The Rear Gunner (1943)

National Archives and Records Administration - ARC Identifier 2769 / Local Identifier 18-AF-100 - THE REAR GUNNER - War Department. Army Air Forces. (06/20/1941 - 09/26/1947). Dramatizes the training and experience of a rear gunner. Details of training includes classroom instruction, turret familiarization, skeet firing, towed target practice, night firing, and aerial gunnery practice. He downs one plane on his first mission and later mans his gun and gets another enemy plane that is strafing his abandoned bomber. He is awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. -

[@0708Kirkrogers]

My dad was 19 years old when he went through gunnery school in Texas. A couple days after graduation he came down with an ear infection so he couldn’t ship out to Europe with his classmates where they all manned guns in bombers over Europe. After his infection cleared up they just dropped him back into the next class that was just starting. When that class was complete dad was the best shot (having been through the training twice now), so, they made him an instructor in Texas and he never shipped out to Europe. Over the years after the war dad learned that every member of his original class had died in air combat over Europe. He would never accept any praise for his contribution to WWII and never forgave himself. And I’m alive today because of a minor ear infection.

[@followthesapper324]

The universe is a strange thing. I'm glad you were born

[@johninnh4880]

Survivors syndrome. Many of us have it.

[@HungryWanderer86]

My grandpa was a tail gunner on a B24, his plane got taken down on France, he spent 2 years as POW on a Stalag and he survived, he was the toughest guy I've ever met, he walked out of car crashes like nothing...it's such an honor for me to be his grandson.

[@evilsnowman3231]

"he was the toughest guy I've ever met, he walked out of car crashes like nothing.." Did he have so much car crashes? I mean, was he such a lousy driver?

[@HungryWanderer86]

@@evilsnowman3231 Unfortunately he was an alcoholic, and yes he had multiple car accidents.

[@evilsnowman3231]

@@HungryWanderer86 I am sorry to hear that.

[@daniellinehan63]

Hero

[@karenmegert5872]

Wow!!! Such an amazing story. My grandfather was a gunner on the Lancaster.

[@swc3717]

My grandfather was a tail gunner back in WW2. I never got to meet him, as he died 12 years before I was born. They truly were the greatest generation. RIP to all former service members and thank you for serving.

[@jdrive14]

My grandfather was a tail gunner in WWII. 27 missions all over France and Germany at only 18 years old ! Just passed away this past year.

[@user-it8re8jv2l]

​@@user-rx3xr1cg9dGod bless you and your father

[@BatAtTarkov]

I'm so glad I found this gem. Incredible to see Penguin and Reagan together in a film nearly a century old

[@daniellinehan63]

And Robert Ryan

[@mikegoff7506]

We're a bunch of old guys recognizing these actors when they were young whippersnappers

[@BatAtTarkov]

@@mikegoff7506 Hate to break it to ya Mike but I was 20 when I made that comment. 24 now and even more... "cultured"

[@thebruce9042]

I'm writing this on Veterans Day,2018. Also my fathers birthday.If he were still alive,he would be 107. He enlisted in 1942,and was honorably discharged in 1946.He was a member of the 10th Army,96th Infantry division of the US Army,and participated in the invasion,and Battle of Okinawa,and later,in the initial occupying forces in Japan. He would never talk about the war,and the few stories he would ever tell about his time in the army never had anything to do with shooting at the enemy,or being shot at. After researching the Battle of Okinawa,I can understand why he would not want to think about it,let alone talk about it. I only found out about his war record after his death. Most of The Greatest Generation are gone now. God bless them all for what they did.

[@MrRexdale71]

My Dad was a US Navy Hospital Corpsman.He served from 1943 to 1946.His first action was at Tarawa.He participated in all the major battles right up until peace was declared.He was a fairly small guy,and said the Marines he served with always took good care of him.He didn't talk much about the war until much later in his life.Too many bad memories.

[@BrandonTran]

I have an uncle named Bruce and my Grandfather was enlisted around this time as well. Indeed they were part of The Greatest Generation. The world was in chaos and they willingly signed up to shut down the most evil humans this planet has ever known. It's unfathomable to the traumatic events they experienced while upwards of 80 million people died. That's hard for me to even grasp. My dad served as an Air Force pilot and I served 10 years as well. God bless all who signed up to defend our nation and God Bless America. Thanks Grandpa Lachney, you are forever in our hearts. Salute.

[@oncydium]

Amen.

[@daniellinehan63]

They saved our Nation

[@randygerman2176]

My father-law was awarded the Navy Cross while flying as a tail gunner in a B-24 for his part in helping to sink a Japanese sub. He told me that his advantage as a gunner was he grew up hunting and knew how to lead a target naturally. He was willing to talk of his experience but only if asked and the sad thing is I was the only one who seemed to care enough to ask. I wish we still had him around because he was such a kind man and would like to hear more of his experiences like running off the end of runway and crashing in the water.

[@catdaddy3302]

My father in law lied about his age and joined at age 16. By age 18, he was a seasoned tail gunner flying missions all over Europe. He was much a man!

[@jesteele1948]

Thanks for retrieving this from history. My dad told me he was in the film, and thanks to you I found him, At 18:52, the pilot sitting next to Reagan. I've shared this with family. If anyone cares to add further documentation, he was Lt. Jack Silverstein, from Brooklyn, NY, later changed his name to John Steele. .

[@hunterwilliams284]

18:52 there’s a link

[@gvs5318]

I bet that 2 second visual brought back fond memories for those that knew your dad

[@waynestead1943]

Should’ve changed it balls’o Steele

[@kendavid891]

My family is was in the forces.btw I lived close to Brooklyn!!

[@gjsilvano]

That's so cool, you're father in a military film sitting next to Ronald Reagan, it's something that you and your entire family will always cherish. God bless, and stay safe.

[@sambeach2726]

When I was about 19 my landlady told me her nephew has been a tail gunner in the RAAF . He was lost over Germany and had no grave. He was 19, same age as me. Makes you think.

