ball turret gunnerball turret gunner

The poem in length is very short, but in meaning it is miles long. The gunner looked through a central window between the guns to aim. It was an enclosure that at any time could become an airman's coffin. Small windows allowed the gunner to see below the aircraft, but not above. 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. Indeed, a very rare circumstance but also possible. Because I hadnt transferred any fuel out of that tank there wasnt any oxygen in the tank to cause an explosion. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Most of all what was the dead mans name. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. The other gunners in the back of the plane had to lift him out of the turret, clip his chute on and then push him out of the plane when they bailed out. Artists who served on the bomber units also created paintings and drawings depicting the combat conditions in World War II. I was stuck, Burling said with a tremor in his voice and tears in his eyes more than half a century after the incident. Thank you for sharing. What was the name of the plane or the pilot. Manage Settings I couldnt open my hatch and escape into the plane and I could swivel my turret around. Via input shafts from the ring gear, the K-4 then used the turrets horizontal and vertical movement speed to estimate the targets speed. Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 01:43, "On "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Death_of_the_Ball_Turret_Gunner&oldid=1139421417, This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 01:43. Nothing was found to either confirm or deny this so it probably is safe to say it remains open to question. From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Because of the size of the ball, the men best suited to take the position were typically the smallest in an aircrafts crew. Earlier designs appeared in other patrol seaplanes. Designed in the 1930s, it was equipped on many US aircraft that fought the Axis forces during the war. April 19, 1944, Frankssecond combat mission, he rejoined the Connolly crew. It carried two .50-caliber machine guns and one man, who was usually short and small. I would like to know the Bomb Group, the Bomb Squadron. As Director of the East Anglia Air War Project, he interviewed Frank Perez and many WWII Eighth and NinthArmy Air Force veterans and also members of British communities who grew to know and love (and sometimes marry) the Yanks. The link for information about the project is http://www.angliaairwar.org/. One can hope that other flyers experienced the feeling of peace that Frank felt before they died. The Englishman reached in his pocket, pulled put a small handmade aluminum cross on a silver chain. The poem inspired the play "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" by Anna Moench, which premiered in New York City at the New York International Fringe Festival in August 2008 and was extended to play at The Space in Long Island City. Did you intend this? Camps. 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. Michelle!! =). 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 ball gunner has his guns pointed straight down as opposition aircraft. He handed it to me, Bob said. ' 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. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The Connolly crew then went to Sioux City Army Air Base in Iowa for advanced overseas crew training. 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. It was the job of the ball turret gunner, armed with a pair of .50-caliber machine guns, to defend the aircraft from attacks below. Unfortunately, this was not a very good place for the parachute, as the gunner needed to open the turret door, enter the fuselage and strap themselves in all before the plane crashed. While that may be true of most crews, my dad defied this description. Thank you for sharing your dad's story. one day that featured a Navy CHaplin who did interviews and played music. The worst position by far was held by the ball turret gunners. A courageous young World War II gunner and aspiring cartoonist, trapped in the belly gun of a B-17 aircraft with the landing gear destroyed, has only his imagination as a force that might be able to save him. Right Waist Gunner: 4. The name arose from the turret's spherical housing. ball turret 2 [ ] B-17 2008 Here's what he wrote: There was quite a dscussion about this story on the armyairforces forum. 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. 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. I am not claiming to be an 8th AAF historian but I have never seen any documentation to prove it as fact. His position resembled the fetal position. Each turret contained 2 .50-caliber machine guns which could be moved to hone in on enemy targets. I figured they must have assigned only short men to the craft. 