Picture of my Dad with his crew mates - WWII

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Picture of my Dad with his crew mates - WWII (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 6/22/2018 8:56:25 AM EDT

He is the first man standing on the left.

More info about the William Wildman Crew with the 376th Heavy Bomb Group, 512th Bomber Squadron

My Father was part of this mission as described by the Pilot, William Wildman. He helped count the bullet holes

and would tell that story often. I believe the name of B24 in the story was "Bad Penny" (not 100% sure of that).

"In December 1944, two weeks after losing his flight engineer [standing, third from the left ] Wildman once again was flying through the Brenner Pass.

As the Liberator approached the valley on a bombing run toward a double railroad bridge, it started drawing flak. The crew could hear the hot metal peppering the aircraft’s skin for up to five minutes.

Soon, the ack-ack knocked out the first engine of the four-engine bomber. Then, it knocked out a second — both on the left wing.

Wildman and his co-pilot struggled to keep the crippled aircraft aloft. They flew 4½ hours over the Adriatic, trying to limp back to base in southern Italy, constantly losing altitude.

At the base, Wildman landed the aircraft, but the right landing gear had been shot away. He kept the skidding plane on the runway until it came to rest in a mud bog at the end of the strip.

“The crew got out and started counting holes in the plane” caused by the anti-aircraft fire, Wildman said. “They stopped counting at 125.

“We couldn’t believe it,” he said. “They just hauled it off to the junkyard. I don’t know how we got through it with none (of the crew) getting hit.”"

LINK to complete story

Posted: 6/22/2018 8:59:39 AM EDT

[#1]

Incredible man.
Incredible generation.

Thank you for sharing a piece of him.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:02:20 AM EDT

[#2]

Awesome pic man.

I don't have any like that of my grandfather, put I do have his pictures of rail cars and fences and some other stuff

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:05:46 AM EDT

[#3]

Thanks for posting this.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:09:21 AM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
Incredible man.
Incredible generation.

Thank you for sharing a piece of him.

View Quote

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:10:57 AM EDT

[#5]

Very cool OP.

What a time to be alive and watch Americans band together.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:14:06 AM EDT

[#6]

I found this picture and the whole story for the first time quite recently online. I showed it to my Father (now 94 and suffering from Dementia). He stared at it for a minute and said; "I remember the day this was taken". "Where did you find this?" I explained to him how the Internet works (again) but I don't think he understands (I don't fully understand the Internet myself

) and he told stories from his time as a "Liberando". For a moment, a little youth returned to his eyes.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:14:25 AM EDT

[#7]

Awesome photo and story, Thanks OP

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:15:27 AM EDT

[#8]

That is saying a lot about the pilots and crews skills as the B 24 was not particularly a very sturdy bomber when hit as the B 17 was.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:15:40 AM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
Very cool OP.

What a time to be alive and watch Americans band together.

View Quote

No doubt but a Hell of a lot of horror to witness as well.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:20:09 AM EDT

[#10]

Some of the bravest of the brave !!

B-24 was tougher than people give it credit for.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:26:20 AM EDT

[#11]

“The crew got out and started counting holes in the plane” caused by the anti-aircraft fire, Wildman said. “They stopped counting at 125.

“We couldn’t believe it,” he said. “They just hauled it off to the junkyard. I don’t know how we got through it with none (of the crew) getting hit.”"

When my Dad used to tell this story, he elaborated that what was left of this B24 (again, I believe they called her "Bad Penny") was pushed far off the runway and after the mechanics salvaged anything usable that they might need to keep other aircraft mission available, she was ordered to be burned with a phosphorus incendiary that once it got the Aluminum ignited would consume anything that was left. However, not before the crew retrieved some souvenirs for themselves

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:27:09 AM EDT

[#12]

Incredible generation

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:29:27 AM EDT

[#13]

Awesome! Thank you, OP.

Great guys, great story, and a very cool airplane.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:33:02 AM EDT

[#14]

Incredible photograph.

