Donald J. Lewis U.S. Army Aircorp, 15th Airforce European Theater   Experiences of Donald J. Lewis while a crewmember of a US Army Air Force B17 Bomber during WWII This story is copyrighted by Donald J. Lewis and is used here with his permission.  Publishers interested in using the material should contact him at 1685 Kenmare Drive, Dresher, PA 19025. It all started when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He enlisted in the Army late in December 1941 and was assigned to the Army Air Corp.  After finishing in the top five percent of his class at Aircraft Armament School, he became an instructor.  After becoming bored of teaching, he volunteered for pilot training, glider pilot, and aerial gunnery, all at the same time. After graduating from gunnery school at Las Vegas Army Airfield in June 1943, he was assigned to a B17 Bomber crew (crew #104) at Pyote, Texas. After completing twelve missions with the 15th Air Force from Tunisia to Italy, Austria, and Greece plus two aborted missions, they broke camp, packed everything, including their tents into their B17 and flew to an airfield in Italy near Foggia, due east of Naples on the Adriatic coast.  Shot down on the 19th of December on a mission to bomb a Messerschmidt factory near Augsburg, Germany, he bailed out over the Tyrolean Alps and began his one year four months and 14 days as a prisoner of the Germans.  That is the rest of his story. For the full story, click here: Full Story There are hyperlinks between sections of the full story and equivalent headings in the "Quick-link" which will allow the reader to move easily between the two versions of the story. For a "Quick-look" summary, continue reading.   How it Started It all started when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Most of the young fellows that I knew had already agreed that if the country went to war we would enlist in one of the armed services. (more)  Into the Army My day of induction was January 5, 1942 and I went by train that day to New Cumberland Barracks near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for processing. Based on tests given there I was assigned to the Army Air Corps. (more)  Aircraft Armament School After about six weeks of so-called basic training I went by train to Lowry Field near Denver, Colorado to attend Aircraft Armament School. The trip was an exciting experience for me as I had never been west of Pennsylvania (more)   Good Times This was easy duty with a class A pass that allowed me to leave the base anytime I didn't have a class. Now and then I got a few days off and with a friend went into the Rocky Mountains. (more)   Aerial Gunnery School The climate, people, food, mountains, and Denver were all great, but I got bored of teaching. I wanted something with more action so I volunteered for pilot training, glider pilot, and aerial gunnery, all at the same time. In just a few weeks I was on my way to Aerial Gunnery School at Las Vegas Army Airfield, now called Nelis Air Force Base. (more)   Crew Training I went into Gunnery School a Corporal and graduated a Sergeant. From there in June 1943 I was assigned to a B-17 Bomber crew (crew #104) at Pyote, Texas. We trained at Pyote base for several weeks then transferred to Dalhart, Texas. (more)     Getting There The flight to North Africa involved a series of short legs to Jamaica, then a long leg over the Brazilian jungle to an airfield on the eastern shoulder of Brazil. From there a very long leg over the South Atlantic at Dakar, then fly over land to Tunisia, North Africa. (more)   North Africa The planes in service at Tunisia were old B 17E models that didn't have enough range to fly into Germany and return, thank goodness. So our targets were mostly in Italy, railroad marshalling yards, bridges, and viaducts for railroads. (more)   Foggia, Italy We arrived there on the 9th of December 1943 and for several days couldn't fly any missions because of cloud cover over Europe. But on the tenth day there, the 19th of December, we got up at 4:30 AM and were briefed on a mission to bomb a Messerschmidt factory near Augsburg, Germany. (more)   A Flight Deep Inside Germany As our plane moved down the runway to takeoff I looked out the waist window and saw the British antiaircraft crew, assigned to guard our field, wave a hearty goodbye to us and in their waves I read that they didn't expect us to return. (more)   We Take Some Hits All at once I sensed that my turret had been hit. I couldn't hear it but something told me. I looked around and saw two machine gun bullet holes just to the right of my head. (more)   Out of Control Now the plane went into a steep dive, almost vertical. There was a hole in the floor torn by FLAC about a foot in diameter with the shredded aluminum facing inward. I reached for the hole in a desperate bid to enlarge it with my bare hands enough to allow me and the waist gunner, Ed Fennessey, to get out. (more)   Where Was I? When we first started to fly missions the navigator