301st BG, 32nd BS

Per il S/Sgt. Arthur B. Unruh quella su Brescia fu la prima missione nel ruolo di mitragliere di coda; non sappiamo con quale equipaggio era imbarcato. Completò il suo turno di servizio di cinquanta missioni e tornò a casa. Ha scritto un libro in cui narra della sua esperienza. È morto il 27 gennaio 2021 all’età di 98 anni.

THE SHADOW CASTER – MY JOURNEY THROUGH WAR
FIRST MISSION
….
February 14th, 1944
My first combat mission. The moment of truth had finally arrived. I was scared but eager to get airborne, not knowing what to expect, hoping for the best for all of our crew. We had a good breakfast. Always on mission days we received a good breakfast. Then a cold ride on a truck out to the aircraft. Waiting for us, and loaded with bombs were the beautiful B17’s.
Then the quite was shattered with the roar of the four engine planes starting their engines. I have my heated suit on, Mae West jacket, throat mike, oxygen mask at hand. My parachute, chest type, hanging on a hook near by. We taxi forward onto the runway waiting for our turn to take off. Brakes on, engines and superchargers at full power. Then, brakes’ release and we start rolling. This is the real thing! Practice time was over. It takes the full runway, with a full load of 1000 pound bombs, 2800 gallons of gas, crew and ammunition.
Finally, we are airborne and begin the formation pattern with the other aircraft. The formation separated just enough to for all gunners to test fire our machine guns. We will go on oxygen at 10,000 feet. As we enter enemy skies, we watch for German airplanes. Our primary target is Verona , Italy which was clouded over forcing us to go on to the secondary target of Brescia, Italy.
We hit the railroad yards here we ran into fairly heavy flak and ran into 28 enemy ME109’ fighters . I got away a few shots at them, then our P47 escort took over for us. My journal entry for this flight reads, “I was scared as hell.” But it was a good mission.
We had a number of flak holes in our aircraft. One hole in the wing was big enough to stick an arm in. It was very cold at 50 degrees below zero.
On the way home I saw Mount Vesuvius and the Isle of Capri. I was happy to get home and through this first mission safely.
From 1944 one of the major causes of B17 casualties was anti- aircraft fire from the ground. The German word for this was (Fleigerabwehrkannon.) This was shortened to the word, “flak” which was picked up by the allies and a new word entered the language.

EQUIPAGGIO

• unknown

MACR

• –

POW

• –

COLLEGAMENTI

• https://www.301bg.com/Unruh_Arthur_U6584_301BG.cfm
• http://airportjournals.com/the-shadow-caster-ssgt-arthur-unruhs-tales-of-a-b-17-gunner/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIy-j10UX7Y
• https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/heraldnet/name/art-unruh-obituary?id=9052452

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