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Clyde L. Mings
9/16/2005 11:24:39 PM | To Win Bryson: With the Forum's tolerance, I will continue to answer some of the questions you posed trying to get information on what life was like for S/Sgt Tom Dorris, the radioman on The Nelson crew killed over Politz.One detestable job was for the radioman to cross the catwalk and squeeze thru the stanchions and turn the big crank to manually open or close the bomb bay doors when the door electrical system failed, as it often did on our B-17.Straddling an open bomb bay and hoping your oxygen bottle didnt run out is not a fun job.The radio operator also entered in his log the data fed to him by other crew members- the date time info, the ID, if known , of fallen aircraft and the altitude, appprox . location, whether chutes popped, and how many, whether the aircraft was under contol or burning, and any data that would be useful in the debriefing. On some missions it was hard to write as fast as the data was being fed to you. He also manned his hatch gun during fighter attacks but on our 9 man crew the static chaser manned the left waist gun for a better field of fire.The radio equipment included the BC-348 Liaison receiver for CW code and voice, the BC-375 Liaison transmitter with its antenna tuner, Plug in tuning units. and high voltage dynamotor. The SCR-274 Command set was a couple of transmitters and usually 2 or 3 receivers and MD-83 modulator. The SCR-522 VHF set was used by the pilots for intership and airfield communications.The radio operator had a SCR-211 dry cells battery powered Frequency Meter to set the transmitters exactly on frequency.(SCR designates Signal Corps Radio) Each crewmember had a BC-1366 jack box(?) to select the desired functions. The code key was a J-38 (I donated one to the visiting B-17 here , as a radio room without a code key is like a doctor without a stethescope!)
The bomber control station callsign was 7MT. (This from a guy who cant remember his wife's Social Security number or birthday!)The Identification-Friend or Foe set( IFF) was a BC-695 if I am correct. I am a ham, and the European hams often mofified the BC-375 high powered transmitter after WW2 to work off a mains powered power supply-that was one rugged set that even survived crashes that trashed other stuff! it had a distinctive sound that was easily recognized.Will try to answer any radioman questions that you still have. The CD I sent you shows the equipment and radio room very well.Thanks to the Forum for tolerating these posts, but maybe they are of some interest to 401BG buffs.
Clyde L, Mings CMSGT USAF (ret) radioman on IN-Q, Madame Queen 613th.
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Fred Corley
9/17/2005 12:22:06 PM | Many thanks for all of this good information. I am an old "static chaser" myself although not in an airplane so I have some appreciation of the problems.
Perhaps somebody else out there could write something similar to this outlining the jobs of all the enlisted crew members. I would be especially interested in getting info on the Flight Engineers job. Again, Thanks a Lot
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Win Bryson
9/18/2005 7:35:50 PM | Fred:
There is a book that details all the B-17 Crewmen's jobs. It is "B-17 FORTRESS AT WAR", by Roger A. Freeman (he wrote several WWII/B-17/8thUSAAF subject books). Interestingly, the 'Radioman' description is by a 401BG Radioman.
The book was published in 1977, but I don't know if it's still available new - I read it in a library. The book's 'numbers' are: Library of Congress 76-39758; and ISBN o-684-14872-2. It's a large 'coffee table' format book with lots of photos.
However, (and there's always a however), the book's Radioman description is nowhere as entertaining and detailed as C.L. Mings postings here.
Win
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Fred Corley
9/19/2005 8:25:33 PM | I have read the book description as well as the Official Air Force description of the various things that crew members were supposed to accomplish and exactly how they were supposed to go about it. What I really want to hear is what was really entailed in performing those duties. Mr. Mings narrative is just the type of thing I like to read
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