Review of "Pistol Packin’ Mama: The Missions of a B-17," American Hero Series DVD

 Review of

Pistol Packin’ Mama: The Missions of a B-17, American Hero Series DVD

Five out of five stars

The often short life of bomber crews

 The title is the name that was given to a B-17 bomber that was flown in daylight missions over Germany. Most of the missions that are described by the crew members were flown in 1943. At the time, there was rarely a fighter escort, so the attrition rate on a mission was often 10% or higher. Since a tour of duty for a member of a flight crew was 25 missions, it does not take any knowledge of statistics to realize that the probability of completing a tour of duty was near zero. 

 Using interviews with the crew members of the plane and actual combat footage, the story of what these men did is told. They were men that were well aware that they would likely not survive the war, yet they were briefed on the flight plan, climbed into the plane and then stuck to the flight plan despite the dangers. 

 While the development of fighter protection reduced the bomber attrition rate in 1944 and beyond, in 1943 daylight bombing was brutal attrition warfare. There is mention of one time when only one plane came back out of 15 in the wing that took off. Many German fighter planes were also destroyed, and the bomber crew salutes their bravery and determination in attacking the bombers. 

 This video shows a side of the war that was brutal and unforgiving, the men did their duty, well aware that there was little hope of coming out alive. It is a story that needs to be told and re-told so that it is never forgotten.