promised to keep everyone informed as to where we were if our situation was such that we might have to bail out. The pilot had told us he would try to make Switzerland if our situation was desperate and we were in northern Italy, Austria or Southern Germany. (more)     An Important Decision Since no bailout order was ever received I thought everyone was in the plane when it exploded and that I was the only survivor. Anything I would now do would be strictly on my own. (more)   Some of the Crew is Here I was led into a white stucco building that looked as though it might be the town hall. There were no markings of any kind on it. When the door was opened and I saw four of the crew sitting on chairs I could hardly believe that they had survived the explosion, especially the ones that were in the forward part of the plane. (more)   Trucked Away The afternoon wore on and finally a truck arrived and Ed and I were loaded into the back cargo area. Already on the truck were the survivors of another B-17 Bomber crew. I think there were three, all officers. (more)   Was This a Hospital? After laying in the lobby for what seemed like many hours, but was probably one or two hours I was carried up an open flight of stairs to a room on the second floor. It was now clear that this had been a hotel but was being used as a military hospital by the German Army to care for the wounded from the Italian front. (more)   Good Care I was put in a small room with a young soldier and a little later a bowl of soup was placed on the bedside table. It looked good and even smelled good but I couldn't get it down. For some reason I had completely lost my appetite. (more)   A Happy Day Finally the big day arrived when the cast was taken off and the leg was wrapped in layers of gauze brushed with a white rubber-like liquid. They called it a "Zinklimeforbande"; it served as a custom fitted support-stocking running from toes to well above the knee. (more)   The Honeymoon is Over About the 3rd of March 1944 on a beautiful, warm, sunny day I was released from the hospital in Merano, Italy and transported in the back of an open truck southward through beautiful mountainous countryside. Many of the houses by the road bore murals that filled the wall, painted on the white stucco. (more)       A Train Ride We were then packed into boxcars with no food and no water and no toilet facilities. The doors were closed and locked. We were in the boxcar for three days and nights, standing still on the tracks a good deal of the time. (more)   Life in a Boxcar Drinking water was our main concern with food close behind. Every now and then while the train was standing the door would be opened so we could relieve ourselves. Only one at a time was allowed out so one could wait many hours to have an opportunity to be relieved. (more)   Our New Home At long last the train arrived near Konigsburg, East Prussia, and we all walked to Stalag Luft VI. The location is just south of Lithuania and the same distance north as Moscow, Northern Ireland, or the north end of Newfoundland. (more)   Getting the News We spent a good part of our time walking the perimeter of the compound and just laying around in the sun on the nicer days of summer. We all awaited the world news hoping to hear that the Allies had landed in Europe. (more)   The Russians are Coming But Russia was a threat. The major offensive they launched in May put them close enough that by July 1944 orders were received to evacuate the camp. All the prisoners were marched about five miles to the seaport of Konigsberg and loaded into the holds of two freighter ships. (more)   Run for Your Life Looking down the track toward the front of the train I could see that several guards were gathered and getting a lecture from an officer who represented the camp we were to walk to. All the POW's were marched onto a road beside the tracks and then the Haupman (Captain) in charge took his pistol and fired four or five shots into the air to stir up the guards, which it did. We were told to run. (more)   Another New Home We finally reached the new camp, Stalag Luft IV, in a lather and with nothing except the clothes on our backs. Some POW's estimated we had run 5 miles, others estimated 5 kilometers. I would guess that 5 kilometers (3 miles) as close to right. (more)   The Russians are Coming Again Late in January 1945 the camp commander announced that the camp would be evacuated in a week and we should be prepared to walk out of the camp and be on the road for several days. There wasn't much we could do to prepare except to save some food to take with us. (more)   Clothes from Home Thank goodness I had two pairs of mother's hand knit socks that I alternated daily. The unused pair was carried under the pants belt inside the trousers to dry. They never wore out and I never had a blister.