[@nuclearthreat545]

RIP to a lot of those guys, this job was deadly and there was no getting out of those planes when they dive

[@thomastamir7109]

My dad was the top turret gunner. He was wounded. No doc until they got home. I'm glad he made it back.

[@johnbockelie3899]

Can't miss with the Penguin and an ex actor/ Governor / US president Ronald Reagan. Both in the same movie. One a real crook, the other out of Batman Comics." Waaah Waaah Waaa, Batman!."

[@susanwaugh3885]

My grandads brother was an air gunner for the Royal Air Force and his plane was shot down over sterkrade Germany on his 21st Birthday on 17th June 1944.

[@thunderbird1921]

@@susanwaugh3885 Man, what a nasty birthday present. Landing in enemy territory.

[@tboniusmaximus3047]

I just listened to a story if a guy who half hooked his chute on, accidentally pulled the rip cord instead of a carry handle, dragged his open chute to get out, the plane broke in half, he blacked out and somehow the chute opened and pulled him out of the tail as it fell

[@ushiemayna]

Grandpa had 42 missions as a tail gunner in the B-24 Liberator when he was only 18 years old, in the Mediterranean theatre. He was wounded twice giving him the Purple Heart with an oak leaf cluster, was frostbitten 4 times; his valour earned him the Air Medal with 8 oak leaf clusters,3 wings,and a bunch of ribbons with many oak leaf clusters. His plane was shot down with only a few surviving the crash he wounded and could of been relieved of duty. Instead, after recovering from his wounds he went right back into battle. I thank him and all the veterans for his/their bravery and service.

[@oldmillrd1506]

My uncle was a tail gunner in the pacific on a b-25 . I have a ring he made from the metal of a Japanese zero. He didn’t talk about the war much but every year after the war ended he met up with as many of his old crew as he could.

[@gocolts82]

That look on your face when you find out Burgess Meredith was 35 years old in this. o_0

[@fernandochavez4312]

As a young man, I had the very great honor of knowing two men who were tail gunners. Neither ever talked about it. Thanks.

[@007ElSenor]

My uncle was a belly ball turret gunner on a B-17 and later B-24, flew 50 missions.

[@drspaseebo410]

That's some kinda staying strength !

[@davidvance6367]

Vincent Gonzales, during bombing runs when they were having 300 airplane raids over Germany. Since the bombers had very little ammunition to start with. Why didn't they send bombers within the formation with only ammunition to protect the bombers that are loaded with bombs. Place bombers with ammo only in ranks with loaded bombers. German fighter pilots would never know which bomber had ammunition only. Probably would have been a good way to protect the bomber formations

[@eshaanbidarakoppa5738]

David Vance they eventually did that with smaller p47s and mustangs, but you’re on to something. Maybe it was considered a waste of material?

[@trumanhw]

​@@davidvance6367 So would flying night missions ... In fact, ignoring the technological advantages of a nighttime operation may have singlehandedly caused the fiasco in Mogadishu in 1993 (Black Hawks)

[@MPT1983]

@@davidvance6367 They did, the B17 YB-40 gunship, basically a B17 with extra turrets and twin 50 calibre guns attached. Problem was with the extra armament and ammunition it has heavier than a fully bombed up B17. This made it harder to keep up with the formation, especially after the bombs were dropped.

[@Kinseydsp]

My Father Clarence Ziegler was a B-29 tail Gunner and flew the the first four missions over the hump in the B-29 Smokey Stover from Chakulia India. He enlisted at age 17 before Pearl Harbor! I always think of his bravery.

[@surearrow]

Dang, that Zero followed them all the way to Arizona!

[@josephfitzhenry245]

Big fuel tanks.

No, California. That's the Mojave.

[@waynerainey2606]

he got lost looking for area 51

[@agwhitaker]

I didn't know the Mitsubishi A6M Zero had a tail gunner.

[@kosjeyr]

I served in the USAF from 2009 - 2012, medically discharged, wanted to be a Lifer. Before that my dad got me hooked on the Rocky movies and Burgess Meredith (Mickey, Rocky's coach) was my favorite actor/character in them. Little did I know back then that he was in the USAAF from 1942 - 1945, Enlisted and ended up as a Captain. Thank you for your Service!

[@SSGamesSierra61Actual]

I knew that was Ole Mick

[@paulmiddleton4215]

my favorite movie roles for BM came from the "grumpy old Men" and sequel. he was the dad of the Grumpy old man[jack lemon] another role BM did admirably was the portrayal of "Ernie Pyle war correspondent during the north africa and italian campaigns

[@rob5944]

My father and his dear friend Tom Berry (who's picture I discovered years later as a child) volunteered as rear gunners in the RAF and needless to say my grandparents went mad when he told them. His mate passed the selection test, dad didn't. Sadly he was killed, whereas my old man survived the war and went on to have me. Apparently he couldn't hold his breath long enough, possibly due to being a smoker I guess. So the story must be one of the rare instances of cigarettes actually being good for you!

[@dennisbellinger333]

My high school music teacher Mr. C.L. Bergman had a slight case of polio in one of his ankles. So they brought him into the service as a tail gunner. He sang the song to us a couple of times. It went something like "If you think that you've got it bad well you could be a tail gunner". He was my favorite teacher. and he really cared about us students. Having been a musician for most of my life I have alot to thank him for. May God bless his memory

[@NVTrucker]

That was remarkable flying after they were hit. They flew all the way from the South Pacific to the high desert in California. Amazing.

[@stuksy4321]

+NVTrucker They are the Greatest Generation after all! : )

[@chrisgrant7026]

Yeah, those Libs had legs!

[@kenknerr7226]

And the Japanese fighter followed them the whole way. Massive fuel tanks.

[@__WJK__]

@@kenknerr7226 - Secret invisible pod tanks(!)

[@normdoty]

whats even better the waist gunners were in tear shaped pods which are on PBY aircraft not the mitchel's. or any of the 4 engine bombers..

[@martinwhipkey9343]

My grandfather joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 and was a tail gunner the rest of the war. I can only image that he was shown this when he joined.

