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This is the story of Hewitt Dunn, the greatest B-17 Flying Fortress gunner and crewmember in World War II. He was a member of the 390th bomb group and flew 104 total combat missions over Europe for the 8th Air Force. Here, we investigate his combat, missions, and mysterious death. This was made using the World War II flight simulator War Thunder. Hope you enjoy! Please like, comment, and subscribe. #WW2 #WWIIHistory #WarThunder
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CORRECTION: Hey guys - I meant to say "Master Sgt" not "Major Sgt". This was a simple misreading of my own script in recording. Sorry - it's hard with all I have going on to catch every little thing. Also, I know my German pronunciations need work. I'm working on them all the time. Thanks guys. - Please consider supporting me on Patreon so I can continue to make these videos. Can't keep going without you guys! Patreon.com/TJ3History
Your videos of the air war during WWII are the BEST ON KZhead and my #1 go to videos.....Thanks so very much..... F-4 Shoe🇺🇸
Maybe check out a little google-translate and learn how to say "Arch-canz-ass"... That's how badly you mangle the German city names.
@@steveshoemaker6347 thanks Shoe!
@TheScandoman wow thank you I hadn't thought of that.
@@TJ3 Sorry; I also get tired of hearing Simon Whistler say "Hineritch Shleye-man"!
My dad started WWII by walking through Africa and then up through Italy. He then went into a new outfit called the Airborne (Yeah, those guys, B of B). He finished WWII by jumping into Germany. Never stopped fighting. He was a serious alcoholic which did affect our family but he finally got it under conrol via AA. I never knew or asked as a kid "what did you do during the war daddy? Something said, Don't Ask. I found out after mom passed and I got his DD214 that he had 7 major campingn to his credit. He never talked about it. I have the name of one of his comrades. The one story he told me was when he said "I never knew there were that many guns in Germany" as we watched the movie The Longest Day. He was in one of the boats that went after the trapped brits in Market Garden and said the guy next to me, his head just disappeared. As an adult I find his drinking understandable as he had lived through the sheer horror that is war. The ARMY rewarded him by marching him with a bunch of soldiers into the desert and setting of an A-Bomb to see what would happen to troops. He was told to never ever speak of this. F^^^ that, he told me this on his death bed. Died of cancer. Like many, he had a hard time after the war but he did not quit, he couldn't. The Greatest Generation is true!!! He is still my hero.
RIP for your pa
The Man.
So this is about you now
@overk I liked your story but I will say this that no one does. WW2, the "americans" fought their families. We were all from Europe. And some not that long ago. Imagine going to war against your family. The only thing that war did was erase millions of strong, good, christian men. And thats what they were after. I don't qusetion why the world went into a nosedive after the 60's. Look around today. Is this what they fought for? What a waste.
I can understand what you went through. My Dad was in Vietnam and had some of the same personal problems. He never got it under control. I handled it the same as you.
I remember how this channel just started out by doing some simple history stories played out on IL 2. Now it has progressed to interviewing veterens. Glad to see how far it has comed.
Thanks :)
Interesting story. Fantastic CGI. I thought that the Bombardier hit the switch. What's a toggleier?
The togglier was the crewmen who toggle the bomb drop. The toggle being a switch that dropped the bombs.
As the war progressed, 8th AF leaders realized they could achieve greater accuracy by putting the best bombardiers in the lead aircraft (usually a primary and secondary). The bombardiers in the aircraft that followed monitored the lead and dropped when they saw that aircraft release its bombs. Obviously, you didn’t need to be a fully trained bombardier to do that job, so gunners could handle the job-and provide better protection against frontal attacks, since commissioned bombardiers and navigators received minimal gunnery training.
What are veterens?
Dunn had to be one of the bravest men I`ve ever heard about or he had a death wish. 104 Combat missions in a B-17 is insanity. Sucks how it turned out.
Yep
For some battle is as addicting as heroin. They miss it and get the shakes. A lot turn to drugs and alcohol to try to recapture that feeling.
They Should at the vary least have an exhibit about Dunn at The Castel Airforce Museum.
@@uberdang830 Absolutely.
Look into Ole 666 and the eager beavers
My father in law was a Navy pilot in the Chinese theater during WW2, he never spoke about his experience until my daughter had to do a report for high school. He was awarded numerous medals. Had his plane shot and made emergency landings. He was a good man
My great uncle flew in a B-17 as a bombardier/togglier. He started out as a flight mechanic but was moved up to the nose of the aircraft after a few missions. He was KIA over Pottschach, Austria on May 10, 1944, after a mission to bomb Weiner Neustedt, Austria. Half of the crew of his aircraft was able to bail out and were taken POW until the end of the war. The navigator bailed out and survived, but his parachute was snagged in the trees, leaving him hanging there and unable to get down. The ship went down with half of its bomb load still on board, and shortly after it crashed, the remaining bombs detonated, killing him. The tail gunner had also bailed out, but his chute caught fire and he plummeted to the earth, being killed on impact. My great uncle bailed out as well, but he was too low for his chute to deploy effectively, and he too died when he hit the ground. The pilot and flight engineer; no trace of them was ever found. It's presumed that their bodies were destroyed when the bombs cooked off. My great uncle, the tail gunner, and the navigator were all buried in the town cemetery, then disinterred after the war by the Army. He now lies in eternal glory at the American Military Cemetery, Ardennes, Beligium in Plot A, Row 38, Grave 26. God bless the crew of Pete's Playhouse (42-31804), and all of those who never returned. In loving memory of T-Sgt Prescott C. Piper, 775th Bomber Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group (H), 15th Air Force.