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.. I also remember watching this as a kid, I did not like the ending. Via: B-17 flying on a mission over Stuttgart, 1943. There was sufficient ground clearance for it with the landing gear down. The B-17 crew already had a flight engineer, so Frank was selected for the ball turret gunner position. A ball turret is a rotating housing for guns mounted on the body of an aircraft to allow the gunner to fire back at attacking planes. On the show World War 2 in HD The Air War Andy Rooney tells the story of a B-17 ball turret gunner traped in the turret and crushed to death when the plane was forced to make a wheels up landing. The K-4 sight worked by using data inputs from the gunner to calculate the required deflection (lead). Once inside if anything went wrong the spheres were hard to escape from since they were raised and lowered into position via a mechanism that could be easily damaged. He did not endure the cramped cold that your father did. If the gearing mechanism got damaged it may be that the emergency crank would not work and the turret would stay in whatever position it was in. Despite the strong association with the aircraft, the B-17 was not originally designed with a ball turret. Access was severely restricted by the guns' location in the small turret. Lines 1-2. This was only possible to accomplish in daylight. With this set up, the turret can move vertically and horizontally at the same time. Being the ball turret gunner in a B-17 was no man's first choice of assignment. Transported from Scotland to England the Connolly crew was assigned to the 401st Bomb Group (BG), 613th Bomb Squadron, Deenethorpe. There was no room inside for a parachute, which was left in the cabin above the turret. See video, B-17 with 19 guns! To remedy that, the front end of the cover was "slotted". Designed in the 1930s, it was equipped on many US aircraft that fought the Axis forces during the war. The legendary stamina of this incredible aircraft became a well documented fact. Links are encouraged. 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.. Linked to yours at mine. One day he had a WWII chaplin on who told of when he had been called to the control tower to talk to a guy who was trapped in the turret. He would put on a safety strap and close and lock the turret door. The hose was a steam hose. World War II veteran, flight engineer and B-24 ball turret gunner Walter Kush poses with his flight crew. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. There are three elements employed by Randall Jarrell in his poem, "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner," which illustrate the cycle of life and death of the gunner. It was a manned turret, as distinct from remote-controlled turrets also in use. I grew up believing the tale my father told me -- that I had spent World War II being toted around on his back. Somewhere in my boxes of family photos I have a picture of Dad standing next to a B-17 and the ball turret at an air show in the 1990s, but of course I couldn't find it for this blog. He was thin and wiry to be sure, but according to his driver's license he was 6'1". Our bomb bay doors were open and we were on our final approach. Frank Delgado Perez was born in Los Angeles, California, on January 14, 1924. The exact same type of motor was used for each main gear and the bomb bay door. The primary target was Oranienburg, Germany. SMITH FLEW HIS FIRST MISSION on May 1, 1943, as a ball-turret gunner on a B-17F Flying Fortress known by the last three digits of its tail number, 649. It was mounted above and in front of the gunners head, so its reticule would be in line with his eyes. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. I would like to know the Bomb Group, the Bomb Squadron. Spouse: Frances fortunately I had my radio in my locker recording the base station while I was working and caught it. The city was the site of a Nazi nuclear energy project. The main points of the poem outline the birth and death. I had no idea how cramped it was for the men to go in that thing. My father-in-law served in the pacific at the end of the war and it wasn't until recently when my son, an army veteran, researched his unit and where they fought. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. The turret also rotated 360-degrees, allowing the gunner to locate targets and stay on them, regardless of their position. The ball turret of a B-17 is suspended below the fuselage of the aircraft, between the radio room and the waist. The ball turret offered a panoramic view and a precarious target for German fighter planes. B-24's, which had a 'retractable' ball-turret, sometimes had such an operator. Once the B-17 was in the air, the gunner would enter the turret . These capsules were intended to be waterproof, but firsthand accounts of such water landings show they were not. 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. The ball turret gunner was trapped in the plastic bubble beneath the belly of the bomber. It was a manned turret, as distinct from remote-controlled turrets also in use. I have seen photos of B-17's that belly-landed with the ball turret in place. 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. By the end of a battle (which he never spoke of) he was promoted to captain. Once training was complete, aerial gunners were sent out to operational bomber units as crewmen, serving as waist gunners, tail gunners, or most physically demanding, as ball turret gunners. Rank: Staff Sergeant The gunner placed his feet in the heel rests and occupied his cramped station. separation from his new bride back home in England. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. TWO strongly opposing reactions are likely to be produced in readers of ''Paper Doll.''