Those guys look like people you might know today.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:35:14 AM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
That is saying a lot about the pilots and crews skills as the B 24 was not particularly a very sturdy bomber when hit as the B 17 was.

View Quote

I don't know. I have read that the B24, while not as sexy as the B17, was just better, operationally, than the "Flying Fortress" in almost every respect.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:55:30 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
I don't know. I have read that the B24, while not as sexy as the B17, was just better, operationally, than the "Flying Fortress" in almost every respect.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
That is saying a lot about the pilots and crews skills as the B 24 was not particularly a very sturdy bomber when hit as the B 17 was.

I don't know. I have read that the B24, while not as sexy as the B17, was just better, operationally, than the "Flying Fortress" in almost every respect.

In almost every respect? The B24 carried twice the bomb load, could fly much higher, and had considerable range over the 17. It was also fast considering it's bomb load. The new tech wings that gave it these attributes also caused problems. Wing loading was higher, wing icing was a problem, and low speed handling was sketchy as was flying in turbulence with a full load. Nifty plane nonetheless. I like it.

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:56:36 AM EDT

[#17]

Balls, they had them!

Posted: 6/22/2018 9:59:44 AM EDT

[#18]

It's incredible what those planes and crews went through. My hat's off to him.

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:08:28 AM EDT

[#19]

Great story.

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:10:56 AM EDT

[#20]

Badass.

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:13:55 AM EDT

[#21]

thanks for the read. The link was excellent.

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:16:21 AM EDT

[#22]

Thank you for sharing

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:18:13 AM EDT

[#23]

I doubt any of these men had gender confusion or a desire for communism.

The greatest generation.

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:20:04 AM EDT

[#24]

Balls of steel, each and every one of them.

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:21:20 AM EDT

[#25]

It's great your Dad is still around and you got to share your find with him.

I've been inside the Collings Foundation B-17 and B-24. I was surprised how much roomier and better laid out the B-24 was.

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:21:50 AM EDT

[#26]

Thanks OP.

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:22:50 AM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
Balls of steel, each and every one of them.

View Quote

This. Thank your Dad from a grateful country.

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:23:54 AM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
Incredible man.
Incredible generation.

Thank you for sharing a piece of him.

View Quote

This really says it all

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:30:29 AM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Incredible man.
Incredible generation.

Thank you for sharing a piece of him.

Awesome thank you

Posted: 6/22/2018 10:34:54 AM EDT

[#30]

The right stuff!

Posted: 6/22/2018 12:09:54 PM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:
It's great your Dad is still around and you got to share your find with him.

I've been inside the Collings Foundation B-17 and B-24. I was surprised how much roomier and better laid out the B-24 was.

View Quote

My Father told me that the B24 was often called a "flying freight car". I never understood what he meant until I got a chance to tour "Diamond Lil" up close and saw it for myself. It looks like they took a railroad freight car and added wing span and engines until it could fly!

IIRC- The B24's evolution began with a design for an amphibious commercial airliner/transport. Thus the wings high on the fuselage.

Posted: 6/22/2018 3:21:03 PM EDT

[#32]

Thanks for sharing!

Posted: 6/22/2018 3:25:02 PM EDT

[#33]

Badass. Blessings.

Posted: 6/22/2018 3:26:27 PM EDT

[#34]

Quote History

Quoted:
Incredible man.
Incredible generation.

Thank you for sharing a piece of him.

View Quote

Couldn't have said it any better than this.

Posted: 6/22/2018 3:27:06 PM EDT

[#35]

That looks like George Reeves kneeling, on the right...

Posted: 6/22/2018 5:03:18 PM EDT

[#36]

Thanks for sharing.

Posted: 6/22/2018 5:22:00 PM EDT

[#37]

My Grandfather was a waist gunner on a B17 - KIA in 1943. My Father was just 2 yo when his father did not come home.