Thank you for your great uncle's service. Those guys were brave beyond measure.
I thought this video might be about Eddie Sanchez, who stayed at his top turret gun position while his disabled B-17 was falling. Sanchez blazed away at enemy fighters, trying to cover his crew mates as they descended in their parachutes. He deliberately sacrificed himself for them. Later, a B-17 was named for him: “Galloping Eddie Sanchez.”
It is amazing what fellowship does to one's soul that they would sacrifice themselves for the rest.
GR8 post, Regards from the North Rocky Mountains, UssA😊
Great story Sir. Thanks
Our true role in life is touching lives, both animals and mankind.
I've been a serious history nut for over 40 years... Especially concerning WW2 air forces and I've never heard this story of Master Sgt. Dunn. Flying 104 combat missions... and in a heavy bomber no less, is mind boggling. It's very sad to hear that he struggled so much after the war. He's an American hero. He shouldn't be judged by how he died, but by how he lived to fight for his country. Such a tragedy for it to end like this for all who loved him
GR8 post, pushin 70 now, Library in high school had lots of WW2 aviation books, read em All. Respect for both side flying.😊
It's just the reality of us human beings. There's no doubt pressure on a man like him to live up to the stature of a hero. He certainly was, but that doesn't mean he didn't have darkness to deal with as well. We all do in one way or another.
@@SubvertTheState you're absolutely right. The war didn't end for them on V-E day. All warriors live with those memories for the rest of their lives.
I thought bombardier were officers
Growing up in So Cal my neighbor was a navigator in a B-17. The Royal Flush, he also was in the 390th . Did his 25th mission and came home to be an instructor.🇺🇸
That sounds very similar to our family history: My father enlisted in the Army Air Corps (1942), age 18, and served as a gunner and radio operator on B-17s. He was assigned to the 8th Air Force in England and flew 35 combat missions over Europe. Including one shown as "SECRET" on his papers. The records for many crew members were lost during a fire at Fort Benjamin Harrison. His brother, age 20, was a Navy aviator flying in the Pacific area: his plane was shot down . The bad news was wired to the family, who were surprised three months later when he walked in the front door in his Navy uniform. My father had left the service at the end of the war and worked as a TV/Radio engineer. He was called back to duty for the Korean conflict but didn’t have to deploy; and stayed with the new US Air Force. He retired in 1968 after 26 years of active duty and died in 1976. Both brothers are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Regards
There's a reason for a page 13 for you to sign that says " You understand that you are volunteering for a dangerous position as all aviation is dangerous" or something like that. We signed the papers just like everything else we thought was a croc. We were young and immortal.
Any spousal abuse is wrong, but this highlights the issue with PTSD going unreported and without the mental health support so desperately needed. A sad end to a brilliant career. Thank you so much for highlighting this brave man and solving the riddle of his sad demise. I wonder if his widow and son received the support they desperately needed after this incident. It will undoubtedly scar them too. It is very sad that enemies are not the only victims of War. Families are too. Thanks again for sharing. I really enjoyed this deep dive. A very sad and tragic end.
Makes you wonder sometimes who really won the war...
Well said and I concur.
First time I have heard someone say that enemies are victims, they are indeed and I will add that some victors are to.
@@ronallens6204 Put it down to the fighting Put it down to the fools who play in the game I'm picking up second sight I'm picking up tired ways But you better believe it Oh you better believe before it's too late I'm feeling like letting go Of living in a dangerous time It must've been lonely, it must've been cold It must've been something Life in a dangerous time Is there life in a dangerous time? Coming out of the shadows Coming out of the darkness into the light It's bright enough to show the way Enough to face another day It's a curious feeling It's a feeling of reaching up to the sky I'll never think of letting go Of living in a dangerous time It must've been lonely, it must've been cold It must've been something Life in a dangerous time ~Cutting Crew~ Life in a Dangerous Time
@@anthonyxuereb792 I feel like the Internet has brought so many stories and narratives from the times they took place, it really humanizes everyone. I grew up thinking the Nazis were all evil and very conscious of things like the Holocaust. It's much more difficult to grapple with the reality of it being me, if I had been born in Germany in 1920. It just goes to show, the world can be a better place if we try to value the lives of others. Before condemning a whole nation as evil, ask ourselves if we are sure, or are they just victims of the wrong story, laziness and unwillingness to stand up against authority....To speak the truth if we believe something is wrong. The milgram experiments after the war proves that over 60% of people would shock a subject even to the risk of fatal levels, if ordered to by someone in authority. I've always taken that to mean: "Don't ever get comfortable with signing away my responsibility to do what's right."
