I spoke with my 97 yr old father yesterday, and he relived what he had been doing at the time when he heard about the attack. And about 20 years ago, I had the chance to listen to a pilot, who was ferrying a Boeing plane for the military to southeast Asia, with a fueling stop in Oahu. He spoke about coming out of the clouds, and thinking…
I spoke with my 97 yr old father yesterday, and he relived what he had been doing at the time when he heard about the attack. And about 20 years ago, I had the chance to listen to a pilot, who was ferrying a Boeing plane for the military to southeast Asia, with a fueling stop in Oahu. He spoke about coming out of the clouds, and thinking they were seeing whales jumping in the water. They had no comms on the plane, and navigated via the stars. They were coming in to land at the airbase shortly after the attack began. What an experience...the "jumping whales" was ammunition hitting the water.
I remember being struck by how small the crew was. I taped the presentation. Unfortunately taped over part of it accidentally. I'll see if I have that part.
I spoke with my 97 yr old father yesterday, and he relived what he had been doing at the time when he heard about the attack. And about 20 years ago, I had the chance to listen to a pilot, who was ferrying a Boeing plane for the military to southeast Asia, with a fueling stop in Oahu. He spoke about coming out of the clouds, and thinking they were seeing whales jumping in the water. They had no comms on the plane, and navigated via the stars. They were coming in to land at the airbase shortly after the attack began. What an experience...the "jumping whales" was ammunition hitting the water.
That was the formation of B-17s that were headed to the Philippines.
That sounds right. I think it was a three man crew, new planes out of Boeing (?)
That sub-type of B-17 (B-17D) had seven-man crews.
I remember being struck by how small the crew was. I taped the presentation. Unfortunately taped over part of it accidentally. I'll see if I have that part.