The B-29 that Fought without a Tail 

Have you seen this strange story ? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jUXwpdgwbvQ.html

My father never talked about war, except for one event. He was the mechanic on an LCT (Landing Craft Tank) attacking Okinawa. A young Japanese Kamikaze pilot decided to put his plane down in the water, rather than attacking a ship and dying for the Emperor. My father's superior ordered him to shoot the pilot with his rifle. Dad refused, and instead picked the pilot up. I know he felt proud that he did not kill that man in the middle of all that fighting, but he did not later meet with him as in the above story (probably didn't have the pilot's name).

B-29 had 1 20mm tailgun on earlier models, that was removed on later ones, due to problems with it tracking properly. All the rest were M-2 .50 cal Browing machine guns. I volunteered at Boing Museum of Flight in Seattle and spent many hours working on "T-Square 54" (tail insignia). The best part was meeting veterans who served in WW II , and a real "Rosie the Riveter". A great plane, and even greater hero's. It was an honor !

Two men who met on the battlefield, men who experienced great horrors!! in that moment found mutual respect, now many years later become friends! What an amazing story,thank you for this!!

Almost as incredible as this story itself is that any of these men survived the war and were then later in life to meet in person. Thanks for telling this amazing story...

I joined the Air Force in 1960. My first duty station was at Yokota AFB working as a mechanic on KB-50s air refuelers which were B-29s with added refueling drogues and two J-47 jet engines to try to keep up with the jet fighters. On my first day, my Sgt. told me to get in a jeep and go to a hangar somewhere on the huge airbase to fix an aircraft. I was lost. Eventually, after driving everywhere, I found the hangar and managed to figure out how to get in. I never worked on an actual aircraft before, just the engines. When I entered the hangar there was a B-29. It was a massive silver monster. It took my breath away. I had no idea how to get to the engines, but I knew what the job required. I figured out the cowlings, fixed the aircraft, then spent time in the cockpit and gun positions alone in that hangar. It was like the dreams I had as a kid during and after the war. An amazing experience. This plane had seen action in the Pacific. The B-29 was fragile and the engines failed often, but it held together until they were decommissioned in 1965, a year after I was also "decommissioned". A hell of an aircraft for its time and a hell of a memory for me.

The plane shown at 0.02 "P9" and 0.28 "P9" dropping bombs was my Uncle Lens plane. The name of the plane was "Confederate Soldier" on one side and "City of Youngstown" on the other named after his hometown. Uncle Len (Leonard P Round) was the right gunner. Flew 22 missions. R.I.P.

During the 2nd World War. Even with all its horrors the very few moments of gallantry, forgiveness, & kindness, far out shined!

I remember my Dad, who served in the Pacific during WW II, saying that when he died he knew that he didn't want to go to Hell, because he had already been there and didn't want to go back.

"There is a beast... deep inside of you. It will not die, It will fight back!" In all seriousness, tons of respect to all those who served, and went through pain nobody should witness.

Some acts of kindness, and love are so deep I can’t find the words to say. I believe that it is even greater that they would fight each other in war, and decades later sit at the same table and eat in peace together. TOO COOL!!! Thank You Flak Alley!

Salute to the ROVER BOYS 4 gunners who fought to the bitter end. May their souls have eternal peace, RIP.

As a child I lived next door to George Caron who was a very nice old man I always enjoyed playing with. He died in 1995 when I was still too young to understand anything about war. I later learned he was the tail gunner on a very famous airplane called the Enola Gay and that his mission had dropped the Atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. I remember he once showed me a very old camera that he said he had taken a picture of 'the bomb' with. I didn't really understand becasue I was just 6 years old but later I learned it was the camera he used to take the picture of the Little Boy mushroom cloud over Hiroshima. As the tail gunner he had the only vantage point to take pictures. There were several cameras fixed to the Enola Gay but they all failed that day and the US government ended up using just the photo from the George's camera. The next day over a million copies of that photo were made and were airdropped over Japan as propaganda.