I'm glad you were able to track the story of Dunn down. It's easy in today's world (and post WW2 in general) to cancel people despite their contribution to the war effort. People of that generation didn't have access to mental health services and had to figure it out themselves, not always successfully. My dad and his buddies were all British vets. One in particular, was a member of the Chindits in Burma fighting against the Japanese. It was a horror story. Uncle Ray, as I called him, certainly had PTSD, would suddenly have to leave work and his wife and disappear into Algonquin park solo canoeing in a birch bark canoe. He would be gone for a few days at a time. Fortunately where he worked, his bosses were all vets and recognized his "shell shock". This continued until the day he died. The tens of thousands of combat vets from that war had a really tough time after the war ended. It's hard for us non-combatants to understand the toll combat imparts on the soldiers, sailors and airmen.
You ain't lied yet. Damn right too. It would be hellish. Good thing other vets were around him. Thanks for the story.
Hewitt Dunn leaves the war, but the war never leave him.
"War changes things" - Brearios
but war never changes!!@@lyricallyunwaxable1234
@@lyricallyunwaxable1234...war also changes its survivors. Not always for the better
@@philgiglio7922 You ever seen the movie, Appleseed alpha.
War is a Racket 😢
Being a veteran in the Vietnam era this greatly saddens me to see such a tragic ending for a true patriotic hero. He suffered from PTSD and if from more modern times would have been given the medical treatment he deserved. My uncle was a ginner in a B24 and suffered nightmares his entire life waking up screaming on many nights. My heart and loyalty goes out to my brothers in arms.
My uncle was a navy gunner on a 24 and was lost when his plane was shot down in 45 - Marcus Island-Pacific bombing raid.
❤
Are you saying that veterans get proper medical treatment today?
@@TheUSAxeMan I think he means their chances are better today overall. I mean, there were times when PTSD was considered BS.
@@eagle7399My cousin Arthur Valhusky was also a Navy gunner and lost his life the same way as your uncle. My dad often spoke of him and hoped he had somehow survived. He went to a reunion many years later and met a man who saw Arthur's plane hit and go down. He told my dad there was no possibility he survived. My dad still spoke of Arthur and named my brother after him. I continue telling Arthur's story to my children. He is our hero.
Thanks so much for sharing this story about Sgt. Dunn. My father was a top turret gunner on the “Glittering Gal”; 99th BG that flew out of Foggia Italy. He flew 52 missions, came back to the states where he helped ferry B-17’s to Europe until the war ended. My mother was a WAC in the air transport command where she met and married dad when he got back from Europe. I knew dad had been wounded by flak and had a purple heart which I saw as a child. However, after he passed we found that he had been awarded the Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross. I never knew about these medals nor the story behind them until reading his journal several years after he passed, wherein he briefly described several terrifying events that caused him to take action. I am grateful that both my parents served during WWII, they were great examples to myself and my sister and for that I consider myself very lucky.
My father was a bombardier with the 390th on aircraft named the jonnie walker, I was a crew chief on FB-111A with the 380th at Plattsburgh AFB NY in the early seventies.
I have been to the 390th Bomb Group museum last November in Tucson and it was fantastic! I’ve learned a lot about the 390th and they have so many great stories. If you don’t mind me asking, what was your dad’s name?
👍👍👍👍👍
@@realwealthproperties5671 Francis R Kastory he retired from the USAF two years after I went into the USAF. I met his pilot and copilot at his funeral in 1995.
Rock on brother, I was at mountain home IDAHO with F111F models then went to Lakenheath with them in 77 I worked MA or the proper name environmental control Systems,,,thanks for taking off all those panels 😅
@@tommyjenkins7453 You are welcome, I took off many a panel for all kind of specialist. It only got worse when I went to the F-4 aircraft which I worked on every version the USAF had.
Born a boomer in the late 40’s and growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, I’ve seen many WWII veterans take to the bottle to assuage their traumatic experiences. Some died from the alcohol and some took their own lives. It was not until years later that I realized how many families were affected by the residue of war.
I'm surprised you didn't end this with "SMH"
War does terrible things to people. My dad's uncle was a B-17 pilot in Europe. He survived his 25 missions including one in which he was the only uninjured crew member left. My dad was extremely found of his uncle but admits that after the war he spent the rest of his life drunk, though he was a functional drunk. When my dad earned his pilot's license he took his uncle flying. He'd not been in any airplane since the war, yet when allowed to take the controls he was still able to keep the plane exactly where he intended.
