Belly Gunner

This was a nice little read about the memories of World War II from Dale Aldrich who served as a Ball Gunner on a B-17. Dale didn't volunteer for the war. He was drafted. He says he wasn't afraid and would fight if so called on. Dale found himself being trained as an air mechanic simply because he drove tractors. It was assumed he knew how to work on them. He decides to become a gunner after he finds himself not being able to get something to eat since he worked a graveyard shift at an airfield. A clerk tried to warn him off saying gunners get killed. He later gets assigned to a B-17 and trains with them. He also finds out that the ship carrying the mechanics was torpedoed. Jumping to gunners school probably saved his life. Eventually, he finds himself in England. He becomes a ball gunner by trading positions with another taller man. He describes what it was like and the fact he used to sleep while the plane was in flight simply because it was warm in the ball turret versus the rest of the plane. Again, his life is saved as the other man get's killed on a mission while fighting fighters. His plane is shot down and he finds himself in Holland. He is betrayed and becomes a Prisoner of war and ends up in Stalag 17. Eventually, he gets his freedom and returns home. Overall, this book is aimed at the high school level. For what it is; it's a good book about a man sharing his experiences which are interesting to hear as they give an idea as to what hit was like versus the "romanticized" versions that come from movies. Stories such as Dales are invaluable especially when considering his generation is dying off and the war starts moving in to mythical realms. The stories are interesting such as Dale talking about Corporal Schultz versus Sargent Schultz of Hogans Heros. What happened in Stalag 17 and how some of that actually was used the movie Stalag 17. Some of the photos are interesting. Two I found particularly interesting were a photo of a guard fence where the Germans tossed used cans to build a sound barrier against possible escape and another where the author was examining a restored B-17G called the "Nine-O-Nine" which was a plane that I once got to take a ride in.

The Belly Gunner is the dramatic, first-person narrative story of Dale Aldrich, an American GI who served in World War II, and who told of his life to author Carol Edgemon Hipperson. Eyewitness experiences, gripping and deadly battles, black-and-white photographs and an era that changed the world forever are all presented in vivid detail, in this straightforward account especially suitable for readers age 12 through 17, and is highly recommended for school and community library collections.

This book is fantastic, and loaded with history. You can't put it down once you've stared it. Good for all ages, and Vets will love it! Good job Carol.