I remember Hap Halloran well from my days at CF. He was retired but still had an office at the Menlo Park office in a corner near where my cube was. He was promoting his book "Hap's War" about his ordeal from his office and I'd see him out at the Redwood City Airport form time to time. I was in my early 20s but I'd sneak away from my desk and go and listen to him tell me stories. I told him about my grandfather as a ball-turret gunner on the B-17s in the 8th Airforce in Europe. He had nothing but great comments about the ball turret guys and their bravery. He was a good dude. It was cool getting to meet him at the very tail end of his career while mine was just starting. He died a few years later, but I always remember him.

My dad was out in the Far East during WW2. He survived luckily and told some stories but never opened up much. It's really hard to imagine what things were really like. Most of those who fought are nearly all gone and our generation who heard their accounts first hand will soon be gone. I heard so many fascinating stories from those at home who were too young to fight but lived through it all. I can only imagine it to be like living in a movie. Maybe in just 30/40 years time we'll be gone too and as todays generation are so removed I think with our passing WW2 will be properly consigned to the history books.

My uncle Elvin was a tail Gunner. His PTSD was pretty horrible, at times. It was the worse of all assignments, in WW2, suicide mission.

I met "Hap" Halloran at a VMF-214 squadron reunion in the early 1990s in SoCal. He was present because he was a POW with Greg Boyington (deceased at the time of this reunion) in Japan. He was a very nice man and it was an honor to spend time speaking with him.

Thank you very much for posting this great story. My mother was a young teenager in Japan during WWII. She met my father, who was from Spanish Fork, Utah, while he was stationed in Kobe with the occupation forces. They married, returned to Twin Falls, Idaho and raised 3 beautiful girls and one boy. She and her husband, Jim, live in Eagle, Idaho. I hope you won't mind me pasting a post that I wrote earlier on my Facebook page on the last anniversary of Japan's surrender: Japan Surrenders, and My Mother, Keiko I have studied WWII most of my adult life. I think I understand it pretty well. But, my mother lived it. Keiko Naemura was born in Kobe, Japan and experienced the war as a 13, 14, 15 and 16 year old girl. She watched the B29s flying over her city, dropping incendiary bombs that ignited city-wide conflagrations. She witnessed the thousands of people who died, many from suffocation as walls of fire surrounded them and stole the very oxygen they desperately gasped for. She remembers running from the city to her home in the nearby hills during bombing raids and recognizing friends lying dead in the street. She remembers seeing the black, body-shaped cinders after the fire bombings, and people on the beach being strafed by fighter planes. As a little girl, the beach had always been her favorite place; but now it was a very dangerous place to be. She remembers starving and her older sister, Satoko, handing her a small ball of rice to eat, then both of them handing their rice balls to their 5 year old brother, Kenji, so he would not starve. She remembers bombs landing only a few hundred feet from her home. A few years ago I had the opportunity to walk around their home in Kobe with my uncle Kenji. He suddenly stopped, pointed to different nearby spots, and said, “A bomb landed there... and there... and there.” Although damaged, their home remained intact. She told me about the day she walked several miles to visit her aunt with plans to spend the night with her. She was shocked to discover that her aunt’s house had burned to the ground, and her aunt was nowhere in sight. She could only imagine that her aunt had been killed just as thousands of others had been. After walking back home, she was filled with relief to realize that somewhere she had unknowingly crossed paths with her aunt, who had walked back to her home in Kobe. She remembers hearing the emperor’s radio broadcast telling the citizens of Japan that they must now surrender. She was angry. Despite all of their deprivation and loss, she was united with other Japanese citizens to fend off the American soldiers using kitchen knives and bamboo spears. She remembers when the American forces were landing on the Japanese islands. She was terrified as she and other civilians had been told that the American soldiers were savages and would torture and massacre them all. She went with the other women and children who were told to hide in the nearby hills for safety. Then she told me about when they heard that the Americans had landed and had brought many tons of food and were feeding them, medical supplies and were treating their wounded and sick, and helping them rebuild their destroyed homes. Of the American soldiers, she softly, almost reverently said, "They were so kind to us." Growing up, we now and then asked our mom about her experiences during WWII. She has shared a few things, but would soon turn silent as her mind sank into dark and painful memories that she had tried to keep away for many years. She would then quickly change the subject and become irritable if we tried to press her beyond that point. Keiko is almost 91 (2020). Her memories are still clear, and she is now opening up more and more about what she experienced during the war. She is a wonderful woman and a good mother, grandmother and great grandmother. We love her dearly and hope we have inherited some of the deep strength and commitment that she has always displayed.

