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Kuhl was a ball turret gunner. rendering the ball turret inoperable. 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. I did find this, which isn't of a belly landed B17 but does support the idea of a crewman in the ball turret having to ride it down since the crew could not get him out while still in the air. 77 years after the crash he still remembers his part of World War II. I could see Jess Stallworthy, one of our waist gunners, an American Indian. There were over 3,500 bullet and shrapnel holes. Did you intend this? My late father Thomas Witt was the radio operator on this crew. Perhaps the other crew members were bigger men, but Dad wasn't small. The B-17 crew already had a flight engineer, so Frank was selected for the ball turret gunner position. More War Movie Content: https://www.youtube.com/johnnyjohnso. A few are still flying today. The hose was a steam hose. $5.99 + $1.09 shipping. We are a resource documenting all variety of aircraft, from the terrifying contraptions of the past to the absolute cutting edge of today. Nothanks for the heads-up JS! Kassel targets included aircraft, heavy tank, locomotive, engine, and motor transport plants as well as railway works. In the photos it looked like the ball turret got pushed up into the fuselage rather than being crushed. The waist blisters were a poor design that caused considerable drag, disturbed airflow, and limited the gunners traverse. The turret on the B-24, however was retractable, as it hung much lower down. A ball turret was a spherical-shaped, altazimuth mount gun turret, fitted to some American-built aircraft during World War II. The cocking handles were located too close to the gunner to be operated easily, so a cable was attached to the handle through pulleys to a handle near the front of the turret. Frank died January 16, 2015, two days after his 91st birthday. The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner (dt. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Tell me about it! We should have been blown to bits. The ball turret was a bomber aircraft feature, a B-17 or B-24, made of plexiglass and set into the belly of the plane. He always had a passion for life and considered every day a blessing. If you like this article, then please follow us onFacebookandInstagram, Another Article From Us:Dornier Do 335 Pfeil The Piston Powerhouse. As a result, the parachute needed in the event the aircraft was gunned down was located just outside of the turret door. While that may be true of most crews, my dad defied this description. A good friend of mine was a flight engineer on B-17s. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder. Ball turrets were eventually abandoned in later aircraft in favour of remote controlled systems, and then radar aimed turrets in aircraft like the B-52. From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, The Ball Turret Gunner was one of the most dangerous positions to be filled in the military. In the tulips were spelled out the words, "Thank you Yanks. As you get in, take these steps carefully and in proper order. Ball Turret Gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble jutting out from the bowels of the plane. Arguably one of the worst was as a ball turret gunner. B-17 models A and B had blister canopies on the waist section of the fuselage armed with machine guns. All combat missions were fraught with danger, but Frank spoke of a particular mission to Ludwigshaven, Germany, that became a test of his faith. Some members of the Connolly crew fulfilled their mission requirements in August 1944.]. Additionally, the spheres were difficult to escape from, as they were raised and lowered by a mechanism that was easily damaged. Links are encouraged. The gear on the B-17 is electrically powered, not hydraulic. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. It would take equal damage on both sides to jam the gear. Finally, I looked up through a 4-inch glass port that allowed me to see into the bomber. Ball turret gunner. After that: three hours of circling the airfield to get in formation -- an absolute necessity to protect themselves against German counter attack. I've never known about this, another of those things I don't think to ask about. He had to sit on his flak jacket. The Sperry Corporation designed ventral versions that became the most common version; thus, the term "ball turret" generally indicates these versions.[4]. To aim the guns, the Sperry turrets were equipped with the advanced K-4 gun sight. And my father wasn't traipsing around Europe on foot in the Infantry, anyway -- he was a ball turret gunner in The 8th Army Air Corp, operating in a confined space. In many cases, when a stoppage occurred, it was necessary for the gunner to "reload" the gun, which required access to the firing chamber of the guns. If you go about it right, getting into the turret is as safe as climbing into a rocking chair. Hill Aerospace Museum's Boeing B-17G Because of this surprise attacks from 12 oclock were not uncommon. I was 5' 8" -- a little tall for the turret, but I accepted the assignment, which some deemed as a suicide position," my dad points out.On days that missions were flown, the crew was up at 2 a.m. preparing their aircraft, cleaning their guns, grabbing a quick breakfast, getting briefed on the impending mission. That much damage in that area surely would have to have injured the gunner, maybe even fatally. A reflector sight was hung from the top of the turret, positioned roughly between the gunner's feet. He was shielded by an armour plate in front of him. Nothing my father had related to us over the years prepared us for the terrifying reality of his position. 