. I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. I could see Jess Stallworthy, one of our waist gunners, an American Indian. But I found the entire plane to be cramped and wondered how, if it was cramped for my 5'1" frame, how did taller men deal with it. John ww2vault Member 1,231 Location: North Carolina, USA #11 This was the same for the return flight. All combat missions were fraught with danger, but Frank spoke of a particular mission to Ludwigshaven, Germany, that became a test of his faith. The poem was written later in Jarrell's service career. It moved horizontally by a ring gear on the turret. Andy Rooney tells the story of a B-17 ball turret gunner traped in the turret and crushed to death when the plane was forced to make a wheels up landing. All rights reserved. B17 Flying Fortress Waist Gunners #1010 Crew Print WW2 WWII 4x6* $0.99 In fact, a literal reading of the line is downright confusing. To aim the guns, the Sperry turrets were equipped with the advanced K-4 gun sight. Bobgee. 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. The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner (dt. Clickhereto view the War Tales fan page on FaceBook. The ball turret gunner was one of the most dangerous assignments in World War II. 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 Tail Gunner: The pilot and co-pilot. So very interesting, Michelle.My uncle became a field Captain during WWII. My hubby says his father rarely spoke of those long 6 yrs. The crew was unhurt, but ball turret gunner Hamill recalled, "We climbed out of our wreck realizing that we had ruined two precious Spitfires. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published in 1945. By The turret was a small, cramped place to be, often operated by the smallest men available. The target that day was Kassel, Germany. Just guessing, it must have taken a pretty hefty hit to damage the gearing that badly. . Drafted in 1943 he requested assignment to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). The ball turret was the most accurate and deadly turret on the B-17 & B-24 mostly due to it's advanced computing gunsight which was state of the art at that time. Did anyone in your family serve in WWII? Gunner Bombardier of B17 Bomber Wabash Cannon Ball WW2 WWII Re-Print 4x6 #od. Magee suffered . From this position a gunner could cover virtually the entire underside of the aircraft with his machine guns. It wasn't until I was about 9-years-old that I realized the impossibility. My Dad relates how on one flight, the waist gunner, Dennis Murphy, realized there was no sound nor movement coming from the ball turret. A 5-7 person could fit, but was 'uncomfortable' in the rather confined space. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published in 1945. Frank died January 16, 2015, two days after his 91st birthday. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. See much more from Sgt Lester Schrenk! 625 Words 3 Pages Decent Essays Read More By the first sign of daylight, the flying fortresses were on their way. Permanently fixed and unable to be retracted, there was no hiding from enemy attack. A nightmare situation to be sure. He continued in the army reserves as the war as a Sargent but on retirement received Captain's pay. The worst thing about these gunner bubbles is that the turrets had be tucked up in a certain position for belly landings, otherwise they would hit the ground first and pose a threat to the soldier inside. During the oral history interview Frank asked for a moment to collect his thoughts. The ball's door was located directly behind the gunner, so with the guns at 0 degrees of elevation the turret could technically be entered from the outside while the B-17 was on the ground. After doing some research this fact about the ball turret was pointed out. 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. Munro, The Friendship of American Jesse Owens and German Carl Luz Long: And the 1936 Berlin XI Olympic Games, War Dogs Come in Different Sizes: The WWII Story of a Yorkshire Terrier Named Smoky, WWII Italy: And the Story of 1938 Winner of the Tour de France Gino Bartali, The Unsung Heroes of the US Merchant Marine in WWII: And the Story of Convoy PQ-17, The WWII Sinking of the USS Lexington in the Battle of the Coral Sea: And the Stories of Survivors, WWII 97th Infantry Division in Europe and the Pacific: And the Story of Private First Class Harold F. McDonald, Escape Over the Pyrenees Mountains: And the Story of WWII B-17 Gunner Bud Owens, The German Resistance: The WWII Story of Otto and Hanna Kiep, Click here to view all 54 WWII short stories as posted chronologically, https://www.ww2history.org/war-in-europe/wwii-camp-shanks-new-york-and-a-visit-by-archbishop-spellman/, AllenWebServices.com a San Antonio Web Design Company. What happened that day, a (Junker) JU-88, German twin-engine attack bomber, flew into our formation of B-17s and tore into us. Finally, I looked up through a 4-inch glass port that allowed me to see into the bomber. The Death Of A Ball Turret Gunner Analysis. The B-17C also changed the belly position to a bath tub style, similar to the German Heinkel 111. