Masters of the Air

[Doc Dan]

I wish my dad had talked more about his experiences. He was bitter about his service experiences and I think he suffered from PTSD (sure of it). He said most of his squadron didn't survive and that he survived a B17 crash in the desert. I know he was injured and had back surgery. He was a radio operator and door gunner. That's it. Nothing more.

[RamZar]

The National WWII Museum in New Orleans is not only one of the best museums in the U.S. but a valuable resource and publishes many interesting and informative articles.

One recent article is The 'Bloody 100th' Bomb Group: The Eighth Air Force’s hard luck unit was filled with colorful personalities who made the unit one of the most storied of World War II.

One part of the article is particularly colorful when they landed in North Africa in August 1943 (by that time the Nazis and Rommel were defeated in North Africa):

“The unit found spartan accommodation but eventually pieced itself back together for the return home. Before departure, 1st Lt Owen “Cowboy” Roane, flying in a B-17 named Laden Maden, acquired a donkey and decided to make the animal a mascot. He smuggled the donkey aboard and wrapped it in blankets to keep it warm while at altitude. Upon approach to the airfield at Thorpe Abbotts, Roane radioed, “I’m coming in with a frozen a**!” Upon landing, the bomber was met by ambulances thinking the crew had frostbite injuries. Opening the plane’s hatch, the only frozen passenger was a tiny African a** named “Mohammed” (Mo for short)! This was a serious breach of British customs and agricultural law, and host nation officials did not find it a laughing matter. Despite the legal wrangling, the matter was finally settled when the donkey eventually succumbed to the vagaries of English weather.”

[RamZar]