The Final Part of Wayne Funkhouser's WW II Memories

I reported back to March Field on Nov 2nd 45. Next day my name was on list to move to Separation Center for discharge. Nov 5th 45 I was freed they gave me a ruptured disc, $300.00 separation pay a month reg pay and 3 months flight pay (the 3 mos flight pay I didn't really have coming). I haven’t been off the ground since we landed at Bradley Field but I didn't know how to graciously refuse it so!

I had a friend with a car all lined up waiting at the gate to take me to San Bernidino to catch the train home. For good.

While at Sheppard Field my bunk was next to a young boy barely 18 from Okla. He had never been away from home he told me ‘til he was drafted. He was a timid soul and seemed rather meek and cried himself to sleep every night for a long time. I could always hear him after I went to bed (It wasn't hard hearing them). I always tried to console him but didn't help much. His last name was Caplinger can't remember his first name. Anyway he shipped with all the rest of us to Merced Ca. I don't remember much about him while at Merced but on arrival in kingman for gunnery, he turned up again in same barrack as I (but didn't still by himself to sleep). He was on some orientation flight as I, and was sick almost the same time we left the ground. (This was his first flight in a B17) it was just a short time before we were bounding all over. Flight over the desert at low altitude was very rough. I looked over at Caplinger he was already vomiting and in a little while I think he actually turned green. When flight was over all the ones who were sick had to help clean the plan (I could hardly believe it but I and the flight Sgt. were the only 2 who weren't sick) Caps cleaned out the plane lag down in shade under the wing it was about 115o in sun the Sgt. told better make Cap to get up and help the rest clean up. He just said no * lay there the Sgt. threatened him with everything he could but Cap just said no. The Sgt. finally gave up and let him lie. Cap went to flight surgeon next a.m. and told him he could not and would not fly anymore. Another acquaintance Leland (first name) quit last time I saw them they were on KP at our mess hall. Speaking of mess halls we had the worst food at Kingman that was possible to cook. So many people complained the powers that be sent an inspecting General out to see for himself how bad it really was. Of course all the brass knew what day he would be there, so what do you know that night we had individual T Bone steaks, French fries, salad and desert. The general couldn't believe we were complaining about the food. That's just one of the many stupid things the A.F. thought we would swallow.

Plant Park Tampa Fla. Sept 1945

We had been in Tampa a few hours and wrote Ila to come down soon as possible, the evening she was to arrive I got restricted to quarters along with about 40 others because the Sgt. claims we did not sweep under our cots. I don't remember the exact time but I asked Thorp to meet her for me and see that she got to a hotel which of course he did. Our restriction started at 5 p.m. that was the time we were relieved of duty, about 6 p.m. the 1st Lt. in charge of our group happened to come by and asked what we were doing on post instead of in town with everyone else we explained to the best of our knowledge (of course only to our advantage) what happened he asked the whereabouts of the Sgt. of course he left at 5. The lt. told us to clear out of there and he would speak to the Sgt next day about staying in with the troops if he restricted us.

Ila was only there a few days we found another porch to rent paid a week in advance stayed 1 night and were told the a.m. we would ship out on the next a.m. We had 5 nights paid and asked the woman to return our unused rent which nearly all the landlords did for service people but she refused.

I left a piece of clothing there I don't remember what and told her I would have my buddy come get it the last day of our paid up rent and she better not rent the porch ‘til after that. I'm sure she complied.

Gulf Port Miss AAF 1st of Oct 1944When we arrived in Gulf Port we were all assigned quarters as a crew and all gunners on our crew were promoted to corporal a $12 raise which was a lot in those days. I also applied and was granted separate quarters and rations which allowed me I believe $50.00 per mo. but we still didn't have enough to actually live on. My pay as a corporal $66 per mo. less $30.00 on Ila and Gary allotment less $6.60 insurance left $29.40 per mo.

We finished R.T.U. in late Dec and were told to send all dependants home as we would be sipped very soon. Ila left on Bus for OKC on Dec 31 (I think) anyway she was stranded in a Bus station somewhere in La. on New Year's day of 1945 due to flooding of roads on ahead. Finally got to OKC on 3rd of Jan. After all that we didn't leave G. Port until Jan. 7 for Hunter Field Savannah Ga.

I forgot - Bill Howard was stationed in Washington Yakima I think. Gwen and kids were with him, there were lots of silver dollars in circulation in there she sent me one for Xmas 44 that was minted in 1921 my birth year. I still have the dollar to this day.

England. Late Jan 1945

The first thing we all noticed after we arrived at the airfield where the 381st Bomb Group was stationed was the entirely different attitude of most all personnel. The dress was very casual no spit and polish very little formality as to saluting etc. but a more serious nature. Also when we were assigned quarters there were a few girls in almost every barracks. We couldn't believe it, but soon became accustomed to seeing them. However about 5 or 6 weeks after we arrived we had barracks inspections which was really rare the Colonel came through our barracks there were only 2 girls, the barracks next to ours had 2 or 3 and so on around the site ‘til he got to the barracks know as Piccadilly Hotel (it was divided into rooms) there was a girl in every room and he hit the ceiling ran them all out came back through all the other barracks ran them all out it didn't last long they began coming back in just a few days.

