The Days of Flak, Fire, and Lost Friends
Born on February 22, 1920, in Kannapolis, North Carolina, George Washington "Buck" Perry is the personification of “The Greatest Generation.”
A dedicated family man, patriot, and veteran of two wars, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1939, flew 35 missions over Germany as a B-17 turret gunner during WWII, and served as a crewman aboard a B-26 in Korea.
But you’d never know it by talking with the soft-spoken Air Force veteran of thirty years who just celebrated his 100th birthday.
Perry, like many men of the greatest generation who fought in Europe and the Pacific, rarely mentions his memories of flak-filled skies, exploding planes, bombed out cities, and dead buddies.
But recently, when asked by his great-niece, Melannie Tyson, to share his WWII and Korean War experiences for a biography she was writing, the stories came flowing out.
457th Bomb Group
Recalling his time as turret gunner with 457th Bomb Group, he recounted the daily bombing runs, the constant fear of not making it back to base, and lost friends. With German pilots determined to blow the American “Flying Fortresses” out of the sky, every mission became a deadly game of Russian roulette. Staff Sergeant Perry never knew when his luck would run out.
On one particularly harrowing run, his four-engined, heavy bomber was repeatedly struck by flak, sending shrapnel ripping through the aircraft and into the body of the ball turret gunner, the man in the small, spherical, bubble-like gun mount on the bottom of the plane.
“The left elevator was out, the oxygen system in the back of the plane was out, and the bomb-bay doors were flopping in the wind,” he remembered. “When I got back on the ground. . . and assessed the damage, I counted 44 holes in the right main fuel tank alone.”
The wounded ball turret gunner, miraculously, had survived. “I gave him a shot of morphine, and they took him back to the radio room,” Perry recalled.
Others weren’t so lucky.
Unforgettable Images
On a mission that would go down as one the Group’s deadliest, a plane next to Perry’s was hit by German anti-aircraft rounds, causing the plane to catch fire and explode in mid-air. “I was in my turret looking back to the rear when suddenly our aircraft rocked . . . the plane to our right was hit directly. No one had a chance to get out.”
The disturbing images of men falling through the sky without parachutes would stay with him for the rest of his life.
“In total I flew 35 missions . . . most lasted around 8 hours, the longest was 10 hours,” he told Melannie.
Many men, however, weren't as fortunate. Eighty-three B-17s and 334 men of the 457th Bomb Group never made it home.
A Life-Changing Five Years
Perry never forgot his time in the US Army Air Corps, and like so many men of the greatest generation who witnessed death and destruction on a scale never seen before in human history, his World War II experiences would have a lasting impact on him.
From his first mission during Operation Argument, or “Big Week,” in February 1944 to bombing enemy targets during the Allied invasion of Normandy and supporting American troops during the Battle of the Bulge, he survived one of the deadliest jobs of the war.
During his time in the service, Perry was transformed from an innocent, young North Carolina teenager into a mature, battle-hardened combat veteran, all in a short – but life changing – five years.
Post WWII
After the war, Perry returned to the States, and on October 27, 1945, married Dorothy, who remained his wife for 55 years. “She traveled with me and always found a job wherever we went,” he proudly recalled.
He went on to serve during the Korean War as a crewman on a stripped-down B-26 bomber that had been converted into a weather reconnaissance plane.
“The only way to avoid MIGs was flying almost at water-top level over the ocean,” he recalled. “When we got back, the ground crew would have to use heavy tools to scrape off all the sea salt stuck to plane.”
It was the brutal, sub-zero temperatures, however, he remembered the most. “Korea is coldest place I’ve ever been.”
Postscript:
Perry retired from the Air Force after 30 years of service.
His wife, Dot, passed away in 2000 from Alzheimer’s, and his only son, Richard, an Air Force veteran of 20 years, died in 2005 from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Perry remarried and his second wife, Betty, died three years ago.
When asked about his secret to longevity, he said, “Really no secret to how long you’re going to live; it’s up to the Lord.”
Then in his usual humorous style he added, “But I never could figure out why he was keeping me around so long. I think the Lord wanted to prove that a 2 ½ pound baby, born at home that nobody knew how to raise, could live to be 100."
Here's to you, Buck! We salute, your family, the 457th Bomb Group, and all the men and women of the Greatest Generation! We will never forget you.
Author's note: A few weeks ago Mr. Perry suffered a stroke. He was able to return home and is now under the care of hospice and his family. We ask that you remember him in your thoughts and prayers.
Update: Mr. Perry died on April 1, five days after this blog was written. We're glad his family was able to read it to him just before he passed. He will be buried in June with full military honors.
Top/Feature photo: B-17s flying through German anti-aircraft flak. (PC: Zemper Collection, http://www.457thbombgroup.org)
Hi Ned. This is an informative and entertaining post. I’m researching a book project about a bombardier in the 351st BG who was KIA on what would have been his final (35th) mission in February 1945. When I submit a proposal sometime after this COVID mess is behind us, the project will hopefully become my 8th nonfiction book.
Would you happen to have a reproduction-quality image of the lead-in photo of B-17s enduring heavy flak? I’ve seen this photo identified as being the 351st BG (Triangle J) but cannot verify that.
Thanks in advance, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Bruce- Thanks for reading the blog about Buck Perry and many apologies for the delay in responding to this comment.
Your book project sounds interesting, and I look forward to learning more. What a tragic story.
I looked at your website and will definitely be checking out some of your books.
I’m sorry I don’t have a reproduction of the lead-in photo. It is part of the Zemper collection at http://www.457thbombgroup.org/; I’m sure they’ll be able to help you.
Again, thanks for touching base and I appreciate your kind words.
Happy birthday, Buck Perry, stick around for a few more years, Life is just starting to get interesting. I had a very close friend, named Jack Schultze, who was a radioman on a B-17, during WW2. H eflew 25 missions over Germany,. I am a Korean War vet, so Jack and I swapped a lot of stories. I don’t remember his Air Group. Wishing you the best. Kenneth
Thanks for reading the blog and taking the time to comment, Kenneth. Bet you heard some amazing stories from your friend Jack.
Sadly, we found out a few days ago that Buck passed away. We will make sure his family sees this message just the same.
Appreciate your support and your service during the Korean War.
Semper Fi!
Another great post Ned. I wish him well in his remaining days..
Thanks for reading and commenting, Travis. Glad you enjoyed the story, and as always, we appreciate your service in Korea and Vietnam.
Thanking you, Mr. Perry, just isn’t enough! Without your personal courage and willingness to serve our country, there is no way to know where we would be right now. Thank you, Ned Forney, for sharing this epic story!
Thank you for reading the story and sharing these heartfelt comments, Kathy! It means a lot to us and to Buck and his family.
You’re right – there’s no way to know where we would be right now without the many sacrifices of the men and women from the greatest generation.
I’m glad to do my part in helping to share their stories.