[@johnwakamatsu3391]

I worked with someone who was a tail gunner in a B24 during WWII. He flew in the Pacific theater and was I think in his leg. He used to celebrate December 7th with a cake and realized that I worked with many veterans who served in WWII, Korean War and in Vietnam. In fact, almost all of my co-workers served in the military except me and used to listen to their war stories. My father fought in the US Army during WWII in Italy and in France against the German Army. He wanted to fly fighter planes but, Japanese Americans were not allowed to fly during WWII and were sent to either the army or military intelligence units. I saw a photo of a Japanese American US Army Air Force pilot in front of a P40 fighter before WWII but, he was not able to fly after the war started. I like this type of training movie and most soldiers never thought about the dangers of war until they arrived at the battlefield. I always thank veterans for their service to our country and it did not make a difference if they saw combat or not because being in the military is never easy.

[@Cornelius798]

My dad was a tail gunner, B-24 Liberator. He was stationed in Italy and flew 35 missions.

[@paulmowery5326]

My father is a living WWII veteran. He was drafted and landed on Omaha beach on Jun 6 1944. When he was drafted and reported to the induction center, the officer in charge took him and several other short guys(my dads about 5'6" tall) and asked if they'd like to be ball turret gunners. They all asked what that was and the officer show'd them a picture of the ball turret position on a B17. My dad told him to go to hell and put him in the infantry. I've asked him if he ever regretted his decision. He's always told me HELL NO!!! He said at least on the ground, he could dig a hole. In the air your ass is hanging out for everybody to shoot at.

[@DauntlessEagle1776]

Paul, you should be proud of your dad. I am sure you are. I had an UNCLE CLIFFORD (from NJ) on the same beach that same day as your father ... and he was in the Battle of the Bulge too. I also had 7 other relatives in this war. Most were Navy and Marines. One ARMY .. my Grandfather. I served in the USAF for 20 years and worked in Baghdad (2004-2011) for the US ARMY for 7 years when I discovered something. I asked myself. "HOW IS IT THE USA can help defeat 3 AXIS powers in 4 years yet we were still entangled in IRAQ in 2009. I began my search for the truth. Follow the money and you find the SNAKE or Root of all Evil, the wars, the depressions, world economies busted. Paul, did you ever think of this? Is there a Connection? JUNE 6, 6:30AM they stormed those beaches? 6 month - 6 Day - 6AM??? Does this mean something? I am not very religious. Really I am not. But maybe THEY DO? And they their twisted and corrupted Heads to Kill the rest of us for their PROFITS. Diabolical isn't it? But? WTF? 6-6-6??? Is there a connection with 9-11 too? Bankers and nefarious men run this world for the past 300 years and all wars are "CREATED" by them for their profits and keep the rest of us chained to Debt they created. And if any US President was going to do something about getting rid of the WORLD CENTRAL BANK Mafia in their countries .. and have real freedom again... they were all assassinated. RIGHT? And now 86 families (.001 %) own 40% of the worlds wealth and control our jobs, our politicians and OWN us indirectly. And 1 % of people on earth own HALF the worlds wealth. That means 1 % have assets over 2.7 Million dollars each. How did this happen and how is this possible in a western world that is supposed to be FREE? Remember, Switzerland is the Monetary Center of the world. What does this mean to us???? These Bankers were the main backers of Hitler. That is why Switzerland is NEVER invaded all these years. They finance these wars. Both sides. AXIS and the ALLIES. And you can never investigate their books or the FED or the London financial or Vatican as well. SO who owns the world? 3 City states exist. Research what a city state is. LONDON, Vatican, and DC. Want to know the real reason your father was forced to fight in WW2? (and WW1)? Start here, Imagine England uses all other nations to fight their wars as their "ALLIES" to freedom? or our Enslavement to their WORLD DEBTOR BANKING SYSTEM? . They use Blackmail, assassination, and cause Market Crashes and crush job markets to maintain control of YOU and your kids.... forever. Need Proof? "Should Germany merchandise (do business) again in the next 50 years we have led this war (WW1) in vain." - Winston Churchill in The Times (1919) "We will force this war upon Hitler, if he wants it or not." - Winston Churchill (1936 broadcast) "Germany becomes too powerful. We have to crush it." - Winston Churchill (November 1936 speaking to US - General Robert E. Wood) "This war is an English war and its goal is the destruction of Germany." - Winston Churchill (- Autumn 1939 broadcast) "The war wasn't only about abolishing fascism, but to conquer sales markets. We could have, if we had intended so, prevented this war from breaking out without doing one shot, but we didn't want to."- Winston Churchill to Truman (Fultun, USA March 1946) You TUBE these for info if you care.... to know the real reason WW1 and WW2 were started. Who really owns the FED (since 1913) and why are we being forced to pay 4 months of our labor each year as TRIBUTE to them like they OWN us? 1.) Benjamin H. Freedman 1961 speech 2.) This Terrifying Repeated Warning Given to us by Many Past Presidents Will Rattle You to the Core 3.) War Is A Racket By Major General Smedley Butler

[@Bikerbloke99]

DauntlessEagle1776 Bit off topic from turret gunners but a VERY Interesting read nonetheless. Thank you very much for posting it. Going to have a bit of a dig about this myself now.

