B-24 Pilot Experiences
Thanks for the interesting thread.
My dad flew B-24's out of N. Africa and Italy during WWII. He would answer questions about his experiences, but would not really talk about it unless asked. You could also tell he would leave a lot out. "I flew 13 and a half missions!" he would laugh. But it clearly was meant to deflect much more talking about it. He was shot down by flak on mission 14, then spent the next year in Stalag Luft 1 with Gabreski and other airmen.
One time I asked him if he was ever attacked by fighters, and he really balked, and never answered the question. I got the feeling to never ask that question again. I just dropped it.
Years later I read "I Flew for the Fuhrer" by Heinz Knoke. Knoke describes his attacks on American bombers by a head on attack, aiming to kill the pilots in order to knock out the plane. You tube videos have gun camera film attacks on B-24's where you see hits going right into the crew cabin. They are terrifying films. I then understood why my father refused to speak about the subject. An attack by fighters (at least early in the war) meant certain death for the pilots even if the rest of the plane survived.
After the war my dad never had any interest in flying an aircraft again.