Robert Inman
95TH BOMB GROUP (H)
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
2007 REUNION SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
(Interviewed by Tom and Peggy Cozens)
RI: This is Robert Inman on May 24th, 2007 in Savannah, Georgia. I was in the Army Air Corps for approximately three years. In training I was a pre-air cadet (in school at Washington U in St. Louis, Mo. When I was first inducted, it was in Wichita Falls, Texas. And then went through testing at San Antonio. I forget which airbase it was. And I ended up being a navigator, with training in San Marcos, Texas. I started in the service May of ’43, and I was completed my training by May of ’44. Was in combat in September of ’44. I was a replacement navigator (B-17’s, The Flying Fortress) on Hiram Griffin’s crew. Arrived in Dyersburg, Tennessee to join the crew on a Sunday. They never heard of me, so I went and layed in the grass in Dyersburg, Tennessee and got the chiggers. I have never forgot that. We then went on training trips with the crew (out of Dyersburg). My most memorable one was the final test on night navigation. It was a flight from Dyersburg, Tennessee to Cincinnati, Ohio. The moon was so bright you could not see the stars. So my instructor said, “Shoot the moon! Shoot the moon!” Well, shooting the moon, you have to make a lot of corrections. I was still figuring out where we were when we were back on the ground. (Chuckles) But he didn’t keep me from going overseas approximately the following month, which would be in September, I think it was. We went from Kearney, Nebraska. We flew the airways to New Hampshire. We flew the airways to give the navigator a rest. However, I was the only one awake on the airplane when we went over Chicago, which is near Joliet, Illinois where I used to go watch air shows. As a kid, I grew up in my later years in (Coal City, Illinois) and went to High School in Coal City, Illinois, which is approximately 70 miles south of Chicago. (From New Hampshire), we went on to Goose Bay, Labrador. Other crews were able to stay there for two weeks (because of weather), but we turned around and went the next day. I remember seeing the south, shores of Greenland. Going on to Iceland, we were met by fighters out of Iceland because our signal for “safe-we’re American aircraft” wasn’t working, and they thought we might be invaders. We touched down in Iceland, and my memorable thing about that was my dear friend Howard Shaw and bombardier brought a bottle of whiskey, and forgot he had it wrapped in the towel, and rolled it on the floor. We didn’t have any whiskey anymore. Went on down to Northern Ireland, and that’s when we started to realize we were in the war zone, because they started telling us what we can do and cannot do. Particularly, don’t go off base without an umbrella, (because of frequent rains). We went on over to England – it wasn’t too long – a day or so. We ended up at Horham Air Base – I don’t know what area of England it was. It was just north of Norwich and Ipswich. I used to be able to pronounce those the English way, but I can’t do that anymore. We used to catch the train at the town of Diss. I remember our first mission. I think we went to Stuttgart, Germany.
My notes say we didn’t have much flak. However, being on our first mission, we didn’t know what flak was. We kind of figured it out. Black smoke was 88 mm’s, white smoke 150’s. We hated the 88’s because they were more accurate. My second mission, I remember it was light flak and it was very cold (sometimes 70 below – 25,000 – 30,000 feet). By the time we got there (into combat), the crew had electric heated suits. We were comfortable in that sense. However, I learned, since I had to use my hands constantly in navigation, that they issued us gloves, however they also issued us silk liners, which I used all the time. Silk is a good insulation, and you could write with it very well. I buy gloves now only with silk or nylon lining because it’s very warm (and not bulky). (Had to wear a helmet all the time on a bomb run.) I don’t know whether it was the third or fourth mission we were flying wing to the lead aircraft on a bomb mission in the Ruhr Valley. I don’t know whether we were going to Cologne or Hamburg. And lo and behold, they shot (the lead) airplane down, and there we were, second or third mission, trying to figure out what we were going to do. We latched onto another (B-17), and a group of planes, and were lost and flew right back down the center of the Ruhr Valley getting shot at every minute. We ended up with about 150 holes in our airplane. As we mentioned before in some of our meetings, it wasn’t because we were good flyers. (To get back) we were just awfully lucky. Because some of those holes, if they’d have been six inches less, would have (hit the fuel tank and )blown that airplane up. The rest of our missions, we had gotten used to what we were doing. I always said, anybody that was not frightened or scared was insane, because it wasn’t a fun trip! After my sixth or seventh mission, I was asked to leave the Griffin crew – Hiram Griffin was my pilot, and I have stuck with those people ever since. But I was lead navigator after