A truly moving story of heroism , respect and kindness.

That shot when the single B-29 was dropping bombs- That was my Dad’s B-29. He was the flight engineer and right blister gunner.

Pure warriors each and every one of the rover boys Express crew.a salute and heartfelt thank you

What a great heart warming story. That these men would become great friends many years after the war goes to show what a truly class generation of men they were.

Absolutely brilliant true story, showing how humanity and forgiveness are possible and restorative, during and after bitter wartime.

Stories where former enemies, who survived an engagement with one another in combat, showed one another respect/admiration/kindness on the battlefield, and were able to later after the war reconnect and become wonderful friends always hits me deep in the emotions and brings tears to my eyes. Glimpses of hope for the human race, even in the midst of wars where we're trying to tear each other apart. God bless men (and women) like these.

Being a forces brat, I truly enjoy your stories and knowledge!!! You and I are a breed that most people woulnt understand, so happy that you keep our heritage alive. 😁👍

The fact that he became friends with the Japanese ace that spared his life goes to show that they were just doing what they were ordered, even the enemy are still human.

In all human savagery mayhem, there are those who find some humanity in their hearts. I salute that Japanese soldier who spared the life of an enemy soldier. I also salute the American soldier who went through hell in captivity and some how managed not to hate the Japanese people.

what a touching story. im glad all of these men could find peace together.

I salute the many men who survived that brutal conflict only to seek out and befriend their enemies, many their personal enemy. I hope it truly helped heal thier hearts and minds. Unfortunately my grandfather was never able to heal or forgive.

Admirable, integrity of warriors was uplifting. I want to believe this happened many more times. It’s sad that ended when he landed and was beaten and treated like an animal in a zoo cage.

If only governments were as honorable as these warriors.

What an extraordinary story! In the midst of horrific battle and grisly death, authentic gallantry rose to spare a human life.

I grew up next to a super nice man named Ken Hunt and his wife. This was Inverness, IL. This man was always out by the road doing yard work. Me, being a 5 year old on a bike, would talk with him. I noticed his shoes that were very square and he walked awkwardly. Being a child, I asked about his shoes. He sat and talked with me. Mr. Hunt had faught in the battle of the Bulge. He had been captured and sent to a concentration camp. His feet froze in the intense winter climate of Germany and he was able get into the hospital. In his words, he received better food, and nothing else. I knew him from 1981 on. He was a soft spoken man with a big heart. He worked for Kraft Foods and, according to my older siblings, would bring treats. I never saw that, but I loved speaking with him about landscaping. His wife was a teacher, but they never never had children. He was the best neighbor a 5 year old boy could have. I am 45 now. I wish I could go back 40 years and speak with him again. He was the best neighbor.

To this day I still cannot fathom the bravery of these service men facing what seems like certain death.

Chivalry at war. In the middle of the life-or-death moment. Glad to know 2 of them met again on the ground at peace time and befriended each other.

That was a heart warming story. Humanity always find a way to shine in the darkness.

It takes a lot to take a 20 mil to the chest, then get up and take out a zero. God damn madman, true American hero

My father was a Crew Chief B29 Engine Mechanic in WWII. At that time in history the B29 was the most sophisticated airplane in the world. Those men and pilots were the great ones.

Small acts of humanity during events of great inhumanity prove that there is hope. Thanks for creating this excellent piece.

This is a very touching story. To think that former enemies became friends is testament to the men of those days. Just one of no doubt many similar stories thank you for this brilliant upload.

My Father was drafted from the NYFD April '41, arrived at Scofield Barracks, Hi. 8/41 in its fire brigade. He and his men extinguished the looming black towers of oil and fuel fed fire and smoke left at PearlHarbor in the aftermath of the Dec 7 attack. No ventilators ,no masks, only a wet face bandana - resulted in his first heart attack at age 36 and later death . He never once spoke of the war to me .I learned his warstory years after he passed. War / life are strange- - 1 man fights fires and dies young-another dodges certain death several times in his 20s but suffers with the memories until 89 . God Bless and thank you to all these true heroes for letting us have a life to live.

