Published: June 30, 2009 11:49 pm      

Veteran relives memories aboard B-17

MOUNT COMFORT — Just as he had done many times during World War II, John Eads grabbed the top support of the little door leading to the belly of the B-17 bomber and swung himself inside.

For the first time in 65 years, Eads was back inside an aircraft like the one he flew 50 missions in over Italy during World War II.

The 86-year-old Kokomo native was provided the opportunity to fly in a restored B-17 bomber, the “Liberty Belle.”

During World War II, Eads was a waist gunner on a plane named “Black Jack of the Bad Lands.” He said the pilot named the airplane.

Eads enlisted in the Army Air Corps on Dec. 5, 1942, at the age of 18 with plans to be a mechanic. But after his enlistment, he was sent to a gunnery school and was assigned as a waist gunner with the 97th Bomber Group, 342nd Squadron of the 15th Air Force in Italy.

It was an 11-hour flight across the Atlantic in the bomber.

“I wasn’t particular,” he said of his assignment as a gunner. “I had to get the job done.”

Eads said the German Air Force controlled the top half of Italy and the Americans the lower half. He flew bombing missions over France, Bulgaria and Austria.

He was credited with flying 50 missions.

Eads said in 1944 he received a 30-day leave and returned by ship to the United States and spent his time in Kokomo. He recalled purchasing a Cushman scooter for $200.

“When we returned to Europe, we were told because we had flown 50 missions, we didn’t have to fly anymore,” he said. “I was glad, my nerves were shot.”

Eads’ gunner position was on the left side of the airplane, between the radio operator and tailgunner. He manned a 50-caliber gun in temperatures that fell to 40 degrees below zero.

“I just did what they told me to do,” he said. “I never refused to fly.”

Eads said he never knew if he shot down any German fighter planes because many times they might have gone down later.

The “Black Jack of the Bad Lands” was hit once by flak just below the pilot’s seat, he recalled.

“It cut the throttle cables,” Eads said. “The flight engineer went below and worked the cables by hand.”

During the first missions, Eads would wear a flight suit and parka to combat the cold. He said later they were given electric suits to keep them warm.

After the 30-minute flight from the Mount Comfort airport, Eads said he stood where he always did, at the waist gun position.

“It was a rough ride back then,” he said of flying in a B-17 during the war.

“It got to me,” Eads said of the flight with emotion in his voice. “I thought about the guys I flew with. There’s only one left that I know of, he lives in Illinois, and I’ll call him when I get back home.”

Eads’ wife of 57 years, Thelma, got to experience the flight with her husband.

“I wanted to see what it was like inside and out,” she said. “Man, I loved it. I got a feel for what John went through.”

When asked about lifting himself in and out of the plane’s door, Eads said that was the way he always did it.

“It’s been an enjoyable day,” he concluded.

IF YOU GO:

• WHAT: Flights in B-17 bomber “Liberty Belle”

• WHERE: Mount Comfort Airport, Indy Aero terminal.

• WHEN: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

• COST: $430 for a 30-minute flight; tours of the plane are free