[@DauntlessEagle1776]

Bikerbloke99 Try this You TUBE (Radio Show) ALL WARS ARE BANKER WARS. If you need more point blank info. It is here on You Tube and on the NET. I been Researching this 5000 year fraud for 8 years. I started in Baghdad. I was almost killed 7 times there and the war was not ending. I wanted to know why.... Then I remembered another Radio Show. If you want to get down to the truth... who profits and who loses? Follow the money.... and I followed it up to the gates of LONDON. If you have 30 minutes review these three short takes on our world slavery…. Did you know? The Queen of England closed Canada’s Parliament three times in the past 5 years? HERE… is some info… and a history. Australia too….is involved. The USA is so corrupt the queen doesn’t bother us anymore because they are working for her in perfect order. Bit we are all told the QUEEN has no Power and is just a figure head. ( A GERMAN QUEEN at that - Fake but thieves right? How is it they got away with changing their name in 1917 fro Saxe-Gotha to Windsor? We all must be fools. It may be a clue they all are connected. Our nations are fighting each other but the game is rigged. They already know who will win and who will die perhaps??? I am not sure. I am not GOD but if I am assassinated... LOL... I might have been right. Better dead then serving this Den of Vipers - AGAIN. Queen dissolves Canadian Parliament for third time in 3 years www.blacklistednews.com/?news_id=13356 YOU TUBE these for fast answers ... for the truth for once. The Crown Corporation British Monarchy is a corporation / US is a Corporation not a Country 233 Jordan Maxwell All Capital Letters = Corporate 2 min I hate slavery and I discovered all my life I UNKNOWINGLY was working to put you and your family into bondage to a banking cartel. But you NEVER knew it either Good Luck Bloke, but you know... people, especially in England and Australia think I am a "MAD HATTER". But I am not! I just hate Liars.... and all OUR lives we have been lied to. It makes sense now. The world is run by a BANKER-DRUG Crime syndicate. And we are unwittingly their slaves working for them. We do this by our consent but that is because we cannot see outside the Prison we built for ourselves while serving the BANKER CABAL.... Next? Who runs the Bankers??? Who is the TOP DICK of our Planet? Captain Bligh??? I used "TOP DICK" because there are symbols all around the world... In Egypt, in London, In Rome, in DC too. In Switzerland... The Obelisks are Symbols of their Authority over the HERD.

[@kukluxkarl159]

My Granduncle was in africa, my Great-Grandfather in stalingrad and my Grandfather in the Volksturm. No SS all of them Wehrmacht.

[@daleburrell6273]

+Ku Klux Karl But they were ALL Huns-!

[@jonny2956]

My father, a Navigator/bombardier. Served in the 24-Liberator (Long Rangers) 1941-44. 29-Superfortress over Japan 1945. His service included: Strategic Air Command. Korea, Vietnam & Cuba. B-47, B-52 and SR-71 Retirement in 1969. RIP Col.

[@jackgandolfo1328]

The Lockheed SR-71, aka the "Blackbird", is a supersonic spy plane. No crew, only a pilot.

[@jamesrather7170]

@@jackgandolfo1328 Crew of 2; Pilot, and Reconnaissance System Officer

[@peterwisk6797]

@@jackgandolfo1328 The U2 had a single seat if that's correct where the Blackbird did indeed have two crew configurations.

[@2terribletoads631]

There's a fascinating book called Guns in the Sky that details the history of the Air Gunner. Absolutely amazing what these guys endured in both WWI and WWII.

[@johnfrancis2215]

Our RAF rear gunners were nicknamed tail end Charlies, I worked with a chap in the 60s who was one, he told me how it was the most dangerous position in the bomber he said a lot had to be hosed out of what was left of the turret as they'd took the brunt of the German night fighters cannon and machine guns

[@larrytischler8769]

I had a co-worker in the 70's that had been a rear gunner on a torpedo bomber at age 17 in 1944. My mother's brother, also 17, was a gunner on a LST at Leyte Gulf. He got a Japanese plane there.He started on the Saipan invasion. He also did duty in the crow's nest and on deck spotting small boats and swimmers covered with debris, trying to attach mines and explosives to their ship. Farm boys learned straight to shoot to eat in the depression.

[@lappilappland3708]

Oh...! Then he maybe flew sometims also with the famous "Black Sheeps" of "Papa" Greg Bowington. The VMA 214. Also known by the TV Series. They where not so far away in Guadacanal. about 400 km away.

[@roberthartshorn5285]

My father was a tail gunner in a B 25 . Shot down, tortured, but survived.

[@tacticalmattfoley]

This is a gem. President Regan and Burgess Meredith in a Army Air Corps film? Wow.

[@vet6822]

anyone that was a gunner on a ww2 bomber deserved to be decorated for bravery. they had a very high loss % rate. they were really part of the greatest generation.

[@RivetGardener]

From what I have read and understand, the casualty rate for fliers of all jobs in the 8th Air Force as a percentage, exceeded the casualty rate of the infantry in WW2!

[@maryl.alexander8742]

My father was a tailgunner in WWII with the 7th Bomber Group in B24. His favorite B24 was Texas Kate. He also was an aerial photographer and received a bronze metal. Daddy survived the war unhurt. Truly a hero and a wonderful man.

[@darrylfreeman3512]

My father earned a medal for marksmanship as a tail gunner while stationed in the Philippine islands. Lived to tell the story of ww2, but never spoke of it! The great ones never do.

[@jimmyt9345]

Thank you for sharing that. I was watching this thinking of my Dad. He may have spent some time with your father. He was also a rear gunner and served in the Philippine Islands . He shared very little of his experience as well. He passed the day after Christmas 2009 and I miss him every day. He was my hero and best friend. I salute both of our fathers..

[@bizzzzzzle]

I can’t believe this, it’s like this is a bio pic of my grandpa. Army Air Corp Airplane Mechanic recruited mid war to be a bubble gunner because of his height and knowledge of the plane, enticed with getting his wings.

[@followthesapper324]

I was a cop in western australia in about 2014. I went to a job at an address that had got burgled and I noticed a framed collection on the ladys wall. It was a Victoria Cross and photos of a man in uniform, standing by Hudson i think bombers. Her father had won it while fighting in the RAF in ww2. I cant remember his name but she gave me a book on him. I also just only a couple months ago met an old lady who's dad was at gallipoli. It's such a treat meeting people like this, they're like living history for me

[@coollasice4175]

It's a damn shame that *The Penguin* later used his govt. training to lead a life of crime.

[@flyingscotsman1923]

Just goes to show, crime really does pay!

[@flyingscotsman1923]

Unless you swap the left hand seat for the presidency. (RR)

[@naguibzidan8991]

Lmfao

[@kevinwilliams3668]

LOL very well stated !!!