my sixth or seventh mission, being on the lead ship, I was told there were three navigators – the pilotage navigator, dead reckoning navigator, and a radar navigator. I was the pilotage (navigator). Pilotage means knowing where you are by looking at the ground and being able to tell your location. Of course, when you’re at 30,000 feet, 70 miles is just over the way a little ways. However, about half of my missions, I did not see the ground (chuckling) (so I could not do navigation). And it was not a joy ride. My favorite thing is that we all carried bags to get on the airplane – our equipment. Every time I arrived to a new crew, they would “Oh let’s help the little new Lieutenant here.” They’d pick up my bag and they’d almost break their arm because I carried a half of a ball turret armor plate (in the bottom of the bag) that I sat on (laughing) all my missions. One of the reasons that I was willing to go to be the lead navigator was, instead of flying 35 missions I’d only have to fly 30. However, my crew – Griffin crew – finished one or two months before I did. Sometimes I felt that I got some of the better missions where they were doing more shooting, ‘cause I was low man on the totem pole for pilotage navigating on the lead ship. I flew with several different lead pilots – Major Sweeney, one time with Colonel Truesdale, Lt. Colonel Holbrok and Lt. Col. Locee – that’s to name a few, without reviewing all my notes. My most memorable mission was, I think, my 27th or 28th mission where I was in the lead ship. The ship (B-17 crew) that was underneath us had finished their mission and asked permission to leave squadron to buzz the airport because they had finished their missions. The command pilot said alright. However, a few seconds later, that plane was right under us, and his tail went up underneath the pilot back of them, and tore off their tail, and created a hole in our airplane that a jeep could get into, while they went into the English Channel. We all circled the spot throwing lifebelts and lifeboats. However, that crew, who had finished their missions, did not survive. I don’t remember their name. I do have the date, and that’s about all I have. In the excitement, I don’t even think I put down the command pilot’s name. Shakes you up when you see that sort of thing. I can’t think of any other occasion in my career that I would want to talk about. It’s just that those were the highlights of my most memorable flights. I mean, I did wonder, prior to that time, when we had the collision, whether I would use the parachute (we used chest packs), but I sure dived for it when that plane came up there. But I didn’t have to go out, and I’m thankful for that. The other big note, I did mention that I was on the fast track getting into combat. Being a navigator I had two 50 caliber guns for my use. I arrived in Dyersburg for combat training, and I had zero training in 50 caliber machine guns. In one occasion, in the first part of our missions in combat, as I had a 50 caliber machine gun, you were suppose to clear it (unlock it before landing). My problem is I didn’t know what you did first. Take the bullets out and then clear it, or clear it and then take them out. And I shot a few rounds and scared the hell out of the rest of the group and they didn’t want to fly with Griffin’s airplane anymore (Laughing). And I don’t blame them when you see those tracers going off. That’s about it.
TC: We’ll certainly have questions, and you can certainly go back to the notes. So you were at the University of Illinois.
RI: I was a freshman at the University of Illinois (in Champaign, Illinois) when World War II broke out (12/07/41), when the Japanese bombed (Pearl Harbor). I was washing dishes at Bussey Hall. I was working my way through school. Anyone that says their kids would only go to school if they worked their way through don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s a hard way to go. I appreciated the Bill of Rights when we got our tuition paid for and our meals. I really enjoyed that part.
TC: What was your major?
RI: As a freshman, I started out in mechanical engineering. And then I switched when I came back to civil engineering. However, most of my experience was in mining. Mostly, I’ll use the term, open pit mining. Some people might call it something else. I did that for approximately 40 years. I worked for a coal company out of Chicago, called the United Electric Coal Company. Later acquired by Material Service, which was the big contracting, sand and gravel rock quarries in the Chicago area, who then became part of General Dynamics. They switched me from being a coal miner to a rock man. I went to Material Service, then….it’s a long story. But then I went into two other jobs. Ended up with the federal government. I was called the fox in the henhouse because I was in the office of surface mining supervising these strips mines to see that they do the proper reclamation. The biggest surprise about that is, they had the bond to do the clean-up, and a big part is the building demolition. Other industries walk into a place and walk out and leave the buildings. It’s a thing – it’s an eyesore today. (Is that enough on that?)
