Hey folks,
Doing some research for another project but can’t quite nail down the answer. Looking for info on the typical rank each crew member would hold on a B-17, esp. pilot, co-pilot, navigator, and bombardier. I’m pretty sure from the top turret back were mostly Sgt of one grade or another, yes?
If anyone can point me to a source or has some good info, I’d be most appreciative.
Thanks,
Chris
Flight deck was officers. Usually pretty low rank. Heavy on 1st or 2nd Lts. Sometimes, a Captain. Occasionally higher ranks, if a Squadron or wing commander wanted to fly a mission.
Yes, Back enders. ie Radioman, ball turret, waist, tail gunners were Sgts. Everyone was at least an NCO or an officer. No lower enlisted ranks, PVT, corporal, etc. since it was known the Germans treated NCO’s and Officer POW’s far better.
Flight engineers/top turret gunners were Technical Sgts (T-5?) in 1943 through at least early 1944. My uncle was in the 427th BS/303rd BG from April 13, 1943-October 1943, then his crew transferred to the Pathfinders, 812th BS/482nd BG to January 1944. Due to an infraction, he was busted to a Staff Sgt, and off flight status. Two weeks later, he was promoted back to TSgt, and back to flight status. Gunners could be Staff and Buck Sgts. Corporals and privates had flight crew gunner positions in the early days of 1942. Pilots were 1Lt.'s, Capt.'s, Maj.'s, Lt. Col.'s, and Col.'s. 2Lt.'s were co-pilots. Majors and Col.'s flew sometimes as co-pilots. Even BG Travis flew as a co-pilot several times. A good website is the one for the 303rd BG, 303rdbga.com.
Even some wing commanders flew on flight deck. Squadron and Wing commanders found crews respected them more if they flew occasional missions. Some squadron commanders flew a lot of missions. Movies “Command Decision” and “Twelve O’clock High” show this. Unit commanders were almost always pilots, though sometimes they flew in left seat and other times they were just supernumeraries.
Interestin topic. SO if I understand correctly the higher rank of the NCO’s were mostly because of the likelyhood of becomming POW’s and hopefully being treated a little better more than any real reason of controll and command of NCO’s of other services?
Theuns
Not exactly. Flight engineers were given the rank of technical sgt because of the amount of knowledge they had to know about the aircraft. They had to know how every system on the aircraft worked and to provide fixes and workarounds to keep them alive and come back to base.
This is excellent. Thanks guys.
Chris