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Burt Vardeman

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It happened right in front of him. On his very first mission, B-24 radio operator Burt Vardeman saw a plane up ahead in the formation explode from a direct hit by a flak shell. I'm never going to get home, he thought. (5:30)

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They were nearly all high altitude missions but, occasionally, there would be a low level target. Burt Vardeman recalls a mission targeting the Brenner Pass during which the plane was actually the target of flak fired from above. (4:21)

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Burt Vardeman was at his waist gun when one of the fighter escorts flew close enough to see the pilot's face. Was that a black pilot? He really got an eye opening experience when his plane developed engine trouble and had to crash land at what turned out to be the base of the Tuskegee Airmen. (7:17)

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Burt Vardeman describes the flak faced by the B-24 crew on nearly every mission. Even without a direct hit the shrapnel could kill a man or bring down a plane, as it did to his bomber. (3:16)

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Everyone hated it, especially the pilot. Sometimes, when a mission was scrubbed, the planes had to return to base with a full bomb load. Burt Vardeman remembers one of these missions which nearly ended in disaster despite an almost perfect landing. (4:09)

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What was it like in a B-24 on a bombing mission? Burt Vardeman discusses the practical aspects of flying such as dealing with the cold and what you have to do to relieve yourself. What about the bad weather and what do you do when you get back to the base? (9:29)

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There was no defense against the flak. When you're on the bomb run, you have to maintain altitude and bearing to have an accurate drop. There can be no evasion until the bombs are away. Burt Vardeman recalls the gastric distress that went on in the latrine before every mission because of the impending danger. (7:08)

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After VE Day, Burt Vardeman returned stateside and was told he would be training for the Pacific after some leave. He got his leave, as well as a stay at a plush Miami hotel to recuperate. When it finally was all over, he and the entire nation returned to their own private lives. They had done it and they had done it all together. (7:17)

Byron Hale

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Byron Hale tells stories of being raised on an apple farm in Virginia. Following Pearl Harbor, Byron enters the US Army and becomes a surveyor for the 898th Field Artillery 75th Division. As a result of volunteering, Byron's destiny is changed. (12:26)

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Heading to Europe to fight Germans, Byron Hale describes the trip across the Atlantic to the port in Wales. He learned the art of peeling potatoes for thousands of soldiers in a very crowded ship. Once in England, Byron witnessed racial issues between white and black American soldiers. (5:06)