TC: How old were you when you enlistee?
RI: I was 19. I graduated from high school at 17. My mother had to get rid of me from the house, so I was in there very early. That’s what I think. (chuckle)
TC: What – I know you had off days every few weeks. Any memorable experiences either on the base during your R & R, or in London?
RI: Well, my R & R was having my appendix taken out over there. They gave me a couple of weeks off, but I couldn’t get anybody to travel with me. My mother’s side, my grandfather and grandmother both came from Scotland. And I wanted to go up there. But I didn’t feel like doing it by myself. So I had my R & R there. I didn’t go anywhere. I enjoyed going to London. I got in line at Dunhill pipe place I don’t know how many times. Every morning the Dunhill people would sell pipes. They sold about six every morning. You better be number six. You took what they gave you. I didn’t particular like the one that I got after the 10th mission, or 10th stay in line. But that’s what I did. Oh, and I did – and I still have it today – I think I paid $70 – a Merseun pipe, Beethovan, I think, sculpture. I still have that pipe. I’ve complained to you (laughing) and to Grace that I’m kind of an orphan, because nobody claims me. And when I had time off, nobody else did. I didn’t get a lot of the literature – the 95th Bomb Group put out a book. I didn’t get a copy of that. After raising a lot of stink, I’ve gotten – since my old crew members felt pity on me, they saw that I got most of this stuff. The other thing about it, I stayed in the same barracks. A couple of parties on my old crew would play chest every night after lights out. And they’d put a towel or a blanket on the light. But I’d have a mission the next day (And was trying to sleep!). And they said they weren’t bothering anybody, but they were bothering me. So,, they went on a mission one day, and I didn’t, so I got a red hot poker, and burnt a hole in every other square on their chess board that took a lot of effort to build. And I don’t think they could play chess after that. And I think it was several years before they talked to me. (chuckle) (couldn’t hear background comment about officers). Well, do you think the enlisted men are nicer? Give me a break. (Laughing)
Yeah, Kenny Wright was one of them. After a while, I didn’t know if he’d talk to me (still laughing). We’re friends now. My brother was a radar man on a night fighter – P-61. He knew I was going to these reunions. He didn’t even know – he thought his pilot was passed away. Two or three years after he told me that, 30 years after the war, he found his pilot. I say a good part of my attending these – I’m not a hand grabber, I don’t mix that well. If it wasn’t for my old crew, I might not make them. However, I was one of the original ones because I was working in Denver and one of my co-workers, who happened to be a POW ball turret gunner – I don’t know what group he was with – told me, he said, “The 95th is meeting in Colorado Springs.” So I went down there and bumped into this one guy. He said, “Well, we got over there a little late, blah, blah, blah.” He said, “I was on Griffin’s crew.” I said, “Well that was my crew.” Grif, the pilot, had not been to any of these (reunions). They all came to one in Cincinnati, but I was still working. I didn’t make it to the next one – I don’t know when the next one – it may have been Reno.
(Buzzing on tape)
TC: What was your best day in the service?
RI: Ha, best day in the service. Of course that’s many years ago. I would have to say the best day was the day after that damn airplane came up underneath us. It brings a lot of things to attention, where you are and how vulnerable you are. But we I think we all knew we were vulnerable. Like I said, anybody who said they weren’t scared, I didn’t want to fly with them. But we didn’t go around. It bothered me yesterday, all those fellas gone from last year. It wasn’t a whole year. But I’m 83. I was kind of young. But I was still, going overseas, I was the oldest officer on the crew – 21. And Bobby Fay there, he was 18 I think. And then of course, we changed co-pilots over there. Originally it was Bob McCurtry. Our co-pilot had some differences, so we obtained Kenny Wright after the third or fourth mission. (Couldn’t hear background response) McMurtry was moved out of our barracks, and I think he did things with the group, sometimes flying just to check the formations, the tightness of the formations. But in St. Louis he arrived there. Nice fellow who’s grown up. And we had a good time with him – very good friends. He said he was going to try and make this meeting. I copied a bunch of pictures on my printer and I sent him a few of him when we were in training. He said he was going to try to make this meeting. However, he’s on oxygen, so I don’t know. He was in the hospital, I think, (when we met) in Portland. It makes you feel good because we thought there might be some bitterness. There’s not any – that’s great. Sixty years later it’s like we didn’t miss a trick in between. And it’s really amazing. Bob Fay lives about 150 miles north of me in Gladwin, Mi. Kenny Wright, who was the co-pilot, lives in Westchester, Illinois, which, since both my wives died, I go back to where I went to high school (in Cool City, IL) frequently from Grand Rapids. I’m in Grand Rapids because my wife was from Grand Rapids. I’m in a retirement village that I’ve been going to for 30 years because my mother-in-law was there. But I go back to Coal City about every other week, and spend a week or two. I still have friends there I went to high school with.