This is Crew - RIP Gentleman! B17 (42-3130)

Mr. Horn - one of 2 guys who were able to bail out and survive the shoot down (POW) actually tracked my father down in the mid 90's.

He came over to my Fathers house to tell my him how great of a guy his dad was. Never left his guns and fought to the end! Mr. Horn had some serious survivor guilt - he told my father over and over how sorry he was he could not get his dad out. I was in my mid 20's at the time and I had to step out of the room as my father and Mr. Horn just started sobbing. 2nd to my Father passing a few years ago, that was the most emotional event I've ever experienced. Some serious Shit!

Posted: 6/22/2018 5:25:28 PM EDT

[#38]

Grandfather was in the Merchant Marine during WW2. He would tell stories of destroyers dropping depth charges while he was on convoy duty. Also of other ships he had seen torpedoed.

Posted: 6/22/2018 5:29:45 PM EDT

[#39]

very cool..

Posted: 6/22/2018 5:36:44 PM EDT

[#40]

Posted: 6/22/2018 5:38:52 PM EDT

[#41]

if you didn't get it from the American Air Museum (AAM), you should add it, so other families might have the chance to know their relatives better.

I would be glad to help out if needed.

Posted: 6/23/2018 7:44:28 PM EDT

[#42]

Bump for the weekend crowd

Posted: 6/23/2018 7:50:30 PM EDT

[#43]

Quote History

Quoted:
Incredible man.
Incredible generation.

Thank you for sharing a piece of him.

View Quote

This, thank you.

Spent yesterday with my 92 yo Dad, served in the Pacific as a AMM3, waist gunner on a PBY.
Last of his crew.

PBY was Navy's Patrol Bomber.
Carried less bombs and LOTS more fuel than the B24

Posted: 6/23/2018 7:54:16 PM EDT

[#44]

Quoted:
He is the first man standing on the left.

http://www.armyaircorps-376bg.com/images/wildman_william_crew_1.jpg

More info about the William Wildman Crew with the 376th Heavy Bomb Group, 512th Bomber Squadron

My Father was part of this mission as described by the Pilot, William Wildman. He helped count the bullet holes

and would tell that story often. I believe the name of B24 in the story was "Bad Penny" (not 100% sure of that).

"In December 1944, two weeks after losing his flight engineer [standing, third from the left ] Wildman once again was flying through the Brenner Pass.

As the Liberator approached the valley on a bombing run toward a double railroad bridge, it started drawing flak. The crew could hear the hot metal peppering the aircraft’s skin for up to five minutes.

Soon, the ack-ack knocked out the first engine of the four-engine bomber. Then, it knocked out a second — both on the left wing.

Wildman and his co-pilot struggled to keep the crippled aircraft aloft. They flew 4½ hours over the Adriatic, trying to limp back to base in southern Italy, constantly losing altitude.

At the base, Wildman landed the aircraft, but the right landing gear had been shot away. He kept the skidding plane on the runway until it came to rest in a mud bog at the end of the strip.

“The crew got out and started counting holes in the plane” caused by the anti-aircraft fire, Wildman said. “They stopped counting at 125.

“We couldn’t believe it,” he said. “They just hauled it off to the junkyard. I don’t know how we got through it with none (of the crew) getting hit.”"

LINK to complete story

View Quote

Awesome story

Posted: 6/23/2018 8:11:02 PM EDT

[#45]

thanks for sharing

Posted: 6/23/2018 8:13:05 PM EDT

[#46]

Greatest generation.

Posted: 6/23/2018 8:15:42 PM EDT

[#47]

Thank you for sharing this. His service and that of his fellow crew mates was not in vain.

Posted: 6/23/2018 8:22:16 PM EDT

[#48]

Thanks for sharing OP. My Father was a B-24 pilot out of Italy. Not sure when. Will need to go back and see if I still have all of his records and orders etc. If they are still at my house in Austin I will get them sent up here and sort through them to see what I can pass on as well.