Brought a tear to my eye ,The honor of these men , Boris and Joe could learn a thing or two

“There is a beast inside you, it will not die, it will fight back.”

This is an incredible event, & act of humankindness that should be immortalized in a major motion picture for the world to experience !

I met Raymond, in 2004 on Saipan. My hat is off to this fine gentleman

"It's no much of a tail....." Sorry, couldn't resist. Amazing story.

Individual honor and humanity bring politicians and state actors to shame every time. Great story; greater men!

That's FREAKING RIGHT, Marines bunch of God blessed bunch of BADASSES, OORAH!

Salute to these brave men and to you FlakAlley for keeping their stories alive.

Thank you for the video. My dad fought in World War 2 at the Battle of the Bulge with the 3rd Army. I do not think we realized back then what these soldiers all went through, sadly.

Great story about humans & the compassion they have for each other. I recall the stories about Germans & allied men leaving their trenches to celebrate Christmas together.

Thankful for all these aviators, God bless them all.

There's a Hungarian comedy film which contains a far from comedy line: "My father told me that 'if you are on the floor, pick up something from there'". That's what these honourable men did.

The treatment of the P.O.W’s in Japan is why my WW2 soldier father hated the Japanese for the rest of his life!

I was a high school student in the 1970's. I didn't know it at the time, but two of my high school teachers were WWII bomber pilots with very distinguished records. They never spoke about it and I didn't realize until years later that both of them were bomber pilots who survived the war. Looking back now, I wish I would have known more about the war at the time and asked them to share their stories.

Thank you for exposing these hero’s to history. May today’s people learn from their sacrifices

Thank you for telling us about these incredible lesser known stories

My dad flew in the Superfortress. I have his many medals. He was given a military burial...

Those were real men back then, tuff, fearless....

I was a Crash Rescue Firefighter in Nam, '69-'70. Two tours. I am never left less than humbled by the bravery and dignity of the men and women of the armed forces who gave so unselfishly and with such honor. I am proud to be a part of a great military tradition. As a son of immigrants who served their respective countries during wartime I proudly and without hesitation salute you all.

GREAT story, brave men.

Amazing story all around, the war, the aftermath, and the healing. So amazing.

Awesome video. I was able to fly in the navigator seat of a B29 bomber (Doc) last summer and it has given me a desire to learn more about the war years and our courageous pilots. They certainly should be remembered for their sacrifices.

You sir tell a great story. I salute you. Gulf War Veteran 1990-1991.

Even in War there is Respect...........Great Story USAF Vet ( Vietnam ) / US Navy Vet ( Desert Storm 1 ) Great Post !

Thank you for the story, and know that the time and trouble it took to put the video and story together are much appreciated. I had more than a few family members (now all passed) who served in various capacities during WWII, one of them was a waist gunner on a bomber, but all of them served in the European Theater. Though the waist gunner had his plane shot down (and was listed KIA), they all did survive their experience and I was fortunate to have known them (some of them survived until my adult years).

Great story, one that I've not heard. I really like this channel and it's format. You do a great job, keep up the good work.

I love hearing these war stories of bravery..

Thanks , it's good U tell these stories so people can appreciate the sacrifice and guts these blokes had. Well done.

The perfect video to see in my recommended after the b-17 tail that fought without its plane

My Father was a Member of the 509th. The same group that dropped the Atom Bomb, And was in Roswell in 1947. And I can prove it.. Greatest Generation I rise and Salute..

Deeply moving and highly informative. Thanks for posting!

Wow. What a story. Thank you for taking the time to tell it so well.

Isn't it amazing how that combat can forge a bond, even between men who were just minutes before, trying their best to kill each other. An honorable man is recognizable, even in the eyes of his enemy.

Wow. Two patriots in their own right, arch enemies - but each able to express their own humanity on their terms. They are proof that we can overcome horror, and that we will overcome our current horrors.

