Area veterans and their teenage guardians from Lyndon and Central Heights high schools take a moment at the World War II Memorial during their tour last week of Washington memorials as part of Honor Flight 17.
By Cleon Rickel
On Merle Marsh’s last flight to Washington, D.C., he was in the back of a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress.
“I was there once during the war,” Marsh, of Carbondale, Kan., said. “We were the crew of the week, so we got to fly into Washington.”
His return to Washington occurred June 5, when he flew in the front of another Boeing aircraft, this time a commercial 737 jetliner.
Marsh was one of three World War II veterans who were flown to Washington by Honor Flight 17, organized by high school students at Lyndon High School and Central Heights High School.
Marsh’s son-in-law, Don Forbes, also of Carbondale, and a Vietnam-era veteran, accompanied him on the flight.
Marsh went into the U.S. Army Air Force in 1944 and was trained to be a tailgunner in the large four-engine bombers in Florida. The war in Germany ended before he was assigned combat missions.
“We flew four hours every other day,” he recalled.
Being a tailgunner was just a shade less dangerous than being in the ball turret in the belly of the big bombers. To get to the two 50-caliber machines in the tail of the bomber, the tailgunner had to crawl into a tight, cold and drafty space and sit on what amounted to a bicycle-type seat in a kneeling position and leaning forward on his chest parachute.
“It was a little scary but after the first time back there, it isn’t bad,” Marsh said.
The tailgunners had to be alert for fast, nimble enemy airplanes roaring up behind their bombers.
To prepare them for the speedy German Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf fighters, the tailgunners would train on Jeeps with shotguns attached at the back. As the Jeeps bounced along at 20 miles as hour or so, clay pigeons would be launched at or behind them.
Though it was Marsh’s second trip to Washington, it was the first for his son-in-law Forbes.
“The whole trip is awesome,” Forbes said. “It’s geared for the veterans but it’s nice to see a lot of young people. It’s heartening to see young people take such an interest.”