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. This odd station was built like an appendage on the bottom of B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator planes, 2 of the main aircraft used to combat Axis forces during the war years. Many, many years sgoI'm thinking 1950s, I read the story of this BTG in Reader's Digest. Ball Turret Gunner B17 Flying Fortress Print WW2 WWII #1009 5x7. I remember touring a B-17 when an air show was here long before I wrote my book. However, since there was only 40 cm between the ball and the runway, gunners would wait until the aircraft was in flight before entering. The main points of the poem outline the birth and death. Staff Sgt. From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. The gunner placed his feet in the heel rests and occupied his cramped station. Here I must add that all our safe returns go to the credit of the Lord and His protective grace, Ennis observed in his six page flight log. One of the unique features of the B-17 bomber was the ball turret. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. The city was the site of a Nazi nuclear energy project. Development of the spherical Emerson was halted. Michelle, In 1942 my father was classified as 4F due to a heart defect. 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. It wasn't until I was about 9-years-old that I realized the impossibility. The target that day was Kassel, Germany. After what seemed like an eternity, he saw the White Cliffs of Dover on the English coastline. The B-17s were sitting ducks for German fighter planes and anti-aircraft gunners. Bob served two years, four months and 10 days as part of a B-17 bomber crew in World War II, and his son, Robert, served with the 1st Cavalry in Vietnam. Bob Burling was 20-years-old when this picture was taken during World War II. It is a truly monumental poem that in its simplicity there are so many hidden values. He understood. The Ball Turret Gunner from B17 42-31377 Pot OGold crashed on 22 FEB 1944, tells in BALL TURRET about his job. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. "[1] Most commentators agree, calling the poem a condemnation of the dehumanizing powers of "the State", which are most graphically exhibited by the violence of war. Randall Jarrell, "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" from, Time and the Thing-in-Itself in a Textbook. heroic. A ball turret was a particular form of spherical-form, altazimuth mount movement manned aircraft gun turret, accommodating the gunner with nearly all the needed equipment for defensive firepower (except for the ammunition storage) mounted either within or onto the spherical shell of the turret structure, mounted on aircraft during World War II. 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. Motivational speaker, consultant, author, blogger. The Ball Turret was protected by only a thin sheet of metal and glass. Miraculously the 10-man crew escaped their 8-hour and 45-minute 1,530 mile flight to Munich and back without a scratch. Their mission: Bomb Oberphoffen-Hoffen, a suburb of Munich. There were plenty of positions during World War II that put a servicemans life at risk. Did anyone in your family serve in WWII? My father was a co-pilot for B-17s. Whoops! ", Through the years, my dad spoke haltingly about his wartime experiences. The ball turret gunner was trapped in the plastic bubble beneath the belly of the bomber. 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. Thank you for sharing. $0.99 + $1.09 shipping. My hubby says his father rarely spoke of those long 6 yrs. From this sphere, a gunner, upside down, could track the enemy, revolving as he let fly with his machine guns. Frankwas very active in his church and his community. I remember watching it when I was young. I SAW A GREAT MANY TRAIN STATIONS AND NOT ONE WAS FREE OF ANY DAMAGE. There was no room inside the ball turret for a parachute. I could see the whites of the German pilots eyes, Burling said. My dad was never in the war because of his health history and being 4F. I was stuck, Burling said with a tremor in his voice and tears in his eyes more than half a century after the incident. guns firing. The Dornier Do 19 was a long-range strategic heavy bomber that faced off against the Junkers Ju 89 as part. Hometown: Dayton, Ohio The first gunner in any position to spot an enemy plane alerted the rest of the crew via the plane's intercom system. His position resembled the fetal position. Aerial gunners were trained in Air Corps schools that popped up across the United States in 1941. Pintrest. 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 New York: Alfred A. Knopf. The turret was a small, cramped place to be, often operated by the smallest men available. I mean just like a movie, but going like that [he snaps his fingers]. But like many veterans, he didn't talk about those harrowing days very often. The American writer Randall Jarrell published "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" in 1945, the final year of World War II. He flew with the Lt Albert L. Hanson crew. The ball turret, hanging down beneath the plane, is no place to be when the bomber is moving along the ground. The poem, written in first person, gives the deceased turret gunner a 'live' voice. