servicemen, past and present, are amazing people!!! Later I talked with the crewmen who survived that landing. Ball turrets appeared in the nose and tail as well as the nose of the final series B-24.