My Dad was a B-17 pilot and the War was quite a battle to overcome; especially after the War was over. Pops was definitely a functioning drunk but, I wouldn't have ever questioned him about why he would drink to obliterate everything else. I would pray for him and stand beside him all of my adult life. He made my childhood a very happy one and would go out of his way to be there for me. Still, if not for people like him and your Father's Uncle and those who fought that War, I prefer not to think about what the outcome would have been for us to live in a world ruled by a German Feuher.
This is a really important story. You are correct about it not mattering that he died a shameful death. What matters is his service. Sorry for his son and even his wife and himself. He obviously had PTSD and it is likely that the fact he was a hero contributed to others covering for him and not making him get the help and care he needed. But does not diminish the service he gave to his country.
nah his service does not make up for being a shitty human being. a lot of vets are drunks go around acting like everyone owes them something.
@@richardhead3211agreed
This is an awesome story! The graphics are also amazing! I do have one very important note for your graphic artist. B-17s flew in a box formation of 16 planes arranged in four boxes. They were not haphazardly arranged all over the sky as illustrated in your movie. They flew tight formations as protection from fighters. I have over 200 interviews of mostly B-17 and B-24 crewmen, and all the pilots talked about the tight formations. You are doing awesome work. If you want to be historically accurate, as well as honor the pilots, do some research on box formations. As a side note, it was Paul Tibbets who conceived the box formation and initiated multi-bomber raids by the US Army Air Corps from North Africa at the beginning of the air war. I have an interview with Lee Lyle, one of the most decorated B-17 pilots from WWII who was in the room with Winston Churchill when the US was negotiating to put bomber bases on English soil. It almost didn’t happen until one point was mentioned… Keep up the great work! Please get your graphics artist on-board with honest representations of the formations.
Glad you told this story because my own Dad was a bad-turrent gunner in a B-17 and flew over 30 missions over Germany. He was in the #455th Bomb Group and their plane was named " Ball O' Fire ". Had a bugs Bunny likeness on the side. Never ever asked him about his service and he never shared details. Only know about what he ( and his Bomb Group ) did thru history books. All of his Bomb Mates stayed close after the war and stayed in touch. Our Family summer vacations when we traveled would include meeting up with some of them. They had a ' shared ' experience . As a piece of history i do have his little black Pilots log which details the dates and locations of the Missions they had. Missions to the various Cities all over Italy and Germany like the ball bearing factory.
@@richardhead3211it’s not excusing it, but war can really mess up a person and make them shitty. It sucks but it happens. The “asshole” vets you know might’ve been a little nicer before they went to war.
Another great story of something I had never heard before. Thank you for keeping history alive.
Glad you enjoyed it
Another outstanding video! I had never heard of Dunn or his story. A true Iron man to say the least. He deserves to be remembered even with his faults. We all have them in one way or another. Thanks for all your hard work. I look forward to watching all of your post.
Thank you :)
Framlingham was the village, but the airfield the 390th operated out of was Parham. There is a museum there today and I visited it with my wife after the second “lockdown” in May of 2021. I highly recommend to any WW2 history loving Americans visiting or living in the UK, to visit Parham and Thorpe Abbotts at a minimum. As a Yank living over here, I feel blessed to be able to visit these places.
he wasn't a major Sgt. He was a Master Sgt. And the article you showed, the third paragraph said he was denied a promotion because he was "argumentative and unsocial". From my own personal experience from flying to back to back tours in Vietnam as a helicopter Crew chief/Gunner. M/Sgt Dunn had PTSD, and after 104 combat missions, there is no wonder or doubt about that. Back then, there was no help for that illness.
I watched this video with awe. My own father flew 33 night missions over Germany on Halifax bombers in the RAF. Whenever I fly from the European mainland to the UK in a commercial airliner, and see the British coast, I think of all those bomber crews who saw the same sight in the war years - British, British Commonwealth, Americans, Poles and the rest - and who must have felt 'nearly there now. Not long to go'. The thought of taking off 104 times from East Anglia to bomb Nazi Germany from the beginning of 1944 and ever thinking you might make it back alive is simply inconceivable. I salute, and thank, Master Sgt Dunn, and all who flew with him. (Small note - you might try to get the pronunciation of German targets a little more accurate for these videos. I had to think twice about some of them, and I'm still not definitely sure of the places you meant to name. 'ei' in German, as in Leipzig - is 'ai', as in 'pie'. )
His insubordination and spousal abuse after the war may have been due to an hypoxic brain injury when he went so long without oxygen on his 100th mission.
Thanks doctor.
@@TheTradosauruswell, he said may have been :)
Well done from New Zealand. Had a Canadian airman buy a farm down the road from our farm he was a navigator through many missions over Germany . Him and dad both service men shared a lot of stories that us kids were spellbound by. They were definitely the greatest generation. Lest we forget.
As a Veteran I applaud You. So many stories worth telling. YOU have done well. I am no combat veteran but I have studied many stories, and they are common. You accept your fate and do your job.
