(from my buddy)
Grandpa is on the back row, 2nd to right.
He was a "Waist Gunner" on the Hoosier Hot Shot B-17 Bomber in 1943 as a S/SGT in the 8th Air Force, 91st Group.
He completed all his required missions and became part of the ground crew specializing in maintenance and repair of Browning M2 machine guns.
He was a M/SGT by the time he returned home in 1945. He was a career soldier and retired in 1949 with 27 years under his belt and went to work in Civil Service.
He was recalled in 1951 for the Korean conflict and was in-service for the separation of the Air Corps to the Air Force as a separate branch.
I believe he retired again in 1953 and returned to Civil Service.
The Hoosier Hot Shot was shot down by a German fighter in 1944 after my grandpa had left.
I never knew most of this until this year.
.
|