How effective were tail gunners in dive bombers.

[mc2]

My dad was the gunner on WWII torpedo bombers. His carrier was the last one sunk in WWII, durng Iwo Jima...the USS Bismarck Sea. Told me that his friend he kept afloat for hours died after they were pulled out of the water. He said that during Iwo, after their first run, he was tasked with hand mixng napalm to reload aboard the planes because the bombs they normally used were ineffective on the caves. After his carrier was sunk, by the time he was able to make it back to the States, his family had already been told he was dead and had held his funeral and burial. His mother passed out when he called home, which was the phone at the corner store. I still have a hard time imagining my dad as a teenaged gunner aboard a dive bomber. He enlisted under the "kiddie cruise," underage, with his mom's permission. He is on the right in the photo, having just landed with his crew. He was 6'3" and said it was "real tight in there."
My uncle survived being aboard the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. My kid brother just retired from 30+ years in the NIS and was the senior officer who got all the terrorists who bombed the USS Cole convicted in Yemen.

 

[fubar57]

Welcome to the forum. Great stuff about your family

 

[Tieleader]

My dad was the gunner on WWII torpedo bombers. His carrier was the last one sunk in WWII, durng Iwo Jima...the USS Bismarck Sea. Told me that his friend he kept afloat for hours died after they were pulled out of the water. He said that during Iwo, after their first run, he was tasked with hand mixng napalm to reload aboard the planes because the bombs they normally used were ineffective on the caves. After his carrier was sunk, by the time he was able to make it back to the States, his family had already been told he was dead and had held his funeral and burial. His mother passed out when he called home, which was the phone at the corner store. I still have a hard time imagining my dad as a teenaged gunner aboard a dive bomber. He enlisted under the "kiddie cruise," underage, with his mom's permission. He is on the right in the photo, having just landed with his crew. He was 6'3" and said it was "real tight in there."
My uncle survived being aboard the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. My kid brother just retired from 30+ years in the NIS and was the senior officer who got all the terrorists who bombed the USS Cole convicted in Yemen.

Thanks to all your family that served! I can see that the Navy runs in the family. Welcome to the site, stick around and learn all sorts of things from your Dad's time and up!

 

[mc2]

Thanks to all your family that served! I can see that the Navy runs in the family. Welcome to the site, stick around and learn all sorts of things from your Dad's time and up!

Thanks guys. Both my dad and uncle never talked about their WWII service most of their lives. My dad had told me when I was a little kid (because I asked) that my uncle walked funny because he had his feet reattached at the ankles from injuries at Pearl Harbor. My dad only finally answered a few questions in his final year or so and showed me a few photos he had. I think I only saw my brother four times over the thirty years he served because he was usually at sea or undercover somewhere. They gave him the U.S. Flag off the embassy in Yemen, after he got all the terrorists convicted...he gave it to my dad. For Memorial Day, I wanted to add this video footage of my dad's carrier being sunk by Kamakazee during Iwo Jima.
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rxTRVRJM5tA

The USS Bismarck Sea sank with the loss of 318 men, and was the last US Navy aircraft carrier to be lost during World War II. Three destroyers and three destroyer escorts rescued survivors over the next 12 hours, between them saving a total of 605 officers and men from her crew of 923.

 

[Tieleader]

Thanks guys. Both my dad and uncle never talked about their WWII service most of their lives. My dad had told me when I was a little kid (because I asked) that my uncle walked funny because he had his feet reattached at the ankles from injuries at Pearl Harbor. My dad only finally answered a few questions in his final year or so and showed me a few photos he had. I think I only saw my brother four times over the thirty years he served because he was usually at sea or undercover somewhere. They gave him the U.S. Flag off the embassy in Yemen, after he got all the terrorists convicted...he gave it to my dad. For Memorial Day, I wanted to add this video footage of my dad's carrier being sunk by Kamakazee during Iwo Jima.
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rxTRVRJM5tA

The USS Bismarck Sea sank with the loss of 318 men, and was the last US Navy aircraft carrier to be lost during World War II. Three destroyers and three destroyer escorts rescued survivors over the next 12 hours, between them saving a total of 605 officers and men from her crew of 923.

Life was tough enough aboard those jeep carriers as it was. More so with the Japanese trying to kill you. Sorry to hear your relatives never talked about their times (completely understandable of course) but its a shame because these guys are the ONLY true source of what went on during those terrible times.Don't believe the books.95% of them are wrong to one degree or another. If you want some real stories check out Bill Runnels' entries in the "stories" section. So worth the read and he will answer back if you have a question. Take advantage of the situation will you can !

 

[mc2]

BTW.....I think my dad's plane was a Grumman Avenger ? Well, my dad became a NYC police officer after the war and, after he retired from the NYPD, ended up working security at the Grumman factory on Long Island that built his plane. Ironic full circle, some 50 years later, no?