I hope you enjoyed reading All My Goodbyes. Now you are familiar with a cast of characters and a story that came about from real people and true events.
The last chapter in the book explained The Real Story, so I’d like to introduce you to the people you might feel you already know.
Please keep the link to this page private, as I don’t want to reveal the ending to those who have not read the book.
Rear:
Sgt. Melvin Howard, tail gunner
Sgt. Albert Wagner, ball gunner
Sgt. Walter Nye, waist gunner
Sgt. Wayne Back, waist gunner
Sgt. John Keegan, radio
Sgt. William Watkins, engineer
Front:
1st Lt. Clark Jensen, pilot
1st Lt. Henry Kingsbery, co-pilot
1st Lt. Willis Hause, bombardier
1st Lt. Edward Hanna, navigator
“Clark and Watkins were both buried with full military honors at Cambridge. Our crew didn’t know of either of their deaths until two days after the crash. We all mourn them deeply. We had become staunch friends and a good team. Clark had been put in for captain shortly before the crash and we were all pulling for him to get it. It seems like God needed a dammed good pilot and engineer. He sure picked the best.”
Here is a good look at an actual B-24 in flight. This plane is not identical to Clark’s plane, but with very few differences. It’s the only B-24 still flying and in the video you can see how tight the quarters are. I was especially impressed with the ball gunner position, which was Albert Wagner’s job. The tightest, coldest, and one of the most dangerous places in the plane during a mission. The ball gunner didn’t wear a parachute like the rest of the crew, as there was no room. You can see how these bomber crews had to work in perfect synchronization and cooperation of teamwork.