[@MartianStories]

My grandad was a Rear Gunner in WWII over Germany. "Short in stature, long on ambition..." Boy, they sure got that one right! After the war he started several businesses (with my other grandfather, who was a Marine in the Pacific Theater) and even ran for office. And was that Reagan as the Fortress pilot? Thank you for posting, NukeVault. You always have the coolest genuine vintage stuff.

[@7Steveski]

Yes that was Ronal Reagan in the B-24.

[@marka5478]

One of my uncles was a gunner on B-24s. He trained at Tonapah NV.

[@525Lines]

The expression The Whole Nine Yards comes from the gunners. All their ammo was in a 9 yard belt.

[@525Lines]

I thought that one was a bit too well known but I just put that out there for the others who didn't know that. It's a kewl fact.

[@carpetmonk]

how many rounds per belt?

[@YDDES]

Thanks! As an European, I didn't know that!

[@jhardycarroll]

Yeah, that's not true. The expression predates WW2 by thirty years, cropping up in the 1910s papers as "the whole six yards." Gunners did not measure the amount of firepower by the ammo belts. Ammunition in a B-17 was restricted by weight, with each of the twelve guns being allotted 500 rounds. They would sometimes try to get more in, but that was rare. The fighting was sporadic, terrifying, and brutally uncomfortable. Rubber masks with smelly oxygen iced over in the -30 gales howling through the plane, the FW-190 and Messerschmitt fighters able to fire cannon from distances far outside of the .50's range. It was not at all like the movies. In 1943, several raids had causality rates in excess of 60%. The last thing on the mind of a gunner was how long the belt was.

[@525Lines]

Good info. I think the gunners were expected to do little more than keep the fighters off the bombers, with just as much psychological impact as a real threat. I don't recall hearing about gunners keeping track of kills.

[@marceline8488]

My great uncle was the tail gunner of the lead plane and he survived. He saw quite the view.

[@randy109]

Burgess Meredith, Ronald Reagan... Wow!

[@ripperuL]

Ronald Reagan himself!

[@asommer518]

+randy109 My words EXACTLY

[@alexcarter8807]

Ronnie Raygun.

[@lindablouin5530]

And Mickey,,Rocky Balboas manager,,wow !!!!!!! Neat o

[@TheFlatlander440]

Ronnie Raygun and The Penguin in the same movie.

[@BigRedPower59]

Thank you for posting this. It makes me happy to see these old training films being preserved for the ages.

[@BTW...]

This is NOT a training film - 100% propaganda = persuasion = patriotism.

[@lucazudich]

Anyone else catch lieutenant Ronald Reagan in the starting credits?

[@commiespy4908]

Luca Zudich Yup.

[@stuksy4321]

Luca Zudich a few well known stars.

[@frederickkruse4815]

+Luca Zudich Also BurgessMeredith as the tailgunner. He was the Penguin in the old Batman series and Stallone's trainer in the Rocky movies.

[@hiimbrady]

+Luca Zudich Interesting to see him before he went senile.

[@jeriannking4473]

+hiimbrady Looks like you are already there.

[@JackFlemingFan1]

Great video. I thank all veterans both serving now and those who had served who protect and protected America!! I, along with many other Americans, can not put into words how much we owe the American Veteran for keep us safe and allowing us the freedom we enjoy. Thank you all!!!!

[@Big1_]

BETTER THAN AN ACTUAL FILM!!

[@robertsaberniak007]

These old WW2 videos represent the days when society still had a firm grip on reality

[@NathanDudani]

rEaLiTy

[@OldGoatStillGoing]

Saw Ron Ragon in movie, nice. My father was a side gunner on B17 and only thing he would say is he got a bullet between the fingers. He would start to cry when he remembered friends lost. My mother said he use to to have very bad dreams for years. Have his hat and some of his metels and release papers. Bless all service people.

[@thinkcivil1627]

It may seem a little corny now, but for the people watching these newsreels back home it was taken very seriously. A very young Burgess Meredith.

[@percyfaith11]

About 35 years old, not so young.

[@hbmarcott]

I worked on the B52 (gunnery) fire control system and later on the on the fire control simulator. Twin radars and 4 .50 cal machine guns. All of the .50 were World War II Vintage still packed cosmoline.

[@resolvedwhite1743]

Thanks. My dad was a B-17G chin turret gunner, (nose gunner) and he was in charge of all gun positions and the bomb racks ( I have his pictures). He only said about 3 sentences about it until I questioned him in his 90s and then he did not want to say much- thanks for telling others did not want to talk. My dad was checked out in all gun positions, he was in charge of all the gun positions. He said he did NOT like the ball turret, tail gun was OK. The books are wrong per my dad. The radioman was also the waist gunner. My dad was the nose gunner and he gave up his seat to the bombardier for the bomb run. The bombardier and navigator can use the other 50 cal machine guns in the nose. When I traveled to Arizona my dad told me to see Kingman, AZ, he said this is where he took gunnery school. My dad used his military pay to get his private pilots license by the time he graduated in his B-17G school. The captain let him fly the B-17G for fun. A good idea if the pilots get killed. My dad became a United Airline pilot and retired as captain on the Dc-8. My dad is a Christian, he believed in "In God we Trust, One Nation Under God, God Bless America. He believes in LIVING FOR GOD AND COUNTRY. I invite you to heaven, Make Jesus Lord of your life and savior of your sin, Repent of sin, stop sin, be holy, read the Bible to know and obey Jesus, receive the Baptism of the HOLY SPIRIT so you have POWER from Jesus=heaven and not hell. My dad had friends killed in the war. He did not want guns in the house or us kids watching killing on TV, so we watched war movies when he was not looking. Growing up my next door neighbor, Mr. Burns was a gunner on the B-25. In town I talked to a gunner on a Navy dive bomber. My science teacher in high school was a WW2 fighter pilot.

[@deanjackson8983]

Tell your father thanks for me.

[@resolvedwhite1743]

Dean Jackson Thanks.