(more)   The Longest Day One day we walked from 7 in the morning to 10 at night in almost constant rain. Our wool overcoats absorbed the rainwater, especially in the shoulders and arms until they felt like they had gained 20 pounds. (more)   Sick Call By this time many men had developed dysentery and in a few days they were too weak to walk. Bill and I were in that group. Somehow the guards rounded up some horse drawn wagons. A single badly emaciated horse drew the wagon we were in. (more)   A View from Inside Germany The German government had betrayed their country by throwing it into a series of wars that made no sense and which they couldn't win. The cities, railroads, and factories were being bombed relentlessly by huge formations of allied bombers that we saw flying high overhead almost daily. (more)   A View of Hamburg Next we were loaded into boxcars and transported 50 or 60 miles westward. On the way the train passed through the heart of Hamburg and came to a stop on a section of track that was elevated about 50 feet above street level. We were allowed out to relieve ourselves. The sight before me was one I can never forget. (more)   A Grave Mistake The column moved east, toward the Russians, past Luneburg, looking down on the beautiful old town. About a mile and a half ahead was a column of British POW's that came into sight every now and then as we both moved through the hilly countryside. Two Hawker-Hurricane fighter/bombers made several passes at the road far ahead of us. (more)     A Close Call Only a few days later we were reasonably comfortable in a large barnyard that had a small air raid shelter dug into the ground. Next to the barnyard were large fields. Close to us was a tall haystack that was much larger than any had seen before. (more)   The Elbe River My column had already crossed the Elbe from East to West and now we were crossing it again. Evidently the British were more of a threat than the Russians. We were on the eastern side of the Elbe moving only short distances each day. Up to this time we seldom saw an officer in charge of the guards. (more)   Spring is Here It was well into April now and some days were very warm. As we slogged along in woolen clothes carrying a pack, two blankets, and an overcoat it was difficult to believe that we would need all these clothes and blankets. Some men discarded an overcoat or blanket by the side of the road. (more)   The Air is Charged Some of the guys were now returning from the village up the road with an assortment of food they had gotten from a warehouse that had opened to the public. So Bill and I left the cheese and walked quickly into the village. There was no problem finding the warehouse as it was the only building that had anyone around it. (more)   Tea Time They shared their tea with us and we sat and talked while sipping it. The Captain in charge told us he couldn't stay with us since he had to continue pressing the retreating German forces. He told us to walk four miles down the road where we would find a reception area for liberated POWs. One of the British soldiers told us that his outfit was a Signal Company, a unit of the Royal 2nd Dragoons. (more)   Germans Surrendering in Numbers We reached the reception area that was only a crossroads with a few British soldiers who were receiving individuals and small groups of surrendering Germans. The Germans put their guns in a pile and would gladly give us any insignia or metals we asked for. (more)   Homeward Bound The next morning a small group of us assembled on the road and walked to a British encampment that had been setup to care for liberated POW's until they could be flown to England. Beside the camp was an airstrip where B17 Bombers were to land and act as transports. (more)   Out of Germany We passed out of Germany into Holland. Holland had been heavily damaged in the recent fighting and bodies must have still been buried in the rubble of destroyed buildings as the sickening odor of decay was ever present. (more)   Camp Lucky Strike After spending one night in the ancient barracks we joined a group and were driven to Camp Lucky Strike near Le Harve on the coast of France. Lucky Strike was a huge staging area for returning troops and liberated POW's. The food was great, no comparison to what my crew had been offered in North Africa. We all took seconds and put on noticeable weight. (more)   A Ship Home Finally a ship arrived and about 1500 returning men were loaded onto her. She was a Navy troop transport that had been an Italian luxury liner, the Contessa. It was in Philadelphia undergoing repairs when Italy declared war on the US. It was confiscated and turned over to the Navy. Bunks had been added in every conceivable place including the swimming pool. (more)   A Train to Miami Beach Then in August 1945 I was ordered to Miami Beach for rest and recuperation. A luxury air-conditioned train took me to Miami in late August. Passengers alighted from the train in an open area away from the terminal building. When I stepped out of the railcar I was nearly overcome by the heat. (more)   At the suggestion of my commanding officer I checked into the military hospital at Coral Gables, the old Coral Gables Hotel. I was there about ten days being examined, x-rayed, and had minor surgery to remove a piece of shrapnel from the left wrist. The surgeon didn't advise any attempt to remove the shrapnel from my left knee. He said leave well enough alone since I could walk on it. On October 5th, after enjoying a grand vacation in the Miami area, I was issued my discharge papers. I bought my first civilian outfit in nearly four years at a fine men's store in downtown Miami. The next day I changed into my new outfit and took a train home.   