WWII B-17 Bombardier Survives 35 Combat Missions, Including Two on D-Day 

These guys were phenomenal. Heroic beyond description. About 10 years ago I was fortunate enough to go to an air show w B17s. As I crawled inside I was dumbfounded as to how cramped and small it was. You couldn’t stand up. I paid $400 for a 5 minute flight. I came down and my wife was waiting. She said how was it? I looked at her and said there’s no fn way I would have flown in these things. I can’t even imagine being 30,000 ft at -30 with flak and enemy aircraft. Jesus. I was a grunt in Vietnam 68-70. I’ll take the ground any day. My salute to every guy who ever flew in these🇺🇸

Sharp as a tack, what incredible recollection.

My dad flew 35 missions also in WW2. He was in Fifteenth Army Air Force. Ninety Ninth Bomb Group. 416th Bomber Squadron. Mostly out of North Africa and Italy. Last mission was May 7th over SE Germany. Thank you for your service sir. God Bless all of our veterans.

A living piece of history, listening to him is like having my grandpas B24 flight logs read to me. Amazing details. We love our WWII vets

My grandfather was a B24 pilot, 36 missions, Medal of Honor recipient, nothing compares to that generation. Truly the greatest.

This generation has NO equal, my Dad was a 19 year old B-24 pilot, it is freezing @ that altitude & oh yeah, enemy fighters & flak trying to shoot you down, nowadays the 19 year old cries when soy latte not hot enough.

We owe people like him so much, I can't even imagine what it was like.

Amazing stories from this brave airman who flew all those combat missions and somehow survived to tell his stories today so many years later. There are no words strong enough to express my admiration for this man and countless others who did their duty to help save the world from Hitler and the Nazis.

Braver smarter , more of a man than I could hope to be . You are the American we all aspire to be . Thank you Sir for sharing this !

I love how he presented the shrapnel, dude is a natural storyteller!

This is what people endured to ensure that YOU have the rights and liberties largely taken for granted. Today those rights and liberties are under even greater threat. I fear that the enemy is within this time around and if people don’t recognise the threat and act accordingly, everything these brave and selfless people gave us, on a silver platter at no cost to us personally will be gone forever.

This guy have to be in his 90s he is sharp with his memories and I can listen to him all day. Thank you sir for your service

My dad was a Bombardier on a B17 in England. He only told me he was an “equipment operator “ in the war. After he passed away i was going through all of his stuff and found his ribbons, medals and his dd-214. I wish I could have heard his stories.

100 years old and still on point. Amazing

My great grandfather was a b17 belly gunner for 50 missions which they required only 25

This gentleman did not miss a beat, rare at this age. Thank you for your service sir and it was an honor to listen.

No words are sufficient to express my gratitude for the greatest generation. My Dad survived 34 missions as a gunner on a B17 in the 15th AF and was sent home after VE day and on his way to the pacific when the war ended. A slow salute of respect and esp. for the Tuskegee Airmen that flew cover for them. I owe them my life.

This man is a national treasure. I can’t imagine what it took to go back up a second time after experiencing the fighter attacks, the flak; and watching so many other planes being shot down. I’ll bet he aged 10 years mentally every time he went up. God bless him.

These videos need a love not a like button. “No greater love than to give one’s life for his brothers.” Thank you ,sir and to your comrades for your sacrifices .

The Greatest Generation. This gentleman epitomizes whybtheyvare called that. My year as crew chief on a Huey was child's play compared to one mission these men flew.

This man is over 100 years old and sharp as a tack

Those guys had guts.

My grandpa was a Navigator in the 8th Air Force Spring-Summer of ‘44 (384th Bomb Group). Sounds like he may have been on some of the same missions, at least as part of a larger formation. He was over Caen on D-Day, though his target was a bridge. Then on June 8th he was over Orleans hitting a railroad bridge (not sure if it was the same bridge Ralph talks about in this video). For some reason he only needed 31 missions, not 35. First half of his tour was mostly bombing Luftwaffe targets in Germany, then D-Day happened and most of his targets were in France. His tour ended mid-July, which was a good thing because they were flipping from bombing France and going back to Germany. A lot of the guys he went over there with got shot down during their last missions. But grandpa had already gotten 31 missions so all he could do was sit in the barracks and wait for news. He passed back in ‘07, I used to ask him all about the war, but I was a kid so there were a lot of questions I didn’t know how to ask yet. I’m glad this channel is preserving the memories of those who were there.

Can't believe he can remember the dates and time of the day of the missions. Thank you for your service sir. God Bless You

True American hero. Thank you for all you gave sir. My grandpa was in AAA 136th BN t4 communications specialist.

I just can’t imagine what it would be like to be flying one of those amazing planes through flak in the night sky. must have been terrifying I just see all the noise and rattling in movies and imagine how much worse and crazier it probably was from the eyes of the pilot actually being there.