Some of the things I do remember are the morning we were to fly.

When we had a mission we would be awakened any time from 2:30 AM on (I say awakened that is if you were asleep) when the Jeep from operations our site we would always hear it before it reached our street, when we were on stand down they could drive an army through our site and we would never know it.

The routine after we were awake was to walk up to mess hall (a short distance) drink a cup or two of their coffee which was so strong it just plopped into your cup, eat a bad of wooden eggs and then board trucks for orientation.

On the trip from mess hall to flight line there seldom was a word spoken by anyone. Each truck hauled members of 2 crews (not the officers) about 12 to 14 cigarettes glowing in the dark. It was extremely different on return (if we hadn't lost a plane) everyone talking and smoking on way back to mess hall and bunks hoping to have a letter from home.

We were not given any food nor drink to take on a mission but did give us a little box of concentrated candy about 16 pieces 1/2 inch sq. each wrapped in paper, different flavors, at first we really liked it, was very good but in a short time you could hardly stand the sight of it much less eat any. Then we understood why there were so many little kids at fences when the crews came back in P.M. They were there to get the candy that we brought back we all threw the candy over the fence and watched the scramble for it. I guess that was about all the sweets the kids got.

The two things remember most except for the close calls our own crews had, was on returning from 1 mission I don't recall where we had been. We flying in bomber stream at about 25000 feet when we noticed a lone B17 flying off our left wing just out of gun range. We were not in any flak and hadn't seen any for awhile when suddenly we saw 3 or 4 burst behind the lone 17 they were tracking him with flak. About the 8th to 10th burst they hit him and we only saw 3 or 4 chutes. We never knew who he was. We reported it a t interrogation but never found out any thing about it. We thought it might have been a captured B17 (The Germans had a few) that didn't know where his own flak guns were.

Sometimes the Germans try to fly into our formation in a captured 17 and shoot down a few of us, so we were always wary of any loner trying to tack on, we always had all our guns trained on any plane that turned his nose into us. Weather friend or foe until we knew for certain who he was.

The standard procedure for flying a combat mission was always the same. Each squadron took off according to the position they were to fly in the group. We gathered by elements either over England or the Channel then into groups and on in to the bomber stream all the way to target and back. We were routed as best as possible around the known flak batteries. We could take evasive action as a group anytime to avoid in flak until such time we reached the I.P. (Initial Point) after that I.P. you flew straight and level in order for the Bombardier to set up his sight before reaching the point of release. The enemy knew this of course that we were not going to try to evade and would put up a barrage in front of us. They knew we were going to fly straight on them. After a mission or two I learned not to look froward (we didn't have to be on alert for fighters) and see all those flak burst that we were obviously headed for and know you were not going to turn aside. It looked sometimes to be utterly impossible to get there but we did.

Another incident I remember well was the time we got separated from group and flew back mostly alone. When we landed at our base there was half dozen jeeps and cars around our hard stand and a lot of Brass. We thought we were probably celebrates we were not. A lone B17 had shot down a British Bomber in the general area where we had been and some one had reported seeing a triangle L plane in the vicinity D our tail marking for the 381st. They loaded us all up for integration room and had an officer to stay and check our guns of course they had to let us off the hook because every gun in our plane was clean. No one had fired a shot but we were a little nervous for awhile. They gave us all an extra shot of bourbon that day at the integration room.

That's all I remember.

One more thing we all claim not to be supertious, but everyone wore the same clothes on every mission that we wore on 1st one. We didn't fly #13 mission, but did 12A.

Dick Berger always wore an old mechanics cap that he had for ages. On a mission to Northern Germany that we were to fly up over North Sea over Holland and an to target, about an hour into our flight Dick became aware he didn't have his cap, he almost gave up the ghost then and there. He was really worried something bad would happen. We were just in sight of coast and received orders to abort and return to Base. I think that he was the happiest person I had ever seen like he had received a reprieve from hanging but we still didn't think we were supertious.