I just wanted to say Thank you for your service, may God bless you and have a very Merry Christmas 2023.
As stated in this video.......Dunn's personality changed by the time he came home from war. I can understand this well as my late mother told me how different my late father was when he returned from combat in Nazi Germany, 40% disabled. He returned with a hot hair trigger temper and drank large amounts of alcohol to control his nerves. He was argumentative as well, especially when drinking.... which cost him a very good job.
Several years ago I interviewed a lady from Madison MN whose husband came home from WWII and became an implement dealer. She said he was a wonderful man who came home from the war a different husband. He used alcohol to numb the mental anguish and it eventually ruined his business and killed him. I wonder how common this was.
From my reading on this subject, trying to understand my late fathers behavior.......this was very common. Returning WW2 vets did not get the type of help offered to vets in later wars. My dad spent nearly 60 years with "dozens" of shell fragments inside him, scars all over his body and very limited use of his right hand. The doctors at that time feared he would die if they tried to go in and remove every single shell fragment. I can remember him sitting on the couch, watching TV, slamming down beers and picking/digging small surface pieces out of his arm....and this was decades after ww2 ended. Amazingly ,on the GI Bill he got his masters degree and PHD and spent his life as a college professor. His disability gave him an intense drive to succeed. @@don66hotrod94
My dad was in WW2 for the last 6 months, korea, vietnam. ARMY. raging alcoholic who could never keep a job for long. Never knew what he went through but liquor was his vice.
Yes, my dad was Army too. 1st leut. U.S. Army infantry. Alcohol and hot temper seemed to be the common thread with vets of his era. If being in the war was not bad enough that generation endured the 1918 flu (my dad lost his father to it when dad was 2 years old) and 11 years later the great depression. Only the strong survived. My dad never spoke much about the war except to tell us of different places he was stationed in the USA. Even though he was 40% disabled they would not discharge him and send him home simply because he was an officer. He was bounced all over the country for the entire duration of the war....I think he called it "Inactive duty" or something like that. @@azthundercloud
That generation had a hard time dealing with their emotions. My Dad flew Hellcats off the Hornet in the South Pacific during WWII. He had vicious nightmares connected with his combat experiences for 30 years. They faded only when he started sharing his missions with high school students. There was no counseling back then that would have aided his integration into civilian life. That didn't happen until late in the Vietnam war. In my dad's last 20 years he was greatly honored by his country and his compatriots. He was featured in an episode of "Dogfights", and met President Obama to receive the American Fighter Aces award. The missing man formation in the flyover at Arlington where he is interred is forever etched in my mind. Thanks for a great video about a selfless hero whose combat didn't end with the armistice..
Forgotten, not erased. Words matter mate.
I’m guessing it was Master Sergeant not Major Sergeant as there was no such rank that I’m aware of in the Army. That said, a very well done video and good for you for bringing this story to the forefront.
Yep that was my mistake.
He may have been a Sargent Major. That is an Army rank. I had a father-in-law that was one.
@@webbtrekker534He was a Master Sergeant. I checked. I was super confused by TJ's rank. 😅
Came here for _this_ comment.
Sergeant Major would have been SMAJ whereas I think in one of the newspaper clippings he was listed as MSgt which would be Master Sergeant E-8
News flash, the B17 was never pressurized. Therefore everyone wore an oxygen mask above 10,000 feet and wore them heavy wool lined leather jackets.
Not a big fan of sims for history, But I have to admit that your use of sim footage and editing is exemplary! Keep up the great work. (Cool set BTW)
Thank you! :)
This is actual footage that was filmed in color as it took place.
Why? they do help visually understand what’s being spoken… if done correctly of course
My friend Phil Gary flew 33 missions with the 8thj Air Force into Germany as a tail gunner on a B17. Shot down twice. Ditched in the channel once. Bailed out over France once and was smuggled back to England by the French underground. Crashed once damaged on the runway in England returning home once.
A cat with nine lives. Wow
His ending does nothing to diminish his war record. We should know more about a man like this and his post traumatic stress from the war. I hope as part of this, we can learn more about his service and post war PTSD. Many veterans share the same issue, but the military does not want this discussed. I'm speaking as a veteran.
Thank you for your efforts to save him from being lost as a foot note. His service and sacrifice is legendary indeed, and I intend to share this far and wide and make Dunn's bravery, chivalry and uncanny combat prowess known to as many as i am able.
PTSD I’m told has no cure, just copping methods and back then it had a stigma almost nobody would admit to. It is a sad fact that civilians can easily be trained to be soldiers but no training is done for soldiers to become civilians.
Master Sergeant was the USAAF/USAF enlisted rank, not Major Sergeant. Sergeant Major enlisted rank was used in the USMC and the US Army. As usual, interesting story.
Yep, this was just a simple mistake on my part. Misread my own script.
