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The year was 1945 during the tail end of World War II. The sound
of roaring aircraft engines and boots on the ground filled the air,
raising decibel levels to resounding heights.
For Rowland
Ball, now 91, the sounds became familiar and today serve as a
nostalgic reminder of his time as a B-29 Superfortress navigator.
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August 26, 2016 - Rowland Ball served as a B-29 Superfortress navigator during the
tail end of World War II. He flew 27 missions out of Guam and left
soon after the war ended. After 71 years, the 91-year-old received
the opportunity to come back to Andersen Air Force Base, known as
Northfield in 1945, and share stories about his experiences on Guam.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
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When he was an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Ball
once called Guam home, flying 27 missions out of Northfield,
which is now known as Andersen Air Force Base.
“I was
in Guam for about six months and left as the war ended,”
Ball said. “During my time, we flew two types of missions:
daytime strategic formation flights, where we would bomb
factories and other assets, and night flights, which were
missions where we bombed our adversaries.”
Ball has many
memories of Guam, which he was able to recall in vivid
detail despite the lengthy passage of time. The challenges
he and his crew faced tested their courage and willpower to
a breaking point as they faced unimaginable turmoil and
anguish.
“We lost so many good men,” he recounted,
with tears in his eyes. “I don't have many fond memories.
“My crew almost perished during a mission over the city
of Gifu (in Japan), where we were shot up so badly, bailing
out of the plane seemed like the only option,” he continued.
“Why we did not die that day, I will never know.”
That 18-hour mission was the most frightening. With bad
intelligence, mechanical issues and constant enemy
bombardment, death was at his crew's doorstep. After bombing
Gifu, the plane was in such critical condition, they decided
to bailout over the Pacific Ocean. Ball was to be the first
to jump, but after looking down at the ocean, he asked his
team to rethink the situation. After weighing which course
of action would have the greatest chance of survival, they
decided to fly the aircraft back to Guam or die trying.
The condition of the plane was dire. Preceding their
bombing of Gifu, a mechanical error hindered their ability
to drop bombs on their targets on time. Also, an explosion
in the bomb bay should have destroyed the whole plane. While
all of this was occurring, they still had to avoid enemy
fire, much of which was inches away from damaging crucial
equipment. Despite the problems, the team stuck together and
flew back to Guam.
The war ended soon after the
crew's successful return from bombing Gifu, and Ball was on
his way back to the U.S. after a few more non-combat
missions.
After leaving Guam in 1945, Ball never
thought he would receive the opportunity to see it again. As
a surprise, his wife bought him and a few family members
plane tickets to the small Pacific island. After reaching
out to base leadership, the family received a warm welcome
and an unexpected opportunity of a lifetime while touring
the base.
Just like he
remembered
During 1945, the flightline was
full of excitement and action, with an assortment of planes
taking off every minute. Fast forward 71 years, the name of
the airfield may have changed but air operations remain.
The flightline has never
skipped a beat, staying just as active as Ball remembered
it. He was able to gaze upon the generation of bombers that
followed the B-29. In an unprecedented moment, the B-52
Stratofortress, B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit were all present
in front of him. He said he had never fathomed the
opportunity to see one of the bombers up close, let alone
all three at once.
“It's mind-boggling the type of
equipment we have now,” he said. “The technical advantages
have come a long way since my time. I remember having to
look up at the stars to navigate, but now there is this
amazing equipment that makes navigating much easier and
efficient. It's a different world altogether. ”
What
astonished him the most was the amount of damage a B-52, B-1
or B-2 can inflict on an adversary compared to multiple
B-29s.
Those who accompanied Ball were also able to
share their experiences with him as they guided him through
the airfield he could only reminiscence about.
“Showing him the aspects of the airfield that stayed the
same and pointing out what has changed or been added was an
exhilarating experience,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Kippie, the
36th Operations Support Squadron commander. “To be able to
show our base and flightline to somebody who forged this
theater and gave us our freedom is something to be
remembered.”
Past and
present aviators
After visiting a few more
areas on the airfield and seeing what had changed with his
own two eyes, Ball had the chance to share his stories with
present-day aviators.
“He
shared many combat stories with us, but also talked about
the ingenuity and creativity his crew displayed during a
trying time,” Kippie said. “What our generation of Airmen
can learn from someone who has been to war is courage. His
message, that he reiterated multiple times, was how it took
a team working together to get to a target. Sometimes
sorties didn't go as planned, but they stuck together to
accomplish the task at hand as a team.”
His message
spoke to more than just aviators, but to maintainers,
engineers, cooks and other support staff. Ball showed
appreciation to each organization, as he knew just how
important they were to the war effort.
“Even though
someone he knew died every day, after every sortie, these
men still found the courage to take off,” Kippie said. “What
we take for granted these days is their sacrifice. I've
flown around 60 combat sorties and I don't know anyone who
has been shot down. This is something we train for, but it's
not in the forefront of our minds when we are flying combat
sorties. We have not had that type of experience, so it was
jaw-dropping listening to him talk about it.”
Despite
long days, hectic missions, the loss and turmoil his crew
faced, there were some lighter moments he shared.
“The cooks would give us three sandwiches for an 18-hour
mission. I had to decide how I would eat them. Should I eat
two before a bomb run or after? Would I even be alive to eat
the sandwich I saved,” Ball said as he took a brief pause to
let the audience laugh.
“One time, ice cream was
included in our meal. Now why would they give us ice cream
of all things? So, during that mission, we decided to fly at
a higher altitude than normal, to keep it frozen,” he
continued. “Unfortunately, by the time we completed our
mission, the ice cream was unsalvageable.”
After
Ball finished sharing his experiences, he received a
standing ovation. As he bid farewell to the Airmen, they all
lined up to shake his hand. The sound of Velcro soon
followed, as he was presented multiple squadron patches in
appreciation of everything he stood for and accomplished.
“It was remarkable speaking to these young Airmen,”
Ball said. “These planes have become so technologically
advanced throughout the years. It is astonishing what they
have to learn and the amount of studying that needs to take
place to fly these behemoths. They will lead America into
the future.”
As his visit ended, Ball, who was never
at a loss for words, was speechless. Emotional and grateful,
the only word he could muster was “thanks.”
“Thank
you people for allowing my family and I to have the
opportunity to see this place,” he said. “You have all been
so nice and wonderful. I thought I might be able to see a
plane, but this was something else. This visit has made my
life and I will remember this forever.”
By U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
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