From inside the ball you cannot see any part of the airplane except the lower propeller arc there was sort of a compass with lighted outline of an airplane in front of me that I could see at all times and would tell me in what direction I was facing in relation to the plane. Every now and then I would turn the guns forward to see the propeller arc just to make sure the ball was still attached to the plane. Sometimes I wasn't sure. Anyway once when our Liberty Belle was in the hanger for maintenance we had to fly another airplane. I always got in ball almost the same time we hit Bomber stream. This time I got in buckled up and pulled back on control to roll guns up and the ball just fell instead of roll down under control. I thought it had fallen from the plane. The waist gunner noticed the sudden movement and called on intercom to ask what happened boy was I relieved to hear a voice. I told what happened, the pilot came on intercom yelling get him out of that damn thing. I tried the control again to get the ball to move jerkily back to the position I could get out, of course I had to fly the waist position the rest of trip, was the first and only time I wasn't in the ball when flak was flying. The flak was pretty heavy over target and there I was without protection except one little piece of a flak suit and a helmet I got up against the piece of armor plate that was beneath each waist gun and sat on the helmet felt as if I was a clay pigeon in that high looking waist, made me wish I was in that little ball (sort of). Later Dick told me he just blended into the armor plate when the flak started.

From the first mission to the last there was never a doubt in my mind that we would make it there and come back home. In reality I know that we could go down but my mind just could not accept that happening. The whole thing was more like attending a movie and this was not really happening to me. Which helped a great deal in keeping my sanity. Some people couldn't cope and ended up in flak house with nerves shot to pieces.

At last VE day arrived all our crew still in tact for that we were very thankful all we had to do now was prepare for departure to good old U.S.A.

Writing this as another after thought

We ate at least half our meals in our Barracks that we prepared ourselves. We had about 15 or 20 cases of K rations we had stolen out of the B17 we flew to Europe (it was loaded with a couple 100 or so for use on the Continent but we thought it a good idea to keep some for ourselves. We had quite a time getting those cases to the 381st. We each carried 2 cans in our B4 bags. Anyway there was good food in most of the cans and we bought fresh eggs all time from a farmer who lived close to our base. He was not supposed to sell them to us because everything was rationed. He was supposed to take them to the distribution center to sell there. They of course would collect ration stamps from the buyers, but we offered him a drink of scotch each time he delivered them. We also took bread, butter and anything else we could carry in a sack or pocket from the mess hall. So we ate pretty well. We ate lots of toast, hamburger K rations and eggs also there was a can of good cheese in every individual box (the was I believe 24 individual rations in each case). The old Col. Hall didn't much like our cooking arrangements but never stopped us.

There was an announcement over the speakers that covered the base that the Red Cross ladies would be on our field with their doughnut making machine that was mounted in a van like vehicle that opened on the side to serve donuts. We decided to go since it was located at our mess hall, only short walk and get a few for our launder, we got in line and waited for days it seemed when we finally got to the window they gave us each 1-little scrawny donut, (I never did like the red cross) they took all the ingredients from our mess hall to make the things we thought after waiting so long we could have had at least 2 but cause if everyone had been given 2 we would have been in line ‘til after the war.

We had always heard and in fact knew you could quit flying if you were so inclined. In the 1st place if you didn't want to fly the rest of the crew didn't want you either because you wanted someone you could rely on to be there when you needed them. Anyway I expected entered everyone's head after 2 or 3 or 4 missions. That maybe you would just quit. If you did this would bust you back to KP. PVT put you on KP or other permanent detail, most of time in your old squadron.

There were several ex-gunners in our old mess hall as KPs. So after thinking about quitting for a while you discovered it took more guts to quit than it did to keep flying and I was short so kept on flying. Mostly I would picture myself as serving those wooden eggs to my former crewmembers as they prepared to go and that would be impossible to face.

I am not giving these pages a number because it would serve no purpose as this is just rambling about anyway.

While I was stationed in Kingman, AZ Ila came out to stay awhile. We could not find a room for us in a home so nothing left to do except hotel, not a very big hotel and only one I knew of in town. We went there and was told they had no rooms left but if we couldn’t find anything else we could have a cot and sleep in hall what we did the first night .The next day we got a room for $4.00 a day which was out of reason for what I made. We usually paid $4.00 a week. Anyway she stayed 4 nights and still couldn't find a weekly room so had to go back to City which was a big disappointment to both of us but did not get off duty ‘til 6 PM and had to report next am at 5 so we didn't to be together much anyway.

Our bunks, mattress etc. were all from British supply (no sheets) the mattress was three (3) pads (we called biscuits) they were stuffed with straws and sticks, they issued along with mattress a sack big enough to hold the 3 biscuits. The sack was made of course canvas also 2 wool blankets made (I think from unprocessed wool with little steel wood thrown in. So if you put your biscuits in mattress sack you had to sleep next to blanket, which you couldn’t do, so we slept in the sack and it was a little better than the blanket. However after a long mission you really didn't notice it much. About once a week we would throw our sack in the shower and soak it awhile. Our shower consisted of walls made of tile brick no roof and most of the time didn't have hot water. So you see the sack needed to soak awhile and so did we when the water was hot. About the half the time we took a bath in our helmet.