My father fought the Germans in WW2 in the infantry and was the greatest man I've ever known, but every single man who fought in WW2 are legendary among men and truly are the greatest generation of men in history!! There will never be another generation of men like these men!! TRUE PATRIOTISM!!

Our family doctor was a B-17 pilot who went to medical school on the GI Bill. But I was too young to note, or to appreciate, what he tried to tell me.

Thank you for your Service, courage and sacrifice for freedom 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

I had 2 great uncles that served in ww2.. one was a pilot and the other was a rifleman... the pilot Uncle Edwin came back and was a farmer until the day he passed away and I'd go out to help him do chores including bailing hay.. the soldier became a owner operator truck driver that ran from the midwest out to California and back every week and was the first one to take me to Cali at the age of 10 in a semi truck.. I loved when they'd come pick me up because they needed some help doing whatever.. I didn't mind the work especially because I knew that at lunch or supper I'd get to ask questions about their experience in the war.. that generation of Americans was the best that has & will ever be..

Thank you for your Service Sir You literally helped save the World.

My uncle survived 27 missions as a ball turret gunner. He kept journal and I can say that it's amazing to read.

Love you sir

A statistic I found interesting, the 8th Air Force had over 26,000 causualties in 2 years. The USMC lost 24,511 (19,733 battle casualties) the entire war. The island hopping campaign was as close to hell on earth (as is all combat) as you will find. But the number of Airmen that went out on a mission, and never came home is mind boggling. It took a special kind of heroic to go back out, after seeing 50% of your Airmen shot down, and there was nothing you could do. Respect is just such an insignificant word, compared to how I feel about these men.

Thank you and your parents for creating a brAve, true , and ferocious knight of the skies , thank you your service, amen

Thank you for your service sir .

A WWII vet who I worked with was a bombardier. He would go to high schools and give lectures with many photos of before and after bombings. The auditorium was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. He became an architect after the war, and worked for the NJ Department of Building and Construction.

Stumbled on this and it made my day! Freedom is not free, thanks for your courage sir.

A salute sir. Thank you so much.

The 8th Air Corps consisted entirely of great men. God bless them.

Where did we find such men? Amazing. I have been under artillery fire and it turns your guts to jelly.

My father was a bombardier on a B-17G in the summer of 1944. The Silver Meteor. 8th Air Force, 390th Bomb Group. He flew and survived 35 missions, 2 on D-Day. Realize they were mostly just young kids in their early 20's asked to do these missions where they didn't know when they took off if they would be returning. Many times with only 2-3 days between missions. He passed in 1984. He would occasionally talk about what he went through but never thought of himself as a hero. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and The Air Medal. He was fortunate in that by that time in the war they had P-51 escorts that could stay with them for the entire mission, but still even then their losses were high. He would say if they served them real eggs instead of powered eggs for breakfast they knew it was going to be a really tough mission. One of his favorite TV shows to watch back in the 60's was 12 O'clock High. I would sit and watch it with him while he told me about some of the missions he flew. . The more I learn about what these very young men went through I realize what heroes they all were. They were truly the greatest generation. After watching videos like these oh how I wish my father was still here to watch them with me and tell me more about what he went through.

Wow, what an amazing fellow. 👏 wish I knew more details about this guy.

Thank you Sir for your service and all the rest of you brave veterans .

Love these stories watched every single one and its incredible to hear these veterans talk

The descriptions Ralph gives of the bombing missions he was involved in are incredibly detailed and visceral. Wow!

Thank you for your service and sacrifice 🙏 ❤. Those memories are part of you and history. They never fade in your mind. I know because my father was a WWII soldier.

These stories are fantastic. The average Joes and Janes doing above average feats.

Nuff said…”I saw everything except canoes” Friggin warrior right here and the rest of them that sacrificed for our freedom. Last of the very best

I have such a soft spot for all these guys they were tougher than an old boot. They don't make men like this anymore .

Wow! Incredible. One can only have but the utmost respect for those Veterans.

Survived 35 missions. Incredible.

God bless all those brave soldiers in WW11 everyone one of them true American heros

No notes, impressive. We're all glad you made it back from Berlin. He is a piece of American history!

Unfathomable. For anyone who might be interested in watching many of the similar accounts as this Veteran has been through in a B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber during World War II, I highly recommend watching "Memphis Belle". I salute you sir.

Thank you for my freedom Sir!! Thank you for your service!!!

A wonderful remembrance. We should all remember that freedom is not free. In St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England, behind the main altar, is the American Memorial Chapel. In the Chapel is a huge leather bound book. The book contains the names of every American serviceman who was stationed in England and was killed in World War 2. Every day they turn a page.

Thank you for sharing with the future. These stories will always be relevant.

What a guy. God 🙏🙏🙏 bless you sir. Thank you for all you did, and your mates also!

This man came home a hero

What a memory , God Bless him .

The Courage these Men must of had to endure in the face of great fear. I can't imagine !

