This book is about my experiences as a Tailgunner on a B-29 in Korea, during the Korean war. I am hopeing that it will give an insite as to what this war was about. Although people call it a conflict, we as veterans think otherwise, we believe it was a war. Come ride along with me on some 27 combat missions over North Korea. Venture into the night life on a B-29 at 29,000 ft. over the mountains of Korea, see the snow covered barron lands. It also covers a little about my growing up and how I became a tailgunner. The extensive training it takes to become a crew member.

Diary of a Tailgunner

By Ronald Costello

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 Ronald Costello
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4520-5813-9

Chapter One

As I sit here in the year 2009, I reminisce back to the time when I was a crew member on the famous B-29 Superfortress. A Magnificent Flying Machine. I don't know if all kids, especially boys loved to play war. However I was one who liked it. I can remember in World War II, I was about 12 years old. My cousin Buddy and I loved to play war and spying. We had a bunch of caves in the area where we lived. There were also oil tanks at the river that belonged to the EXXON OIL CO. Well kids being kids, we asked if we could keep our eyes on the tanks to make sure no enemy got to them. They said that would be ok. So every day we would make our rounds and kept an eye on the tanks and the caves. That was our introduction of trying in a little way to help in the war. I especially loved airplanes and used to build a lot of models. When the war broke out in Korea in 1950 I was at the age where I could enlist and serve my country. The year was 1951. I had enlisted in the US Air Force. I have to admit, I first tried to enlist into the Navy, but the quota was filled. At the same time the Air Force quota was also filled. I put my name into both branches of the service, and said that the first to call would be the first branch I would go into. On March 15th, 1951 the Air Force called and I finalized my enlistment. I had to report to Albany, New York for my induction. My brother in law, Mike Weider and his friend, Vincent Perry drove me to Albany. Albany is 54 miles from my home town of Kingston, N. Y. We made it to Albany in 45 minutes. The New York Thruway was not yet complete. It went as far as Catskill, NY We went from Catskill to Albany on NY State 9W Needless to say my heart was in my throat. I was scared to death, the way Mike's friend was driving. However, I did get there in one piece. The induction and physical took about one hour. Our orders were, "You have 2 hrs. to go home and say good by and then report back to the Albany induction center". I returned home said my good byes to everyone and returned to Albany. We were put on a bus and sent to Sampson Air force base in New York for Basic Training. Sampson was situated near Lake Geneva. Close by was the town of Geneva, N. Y. It was a small quaint town, very quite. At Sampson, we were given eight weeks of intensive training including push ups, sit ups, discipline, how to use and fire a weapon, how to mend our clothes, hygiene, and how to make a bed, clean the latrine, etc. At Sampson, we were put into barracks. The next day we were issued all our equipment, uniforms, jackets, shoes etc. While I was at Sampson we had a few visitors from home. It was the only time I was allowed off base. I remember Mom and Dad visiting me with their newly purchased convertible. They took me to a movie in the town of Geneva, which was just outside of Sampson. My parents stayed at the air base a few more hours and then left for home. I got quite the kidding from the troops, but that's the way things are in the service. After the eight weeks of training were finished we were given our orders for our next assignment. I was assigned to the 3660th Basic Military Training group.

On 16th May, 1951, I was promoted to Airman First Class. On 19 May, 1951 under special orders No. 118. I was re-assigned to 3415 Technical Training Wing Lowry AFB, just outside Denver, Colorado to be there 24, May, 1951. After I arrived at Lowry Field, we were given our assignments. On 16th of June, 1951, I was assigned to 3437 student squadron and assigned to the 3433 student squadron Turret systems Mechanic (1326, B-29, B-50) school. On 1 October 19511 graduated from Turret systems mech school. The school lasted 15 weeks. It consisted of many hours of electrical training on how to repair the turrets on the B-29 Aircraft. After graduation they asked for volunteers for gunners on the 1329. I volunteered and was accepted. On 1 October, 1951, following orders read, the following person is reassigned effective 3, October, 1951 to 3436th student squadron, 3415 Aircraft Gunnery Group (Student) for entrance into gunnery training. On 9 October, 19511 was put on B shift. On November 2, 1951 I was assigned to the 3436th Student Squadron, 3415th Aircraft Gunnery Group, 3415 technical training Wing, where I was to start my gunnery school. I was on B shift. This course also lasted 15 weeks. This course consisted of extensive training on map reading terrain and anything else that had to do with typography, loading of 3-50 caliber machine guns, how to clean and how to dismantle and put them back together. On 2 November 1951 was assigned to participate in regular and frequent aerial flights for an indefinite period. Duties to be performed were essential to the accomplishment of the aircraft assigned.

I was assigned as Tail gunner on the B-29. One of my responsibilities was to make sure the Auxiliary power unit was always ready and filled with fuel, if this was not completed and the put- put did not start, we would not be able to start our engines. We called it a PUT PUT because that is what it sounded like, put! put! My take off position was outside the rear bulkhead in the rear of the aircraft. After take off I would mosey back to my position. The tail area of the B-29 was not very large. The one problem with the tail I did not like, was I could not take my chest parachute into the tail compartment with me, I had to leave it outside the door. If I ever had to bail out I could not take the emergency chute with me. All I had was my seat chute, if it failed, by, by Ronnie.

Chapter Two

I thought Denver, Colorado was a great place to be stationed. The people were magnificent, and treated us very well. My cousin Buddy was also stationed at Lowry. Although we were stationed at the same base, we were on opposite sides of the base and did not get together very often. We spent one day and night in Denver. Buddy was a very funny guy and great to be around. Just outside of Denver there was a place called red rocks. We spent a lot of time in that area. Red Rocks was very dry and hot, but was a great place to visit. You could walk for miles and miles. The city of Denver was also great, lots to do. We spent most of our time roller skating, and gambling. The gambling was in Aurora, Colorado a suburb of Denver. We would play the dollar machines because they still had the old silver dollars. Wish I had kept them. Suggy Carpino, another friend from Kingston, was Also Stationed in Lowry. We spent a lot of time around Denver. We went to the parks, spent time on Larimer Street. Larimer Street at the time was a very high crime area. It was an off limit area for us but we went there anyway. We would take long rides into the Rockies. We would drive up the mountain side and look back a the gorgeous view with Denver in the middle. The view was spectacular. Denver was called the Mile High City, Why, you ask? Because it was a mile high. School at Denver lasted 15 weeks. The school was very interesting. We took electronics. We had map making and reading. We were tested a lot. However when it came to tests, I was not very good at the written test, but very good at the practical parts.

Could do the job, but was not very good at explaining the job; it still haunts me today. While at Lowry Field I spent Christmas stoking the fires in all the barracks in our squadron. I was assigned to make sure all the fires were banked for the night. It had to be below zero, because it was very cold...