I had never heard of a saluting detail until we arrived in Plant Park, but found out soon there was such. Charles Thorp and I decided about the third day there that we would go into town and eat dinner (I don't know what made us think we could afford it but went anyway.) We had a nice meal and left the restaurant to look around a little. We noticed a shave tail standing by to left side of building next to ours. We ignored him and went on by standing around the corner out of view were 2 MPs just waiting for us not to salute the Lt. and we obliged. They asked for our pass took our names and said we would be notified when to report for 3 days of K.P., which was standard punishment for failing to salute an officer. A few days passed we were not called up, we wondered why not. David Bradley who got us on shipping list to Tampa in first place showed up at our bunks. Hey he said, I see you guys were caught by a saluting detail. We asked how he happened to know not that it surprised us that he knew. His wife had gone to work for provost marshall and David had given her the names of all our group and if any of our names showed up on a list for anything to take care that they were deleted.

Wayne Funkhouser War Experiences Part 2.

We visited Rain Bow Corner where All-American soldiers passed at least once. We did see several people we knew back in the states. One was Charles Thorp that I was delighted to see, as I had not heard from him since we left Gulfport. Thorp was from Arkansas and had aunts in OK City that he visited from time to time so we kept in touch through all the years ‘til his wife advised he died in March last year.

Mission #6 March 17, 1945. Target Jena, Germany. Weather 10/10 again. Camera worked was primary target but weather was so bad we went on to secondary target but I didn't record what the secondary was, but it was near Frankfort and plenty of Flak from them. We were not hit by any shrapnel from it.

Mission #7 The Biggie BERLIN GERMANY Target Marshalling Yards in center of city. Weather was very visual Flak Heavy-Heavy. All the way across. We flew in from SW corner and out the N.E. Corner of city. This was biggest raid made on Berlin 1300 Heavy Bombers and 750 Fighters. I had a camera that was synchronized with sight on guns, was suppose to take pictures of bombs from time they were dropped to target. But Flak was so thick I thought maybe spinning round and round might deflect it if it hit the ball maybe it whacked as there were some marks on turret that looked like shrapnel had hit it. They couldn’t tell much from my pictures they made them dizzy to watch. We did hit the target square on.

Mission #8 Plauen Ger. March 19, 1945 Target industrial complex. Flak was light and mostly behind us. On the return to England we ran head on into another Group of 17's. Clouds were pretty heavy so we were mixed up with 17's going ever which way. We made a right turn and I swear the plane we turned to miss was so close I could almost touch him with my guns. If he hadn't also made a right turn we no doubt would have collided. We were shaken up more by that incident than we were on most of the combat missions. No one could ever imagine however we managed to get there without colliding. We never found out what Group was headed into the bomber stream at the same altitude. I guess the group leader would have been chastised if they could have found out who he was.

Mission #9 Feldhaussen Ger. March 22, 1945 Marshalling yards No flak no fighters (milk run).

Mission #11 Twenteesche Airfield March 24, 1945 Heavy flak, we got a few flak holes but lost no crew.

Mission #12 Berlin Ger. March 27, 1945. Target was industrial sector. Flak was heavy but our Group didn't get much damage several planes went down from other groups.

Mission #13 We called it 12A March 31st 45 Target Halle Ger. Near Lipzig. There was suppose to be some sort of oil target I don't know what kind. Must have been refining.

Mission #14 Hoya Ger. April 4 1945 Target Airfield. Heavy flak Fighters in area none came at us. This mission was the 1 and only flown below 25000 ft or so. We went over target at 12000 to see if bombing hits were more accurate. We never heard if they were or were not. Enemy fighters were in area hit the group behind us. The flak burst at 12000 feet seemed to be about a dozen times more powerful than they did at 25000 or above. Every burst felt like a direct hit. 2 or 3 times the pilot called over the interphone and ask where we were hit. The co pilot off our wing was killed by flak.

Mission #15 Grafenweht, Ger. Apr 5 1945 Hit ordinance No flak no fighters another milk run. Going on 3-day pass to London in a.m.

I don't remember much about our second trip to London (I didn't write anything down at time) but do recall the Buzz bombs and Fog.

You could hear the engines of the Buzz bombs as they passed over head. When the engine stopped you knew an explosion was about to happen only trouble you didn't know where. Art Thorp (Tail g.) and I were out on street somewhere in Picadilly when one hit close enough to break windows across street from us. The fog was so thick you could see very little. Shook us up some. When there wasn't too much fog it was interesting to watch the delivery horses (Everything Beer- food etc was delivered by horse and drag wagons). They would become very still and tense when the engines stopped on the buzz bombs. I guess they knew it was going to hit somewhere soon.

Mission #16 Oranienburg, G. April 10, 1945 Ordnance depot largest in Germany. We got over the target without any flak, but one 17 behind us got a direct hit and went down (we saw no chutes). We had the first enemy plane to actually come in on our group. It was a ME262 the first jet the Germans put into action. I saw him but was too far to hit, our upper local gunner fired at him anyway.

Mission #17 Friedham Germany April 11, 1945 Bombed visual flak was heavy.