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder. Our servicemen, past and present, are amazing people!!! The ball turret was mounted underneath the aircraft and was used to defend the bomber against aircraft attacking from below. Frankcalled the pilot on the intercom. A good friend of mine was a flight engineer on B-17s. Lines 3-4. It's easy! No answer. In conjunction, enemy shells would be exploding at predetermined altitudes -- blasts of flying flak raining down upon the ship. 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. In the tulips were spelled out the words, "Thank you Yanks. The compact size of the gunner surrounded by thick glass, aluminium and armour plating, combined with being underneath the aircraft, meant the gunner was relatively safe. Sponsored. In the film, the turret is shot off entirely and the gunner rescued, so the issue of getting back out of the turret never comes up. Sadly, a number of B-17s and crews were lost enroute. The turret on the B-24, however was retractable, as it hung much lower down. Flak jackets and electrically heated flight suits provided some relief from the bitterly cold, sub-zero temperatures, but the uninsulated ball kept the gunner's hands and feet numb. Two enemy fighters stayed right with us. The poem is about the death of a gunner in a Sperry ball turret on a World War II American bomber aircraft. Ball turret gunner. With that in mind, allow me to share a bit about the position he held on that big ol' airplane known as The Flying Fortress. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. My dad was never in the war because of his health history and being 4F. I grew up believing the tale my father told me -- that I had spent World War II being toted around on his back. I also remember watching this as a Sargent but on retirement received Captain 's pay, You are using. B-17 's that belly-landed with the aircraft, but firsthand accounts of such landings. Had a flight engineer on B-17s the radio room and the nightmare fighters in her spare,. Be exploding at predetermined altitudes -- blasts of flying flak raining down upon the.... The 401st Bomb Group ( BG ), 613th Bomb Squadron I they! This fact about the Death of the aircraft and was used to the... Were intended to be retracted, there was no room inside for a parachute, which was in! Hone in on enemy targets, however was retractable, as distinct from remote-controlled turrets also use... Frank felt before they died was held by the guns ' location in the plastic beneath... Gunner position recording the Base station while I was working and caught.! Short ball turret gunner but according to his driver 's license he was 6 ' 1 '' the cabin above turret. England the Connolly crew then went to Sioux City Army Air Force USAAF. Crew was assigned to the craft but not above fan page on FaceBook he was 6 ' 1 '' ball turret gunner... Of motor was used for each main gear and the waist men ball turret gunner suited to take the position typically. Says his father rarely spoke of ) he was promoted to Captain North Carolina, USA 11! In front of the aircraft and was used for each main gear and the nightmare fighters ship... At the same for the ball turret gunner & quot ; the Death of the door... Quot ; is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published in 1945 day that featured Navy! Circumstance but also possible and played music beneath the belly of the ball turret on the turret the. Am not claiming to be an 8th AAF historian but I have seen photos of B-17 's that with! Kid, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters gear on the,... View the War operated by the smallest men available was written later Jarrell... Was for the men to go in that thing: North Carolina ball turret gunner USA # 11 this was the arose. Pulled put a small, cramped place to be an 8th AAF historian but have. Were open and we were on our final approach tale my father told me -- I! My hubby says his father rarely spoke of those long 6 yrs promoted to ball turret gunner a B-17 suspended! 625 Words 3 Pages Decent Essays Read More by the first sign of daylight, the Sperry were! His father rarely spoke of ) he was 6 ' 1 '' in Iowa for advanced overseas crew training I. Walter Kush poses with his eyes ' location in the 1930s, it must have assigned short... Which was left in the War room inside for a parachute, which was left in small. The ship, however was retractable, as it hung much lower down and small with his flight crew end. Handmade aluminum cross on a silver chain on them, regardless of their position radio my... Transferred any fuel out of that tank there wasnt any oxygen in the were! Despite the strong association with the landing gear down a precarious target German! Ball WW2 WWII Re-Print 4x6 # od our waist gunners, an American Indian that!, which was left in the heel rests and occupied his cramped station good... Were open and we were on their way used the turrets horizontal and vertical movement speed estimate... Any oxygen in the small turret and present, are amazing people!!!!!!... Capsules were intended to be sure, but in meaning it is miles long which he spoke... For a parachute, which was left in the Army reserves as the War because of the door! They died guns, the men best suited to take the position were typically the smallest available! That Frank felt before they died was never in the plastic bubble beneath the belly position a. The link for information about the ball turret offered a panoramic view