TC: Anything else you’d like to throw in to maybe (directed to another person in room who does not have microphone)
(can’t hear response because of buzzing)
RI: When I go back to Coal City, they call me Red Inman. I don’t know who they talking to (since I’m bald now).
(more from other person – cannot hear)
RI: I flew quite a few different lead pilots – Holbrooke, Col. Holbrooke, Lt. Col. Cumba, Col. Turesdale, Lt. Col. Stewart, (Lt. Col . Wolsey) Lt. Col. Gooding, Major Sweeney. The time I had that so-called mid-air collision, that was on March 23rd, 1945. It was my 27th mission. I did not get the name of the command pilot, or the crew that went in. I wasn’t a great historian, I guess. You’ll notice my notes are not elaborate. (Chuckling)
TC: You took down probably more than most. (Could not distinguish question because of buzzing, but essentially it was if there was anything you’d like to tell people in the future)
RI: Well, about the only thing, I don’t think a person should be ashamed if they’re scared. They have that right, and not to worry about it, not to be ashamed of it.
(Could not hear comment by other person)
RI: I might pass on a word not to be a needler, like I am (laughing) because, you know, you hurt people’s feelings. I’m easily hurt myself. I have a son who’s very quiet. I picked on him a little bit. But they turned out okay. But that would be my biggest thing, not to be ashamed, and be proud. We all make mistakes. God knows I make mistakes. But I’ve been very, very fortunate. I’ve had diabetes for 30 years. I go into the Doctor; some of them shake their head that I’m still walking. And I look around at these other 83 year old people, and I’m in pretty good shape. I’ve got a heck of a lot wrong with me, but we all know we’re just a breath away.
?? Are any of your family attending this Savannah reunion?
RI: My kids are. And last year at Portland, my youngest daughter who lives in Austin, TX, and my son who lives in San Jose, CA, they made it to Portland, and they enjoyed it. The son in San Jose had a meeting in Atlanta last month, so he couldn’t come now. And my other son, he works up in Detroit – General Motors. He holds his breath, I think, I can’t ask him. They’re all very considerate of me.
(Buzzing stops)
PC: Maybe they can make Tucson.
RI: Oh yeah. They could. They may be able. Bob, who works for GM, he has to take vacation when the union goes in July – a couple of weeks. _____________, he’s in management, but _____________Research and Development.
PC: ??? (Laughter)
TC: Go ahead and stop this, I think. Anything else?
RI: The two big events was that damn lead plane getting shot up, and ___________ missions. “Where in the hell are we?” But we did bring our bombs back. But, listening to your father last night, what he did and what we did. He did a little better than we did (Laughter)
PC: That particular _______________ last night was not to do any measuring.
RI: Oh no, no. I didn’t mean that. With a microphone, I have a problem. At Portland, all I said was my name, and I was a navigator. I don’t know. There’s not many lead navigators you hear from. And I don’t – what the heck. I was a pilotage Lead Navigator, and I couldn’t see the ground half the time. What do you want? But it was safety. I took night navigation. I never needed it. Some of the things we did in World War II, I mean everybody left from Kearney, Nebraska, they didn’t know which way they were going. The Germans knew. (Chuckle) But they did try to do the best they could. So what the heck. It is frightening, though, when they say ten percent of all captives was the 8th Air Force. And that’s a little scary. That does come out in Denver in the paper. That’s where I picked it up. It was scary times.