Our #1 engine dropped to 14 inches pulling no more than it's own weight so we lost speed and dropped behind our group, we stayed close to bomber stream so we might tack on to another group to target but #3 engine ran away had to feather it. Lost altitude pretty fast. We dropped bombs to help maintain altitude (they hit in a wheat field we could see the farmer with team and wagon in field but he was far enough away, I don't it hurt anything except his wheat and ears We were loaded with 2-2 thousand pounders). We kept altitude for awhile but the dumb engineer let the #4 engine run out of fuel. We were left with one good engine and were going down about 1500 feet per min. Prepared to bail out or crash land we were lose to Swiss border and had decided to try to make it there if we got out of this predicament alive, but the engineer got the transfer pumps going and the #4 restarted when fuel reached its tanks. We leveled off at about 4000 feet and went on back to base.

The waist gunner Dick Berger had always told me (don't worry Ha) if we ever have to bail out, I'll get you out of that ball before I jump.

I had already rolled the ball up so the door was inside the plane, when the pilot said be prepared to bail out he had the door open, I released the safety strap, he grabbed my chute hangers and jerked me out of that ball in a flash. My mike and ear phone cords of course were pulled out so I could not hear anything said over intercom. So I snapped on my chute (couldn't wear one in Ball) and headed for the waist door just started to pull the release so the door would fly off. Dick grabbed my arm shaking his head and screaming no, after I was off the inter com was when the pilot got the plane leveled off and decided we might make it back after all.

Mission #18 Neumunster Germany, April 13, 45 Target marshalling yard weather clear

We saw one burst of flak and one plane go down. We were never sure if the flak hit him or something else caused it. (They were not in our group)

Mission #19 Point De Gabe France April 14 1945 Target - Big Gun emplacement Weather clear. We didn't see any flak but did see 2 B24's collide and go down. Target was near Bordeaux France.

Mission #20 Dresden Germany. April 17, 1945 Target Rail Center Weather Visual

Flak medium not very accurate. Our group led the 8th over target.

Fighters hit group behind us pretty good. We saw at least 2 planes go down no chutes. After the war and I was working at Halliburtons in Duncan I met a German girl that had married a GI but had divorce. We talked about the war and Hitler many times. She was about 15 yrs old during war and was in a youth Movement. She said at that age she thought Hitler was god. She had seen him many times; it was later that she realized what an evil person he was. Anyway she said the only thing the U.S. - 8th Air Force did that was unnecessary in her view was to bomb Dresden. She claimed the only thing there was the Dresden china works and Doll factory.

Mission #21 Elsterwerks Germany April 19 1945 (Our crew stood down on April 18) Target a Railroad Bridge Weather clear Flak medium. Not very accurate (we heard they had women manning the flak battery) H. A. captain Marshall was lead pilot for our group on this mission. We never knew what his problem was on the mission unless he was bucking for major, but he led us over the target 3 times before finally dropping the bombs but still missed the bridge. We didn't care much for him.

Mission #22 Munich Germany April 21st 45 Target Marshalling yd. Weather 10/10 (target not visible) Flak was very heavy but inaccurate.

Mission #23 Pilsen Chech. Target airfield weather visual good Shoda numitions works. Flak heavy and accurate several planes were lost that day. We always heard that the British had warned the people by radio that they should stay away from work because the 8th AF was coming so the Germans moved all the area flak guns to Pilsen.

We dropped our bombs on the first pass over target (In error) our togeler thought he saw the lead bombardier release his load which of course was the signal for all the group to drop theirs, but he hadn't released his. Any way since we had no bombs and flak was thick the pilot pulled out of position and left the group who made 3 or 4 more passes over the target and still didn't drop their load. Captain Marshall was lead pilot again and one of his gunners (waist) was hit in the rear with a piece of flak. This was the last mission made by the 8th Air Force to drop bombs, the rest of the missions were humanitarian, dropping food to the starving people of Holland and other low countries after that picked up loads of POW's from around Germany and flew them to France and England to hospital.

They also flew ground crews who had been in England for years around Europe at low altitude to see the results of their work in sending the Bombers to Germany. I flew on one or two trips just to look. The above of course came about after May 8th 1945.

On May 13, 1945 we get orders to depart England via Valley Wales, Ireland and Labrador on to Bradley Field Conn. for future assign. After tdy of a leave for rest and recuperation. We transported 12 ground crew members from the 381st. Some had been there for almost 4 years. I remember 1 of bunch didn't pick up his parachute before we left England for Valley Wales. I have never seen a more nervous and anxious person. I guess he thought we would surely go down and he had no chute. Soon as we landed at Valley he went straight to supply for a chute. We stayed in Ireland about 20 hours (nearly all day light hours) and left for Labrador for the next over night stay. There were supposed to go on to Bradley Field next day. We received a report to return to Bangor Maine as everything was socked in at Bradley. So we were delayed another day in getting to home sweet home.

