I FLEW A B-24

by Bobby Joe Snipes

"Many died, and we are free"
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MEMORIAL DAY 2014

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An email to Mil from Robert S. triggered a couple of thoughts concerning B-17s, B-24s and B29s.   I won’t say for positive but I seem to remember B-17s  at Clovis Air Force Base before the B-29s came in.   They could have come from other bases also.   I do know that the Roswell Air Base was a B-29 base.   I remember watching those B-29s when we went to Roswell to visit our grandmother.    She lived on the south side of town and right under the landing pattern.   When those 29s came over it would rattle the dishes in the cabinet.   I guess the people in Roswell got used to it…….you know, the sound of victory.  

Anyway, my favorite of the big three was the B-24 Liberator.    About 10 years ago my son was living in Savannah, GA, and was the program director for a radio station.   He was approached to do some free public service announcements for an organization that was coming to Savannah.   This organization toured the east coast featuring their two old WWII bombers.   They were going to fly in a B-24 and a B17.   Well Scotty agreed to do some PSAs and they said “Oh, by the way, if you want to come down to Valdosta, we will let you fly back with us.”   Well it just so happened that was when Betty and I were going to be in Savannah. 

When the time arrived, all the arrangements were made and we got up early Saturday morning with our wives and headed for Valdosta.   It was about 150 miles and the planes were scheduled take off around 11:00.   We arrived in plenty of time and as we were preparing for the boarding, the question was  “which one do you want to ride in?”   Scotty says “Dad,  which one do you want to fly in?”  There was no doubt in my mind…..I wanted the B-24.   At that time there were only two B-24s still flying in the world and this was one of them.  

Since this 24 was a “show model”, they had built some benches with seat and shoulder belts for use in take-off and landing.  There were only about 4 other  people on board beside the pilot and co-pilot.  The roar of those 4 giant engines was deafening but it gave you a thrill that is unexplainable.  The take off was so exciting….to think we were in this monster of a plane and it would actually fly in the air.   I was like a kid living in dream land.  Of course all of the guns had been removed, but they opened the doors where the side gunners were.  We could just walk around and stand there and look at the farmers and cars and trucks because we were only flying about 500 yards above the ground.   We flew tandem with the B-17 and at times they seemed so close you could hit them with a rock(well, not really). 

Robert mentioned the tunnel in the B-29.   The B-24 did not have that.  They cautioned us when walking to the front of the plane to stay on the little side- walk area.   DO  NOT STEP ON THE BOMBAY DOORS or you will not stop until you hit the ground.  That will get your attention.  We could go all over the plane, tail gunner to pilot area.   We were up talking to the pilot and he says" Here, do you want to fly it for a while?”   Well yes, of course……..they set me in the pilot's seat, put my ear phones on (the noise was deafening) and gave me instructions-----keep the nose down----pick a point in the distance and fly to that point….. what a thrill!   Of course, there was very little that I could do and they were right by my side, but it was really fun for an old man that, as a boy, could only dream about flying while he played marbles with Mil under the shade tree.  

   

They let Scotty fly also.   He flew for a good while…..he had his small plane pilot's license and had some savvy about flying.   We flew to the west of Savannah and over South Carolina  and came down the coast at Hilton Head.   There were hundreds of vacationers on the beach and the pilot took her down low and flew right along the water just away from the beach.   It seemed like we were so low that you could tell the shade of lipstick the girls had on (well…..not really, but we were low) and the people were running and waving and saluting that old WWII plane.  The planes that helped win the war!    Pride and patriotism just gushed from their faces.   It was a wonderful experience and one that I will never forget.   

I actually gained an appreciation for all of the airmen that flew in those planes and fought in WWII.    The air traveled through the inside of the plane like the air through a barn with the doors open.  It brought back all of the stories that we have read about how our airmen survived some of those missions and the losses that we had in the war.  I thank God for every one of them-------many died and we are free.     Bob

For Mil's Place
Bobby Joe Snipes
CHS, Class of '53