Fifty-three Years Later (more) Experiences of Donald J. Lewis while a crewmember of a US Army Air Force B17 Bomber during WWII   How it Started It all got started when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Most of the young fellows that I knew had already agreed that if the country went to war we would enlist in one of the armed services. So late in December 1941 I enlisted in the Army, and a little later Jack Richards in the Navy, Tiny Menne in the Marine Corps, and Dick La Vey in the Army. Dick Murray was crippled with bursitis of the knee. About a year later Tom Brown was drafted into the Army. So all my closest friends were in the armed services early in the war.   We were all good friends, having paled around together for several years.  Jack was my best friend.  We both attended  Germantown High School at the same time but never had a class together.  We met by a stroke of extraordinary good luck.  I was walking home from the Mount Airy library reading a book on model airplanes as I walked when Jack approached from the opposite direction and saw what I was reading. He engaged me in conversation about model airplanes and it was obvious that we had a lot in common. I had only recently moved into the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia from Jarrettown, a rural area about ten miles north of the city and had yet to make many friends. We immediately had a strong attraction and became good friends spending most of our free time together.  It was through Jack that I met all the others in the gang.  Strangely none of us corresponded during the war.  I wrote home, of course, and many times to a girl I was dating but she never replied.  At first this upset me but when I got to Denver in March 1942 I soon all but forgot her.  Tiny told me he had the same experience with his girlfriend but nonetheless he married her soon after the war.(back)   Into the Army  My day of induction was January 5,1942 and I went by train that day to New Cumberland Barracks near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for processing. Based on tests given there I was assigned to the Army Air Corps.  From there to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri for basic training, which was a waste of time.  More tests and a choice of technical schools were offered and I chose Aircraft Armorer over Aircraft Mechanic, Radio Operator, and Photography.  Jefferson Barracks was next to the Mississippi River, cold and raw in January and February.  We lived in tents and slept on a canvas cot with a thin mattress and two blankets.  There were four men to a tent, which had a small wood-burning stove for heat. Without adding wood the fire would go out in about an hour, so when we woke up in the morning the tent was the same temperature as outside.  It was a blessing to all of us in the tent that one of them was a coal miner from Scranton, Pennsylvania who liked to get up early and build a nice fire in the stove before we got up. In addition he was an exceptionally likeable guy.  I can’t remember his name but at the time I loved him dearly.(back)   Aircraft Armament School After about six weeks of so-called basic training I went by train to Lowry Field near Denver, Colorado to attend Aircraft Armament School. The trip was an exciting experience for me as I had never been west of Pennsylvania.  The train took its time, stopping or at least slowing down in nearly every town.  I had never seen an unpaved street in a town but these towns had many unpaved streets; at least the ones I could see from the railroad car.   It took 48 hours of train travel to reach Denver late at night.  The next morning when I got up a friend called to me to come to the second floor door that faced west.   There were the Rocky Mountains, so close it seemed you could almost touch them.  What a glorious sight for someone who had never laid eyes on a mountain over 2000 feet.  Since it was Sunday and we had the day off I suggested that we walk to the mountains after breakfast because they couldn't be more than three miles away.  My friend told me they were actually 35 miles away, and he was right.   Lowery was an old base, as Air Corps bases went in those days, with well-established handsome brick building for classrooms.  The armorer course of study had been 18 weeks, but was compressed to 12 week, which meant we were in classes eight hours a day, six days a week.