It was an experimental rank, like in the episode of M*A*S*H when Hawkeye had Radar in an officers club and told that one guy Radar was a Corporal Captain, "It's a new rank we're trying out to see if people like it or not" "Well I don't like it, no, I don't" "Mark down one against"
@@TJ3 I had a Sergeant in the Army that was a Major pain in my ass, it's same thing, you weren't far off.
@@TJ3 And maybe you could annotate your script w/ some better German pronunciation. l cringed every time l heard ''Leap'zig'' instead of the proper ''Liep'zig''.
@@rickden8362 Add "Wilhelm-shaven" to the list.
Nice work. PTSD was just not understood in those days. Truth be known it isn't completely understood today. I hope the family eventually found peace. I hope the sergeant is in a good place.
Thank you SO much for bringing up and thoroughly researching the true story of such an amazing hero, HEWITT DUNN, even if PTSD brought the tragic demise that the war could not. Another extraordinary great hero, Audie Murphy, the most decorated of World War II, also suffered post-war from PTSD causing divorces and other problems, and died when his private plane crashed. Many came back with PTSD. They gave it all for us. May we follow their generous, noble and sacrificial example in this World War 3 already in progress that is intent on dehumanizing, collectivizing and demonizing us.
Outstanding vid! Whatever medals Dunn was awarded for his service, it wasn't enough. Very sad to see how his story ended. PTSDs don't seem to have been taken seriously until after the end of the Vietnam War.
Even though Audie Murphy was talking about it during Korea. Too bad nobody listened to him. My family might have had a different history. Dad had it, combat Korea.
The sheer ballsyness it takes to fly in a big, slow, and explosive target is mind boggling !!!! Over 100 sorties into heavily defended territories !!!!!! Airplanes were not as redundant as in modern times..... Impressive!!!!
Thanks for a great video. My dad did 34 missions with the 490th BG based at Eye as a radio op/rt waist gunner. The bravery of the young men of the USAAF & RAF was breathtaking.
Yes sir, along with the Poles and Canucks. Brave men indeed Lest we forget
Thanks for bringing this tale to KZhead. I'm kind of a B-17 freak; fell in love with it when I was a kid paging through Jablonski's masterful _Flying Fortress_ book that my father bought around the time I was born. I've been fascinated by the history of both the 8th Air Force and history in general ever since, and it's not small part of the reasons I myself joined the Air Force... yet I'd never heard of MSgt. Dunn. I get why; it's a tragic tale of the toll of what is now understood as PTSD and the particular time this incident took place. But it's a story worthy of being brought to light, because even in the end it was demonstrative of how heavy a price was paid by all those who fought in that war (to say nothing of the ones that went before and the ones that followed). It is important that we remember their stories, for a great many reasons -- not the least of which is to understand that "war is Hell"... and can have effects on people long, long after the actual fighting is over.
Well done. The human element in particular. While his actions towards his wife were unfortunate, PTSD spares no one. His death at the hands of his son make this a real life Shakespearean tragedy.
Great, yet tragic story. By the way, it's Master Sergeant (E-7), not major sergeant. Remember, there was nothing in place to help military personnel returning from war to deal with PTSD. It wasn't even known as an issue to be addressed in those days.
Yes, the military dropped the ball on diagnosing his PTSD, imo. Back then it was known by a different name. Shell shock or maybe Battle Fatigue.
Army Master Sergeant is E-8 FYI.
I was lucky enough to meet one of the great men who flew the B-17s. he few 20 missions as a bombardier, before being shut down, only 1 other member of the crew survived. he spent the rest of the war as a POW. he passed away last year at 97. Truely one of the greatest generation and I count myself lucky to have known him.
Also, super glad to have been able to be a part of this video, I'm pretty sure my silver B17G showed up in there somewhere!
Thanks for the help!
Brave and dedicated men. I can't imagine the camaraderie all they must have all shared. Definitely a bond that would last forever. I hope we never see anything like this war again.
My grandfather flew 93 missions in a B-25 and B-26 as the tail gunner and only stopped due to the end of the war.
Wow! Unbelievable courage those men had,to fly into hell day after day. I can only imagine how proud you were of him.
well that was his job ,and when that war ended ,his job was completed..I guess, and some move on to their next job posting !! (military career)!! all for "carrots": the root of all evil!! lol!!
He was a member of the flying death traps I seen inside of both planes they were hot easy get out of
This was before the diagnosis of PTS post-traumatic stress. Other world war II veterans I spoke to said that joining organizations such as the veterans of foreign war gave them a place where they could share their feelings and horrors of war in a safe space. Perhaps Sergeant Dunn because he was still active duty didn't seek out the safe spaces. Not to mention being a football hero and a man was supposed to be able to deal with such things.
An interesting video. Thanks for taking the time to make it. At 02:40 you mention Framlingham in Suffolk, which is on the East Coast of England. Therefore, he would have been crossing the North Sea, not The Channel in order to bomb Germany. The Channel lies to the south of England separating it from France, not Germany. It is a common misconception among Americans I find. For extra points, the H in Framlingham is silent, as for most English town ending with -ham Edit: shout out to some of the other comments below for your excellent editing of flight sim footage.