The next day I believe was May 28th. When we left Bangor for Bradley Fld after a few days we departed for Camp Chaffey Ark. Where we would get orders for 30 days plus travel time for RandR then on to Sioux Falls S. Dak. for further assign.

On our way from Bradley Fld to Camp Chaffe we were routed through NYC and Grad Central Station (so I was told) was the 1st and only time I was ever in NY the place was quite impressive.

After RandR leave I reported to Sioux Falls AAF I thought for assignment to a B29 outfit and on to Asis, but Dick Berger our waist gunner met me at the Bus Station at the field with a grin so wide I could only guess he had good news. the first thing he said "Okie we don't have to go on to B29's unless we want to, all with at least 20 missions or 200 hours combat don't have to go unless you volunteer." I didn't have any inclination to do that. We were still in Sioux Falls when Japan surrendered. So we knew was just a matter of time ‘til we would be discharged.

I was sent to March Field Calif. along the 1st of Sept 45 and and was given a list of jobs that were open for a Staff Sgt. I chose technical supply because I knew absolutely nothing about it and that qualification usually worked very well in the army. It worked ok for I had a Buck Sgt. named Chris that was a real nice guy that knew it all. I worked there about a week before I knew he was black and only found out one day as another Sgt. asked me to go to lunch (mess hall) I said sure but I wanted to ask Chris too, all three of us started out when we got near the mess hall Chris turned off. I asked where he was going. He said to the C squadron mess hall. I felt like a real butt but it didn't bother Chris he just laughed and said it had happened before.

Ila came out as soon as she could, was there about 10 days. When one a.m. I was called to see the Captain he asked if I would like a thirty-day leave plus some transit time of course I agreed. I don't remember the date but he gave me 5 days travel time and 3 day pass so my 30 days leave wouldn't start until about the day I got home. So Ila and I went to San Beridino to catch the train for Okla.

Wayne Funkhouser

Wayne wrote down his experiences while in the US Army Air Corp during World War II. They are 30 pages long. I'm going to put it up in 3 parts.

Part I

My 2 Years in the AAF World War II

Wayne E. Funkhouser

I was inducted into the U.S. Army at Ft. Sill, Okla. on Dec. 31, 1943 and for the next (almost) 2 years my life was dictated by Uncle Sam. Arriving at Ft. Sill we were herded together to an orientation. (Except for 1 of our bunch he was taken to hospital where he died that night) on the bus ride from Duncan to Ft. Sill I talked to him and could tell he was very sick I asked why he was on the bus going to army instead of in hospital in Duncan and he said when Uncle Sam called you had to go???"

We were billeted in tarpaper shacks in the temporary recruit’s center, that night it came the biggest snow that we had in years. When I awoke the entire barracks was covered in about 1 inch of drifted snow (came thru the cracks) including our cots, clothes and everything else. You can imagine how enthused I was being there, getting up at 4am in a snow covered barracks.

We spent most of the day getting our GI issues, clothes, mess gear, etc. The supply Sgt. gave me a pair of size 16 shoes. I of course protested and he advised if the army said my shoe size was 16 than that was what I wore, then they all laughed and gave me a size 9.

The second day of army life was spent on Guard Duty on 4 Hours off 8 hours my first tour was from 8 PM to midnight (2000 to 2400 hours.) We were told to halt anything that was moving and get Identification, of course that would be the time when all the drunks were trying to get back to their barracks in all that ice and snow made a very interesting 4 hours.

The 3rd day we began taking the test to determine what we were capable of doing if anything. The first results determined if you should take the next test or be sent to school that would educate you to about a 3rd grade level. (Only 1 in our group was sent to the school) the rest took the next test and so on until you failed to pass. Some how I guessed enough of the answers and pass all of them and qualify for either OCS or air cadet. I chose a/c and was sent to Sheppard Field, TX for further test and Basic training. But I get ahead of my Self. The most important thing that happened at Ft Sill was a visit of Ila; she came with the USO bunch from Duncan for the Sat. night dance at service club. We didn't get to do anything but hold hands and talk but it was the best time that I spent at Ft Sill.

After passing the Air Cadet physical and test we spent the next 6 weeks in regular Basic Training the usual pushups sidestraddle hop, duck walk and running.

After completion of Basic training we could get a pass to at least go to town. Ila came down and stayed one night. I was suppose to be at roll call next am at 5 o’clock that I missed and was called to orderly Room to explain why. I told the 1st Sgt. my wife was in town and stayed with her. He asked who was more important the army or my wife and my answer didn't please him when I said, "last night my wife was". I got KP duly that night in officer’s mess.

In March of 1944 we were transferred to Merced Army Airfield in Merced, Calif. It was a Basic Flight training school but we were of course not there to fly the BT13 because we hadn't even had Primary training.

We spent time learning about aircraft maintenance and other things about operations, until we were to be sent to a University for some education there and primary flight training. That didn't happen.

