How can one forget watching B-17's explode in mid-air with no possibility of survivors, or spinning down out of control as we tried to count the parachutes? Brings back memories of strong men 'throwing up' at the end of the runway, before takeoff, from sheer apprehension and how these same guys became brave aircrew members when action started.
Even today, the deafening clatter of our thirteen 50-caliber machine guns, as enemy fighters go ripping through the formation, comes back often. The dull 'clunk' of nearby flak bursts and the 'hail like' sound of shrapnel hitting our airplane, then keeping my fingers crossed that no vital areas are damaged. I remember well, returning to our home base, several times, with gaping holes in the fuselage, and at least twice with one engine shut down and the other three overheating badly.
The book title, Happy Warriors Of WWII comes from a commonly used expression to describe a group of free spirited, fearless, aircraft gunners, young men who loved to fly and were willing to face death almost daily. Death not only from enemy action, but also from the cold icy blasts sweeping through their aircraft while breathing life saving oxygen from tight fitting masks, that were always subject to freezing in the extreme cold. Off duty they enjoyed life to the fullest They were well known for their 'drunken bicycles'. Many times our base had more gunners in the hospital from, self described, 'drunken-bicycle' injuries than from combat wounds
In this book, I try to give today's readers a real feeling of being there. So, pull on a pair of shoes and come walk in our footsteps.