Ball Turret Gunner Crushed-WWII The Ultimate Sacrifice

The Harrowing Tale of a WWII Ball Turret Gunner. The account of a B-17 belly gunner who faced a perilous fate during an emergency landing. Discover the dangers and sacrifices endured by these brave individuals in one of the most treacherous roles of World War II. Uncover the heart-wrenching decision made by the pilot that forever altered the lives of those on board.
#shorts #WWII #WarStories #AviationHistory #BallTurretGunner #WorldWarTwo #B17FlyingFortress #MilitaryHistory #HeroesOfWar #Sacrifice #Courage #Warfare #TragicStory #EmergencyLanding #WarMemories #HistoricalAccounts

[@romanator_907]

This was the only case in which the gunner was still alive, this has happened before but the gunners were shot to hell long before landing.

[@StarryNight007]

what? Are you trying to say all the gunners who took off only this guy came back. Rubbish mate, Many took off, and many landed back safely. Not as many as took off but you get the idea.

[@what_in_the_world3672]

​@StarryNight007 that's not what he's saying. He's saying in other incidents when the ball current was stuck/jammed in position, or landing gear failure. Similar cases like this, the gunner was already dead compared to being alive

[@zillajratomicray]

Calling a death as gruesome and unnatural as this one a “poignant reminder” is darkly hilarious

[@MadeYaMad]

as if you could forget the hell that is war

[@dreamersdisease2481]

What a nightmare for both the turret and pilot and then to have that on your conscience.

[@evergreengaming2.053]

Markiplier: "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Me: True, but still 💀

[@squashiy]

I heard it from HTTYD but yes.

[@ernesthofmeister3054]

This is a film clip from the movie 12 O'clock High from 1949.....

[@xtr3m3fLx]

And the turret was dropped in flight before bellying it, as were 99 percent of all failed turrets. Belly landing on the ball rarely happened as it would cause the air frame to hump and break apart upon landing. This is a hardly known fact.

[@re2590]

@@xtr3m3fLxso basically you are saying every ball gunner that wasn't shot, got dropped to their death?

[@0-purple-0]

@@re2590no, the ball turret had a door to the inside so they could go back into the plane

[@georgepetrie5765]

That's tragic, I hope his death was worth it and the crew completed their missions and got back home.

[@basketballadigonzalez5561]

No death is worth it in war

[@FoxHoundVIP]

The turret could retract back inside. You can see that the ball turret was not showing when it landed

[@Dougal74577]

I am not sitting in no Ball turret shooting.. You can sit there, I am not. This is suicide.

[@barrywhitley2535]

Research done on this story proves it to be untrue. The only ball turret gunner killed by crushing was when two B17s collided and landed stuck together.

[@closkycz9721]

Ummmmm.....actually the gunner can eject the ball turret and get to the middle section of the plane (in case of emergency) and if you look closely you can see the turret ejected because that is what they did every emergency landing. I don't want to hate or something but ball turret was one of the safest gunner spots the waist gunners was the worst ...

[@joshwastaken.]

There was an inside hatch for B-17 ball turret gunners.

[@conman123yolo7]

You couldnt go through it unless the ball turret was lined up in a very specific way otherwise you were stuck

[@BrianZ-27]

I read about this in masters of the air book

[@dustyflair]

Ive flown on a B17. He climbed in, he could climb out. It took a few minutes but.....

[@MadeYaMad]

the hatch was jammed, and they can drop the turret with a parachute but it was also not working.

[@Tyler-nh6oy]

@@MadeYaMadexcept the hatch wasn’t jammed, and this never happened. This video is an outright lie.

[@briandeel980]

I don't understand why he wasn't able to get back into the belly of the plane.

[@pfwd]

The hatch that releases him was jammed.

[@lesco09418]

Why couldn't he just climb up out of it real quick?

[@pfwd]

The hatch was jammed and impossible to open. The ball can be ejected with a parachute or even retracted, but it was all damaged and nothing worked.

[@jameswilkie8321]

​@@pfwd wow that's an impossible decision

[@georgielancaster1356]

Nothing worked. Even the emergency winder was broken. The ball could not be turned. He could not stay up because he was close to no fuel, and if that happened, the plane would crash land, anyway - and all crew could be killed. I think there is audio of this unthinkable tragedy. The pilot's voice so desperate, begging someone to give him an answer that could save his friend.

[@georgielancaster1356]

​@@jameswilkie8321Sadly, it isn't. His gunner could only live whilst they were flying. He was out of fuel and could fall out of the sky, at any point. If that happened, maybe everybody would die, but the belly gunner would still end up killed.

[@cameronward6276]

​@@pfwdthat is what i call fate

[@kenw9681]

What was his name?

[@jimleffler7976]

Ive heard there's no evidence of that. Friggin awful if its true

[@wagnergoncalves2815]

That is not human!

[@marissaann9034]

They would get out off they had to crash land and they are not in the ball turret when they land even with landing gear

[@jdffilms2353]

Ball turret gunners have never been crushed? This is just a lie

[@AntlerAssassinTakovich]

Why didn’t he just climb back into the aircraft? Story doesn’t make a lot of sense

[@pfwd]

There are many options for the belly gunner to escape. The hatch, retraction of the ball, and ejection of the ball and deployment of the parachute. Since the plane was badly damaged and the ball had multiple direct hits. All mechanisms were damaged and inoperable.

[@georgielancaster1356]

As well, the plane was low on fuel, they had flown about, trying to find someone who had a magic answer. That did not come. If they flew until fuel ran out, all could die. The belly gunner a guaranteed death. The only decision was clear, but was going to destroy the psyches of those who survived. I believe the audio of the pilot begging for an answer to save his friend has been available. Don't know if it still is - don't know if it was this individual occasion. I would suspect it might have happened more than once. I just remember not feeling I could keep listening.

[@jerryfrost7639]

He cant,you enter from the outside while on the ground.

[@timothypeters9915]

​@@jerryfrost7639 Not true some were designed retractable and could be entered and exited in the aircraft

[@user-cb9je6oj7u]

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13) The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psalms 34:18)