Each a.m. while at Merced we were called to formation at 8 am and marched to our class room they taught us the basics of army air force duties etc on 4.4.4.4 8 AM instead of marching to our class room we turned left and went to the chapel. Where with we were told by the commandant of cadets and the chaplain we were all eliminated from cadets without prejudice for of the Government. We would be reinstated as soon as space and so forth was available, unless we were in a R.T.U. Which was (Replacement Training Unit) for overseas crews.

Ila came to Merced and stayed a few days. We could only find a screened porch rent, but it was not bad had canvas awning on all the openings and we were happy to e together (Ila's mother kept Gary.)

In June of 44 was sent to Kingman AZ to Gunnery school and promoted to P.F.C.$4.00 a mo. raise. Finish Gunnery school early Sept. and shipped to Plant Park Fla. (Tampa) with a 30-day delay in Route.

A little side not how I can to be shopped to Tampa and eventually the 8th AF in Europe rather than Omaha NB and eventually to the Pacific.

I had met and become close friends with Charles Thorp while in Merced (We were in the same flight) we both knew David Bradley and were pretty good buddies. David was the type who always knew everything that happened on that was about to happen. One day soon after we finished gunnery. I met Dave in the P.X. He called me to one side and said we were going to be shipped out (our whole class) to either Omaha or Tampa which did I prefer? I said Tampa (he also preferred Tampa) and asked me where I thought Thorp would like I said Tampa. Knowing Dave I didn't doubt but what he knew someone on the panel that assigned us to our next station, sure enough Thorp and I were assigned to Tampa along with several other close friends of ours and David's that had been in Merced together. His wife (Dave's was secretary to the Major in charge of transfers) so he just gave her a list that wanted Tampa. Apparently the Major accepted the list as all the ones I remember were transferred to Tampa.

Plant Park Fla - We lived in the State Fair Grounds buildings. Thorp and I were in the "Horse Barns". There we were assigned to the crew that would train together in R.T.U. (that finishes any chance of returning to cadets). We were only in Tampa for 2 or 3 weeks but Ila got to come down for a few days before we shipped out to Gulf Port Miss. A.A.F. She rode a bus with several other wives to Gulf Port and arrived there the same day I did. We found a bedroom in an old Southern Mansion right on the Gulf. A Mr. Greygarde owned the place was a true Southern Gentleman. He treated us like family. We lived on Fig Newtons and milk for Breakfast (still dislike Fig Newtons) did mostly without for lunch and ate dinner at a Restaurant down town where you could get a half dozen fried oysters, fries and salad for 75c or 1/2 doz. fried shrimp, fries and salad for 90c. We usually went to dinner with Art and Evelyn Schuerman a 2nd Lt. and his wife, who also had a bedroom at Greygarde's.

They (Art and E) had lots of fun nearly every night. (Our room adjoined the bathroom) giving Evelyn a douche she usually wond up having to have another after he finished giving her the 1st one.

We trained as a combat crew while in Gulf Port. Our crew consisted of 1st Lt. Henry A. Castille "pilot" he came from Beaux Bridge La. A real Cajun had a definite accent spoke only French the 1st 15 years of his life. 2nd Lt. George W. Guilfeyle from Ohio. He was Rose Mary Cloony's uncle except we didn't know anything about her at the time. He was always telling us about his niece that some day we would be hearing about her singing, he also talked about her sister Betty but R.M. was his favorite subject. Sure enough she made it.

We were in Reno NV in 1986 visiting Gary W. F. and Rose Mary was playing at MGM Grand one Sunday p.m. I decided to try to phone her figuring it would not do any good, anyway I called the hotel told the operator my name and what I wanted that Rose Mary's uncle had been co pilot on our B17 crew during war she all she could do was ring her room which she did and a man answered I explained the whole deal and he said R.M. wasn’t in right then but would tell her I called and took my # which I figured was a way of getting rid of me, however just as we were ready to hang up he said wait, wait she just walked in. So I again explained and we spent almost 45 mins. Going over the entire time we had flown together, I had not had contact with him since the war but took his phone # and talked to him several times after that.

I told R. M. about all the times her uncle and mentioned someday we would hear about his niece and she said, "Well, I can tell you that I have a nephew George Cloony you will hear about some day." Back to the crew 2nd Lt. Herbert D. Seidell navigator from Michigan. Cpl. Hadley Ervin from Palo Alto Ca flight engr. Cpl. Alton T. Linder S.C. Radio Op. Cpl. Edwin R. Walthall togeleer (Bomb dropper) from VA, Myself Lower Ball Gunner, Richard E. Berger - from Mich. waist Dunner and best buddy, Author P. Thorp N.Y. NY tail gunner.

After completing RTA we were transferred to Savannah, Georgia to be assigned an aircraft and further orders.