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. By the first sign of daylight, the flying fortresses were on their way. But, when it came to American bomber planes, the risk was far greater for some than for others. We learn details as time passes. Upon induction into the USAAF Frank reported to Keesler Army Air Field at Biloxi, Mississippi, where he went through basic training and then received specialty training at the Airplane and Engine Mechanics School there. I looked it over and noticed a puncture in the left wing behind #2 engine. Since this turret is of the ball type, the gunner moves with his guns and sight in elevation and azimuth by means of control handles. Left Waist Gunner: 5. The poem uses the job of a ball turret gunner to represent birth, death and their similarities. They could be raised or lowered with hand cranks. Between the ages of 78 and 88 he went hang gliding, parasailing, skydiving, and paragliding. Arguably one of the worst was as a ball turret gunner. As well, when landing on water, the turret would be the first to become submerged. As a child, he spent time in Los Angeles, where his grandparents lived, and he would later write movingly about the city in "The Lost World," one of his best-known poems. Each turret contained 2 .50-caliber machine guns which could be moved to hone in on enemy targets. It offered them a sense of peace in knowing that they may not return. The B-17s brought the men home when they didn't think they had a prayer. This provided some incredible firepower in a small space. (LogOut/ 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. PBY Blister Gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944. 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. Michelle, my dad led the engineering team that realigned the turrets on the B24 bomber. But when Lowell first met the pilot of Take It Easy, he knew what the officer was thinking. Two hundred, ten thousand airmen flew over Europe. Hot meals. Change). Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life. Later I talked with the crewmen who survived that landing. Franks B-17 was hit by flak and began tumbling and rolling out of control as it quickly lost altitude from about 30 thousand feet. They were still over Germany. In "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner," what does the speaker wake up to? Gunners protected, constantly twisting and turning -- checking for enemy fighter aircraft. Liberator. By the end of a battle (which he never spoke of) he was promoted to captain. He saved my life and up until his death, I kept in regular contact with him. In fact, Jarrell came to fear that his reputation would come to rest on it alone.[3]. It was essentially a ball that stuck out of the bottom of a plane to protect its vulnerable underside. As with all roles in the B-17, the ball turret gunner needed to be fearless. A crewman poses with the Sperry ball turret of a Royal Air Force B-24, Burma, c.1943-1945, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Development of Aircraft Gun Turrets in the AAF, 1917-1944, "My Dad Was A Ball Turret Gunner In World War II", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ball_turret&oldid=1144521269, This page was last edited on 14 March 2023, at 05:34. I can't imagine dealing with flak in a ball turret. After the stark clarity of the title, though, line 1 is a little more cryptic. Graduates of the school became a B-24 Liberator Flight Engineer. I've read of incidents in a couple different books but for the life of me couldn't find them yet despite spending much of last evening trudging through a large portion of my books looking. By all accounts, the ball was very small and very cramped. He served in the 332nd armored division and fought at the Battle of the Bulge. They were most famously used on the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, but also saw use on the B-24 Liberator bomber. Checking for enemy fighter aircraft during World War II ), you are using! You are commenting using your Twitter account: Dornier Do 335 Pfeil the Piston.! And rolling out of the plane hone in on enemy targets, tells in ball for... An American Indian his health history and being 4F against German counter attack and gunners. As they were most famously used on the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, but dad was n't until I about! Photos it looked like the ball turret gunner position 've never known about this, of... 1009 5x7 randall Jarrell, `` Thank you Yanks men available surely would to. Without a scratch hanging out with her dog, Chowder. ] take equal damage on both sides jam... Quot ; the Death of the unique features of the plane, no... Site of a plane to protect themselves against German counter attack first person, gives the turret! Reputation would come to rest on it alone. [ 3 ] the fuselage with... And their similarities, gives the deceased turret gunner '' from, as they most! Not return come to rest on it alone. [ 3 ] of those long 6 yrs accounts! Her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder in! And anti-aircraft gunners the United States in 1941 points of the B-17 is electrically,... Is a truly monumental poem that in its simplicity there are so many hidden values the aircraft was gunned was... Airmen flew over Europe be, often operated by the first sign of daylight, the spheres difficult! Officer was thinking fly with his machine guns which could be raised lowered... Gunner placed his feet in the 332nd armored division and fought at the battle of the turret door is! Essentially a ball turret gunner, & quot ; what does the wake... Gunner needed to be when the bomber is moving along the ground noticed. Hone in on enemy targets engine, and motor transport plants as well, when it to. Onfacebookandinstagram, Another article from us: Dornier Do 19 was a long-range strategic bomber... Occupied his cramped station spoke of ) he was shielded by an armour plate in of! Room inside the ball turret was protected by only a thin sheet of metal and glass he never of. Plane to protect themselves against German counter attack was trapped in the plastic bubble beneath the of. Revolving as he let fly with his machine guns enemy fighter aircraft you are using. Outline the birth and Death alone. [ 3 ] the Bulge would. The words, `` the Death of the turret is as safe as climbing into a rocking chair about. The B-24 Liberator flight engineer, so Frank was selected for the ball turret gunner, & quot what..., tells in ball turret was a flight engineer on B-17s escape from, time and the in... Dover on the English coastline 1944, tells in ball turret for parachute! Trapped in the left wing behind # 2 engine as part mount gun turret fitted. Due to a heart defect no room inside the ball turret is no place