Great tale of bravery by this POW ... and survivor. God Bless him. 🙏🏻🇺🇸

This was extremely moving on the historic bits alone. tyvm.

War Thunder B-29 in a nutshell. Great vid btw.

Meeting with a former adversary and befriending him, that is awesome!

A great, great story, and a glimpse into the minds of heroes. There are soldiers who are warriors, and will recognize the "enemy" - under these kinds of circumstances, no matter what "side" they are on, and respect and honor them, when the fighting is done. There are also soldiers who are cruel, inhuman monsters. War - and the constant threat of death - brings out the very best of a few, and the worst in many. To see an airplane - even a B-29 - take hundreds of rounds, and be torn apart, and still flying - and fighting - and knowing the gunners could have bailed out - and didn't; to have cut down the only survivor while he was alone, floating in the air, would have been to dishonor himself, as a true warrior, and the gunner, who had given everything to the end. One true warrior recognizing another, with mercy and a salute - humanity at its best and worst in the same instant: and below, on the ground, waiting - the worst Hell on Earth, and the most dishonorable savagery imaginable, ending with the atom bomb, and the quick and slow death of tens of thousands of civilians. What a strange species we are...

The pilot of Rover Boys Express on the far right of the photo was my uncle Edmund Gilbert Smith.They were in a prison camp with Pappy Boyington.He was very loveable but did not handle the trauma well and died young in the early 1970s. Will Smith

Thanks for your time and effort in making this video and a big salute to the heroes.👍👍👍

I seriously had tears from this video! My father flew B-25's during WWII, so it's all very emotional. Thank you for this video!

my name is barber, my father was a naval aviator during the island hops. his skill level and large stature precluded him from being a fighter or carrier pilot. he flew a PBY. doing recon flights, he was known for coming in low and slow to get the shots so much so at a point he had trouble assembling a crew. more research is required but it appears that Ray Barber was a remote cousin though I can't hold this a citated claim as confirmed fact. Ray was credited for shooting down Yamamotos transport.

Thank you for bringing this story to all of us. It helps to remind us just how horrible war truly is. It's a shame there's even more story's will never be heard anyone. Mostly cause no one ever asked and they never told.

What a great story. The Japanese treatment of POW was horrendous, but that zero pilot with a heart goes down in history as an inspiration to be admired.

Very touching! I'd have loved to been the fly on the wall, hearing these two men talk to each other in private.

Thank you for taking the time out and make this video subbed -PawPaw

Wow..and I'm sure there are many other acts of kindness like this one during dark times. Thanks for sharing...

Any idea of what happened to the tail gunner after the tail was separated? A friend of mine’s uncle was a B-17 tail gunner in Europe and his tail was severed from his plane at altitude. The tail floated back to Earth and managed to land safely. The tail gunner was taken captive by German soldiers and spent the rest of the war as a POW.

great uplifting stories, i love them!!

Wow, what a remarkable story! My father was a radio op on 38 B-29 missions and has great recall of his time serving.

Pilots: bomb non-military facility Also Pilot: THEY SHOT AT ME!! WHY?! I ALMOST GOT HURT.

America 2021 is SO UNWORTHY of the sacrifices of those WWII veterans - ALL OF THEM.

Damn it, this story really hit my in the feelings, I didn't cry but I can't deny my eyes are a bit teared up.

great story !! Two items to point out, the pilot photo was one of the famous "Doolittle Raiders" taken April 18, 1942 after being shot down during the famous Tokyo bombing mission. Also the "Kempei Tai" was the Japanese Secret Service, the same role the German SS Gestapo. (although there are several subsections of the SS). I 100% agree with Captain Stubing and the others like comments !!

I've seen a couple of your videos now and aprishate everything you have done and said thank you!

Only a warrior can show honor and mercy.

Done, subscribed as requested. This video choked me up a bit.

These war stories are something that always charms me up. From german pilot excorting b-17 bomber or from b-17 tail that had gunner who managed to survive to this Story here, its all impresive how all those soilders where aent to war without wanting to and now when they meet each other many years later just to realise that their enemy can be their friend, and then that they both gone trough same shit asks me why do we have wars at first place