We arrived in Savannah about the 7th of Jan 45 stayed a few days, was assigned a new B17G which we took on a 6 hour flight to check all instruments etc. then about 1-8-45 we left for destination unknown but we guessed we were headed for England and the 8th Air force since we knew we would stop over night in Bangor Maine. However, it turned out to be longer than overnight. First in came a big snowstorm and froze everything to delay us a day or two. Then our navigator Sidell who was the quietest most gentleperson you could know got drunk and had an argument with MP's and delayed us 4 more days. After that we took off for Newfoundland (Gander) we were in Gander 3 days due to the big blizzard but took off the late evening, I don't remember the date but we headed east and opened our sealed orders after we were in the air to discover our destination which turned out to be Valley Wales. I believe it was about 14 hours flight anyway at daylight the next a.m. I looked down at that solid Ice floe of the North Atlantic and wish I was some place else.

Our navigator did a good job and brought us up to the Coast of Wales to Valley. A base has been there before. We landed and were relieved of our new airplane (the new ones were for old crews) and shipped out by train the next day for Great Yeldon and the 381st Bomb Group and were assigned to 532nd Squadron and Liberty Belle. Also a B 17 S but had done several missions.

We flew a few practice missions over England with an experienced combat pilot and our pilot flew co-pilot, our co-pilot flew with a different experience combat pilot. We were given a pep talk by the base commander and assured us we were in the best group of the 8th and only suffered 50% casualties which of course thrilled us to the very heart of our bottoms. But it was a good group due in part and the commander’s insistence on close and I mean close formation in order to discourage enemy fighters and it worked.

Mission # 1 Huls(?), Germany March 8, 1945. Target was a Railroad Marshalling yard. We didn't know for sure if we hit the target as the weather of 10/10 meant solid clouds covered the area. We had light flak and no fighters so we thought this was going to be easy. We were wrong.

Mission # 2 Kassel, Germany March 9, 1945 Target Locomotive Works. Weather -- Visual no clouds over target area. Meant a different tale. Flak was very heavy and very accurate. The 17 in front of us take 2 direct hits and went down. Part of plane hit our #2 engine cutting all lines so we had to feather it. Bomb Bay door from the doomed plane hit right above our right waist gunner position and ripped a big gash went on hit our vertical stabilizer and tore off part of it. (We were still flying with an experienced pilot and our pilot as co-pilot. I thought it was time to get out of there and said so over inter phone. The experienced pilot came on yelling don't get excited, keep your head, be calm all the time yelling his head off. Our own pilot interrupted him and told him to have some of his own address.) Anyway the damage done to our plan slowed us down quite a bit and we lost our Group but tacked on to others as they came up to us and made it all back to ban. We counted 12 flak holes in our plane, including one in the Plexiglas of the ball turret. I found the piece of flak and kept it for a while but lost it somehow. I thank goodness that was the only piece that even came in side the ball.

Mission #3 Sinsen, Germany March 10, 1945 Target Marshalling Yards Weather 10/10. Flak was inaccurate due to clouds due to bomb range malfunction. We could not drop our bomb. Returned to base and landed fully loaded.

Mission #4 Bremen, Germany March 11, 1945 Target Sub Marine Pens and Docks. Weather 10/10 Flak heavy and not accurate. Couldn’t see target for clouds.

Mission #5 Dillonburg, Germany March 12, 1945. Target Marshalling Railroad Yards. Weather 10/10 No flak (a milk run).

Three day pass to London

Truck took us to Dhelmsford (23 miles) where we could catch a train to London (this was pretty early A.M.) (I think it was Paaddington Station).

We decided to catch the tube (Subway) to Picadilly circus, we all boarded the first train cause they all eventually went to P.C. if not direct, we thought we all boarded after the train pulled out. We discovered the tail gunner Art Thorp was not with us. We thought we had seen the last of him ‘til we got back to base since this was one of the world's biggest cities and we knew nothing about anything except head of Rainbow Corner and Picadilly Circus. We arrived at Picadilly and decided to wait around for a while just in case Art showed up. On the very next train there he was grinning like a possum.

We had a good time on our pass we all got rooms at the Strand Palace Hotel right in Picadilly, they had a rather descent restaurant but no rooms with bath that we ask for the clerk said all you Yanks are alike want room with bath and a woman.

We went to a stage show "Strike it again" featuring who was billed as "Bob Hope of England". He was pretty good but we thought they were wax dummies cause they were not allowed to move while naked after they donned g-strings they could move about.

We took several guided tours walking and bus saw many interesting things including Madam Tussand wax works, very like dummies. At the bottom of stairs going up to second floor was a guide dressed in uniform. Art Thorp went up and ask a question -- no answer. He asked again and then discovered it was a wax figure. At the next level was another uniformed guide. Art walked directly in front of him and right in his face and ask something the guy pointed up the steps and said right up those steps sir. We all laughed of course at Art's reaction.