I honestly don't know how those men were able to come home, and have a productive life after the hell they went through. We need heroes like that today.
You have them. Straight out of Irak and Afghanistan and other places.
Imagine the hell you have to go through after killing your father
suppressing his story is 1000% unacceptable. he made a mistake, but not even that bad compared to others who's service wasn't suppressed. Thank you for telling his story. we need a book on this guy desperately.
I'm fairly confident a 13 year old would not have acted the decisive way he did if this was only the first time he watched his mother be the victim of violent abuse.
@@mikegrey3835 Keep in mind, kids were basically mature adults by age 14-16 back in those days. They worked hard, grew up fast, understood responsibility, etc.
Thank you for beginning the memory of this hero back from the dark. All should be remembered.
My good friend's dad survived the Bataan Death March, captivity in Japanese POW camps, and combat in the Korean War. Unfortunately, it took a toll on his mental health, and he was cruel and abusive to his wife and children. She packed up the family and moved 3000 miles, with just the clothes on their backs, after he killed some kid who was on their front porch.
Hopefully these days there is more awareness of the traumas of battle, to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Great story! Thank you for keeping his memory alive. For anyone who has been in combat, we know what Hewitt Dunn was experiencing after the war. Sadly, back then there were no sources to deal with what is now defined as PTSD. His death is definitely combat related. RIP Master Sergeant Dunn.
A very good episode. My dad was a vet. He was also an alcoholic and sometimes beat my mom. This episode brought me to tears. These guys were very brave. They did and witnessed unimaginable things. That would take a toll on anybody.
G'day to you, How sad is PTSD, what away to finish , I new a couple Nam Vets who had Big Issues when the got back to Australia, both no longer with us, I enjoyed this very much!
“She’ll shock”, ie; PTSD is a Very REAL thing. I’ve an uncle and a grandfather who suffered greatly after coming home. Both passed without ever telling their families their heartache. Grandpa was a Tank driver, uncle was a soldier. It is so sad that all their pain, their misery, there HOPE has been in vain. Our nation is lost. It truly breaks my heart. Godspeed
I almost want to say he didn’t care if he died. He was just going to keep flying missions until his luck ran out. Which I believe was his mindset. But his luck never ran out. Very very sad ending to this guys life. But in a way it was by his own doing.
Absolutely a hero. My grandfather was a U Boat/ Wolf Hunter , the other was a Desert Rat. One mission his entire group was taken out except him and a brother. They began the 47mile trek through the Sahara. Only Grandpa made it. He become a 'Diplomat' (spy) in East Germany. He died by suicide from gunshots to the back of the head...
Best video I've seen on KZhead. Professionally done and facts used instead of personal opinions
One of my Uncles was a Tail-gunner. He went through Hell. He never talked about it like another Uncle was a Marine and the only survivor found in 1946 from clearing an Island in the Pacific, he was crazy the whole time I knew him.
It is Master Sergeant. No such rank as Major Sergeant. Otherwise, excellent. I have a history degree and I never heard of Dunn. My father-in-law was a tail gunner on B-24s. He was medically discharged due to PTSD (Combat fatigue) after completing his 25 + missions. Some of his stories are epic. He finished before D-Day, long before long-range fighter escort was commonly available. His group's casualty rate was astronomical.
Thank you for posting Sgt. Dunns story. It’s important that we remember him with all his imperfections.
Very good story. Illustrates we are all human. Also illustrates how alcohol can make a bad situation into a tragedy.
Holy cow this guy flew every single mission he could, American bad ass. I'm glad his son saved his mom. Dunn was definitely dealing with demons. Great story, US Gov sensorings stories from way back.
Its a testament to your research and story telling skills to relay yhe story if such a mysterious figure. Excellent as always GOAT, Stay awesome!
Thank you!
Man, that CGI is amazing. And it only gets better. Impressive schitt!
My father was a Korean War vet and suffered from PTSD! I was told before the war he was a happy go lucky kid! The man I knew and raised me was a hard ass Marine who was like cheap toilet paper!!!
Wonderful story about a true American hero. So many,many looked to him for hope that they would see tomorrow . Not one of us today could ever imagine what hell it must have been up there, and to only come home and be pledged by nightmare's Truly my heart goes out to all of them, my never ending gratitude goes with out saying, but I'll always say it anyway " THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, with much respect John Ayala, Kerrville Texas 🇺🇸.
you either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
That quote is likely never more perfect than right here to be honest.
'Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy,' is often sadly true.
Rest in Peace Hewitt Dunn... May you be at peace in heaven, War is difficult to understand and most every soldier coming home from war had PTSD... Most tried to forget what they saw and considered it was the "other guy" who did all the carnage... May Our Heavenly Father bless you and hold you close. You are loved by all who knew you and respected by all who know of you...