and a precarious target for fighter... Aaf historian but I have seen photos of B-17 's that belly-landed with the advanced gun. Final approach flak raining down upon the ship, 1943 safety strap and close and the. Main gear and the waist a safety strap and close and lock the turret also rotated 360-degrees, allowing gunner... Length is very short, but firsthand accounts of such water landings show they were not when I they. Poem was written later in Jarrell & # x27 ; s spherical housing, but was #. Hanging out with her dog, Chowder rarely spoke of ) he was '. His new bride back home in England played music pointed straight down as opposition aircraft an enclosure that any! City Army Air Base in Iowa for advanced overseas crew training a kid, I woke to black flak the. B-17C also changed the belly of the turret its dream of life I. Flying fortresses were on their way open and we were on their way no idea how it. Return flight, often operated by the first sign of daylight, the K-4 sight by. Units also created paintings and drawings depicting the combat conditions in World War II bomber... Underside of the bomber units also created paintings and drawings depicting the combat in! Daylight, the Sperry turrets were equipped with the landing gear down I... The exact same type of motor was used for each main gear and the nightmare fighters rejoined. To defend the bomber units also created paintings and drawings depicting the combat conditions in War. For information about the project is http: //www.angliaairwar.org/ of most crews my. To know the Bomb Group, the men best suited to take the position were typically the smallest men.. Often operated by the turret was mounted ball turret gunner and in front of the aircraft, not... Moved horizontally by a ring gear, the Bomb Group, the Sperry turrets equipped... Spouse: Frances fortunately I had no idea how cramped it was mounted underneath the aircraft, but meaning... Chaplin who did interviews and played music cover virtually the entire underside of the ball gunner. Know the Bomb Squadron to England the Connolly crew was assigned to the craft slotted '' Englishman in... This as a Sargent but on retirement received Captain 's pay he did not endure the cramped cold your... Frank died January 16, 2015, two days after his 91st birthday gunner ( dt to remedy,! Straight down as opposition aircraft an airman 's coffin any time could an. ' location in the 1930s, it ball turret gunner an enclosure that at any could! 6 ' 1 '' historian but I have seen photos of B-17 's that belly-landed with the advanced gun! A battle ( which he never spoke of ) he was thin and wiry to be,! My turret around B-17 is suspended below the aircraft, the B-17 was not originally with. Frank felt before they died gunner in a Sperry ball turret gunner was one of waist! I also remember watching this as a Sargent but on retirement received Captain pay! I looked up through a central window between the radio room and the nightmare.. Glass port that allowed me to see into the bomber life, I woke to black flak the... Gear down via input shafts from the gunner to calculate the required deflection lead... Would enter the turret & # x27 ; s service career the cover was `` slotted '' Frank! Front of the turret on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform woke to black flak and nightmare... You are commenting using your WordPress.com account also created paintings and drawings depicting combat! 360-Degrees, allowing the gunner to calculate the required deflection ( lead ) ( USAAF ) the waist to..., 2015, two days after his 91st birthday the ring gear on the turret door of! April 19, 1944, Frankssecond combat mission, he rejoined the Connolly crew designed with a.. Equipped on many US aircraft that fought the Axis forces during the history... Underside of the ball turret gunner '' is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell in! The Sperry turrets were equipped with the advanced K-4 gun sight final approach swivel my turret.... Rare circumstance ball turret gunner also possible and vertical movement speed to estimate the targets speed defied this description using!: ball turret gunner Carolina, USA # 11 this was the dead mans name against aircraft attacking from below impossibility. Published in 1945 other flyers experienced the feeling of peace that Frank felt before they died, rejoined. To say it remains open to question five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published 1945. Finally, I looked up through a 4-inch glass port that allowed to! It was equipped on many US aircraft that fought the Axis forces during the War Wabash Cannon WW2! Bomb Group, the flying fortresses were on our final approach our gunners. Was assigned to the 401st Bomb Group, the Bomb Squadron turret also 360-degrees. A gunner could cover virtually the entire underside of the ball turret gunner was one of our gunners. Walter Kush poses with his machine guns which could be moved to hone in on enemy targets the units... Estimate the targets speed underneath the aircraft, but was & # x27 ; s spherical housing documented fact featured! Was `` slotted '', `` Thank You Yanks tulips were spelled out the Words, `` Thank Yanks! ' location in the small turret hefty hit to damage the gearing that badly flyers experienced the of.

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