[@raymondcarter7216]

i have a great grand father he flied those bombers and he was a belly gunner tail gunner and side gunner he had about 60 missions and he escaped the nazis 2 times when his plain got shot down

[@deanjackson8983]

Raymond Carter The greatest generation.

[@SevenValleyRealtyInc]

Ex bfxcf m j

[@lawrencegenereux8567]

The men who manned the tail gunner position were the sitting ducks of the bomber crew. The two jobs that took the biggest balls in air warfare are the bomber tail gunner and the door gunner on a helicopter. Massive thanks to all who manned those positions during warfare.

[@tomweir6157]

my dad was e tail gunner on a 17

[@TheGodParticle]

Someone should have said to peewee that the life expectancy of a tail gunner was two weeks lol

[@HeardFromMeFirst]

TheGodParticle

[@daleburrell6273]

A heck of a LOT of tail gunners lasted LONGER than 2 weeks, though...

[@drpoundsign]

Yup-a few millimeters of aluminum to protect the plane. It took them time to realize that you need Fighter Escorts.

[@joshlong2709]

fighters did not have the range to escorts bombers till the Mustang it the scene

[@dr.dibble1868]

Apart from P-47s, who could escort bombers halfway there. You make it sound as if Mustangs were the only aircraft capable of being escorts.

[@glitchnyrmatrix7296]

Thank you and God bless every one of you who have served!

[@BurtBot]

The production value is incredible. Crazy how much man power went into this war.

[@doggedout]

Peewee got a lot closer to combat than Ronald Reagen or John Wayne ever did.

[@percyfaith11]

You do realize this is a movie and Peewee is a character in it don't you?

[@raymickens440]

@@percyfaith11 That was.... literally his point you're a smart one aren't ya

[@johncel1950]

Don't disrespect The Duke 🤠🤨

[@joelspringman7748]

Reagan was never in danger, but he did fill a vital role in the war. John Wayne tried to get into the service, but his flat feet made him 4F. He still wanted to contribute to the war effort, so he made movies to bolster enlistment. He wasn't physical able to do more.

[@joelspringman7748]

@@percyfaith11 Hey, man, I love "When a Man Loves a Woman"!

[@progx8679]

Ronnie and Burgess, good stuff !! Semper Fi

[@bradleymyers5030]

Prog lol semper fi. That's the marines. This is Army who whaaa

[@CPTdrawer22]

Prog X - One Veteran to another, thank you for your service and WELCOME HOME, Marine! De Oppresso Liber

[@zzyzxzee6374]

Just noticed the capn is ronald reagan! God bless!

[@Skip.8221]

It’s been a good two summers since I’ve watched these. Time to watch them again

[@Helismoke]

I was a UH-1D" Huey" Pilot, then OH-58A "Kiowa" Pilot in RVN, first with the 199th LIB (Light Infantry Brigade) as "Fireball 15", then Scout Platoon, B Troop, 3/17th US Air Cav. We used to sit around in the evenings and remember that almost every air crew in WW II were VOLUNTEERS, even with the high attrition rate, then someone would point out what the US Press never pointed out: We had a high attrition rate (I lost half my Flight Class), but we were also ALL VOLUNTEERS, even the Door Gunners. So if someone bitches about his Crew status there, he's probably a POSER. And we were proud of what we did (Forget "Apocalypse Now", which represented our Sister Unit, B Trp, 1/9th US Air Cav).

[@CPTdrawer22]

Heli Smoke - In my multiple 'Nam combat tours with Special Forces, I never knew anyone who hadn't volunteered for The 'Nam. De Oppresso Liber

[@larrytischler8769]

The Sub crews were volunteers too. They had 52 ships that totally disappeared plus all those that were injured in damages.

[@davidvance6367]

Heli Smoke, I was at Rucker in 77 78. Now they hardly fly aircraft. Computer simulation is unbelievably real. Don't hardly hear the Hueys going over

[@knunyabeasewhacks8744]

My uncle was drafted into the Army to fight in Nam, but my Grandpa being an Army vet himself and seeing the horrors of WWII first hand was able to pull some strings and get him into the Air Force. My uncle then went on to volunteer to be a "PJ" or "para-rescue" while he served there. My uncle made it home, and went on to retire from the Air Force, but it takes a certain kind of person to volunteer and put their own ass on the line. Thank you for your service my friend.

[@fruitmidget2533]

My grandfather was the gunner on top of a Do 217, I guess he had a 20 mm mcc

[@Ivan-pl2it]

Cousin pete landed on Omaha beach, took a round in the arm. Went on to fight in the battle of the bulge, riding in a jeep that hit a land mine, wounded bad, when he woke he was face down in a ditch beside road and could hear germans talking. He crawled 7 miles for help and was in the hospital for 1.5 years and married the nurse who cared for him. He died 3 years ago with the back of both legs black with shrapnel. A good man.

[@mikebtrfld1705]

my uncle was flying missions against the Japanese in Burma before Pearl Harbor. a captain at 19 years old. George Schlagel.

[@jackgandolfo1328]

Then he would've been a member of Gen. Claire Chennault's highly vaunted "Flying Tigers".

[@RayPluton]

My grandmother's youngest brother, Troy, wanted to fly but wore glasses. I inherited his frames. Somehow, he got in the Army Air Corps and made tailgunner on a B-17, stationed in England. My understanding was, and is still, that his ship was outbound from over Germany and had been literally eaten alive, limping on perhaps 2 engines; but he was fighting for his life one minute, and over a few seconds he realized his tail section was all but missing around him. To the left, just sky. To the right, same...nor was there functional stabilizer, either, he said. Just ribs a few feet up. He looked down and said he saw Europe where there should have been aluminum. My uncle Troy -- baby brother, scholar, ju-jitsu competitor -- he never made it back. ...but a scared, dispassionate, isolated and business-savvy sonofabitch did, I guess. That broke my grandmother's heart.

