“I received a warning through my radio headset that enemy fighters were spotted at 3:00 high headed straight for our plane. In the next instant, three single-seat German fighters were zooming around, hell bent on their hunt to zero in on our crippled B-17.
There was no time to avoid their concentrated attack. Flying at blazing speeds of 200 mph, the enemy FW-190s were quickly in my range of vision and I opened fire, rapidly exchanging shots, blasting my .50 caliber machine gun with great intensity. The firefight lasted only moments. Soon the fighters were spiraling out of sight – gone in a flash.
Within seconds and without notice, I saw a second wave of three fighters again attacking our plane from the rear. I saw the face of the pilot seated in the cockpit of the lead fighter plane coming directly at me, 20 mm bullets blazing from his wing guns. A shot came bursting through the plane’s exterior, ripping deep into my leg, the explosion filling the tail compartment with thick black smoke…”
This is my step-grandfather, an American hero. A WWII veteran who certainly gave more than he received on the battlefield and in life. Frank-o & his bride Annie-k both passed away in 2015, and they are sorely missed by everyone who knew them… which was a lot of people.
Of all of the work that I have produced over my career, this is the one that I am most proud of. Frank-O & Annie-K were beloved by all, most of all by his family. Technically, they were my step-family. They never were ‘step’ in any sense of the word and they will always be my grandparents.
If you want to purchase Frank-O’s book, you can through Amazon.
