# Way OT: B-17 log book



## stanman (Jan 4, 2008)

Not trains, but those of us old enough to remember WWII may find this B-17 log book interesting. I couldn't stop reading. *B-17 Log Book*


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Wow Stan that is some great reading. Is there some place we can go to down load a copy. I would like to read all of it.


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

I think that is where my Dad was stationed. I just sent him a message asking if that was the place.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I read a neat book I got from the Library. It was about B-17 crews and their missions. 'Untold Valor' by Rob Morris. The odds of anyone getting the 25 missions was very remote. So many were lost each mission that you were bound to be a POW or dead.
http://www.amazon.com/Untold-Valor-...amp;sr=1-7

Darned good read. My dad was on B-17's, luckily the war got over before he went on a mission. He had been briefed on some but they didn't happen.


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## stanman (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By John J on 01 Dec 2009 06:09 PM 
Wow Stan that is some great reading. Is there some place we can go to down load a copy. I would like to read all of it. John - I think that's the entire log. You should be able to download it from my post on MLS. If that doesn't work for you I can email a copy to you.


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## UK_Pete (May 13, 2009)

That's fantastic reading! Although British, I have long held a fascination for the B-17 and their crews.[/b]
Thanks for posting,[/b]
Pete.[/b]


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

how extremely sad, to see people getting excited reading about killing, Zubi


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

No Zubi, its about the great men that protected this country. I think you have it backwards.

Tom H


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi Stan,

It is good to be reminded of what others have done to preserve our way of life.

The log ended 2 months before I was born but from 1961 - 1965 I was stationed at another former B-17 base - RAF Alconbury. I used to travel around looking for (and finding) many former USAF bomber and fighter bases in England.

What is amazing is the extreme youth of those B-17 crew members. Most were in their early 20's and so many of them died before having lived a normal life.

Jerry


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## livesteam5629 (Jan 2, 2008)

4-4-43 Took off from Grand Island Nebraska for Main. On 4-4-43 I was all of 2 years old and Grand Island is 45 miles west of my home town of York NB. I was most likely out in the backyard with mom while she hung up clothes to dry and watching more trains than airplanes. The old US Army Air Corps runway at Grand Island was still there a few years ago and back in the 50's we use to drag race on it every Sunday. All offically sanctioned and approved. Great fun. 
Noel


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Another good B-17 read is "Code Burgundy: The Long Escape" by John Katsaros, which tells the story of his B-17 being shot down over occupied France, his capture by the Gestapo, his rescue by the French Resistance, and his escape to neutral Spain. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Katsaros and having him sign my copy of his book last year when the restored B-17 Aluminum Overcast came to town.


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## mocrownsteam (Jan 7, 2008)

And the sons and daughters of those great men are protecting our country today. I work with the Air Force as a civilian and I can tell you that we have a great bunch of dedicated folks carrying on the tradition. Thanks to all who have and do serve our country. Thanks to their scarifice we can play trains.

Mike McCormack
Hudson, Massachusetts


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

There is the Pima Air Museum in Tucson. They have a B 17 there. It is in a building all to it's self. They have all kinds of documents pertaining to that particular aircraft. They also have some of the leather jackets from the crew. Some times I sit there and wonder what it was like to fly in that thing. I am terrified of flying. It is a very difficult thing for me to do. Every chance I get I got there. There are so many interesting Air Craft there. 

They have Eisenhower's Air Force 1 there ( I think it's Eisenhower) They also have alot of other aircrat. If you every near Tucson it is will worth the tirp to see the museum.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

They have a nice museum in Ashland, NE. Was called the SAC museum. Anyway they have a B-17 in there, looks tiny next to the B-52. Neat museum right on I-80 with all sorts of planes.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By mocrownsteam on 02 Dec 2009 09:50 AM 
And the sons and daughters of those great men are protecting our country today. I work with the Air Force as a civilian and I can tell you that we have a great bunch of dedicated folks carrying on the tradition. Thanks to all who have and do serve our country. Thanks to their scarifice we can play trains.

Mike McCormack
Hudson, Massachusetts


Some families have a history of service. I was discharged after 4 years in the USAF but my best friend (and best man at my wedding) stayed in and retired as a Chief Master Sergeant. His wife recently sent me photos etc. of their son who has recently retired from the USAF also as a Chief Master Sergeant.

Jerry


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Such great reading.

Unbelievable what these brave young men had to go through. I wish this type of information were in school textbooks. I never had any of this real life writing in any of my history books. The war becomes more real and tangible written like this.


The B-17 has always been a favorite of mine. To hear one flying today is awe inspiring. I can't imagine what a squadron of a few 100 sounded like.


Thanks so much for posting this link. Some of the best reading I've done in a long time.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Gentlemen:

I found the reading of the log fascinating!! I had three uncles and a father who served in WWII. My DAD and two of my uncles returned to the LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE. One of my uncles is still in Italy. He was killed at Anzio when a German "smart bomb" hit his destroyer ( USS Plunkett). Until reading about his ship and his death a few years ago, I didn't realize that they had bombs that could be controlled by the pilot after they were dropped.


Thanks for posting the log.

Chuck N 


PS I was born in 1940


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