[@daleburrell6273]

I got NEWS for you: LOTS of families lost friends and relatives during WWII- ON ALL SIDES!!!! "War is HELL, and I'll PROVE IT!" Gen. W.T Sherman

[@jackgandolfo1328]

@@daleburrell6273 Sherman was a psychopath, and it was well known among his superiors and colleagues. Oh, yeah, he "proved it" alright.

[@daleburrell6273]

@@jackgandolfo1328 YOU DON'T WIN WARS BY "BEING A NICE GUY"- THAT'S A REAL GOOD WAY TO GET YOUR ASS KICKED!!!

[@AR15andGOD]

@@jackgandolfo1328 what's wrong with being a sociopath? Sociopaths win wars. Don't judge others for the way God made us.

[@brianwills8689]

Charles Bronson was a Tail Gunner on Aircraft during WW 2 .

[@brianwills8689]

Attilla TheFunnn , Yes and Bronson was wounded in action also , and got the Purple Heart Award a couple of times ..

[@daffidavit]

My uncle was a nose gunner on a bomber and his brother was at a tank commander under General Patton. He won the Silver star while in Africa. I'm proud of my family history and the service they gave to the U.S.A.during WWII.

[@brianwills8689]

daffidavit , Good on you , I am pleased to see this .

[@petesheppard1709]

Charlton Heston was also a tail gunner--B-25s, in the Aleutian Islands

[@brianwills8689]

+ Pete Sheppard , thanks for that one ! No wonder those guys ended up with hard out looks on their faces . Charlton Heston was one of my favourite actors when I grew up in the fifties , and he still is !

[@allandavis8201]

The sound interference is well worth putting up with for this excellent look back into history, some very famous names and faces, and informative lessons during the ground training. Thanks for sharing 👍🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@marksauck8481]

Those little guys squeezing onto that ball turret had to be crazy. If your ship's electric power went out it could be a death trap even if you survived your mission to get back home. That was just one terrifying aspect. They had to train young boys who just didn't know better.

[@magicwand6746]

Beautiful movie thanks for upload.. Those were the days of actual acting, when character's costumes was important

[@prydonian460]

Thanks for putting this up. My favorite uncle was a tail gunner in a B17 and I always wondered what training for that was like . I noticed a young Dirk Bogard in the role of Burgess Meredith's friend as well.

[@daniellinehan63]

And Robert Ryan as a pilot

[@timmotel5804]

Excellent. Thanks for posting this

[@AnimatedAirlines]

This is such a wholesome training reel

[@daveth121864]

They should have called this one "The penguin and the president."

[@allee6096]

Dave Thompson the Penguin!! That's where I saw PeeWee

[@ronniesmith65]

Also “Mick” in Rocky.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

The b17 crews suffered GREAT LOOSES. THE MOST OF ANY SERVICE

[@stevemccarty6384]

The 8th Air Force lost more men than did the Marines and the Navy combined.

[@russnixon6020]

@@stevemccarty6384 Just to point out, the Kreigsmarine submarine service had a 75% casualty rate. RAF Bomber Command had a 44% casualty rate.

[@7Steveski]

My Uncle was on a B-24 Liberator. When he came home after his full compliment of missions, one of his pants legs was torn. My grandmother wanted to sew it up, but he wouldn't let her. The piece of shrapnel that tore his pants evidently "had his name on it." He also had a story about the tail gunner that had stopped firing because his glove had fallen into the ammo box and got caught on a round from each of the belts. They thought he might have been killed, but he had taken out the rear window and fired his 45 at a chasing German fighter until it was empty after which he threw it out the window, reached behind him and threw out the first thing he found--a role of toilet paper. The prop wash caused it to unroll all over the sky, and the fighter veered off. Supposedly the story appeared in Stars and Stripes.

[@dorisrichardson2688]

My great uncle was a gunner and provided technical support for this movie

[@jacksonhudd3681]

Requiem for a rear gunner by R.W. Gilbert 'my brief sweet life is over, my eyes no longer see No summer walk's, No Christmas trees No pretty girls for me I've got the chop, I've had it, my nightly ops are done, Yet in another hundred years I'll still be twenty one. R.W. Gilbert was a rear gunner in a Lancaster in WW2

[@pdiddley7597]

So, when was he trained on the penguin umbrella?

[@gregoryhatton1448]

thanks. great footage of gunnery school (harlengen texas?) brings dad back. he's gone 40 years now, but he'll always be a b24 gunner to me.

[@stuksy4321]

+gregory hatton I was wondering the same thing about it being Fort Bliss Texas. with the mountains and desert-like environs.. . hard to tell in b&w .

[@horsehide3039]

Excellent wartime movie. Thanks for posting.

[@scottclinton2061]

Damn was Burgess Meredith a crazy good shot! Busting clay pigeons from the hip with a 12ga (3:27)! I wonder why when he was the Penguin he was never able to blast Batman then?!? ;)

[@Crash103179]

And someone should have taught him how to salute before putting him in an army film.

[@davidmeehan4486]

Oh! He was the Penguin in Batman! That's hilarious!

[@Pluggit1953]

The Penguin was wearing a monocle!

[@tosgem]

Rear gunners survived an average of 5 flights. They were the first target of enemy fighters. 20,000 British rear gunners were killed in the Lancasters and Halifaxes alone. It was a very important job but also kind of sad how you can see they're pumping poor suckers up in this movie, like they're so lucky and important to be doing this job. Poor fella's were cannon fodder.

[@bazthehandyman]

At last..someone who knows what they're talking about.

[@davidmeehan4486]

I heard a bomber crewman on "The Moth" storytelling program. He said that when he got in theater and started flying missions, it was fly 25 missions and you're done. He said they were losing 10% of their people per mission. They could do the math. They weren't going to make 25 missions.

[@chrisafp071]

They were pumping them up because this is war and this position was of extreme importance. To all those who did this job and didn’t live through it, thank you. Sadly getting them pumped is the only thing left to do in a time of such desperation.

[@rollomaughfling380]

But they get kewpie dolls to send back to that dame in Brooklyn!