What an incredible story, almost made for tv, until the ending which is very sad. PTSD is a brutally real thing and unfortunately probably not understood back then
He gave so much to so many. Sad to realize the price he paid was just too high. The price his family paid was just too high .
What an amazing story with just as much of a tragic ending. 😁👍👌 I've pledged on Kickstarter, good luck my friend! 🇬🇧😎
Thanks Fozzy!!
My dad was an RAF pilot. He came home, well some of him did. His Lancaster was shot down over Epinal France, he was blown clear, but his crew all were killed. Years later i read a letter he wrote to his navigator's wife. Dad said he wished he had gone with them, something he never told anyone. He was a good man, but I was a difficult son, too loud, too naughty; sometimes I think he just didn't want to be near me. Still, we had good times; he taught me how to play cricket, golf and chess, at times we were close, and then at times, he would be distant. He smoked heavily and drank a little too much, but he was always decent and gentle. The cigarettes got him in the end. The whole town, it seemed, turned out to his funeral. I still miss him, I wish I had known about PTSD, but I was just a kid, and we never spoke of those things back then. They all came home injured, damaged in body or mind, none escaped. We should remember and honour them all.
Glad you did this video. So many in that conflict have been unfairly forgotten.
PTSD has taken to many of our veterans. God bless all of our heroes and may God save the republic.
The deep wounds of war. Tragic.
Tragic ending of a Valued Military Veteran... He was almost certainly "forgotten" even before his death simply because he was one of the many who Served Distinguishably and survived physically unscathed, and yet may have had troubling psychological problems that went undetected...
What a story!!!! Wow I wasn’t expecting that kind of ending! Love the channel and keep up the great work!
My Father was Nose Gunner and Bombardier of a B-24 . Island 🏝️ Hopping in the Pacific , Fighting the Japanese . He Received the Distinguished Flying Cross , Air Medal , with 5 Gold Stars , Purple Heart , Presidential Unit Citation and Numerous other Medals . I Still have His Medals and the Boxes they came in . Along with other things He saved from WWII . 🐯🤠
Great story well told. Many of us come back but some of us never come" home". Sgt. Dunn was one of those. Tom Boyte GySgt. USMC, retired Vietnam 1965-66/1970-71 0331 Infantry, machine guns
Welcome home and Semper Fi, Marine. Oh, and BTW: I was there in '65 also, aboard a nice, safe aircraft carrier.
Someone should make a movie about this man!! It's an amazing story that should be shared on a larger scale.
Love your work! FYI Leipzig is pronounced like "Lypzig". Only reason I know is my wife is from that area, and her father was a child in Merseburg surviving many bombing raids. That area, with the synthetic fuel refineries and aircraft manufacturing was a very well defended. In 2003, I met an old B17 ball turret gunner and asked him he remembered ever doing a mission over that area. He said, "Definitely! If you saw Merseburg/Leipzig on the sheet, you got a knot in your stomach. The flack was terrible."
A sad ending man who did so much. I wonder whatever happened to his son beyond the initial consequences.
You realize that there really are no rules but what you make with a gun and that fact changes a person, I don't think they can ever truly come back but can only reintegrate.
I was stationed at Castle AFB then RAF Bentwater/Woodbridge just down the road from Framlingham. I visited the town several times and once during an exercise I was "volunteered" as a casualty and taken to the nearby WWII RAF base there. Nice to hear about this.
My father in law served with the 8th Air Force in England during WW2. He was almost at 25 missions when the y had lost so many people that took that they took away that benchmark to go home and served to the end of the war. He studied and went from gunner to Navigator. He was an amazingly brave guy.
I have heard several stories of men, who came back from war completely changed. They were good people, who became mean and abusive. My neighbor's father was like that.
I would encourage all to check out Comic Cavalcade #6 from WWII. My uncle James Kehoe was a top turret gunner in a B-24 and his story was featured in that comic. My mothers family had a strong WWII military presence including my Aunt Doris who was captured by the Japanese on Corregidor and was a POW in the Philippines until liberated.
So this video is about you now?
As soon as it was revealed as dead at 41, i thought "PTSD got another one". RIP for the Ironman.
My Grandmother served on 😢 Black Cat's in PNG and Darwin as a Gunner. Thankyou very much I loved every minute GREAT WORK ❤❤
B17 stories are always the best to tell!! I love the B17 as a kid. Do you plan to watch Masters at Air TJ?
Yep for sure! Hopefully it's made well.
I would assume PTSD had to due something with the 104 missions and the other life problems. Not much was known about PTSD in his time. God bless him.
I knew a hardware store manager, back in the '70s, top turret gunner 2 kills, shot down twice, and he spent his last months as a pow. HH Huffman.
PTSD, a new war for a soldier to fight and often the casualties of this new war are their family and friends, the ones that care the most. My father has ptsd from war and the things my mother and siblings went through just so he could continue to have a home with us were not great. Would love to see more support for the soldiers and for their loved ones who often deal with the fall out of their heroic deeds.