Wow what a hero, he was one of millions of war heroes, who saved America. God bless this man

My dad was a B-17 pilot. He flew 35 bombing missions in WWII. Being a B-17 pilot was what he was proudest of during his 20 years in the military.

What a f**king BOSS and his mind is so sharp. Happy Belated Birthday Grandpa Goldsticker! And thank you🇺🇸 🏅 (and the 6 dislikes, you may want to reconsider. This guy is a bada**!)

Speechless. What a treasure.

What a wonderful HERO, HE WENT INTO EVERY MISSION NOT KNOWING IF HE WOULD MAKE IT BACK. THERE WERE SO MANY THAT DIDN'T. THANKS FOR MY FREEDOM.

This was extremely informative. Great storytelling. Thanks.

These interviews are fantastic - and for so many reasons. My first impression of all these men is how much trauma they went through most days of their lives. I do admire their courage. It is good that we honour these men by asking about their experiences. It’s also a fantastic historical record. I’m glad they were willing to relive their experiences. But my main reaction to all these accounts is that I admire them for enduring their ordeal. Imagine the guts it takes to go into action day after day, knowing their chance of survival is about 50% … imagine that strain. Anyway, thank you for making the interviews and posting them. This is a great resource of first hand experiences. Something that can’t be matched by historical accounts.

Sir, thank you so much for what you did! It must have been harrowing to experience the Nazi air defenses. And thank you for sharing your stories with us. I truly appreciate it! Such an amazing experience for you and others. I can’t even imagine the stress. You’re a champ and we appreciate you and what you did!

Imagine one flak burst knocking out two engines

Even though these men will not accept the moniker of “Heroes,” these MEN are truly the LAST of the “GREAT AMERICAN HERO CLASS!”

These dudes are so bad ass. The real mystery is how did the B17 carry all those men with such huge nuts. Like how did the plane even fly with a metric ton of iron balls

Love when there’s new veteran videos . Need more Vietnam ones

Amazing story

God Bless ALL our Veterans!

For his age he does have one hell of a memory he even remembered the dates he was a true soldier and hero and has balls the size of basketballs

Thank you sir for your incredible sacrifice for the free world.

Thanks for doing the interview/video, and thank you to the airman for your unselfish service to our country.

What an awesome story. I wish more of our soldiers would have been able to tell their stories. Thanks for sharing

Absolute heros. Just thank you. !!

My dad did 35 missions to Germany and back in a B17 member of The Lucky Bastards Club he was a radio operator and machine gunner he kept a record of every mission i have it i tried to take him up for a ride when the Wings Of Freedom was here he would not go he passed away a week later RIP Dad Miss You So Much

Happy Birthday Ralph! 100!

It would be a very proud moment to shake hands with this hero. Thank you endlessly for your service and may God bless you always!!!! 🇺🇸

Kids.. Next time you see a grandad walking down the street.. Ask him how his day is. You just never know who you are talking to. The way he just accepted his work, the way he still accepts it. Truly.. Le destructeur d'obstacles.

I’m hooked on watching these, I love history. And hearing it from the people who lived it is incredible. I’m glad they survived to tell us these stories.

My dad flew 33 missions as a tail gunner, that we know of. He never would tell us. He flew over Omaha Beach bombing and strafing enemy tanks. They lost one man, a waist gunner and he said that was a good day. Now our country celebrates Nazis. I can’t imagine the hurt he would feel if he was alive today. He was in the 369th bomb group.

My father survived 35 missions, including 3 on D-Day as a B-17 tail gunner out of Thurleigh, England. Credit with 3 kills, awarded Silver Star, 2 Purple Hearts, several DFCs & Air Medals. Passed away at 87 in 2009. Was buried at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month that year.

I want to find this incredible man, thank him for being as brave as he is humble, and give shake his hand for his heroism. I might also ask if he could be my grandfather. I'll mow his lawn wrong (probably) and he could spend his free time telling amazing stories 😊❤🇺🇸

A brave, brave man

WW2 hero PLUS! Thanks for making the internview.

This man is a legend! Nowadays USA has Emma and her multimoms.

The fact that these men can remember the time, temperature, weather, and details of these experiences 70 years later blows my mind. I can barely remember what happened last week WTF

Remarkable soldier

This man has seen A LOT of the war, bless him

Thanks to all our veterans, especially to those who never came home.

THANK YOU FOR AMERICAS FREEDOM SIR.🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 AND EVERONE LIKE YOU THANKS.

American Hero!!!

Mind blowing interview! Unparalleled bravery and toughness.

My grandfather was 452nd B17 " Lucky Lady " he was in Poltavo part of Operation Frantic like this guy. He changed planes to go to Poltavo and found out later the Lucky Lady was shot down. His plane at Poltavo was destroyed. He said that the old ladies in Russia would go down to the river and wash themselves. Master Sgt. Andrew Stacy was his name