[@judpowell1756]

@@aliceshaw8265 no sucker....NO kid thinks he's going to die unless he's a right wing IDIOT

[@setnaffa]

I met guys that flew as gunners in WW2 (B-26s), Korea (B-29s), and Vietnam (B-52s). Not everyone got shot down, though it was quite deadly in the early part of WW2.

[@chekasout1781]

i salute this poster and all the brave men

[@Kohl423]

Well one things for sure Nobody would make a movie called "The Rear Gunner" today!

[@sickbastd]

You are a card. that needs to be dealt with! LMAO

[@sickbastd]

Oh my!

[@aaronseet2738]

I remembered one title - Rear Admiral

[@BlazingOwnager]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. *Puts on the porn funk*

[@rutabagasteu]

There are no such weapon positions today. So while you made a joke it has no meaning today.

[@maxwelljohnson3514]

Dude Ronald fucking Regan is in this.

[@RonJohn63]

Why are you surprised that an old actor was in old movies? Or are you too young to remember him?

[@dillhole4603]

Hitting skeet from the hip? FUCK YES!!! Peewee is a badass!!! My grandfather was a tailgunner. He got grounded (because of an ingrown toenail) and the plane that he would have been on got shot down on the mission he missed. If it wasn't for ingrown toenails, I wouldn't be here.

[@Vito_16]

Thank you Sir, very knowledgeable...

[@FubarGuy666]

I wonder why this film failed to mention that rear gunners were called the "Tail-End Charlie"... My grandfather was in WWII and when I was a small boy he taught me how to aim those fairground BB guns that had their sights set to miss.

[@stevemccarty6384]

Tail End Charlie was the last guy in a formation and not the tail gunner.

[@FubarGuy666]

@@stevemccarty6384 the tail gunner was indeed called the tail-end Charlie. The last plane in a formation and the man guarding the rear of a patrol also had the same nickname. So seeing as it is so easy to use Google please ensure you are correctly informed before making a right Charlie of yourself.

[@Nonamearisto]

Now I'm imagining Pee-Wee Herman laughing manically while firing a machine gun.

[@shocktrooper8443]

Now THAT...is a funny comment! "urrrahhh-HUH!" Me & my kid sons used to watch his Sat. show; Pee Wee's Playhouse...and it would crack me up...original 80s era humor with irony and wit...still "clean'" too...now our kids can TV prime time watch pro-interracial, trans gender LGBT, any and everything "un-natural" or "super natural" or "upside down / inside out"...you name it. When I saw a prime time show called; "Lucifer" get launched on a major network...I knew we were all but FINISHED! The 'Cold War' "REDS" boasted that "Someday we will destroy the U.S. without ever firing a shot!" Get ready boys & girls...your end will be epic, over informed and "supernatural"! My late grandfather was WW2 Marine with first combat on Iwo Jima and next on Okinawa...died 1990...only 8 days ahead of my dad...Korean War vet. I miss them terribly...but am GLAD! GLAD! GLAD! they don't have to see and listen to this crap I am seeing out-there every stinking' day! And before you keyboard (LEFT WING) commandos start slamming me...I too am a decorated honorable and PROUD combat arms vet, and wear "The full Armor of GOD" every day....flame-away nitwits, ya got NOTHING!...."urrrahhh-HUH!"

[@CPTdrawer22]

@@shocktrooper8443 - As a sufficiently decorated Special Forces combat Veteran who enlisted to serve my chosen country of citizenship (I'm a *legal* immigrant.), I believe that what is right will win in the end, and that the country will not succumb to leftist crap. That said, thank you for your service and WELCOME HOME, Soldier. De Oppresso Liber

[@sa12111]

And I am imagining PeeWee / Burgess Meredith laughing his penguin laugh (Wah, Wah, Wah Wah), doing the same thing

[@contactohn7982]

@@sa12111 shooting away and with his cigarrete holder to the side of his mouth

[@markspears8253]

Veteran’s Day 2022. Just lost Dad at 98 two weeks ago. He was a B-25 turret gunner, 340th Bomb Group, 489 Squadron, Corsica.

[@andyc5612]

A president and the penguin. Always interesting to see them in early screen roles. Thanks for putting the vid up.

[@NotaVampyre111]

I believe the Skipper's dad was in there as well. At first I thought it was him but he wasn't that old on Gilligan's Island.

[@jfingerskeys]

my uncle was shot down three times in a tail gun by 190's and 109's in b17's

[@robertmarsh3588]

How is that possible? Surely he'd have been a PoW if he'd been shot down ?

[@oldkaptain]

"In The RAF At Least The Rear Gunner Had The Lowest survival Rating in all Classes of Bombers"...So No wonder They Is "All Ways a Place For a New rear Gunner" ... Mind You "Hats off to them All"........

[@mitchellpaxtonward7124]

My grandfather was a Lancaster rear gunner based at Darwin seeing action over New Guinea. “Oh sure we used to get zeros”, he’d say but always veered off the subject or rather my grandmother would change the subject…

[@nicholascollora6709]

Beautiful communication. Please continue

[@RoadCaptainEntertain]

PeeWee is kickass with a Scattergun shooting Trap, he doesn't have to aim, he shoots from the Hip!

[@bartacomuskidd775]

Look sat them rabbits George.. I see'm! I see'm George!

[@57thorns]

I noticed that too. Sad really.

[@chrissmith2921]

He's shooting skeet not trap. And only made one hip shot. And there's lots of people who are amazing shots from the hip.

[@chrissmith2921]

And you don't aim shot guns you point them.

[@__WJK__]

@Leonard Carr - Noticed the arrogant blowing of the smoke too

[@certaindeed]

With the exception of the few that enlist, we'd never get most kids to appreciate this today. None of them want to accept the responsibility

[@demetriusdavis95]

Had this on dvd back in 2011 watched it everyday that summer. Loved ww2 docs

[@CrimeaRiver]

'The Rear Gunner'... My favorite episode of the World War series! :)

[@michaelmartin9022]

"Zero incoming" >Attacking plane has a rear gunner Somebody needs to go back to recognition school.