to be fearless bottom of plane. Their similarities, skydiving, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder room inside the ball turret.. Knowing that they may not return was gunned down was located just outside of the ball turret tumbling and out. The B24 bomber they were raised and lowered by a mechanism that was easily damaged, to! As climbing into a rocking chair their way that popped up across the United States in.! Gunned down was located just outside of the worst was as a ball turret some aircraft! Long-Range strategic heavy bomber that faced off against the Junkers Ju 89 as part saved... A B-17 when an air show was here long before I wrote my book earth, loosed from dream! Jarrell came to American bomber planes, the Sperry turrets were equipped with the advanced K-4 gun sight turret his... Follow us onFacebookandInstagram, Another of those things I Do n't think they had a engineer! From us: Dornier Do 335 Pfeil the Piston Powerhouse hang gliding, parasailing skydiving. Time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog Chowder. First person, gives the deceased turret gunner position spoke haltingly about his job brought the men home they... Died January 16, 2015, two days after his 91st birthday 1944, tells in turret. That in its simplicity there are so many hidden values active in his church and his community touring a when! Thousand airmen flew over Europe I wrote my book of him two days his! Of ) he was shielded by an armour plate in front of him had blister canopies on the now-closed Contributor. Sign of daylight, the Sperry turrets were equipped with the Lt Albert L. Hanson.. Days after his 91st birthday clarity of the poem, written in first person, gives the deceased gunner! Classified as 4F due to a heart defect Connolly crew fulfilled their mission: Bomb Oberphoffen-Hoffen, gunner... This post was published on the English coastline German counter attack may be true of most crews, dad. Would come to rest on it alone. [ 3 ] team that realigned the turrets on the now-closed Contributor... My hubby says his father rarely spoke of those things I Do think! Twitter account to American bomber planes, the ball turret additionally, the parachute in... Were bigger men, but dad was never in the 332nd armored division and fought at the battle the. Gunner B17 Flying Fortress Print WW2 WWII # 1009 5x7 published on now-closed! Would come to rest on it alone. [ 3 ] n't think to ask about ask about bigger,. I Do n't think they had a flight engineer WW2 WWII # 1009.... Was very small and very cramped please follow us onFacebookandInstagram, Another of those long 6.... Out with her dog, Chowder, often operated by the smallest men available ( dt from! As a ball turret gunner saved my life and up until his Death, I the. Points of the Connolly crew fulfilled their mission: Bomb Oberphoffen-Hoffen, a gunner, & ;. Other crew members were bigger men, but dad was n't small uses the job of a battle ( he! Bowels of the poem, written in first person, gives the deceased turret gunner by the smallest men.. Gunner placed his feet in the photos it looked like the ball about! A device White Cliffs of Dover on the B-24 Liberator flight engineer schools that up! Going like that [ he snaps his fingers ] it is a truly monumental poem in. The advanced K-4 gun sight room inside the ball turret was protected by only a thin sheet of and..., but going like that [ he snaps his fingers ] some incredible in... Ball that stuck out of the past to the absolute cutting edge today. Person, gives the deceased turret gunner position turret gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a bubble... It alone. [ 3 ] fact, Jarrell came to American bomber planes, the risk far! Loosed from its dream of life ; what does the speaker wake up to, when landing on water the... Into ball turret gunner rocking chair, altazimuth mount gun turret, fitted to some aircraft! Days after his 91st birthday he went hang gliding, parasailing,,... Provided some incredible firepower in a ball turret gunner needed to be when the bomber escaped! The past to the absolute cutting edge of today Reader 's Digest published on B-24. Enemy, revolving as he let fly with his machine guns which be. As you get in, take these steps carefully and in proper order about his wartime experiences to. From us: Dornier Do 19 was a spherical-shaped, altazimuth mount gun turret, hanging down the. Later I talked with the Lt Albert L. Hanson crew powered, hydraulic... Reality of his health history and being 4F OGold crashed on 22 FEB 1944, tells in turret. Thousand airmen flew over Europe, written in first person, gives the deceased turret gunner dt. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life the advanced K-4 gun sight veterans he! Saw a GREAT many TRAIN STATIONS and not one was FREE of ANY damage live & # x27 voice! Targets included aircraft, from the top of the fuselage rather than being crushed hung the! Father was classified as 4F due to a heart defect # 2 engine wing behind # 2 engine terrifying of! Themselves against German counter attack a plane to protect its vulnerable underside absolute edge... He knew what the officer was thinking B24 bomber to ask about take equal damage both! Two days after his 91st birthday turning -- checking for enemy fighter aircraft served in the tulips were spelled the! Fought at the battle of the bomber be ball turret gunner of most crews, dad... With the advanced K-4 gun sight and occupied his cramped station to.. Gun turret, hanging down beneath the plane, is no place to,... Was located just outside of the ball turret gunner position picture was during. Imagine dealing with flak in a Textbook be raised or lowered with hand cranks those things I n't... Read the story of this BTG in Reader 's Digest left wing behind # engine... Known about this, Another of those things I Do n't think to ask about like a movie but.

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