drewK:

My dad was in the European theater, he was a communications guy on the B-17.

Well, that's where most of 'em operated, and some of those daytime bombing runs had to be no fun, given the fact that they couldn't take any evasive action, and usually were well within the range of the ack-ack, regardless of whether they had fighter support or not. 

Anybody who manned a B-17 during those times was a hero, so far as I'm concerned.

Pops was a member of the 99th Bomb Group.

drewK:

Pops was a member of the 99th Bomb Group.

I was just a kid during those times, and I knew quite a bit about the 8th Air Force based in England, because two of my uncles were ground crew members of a bomber group there, but I was only vaguely aware of the 15th Air Force. I do recall reading some news about the 15th Air Force during the war but I really had no idea of their history.  Can't say I actually remember hearing of the 99th Group of the 15th.  

That's a really interesting history.  How many missions did your dad fly?

I know he did fly 38 missions out of Foggia, Italy. That much I know.  Like a lot of vets, he just didn't talk about it whole lot. He told me a few stories here and there.  Like the little Jewish guy that was in ball turret.  The smallest guys, maybe less than 100 lbs. were recruited for that job because it was such a small area.  They locked the guy in that thing.  My dad told me the guy would always say to him as he was getting into the ball turret... "If something happens Andy... Don't you forget me".  No way to get out of that thing unless somebody unlocks it.  As the radio operator, if you look at the layout of a B-17, dad was probably the closest to the turret.

Yeah, I guess the ball turret gunner certainly had the least desirable seat on that ship, but I figure it took a lot of guts to ride in that big flying target, regardless of where you were sitting.  Me, I think I still would have preferred being able to hide in a hole in the ground.

Flying is an unnatural exercise for a human being, and most especially if somebody is shooting at you while you're up there.

Pops told me it was Ungodly cold up there too...

drewK:

Pops told me it was Ungodly cold up there too...

Yeah, they didn't waste energy with heat or pressurization in those birds.  It was probably a real invigorating open air feeling at their service ceiling of about 40,000 feet, I betcha.  Kinda like space walking, wearing only a flight suit, a leather jacket and an oxygen mask.

are we supposed to be guessin what ya'll are takng shots of..or at

I guess this is a rolled up outdoor front door mat. the kind that looks like astro turf..or Mardi Grass .

as or Lurkers,,I am guessin it's one strand of a black plastic broom. or maybe a wisk.

A fall wallpaper..... http://drewk.org/misc/IMG_7112wp.JPG

The other day I ran across a photo my dad took back in the 50's, I believe, of my aunt.

drewK:

The other day I ran across a photo my dad took back in the 50's, I believe, of my aunt.

I love the detail of B&W film.

Lurker:

drewK:

The other day I ran across a photo my dad took back in the 50's, I believe, of my aunt.

 

I love the detail of B&W film.

Yep... Very true. This was actually a color slide that I converted to monochrome, but for this photo it works well. 

I really enjoyed talking with you over coffee today, Lurker.... We will have to do it again.

Jelly Fish up close and personal:

http://drewk.org/misc/IMG_7236_850.JPG

On the beach... Destin,Fl.

Naptime

http://drewk.org/photos/IMG_7231_850.JPG 

Surfer Girl

Trashing up a photo...

drewK:

Trashing up a photo...

It's just posterized, isn't it?

That and I tweaked a bit of the color and noise slightly...

stairs and curves...

http://drewk.org/photos/IMG_7341BWContHvy850.JPG

N B

http://drewk.org/photos/IMG_7345cropBW850.JPG