# 8th Air Force WWII - B17 Missions



## airgunr (Mar 18, 2006)

My Father-in-law passed away recently and in going through some of his old stuff I found the following pictures. He was in the 8th Air Force in Europe and flew B17 Flying Fortresses as a Navigator. These are some pictures he took on missions over Europe. The pictures were sent back during his tour so all the identifiying information was cut off the bottom edge. Too bad as I don't have it now. 

This one shows some of the *Flack* they were getting over a target.






Here is a formation shot with the Contrails





If your interested in any others (there are a few with nose art and the markers for how many missions and enemy aircraft shot down). You can go to my Photobucket site to see them at: 
http://photobucket.com/albums/v148/airgunr/8th%20Air%20Force/

Pretty cool if your into this type of stuff.


----------



## lostprophet (Mar 18, 2006)

WOW

stunning shots of a stunning plane in action.

But I would not like to be up there when they were taken

sorry to hear about your father-in-law


----------



## Rus_T (Mar 18, 2006)

Fantastic shots. The airial shots are incredible. I recently visited the Palm Springs airport during an open house. They have a whole bunch of WWII planes there including a B-17. During the open house I had a chance to talk at length with the pilot who flew them in the war. Very inspiring, haunting, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Watching those films on TV doesnt make it hit home untill you talk to someone in person who can relate their experience. After the sobering tales he proceded to flirt with my wife! Pilots.....


----------



## airgunr (Mar 18, 2006)

In the first one you can see they are over the target as the closest plane has it bomb bay doors open.  We owe these guys a great debt to have gone through that.....

I resized the pictures but they are still showing up way big on this site.  I tried another site and they are ok.  Not sure why......


----------



## airgunr (Mar 18, 2006)

OK, got it now....


----------



## Chase (Mar 18, 2006)

Amazing stuff, thanks for sharing them!


----------



## M @ k o (Mar 18, 2006)

You have something very special here. Thx for sharing these awesome images. 

Salute to your Father inlaw.


----------



## Mohain (Mar 18, 2006)

Wow, what amazing shots! Thanks for sharing.


----------



## dllb (Mar 18, 2006)

Talk about bravery. Looking these pictures just reinforces that.


----------



## DestinDave (Mar 18, 2006)

What great treasures those are!  I think the WWII years are the most romantic and historically important years ever.  If I could live at any time in history it would be during the 30-50's.  Sadly enough there aren't many left of the Greatest Generation.  I watch anything and everything I can on History, DSC, TLC, and Public TV.  I'm sorry for the loss of your father-in-law.  Thank you for sharing his story and his pictures...

Dave


----------



## jonjohn (Mar 18, 2006)

My dad was there as a nose gunner.
Thanks for sharing.

Jon


----------



## danalec99 (Mar 18, 2006)

Fantastic!

Do you know what camera/lens he was using?


----------



## airgunr (Mar 18, 2006)

danalec99 said:
			
		

> Fantastic!
> 
> Do you know what camera/lens he was using?


 
Unfortuantly not.  He, as seems to be typical of his generation, never talked about his service nor the awards he recieved or what they were for.  

I believe he was awarded the Distigushed Service medal but I have no idea what it was for.  He never said a word and now he's gone so we'll probably never know. 

We're still going through some of his stuff and hopefully will uncover more but even my wife didn't know much about her fathers service.


----------



## JonathanM (Mar 19, 2006)

Any idea where he was based? I guess that there are no identifying codes or squadron badges that could be used to tell either, if the WW2 sensors were as strict with his photo's as they were with my grandfathers.

Have you considered supplying copies of the pictures to appropriate museums & organisations? I'm sure the 8th AAF have a historical society type section who would appreciate unseen images, especially of nose art?


----------



## ShutteredEye (Mar 19, 2006)

UNBELIEVABLE shots!  Incredible!!!!!  What a find!!!!!


----------



## kkart (Mar 19, 2006)

check this out!

"B-17 #42-29888 JOKER #1 Flew 50 missions and was returned to the U.S.A. to sell War Bonds. I know nothing of what happened to it after that.
This aircraft was assigned to the 532nd Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group; one of 40 B-17s assigned to the 381st that survived the war and returned to the U.S.A. It has been said that it also may have been used to train new troops." 

I was lookin thru your shots on PB and decided to google some of the bombers names. http://uk.geocities.com/jim.tennet@btinternet.com/Joker.htm 

In fact: http://uk.geocities.com/jim.tennet@btinternet.com/ could ve VERY valuable to you


----------



## duncanp (Mar 19, 2006)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnngggggggg


!!!!!!!



wow great pics


----------



## airgunr (Mar 19, 2006)

Thanks for the comments guys.  I have no idea where he was based but I "think" his plane was named "Any Base" because they were shot down twice and rarely made it back to their home base on the ones they didn't get shot down.  From what I can tell I think they ditched in the English Channel twice and one of those resulted in his medal.  I'm still sifting through stuff as is my brother-in-law to see if we can sort it out.

Thanks KKart for the links and suggestions.


----------



## AIRIC (Mar 19, 2006)

Thanks for posting the images. Please make sure these photos survive for future generations. There is an 8th AF website at http://www.8thafhs.org/ that may help you research about your father's war history. They would also be interested in the images.

Eric

This is a B-17 I shot last summer over Geneseo New York for the History of Flight airshow. 







Eric


----------



## df3photo (Mar 19, 2006)

Looks great, My grandfather was a WWII marine. Ive seen some of his photos in the past, now I have to go dig them up... nothing from the air like these though... good find.


----------



## wls3 (Mar 19, 2006)

First, great photos.

If you are interested in finding out more info about his military records, awards,training,
unit assignments, etc. check here. National Personnel Records Center.
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/public/veterans-and-next-of-kin.html

Very slow, but I have had good luck.

Bill


----------



## sfaribault (Mar 20, 2006)

Great find !!!!!

Steve


----------



## airgunr (Mar 20, 2006)

wls3 said:
			
		

> First, great photos.
> 
> If you are interested in finding out more info about his military records, awards,training,
> unit assignments, etc. check here. National Personnel Records Center.
> ...


 
Thanks for the link.  I'm logging in now.


----------



## ScoobyRoo20 (Mar 21, 2006)

Great shots from back when.
I sent this link to my dad so he could see it. He's been helping to restore Fifi (only flying b29 in the world). 














These photos that I have just posted where taken by my dad.


----------

