The Real Memphis Belle

[HARDCORE]

I once had the pleasure of meeting with Colonel Robert Morgan at an air show sponsored (partially) by the Confederate Air Force. The air show itself was held at Gillespie Field, El Cajon, California (May 2002).

I was covering the event for a local newspaper and have never ceased to be amazed at whom one could run into at these magnificent displays of America?s past, present and future air might!

Years ago, before his death on January 11, 1988, Gregory (Pappy Boyington- Marine Ace, Black Sheep Squadron, VMF-214) use to frequent these shows on book signing, as did Guy Gabaldon (From Hell To Eternity), and Jim Sweat - another great Marine Ace etc!

One could also catch a glimpse of aging Tuskegee Airmen, Navajo Code Talkers, as well as a plethora of Flying Cross and other medal winners from our wars past. Even Medal of Honor Recipients, like Boyington & Sweat had been regulars at these functions.

And let us never forget the armada of aircraft, new and vintage that still take to the skies and strut their suff before the massive, patriotic crowds that attend these galas! Hell, even a sleek little flying wing once put in an appearance and danced through the skies right along side the warbirds of yore!

This story, however, is about but a single aircraft and her gallant crew - ?The Real Memphis Belle!?

The ?Belle? was piloted by a "North Carolina Native" by the name of Robert Morgan, played in the movie of the same name by actor Mathew Modine.

According to Colonel Morgan, his military objectives were simple ?Destroy Manufacturing Plants, supply depots and other military targets between November 1942 to May of 1943!" The crew's primary weapon was a flying battleship (B-17 Bomber). And the men who flew them were generally considered to be unripe, cool-headed, and self-confident.

Morgan Himself was only 22 years old and had been an Industrial Engineer from the "Great Tar Heel State", Ashville, North Carolina! And although the name attributed by the movies to the Belle?s actual pilot was changed for the movie, Bob Morgan was really the man at the controls!

The only problem that Colonel Bob Morgan saw with the movie was the fact that he redundantly attempted to tell the actor playing his role that he had to be more egotistical! According to Morgan, he thought after 25 missions over Europe, and 25 more over Japan, that he (Morgan) knew everything there was about flying - he was (according to his own later words) to learn that he know less than he thought!

Morgan recalls that those German Fighters were really tough! He also recalled how the Memphis Belle really acquired its now famous name.

Bob Morgan had been dating a girl from Memphis at the time and one evening, Bob managed to convince a crewmember to vote along with him on the name of his new plane, and so it was! Two voted for Memphis Belle, and the eight other, voted different names, naturally!

?For the record, Morgan flew both B-17s and later - B-29s in the War!? And the loses Morgan encountered with the B-17s were horrendous (80%), and that magical figure of 25 missions, at times, seemed an eternity away! But Bob Morgan genuinely believed that the B-17B that he flew as one of the greatest planes ever built!

Morgan?s unit started daylight bombing over Europe, hitting such targets as submarine pens, railroad bridges, and even munition plants, his first major target being Hitler?s Undersea Boats!

Getting back to Morgan?s love of the B-17, he remembers that he had lost engines, 6 feet of the right wing, and about a half foot of the tail section, and they still made it home! And Morgan still touts his luck during that, and other these missions!!

The 26th Mission for the crew, was to fly around the United States for three months, but alas, and not covered in the movie (I don?t think) was the fact that the Captain of the Memphis Belle (Colonel Robert Morgan) flew an additional 25 missions over Japan before returning to the United States for good!!

?WELL-DONE MEMPHIS BELLE!!?

VERITAS

[MORTARDUDE]

I was able to attend one of the Confederate Air Force shows about 17 years ago nearby. A super, super show.

Larry

[Jerry D]

I liked the Old name of the Confederate Air Force. the new PC name is so vanilla that I keep forgeting it But, I agree with the Col. the B17 is still one of the finest aircraft to have fought the good fight.

[HARDCORE]

LARRY & JERRY -

The B17 really made a difference in that war, along with its daylight precision bombing! That Norden (spelling) bombsite and its pickle barrel accuracy also made one helluva difference as well!

"But in the end, it all boiled down to the crews, brave men one and all!"

I had an uncle by marriage, then a police lieutenant until he passed away, that was a tail gunner on one of those birds! My father, who also had 3 Beachheads and 5 Battle Stars (Africa & Europe) use to like to tease old Ernie (8th AF). Ernie was well over 6 feet tall, light blue eyes, a German last name, and a blond crew cut!

My old man use to joke with him (Ernie), that if he would have ever gotten shot down, looking like he did, the enemy (Krauts) would have wondered if he was in the wrong uniform!?

All kidding aside, Ernie was a great guy, a damned good cop, and a credit to the nation, as was my old man and millions more like him back during that War!



VERITAS

[JBozeman]

Great Post Hardcore.

Such Great History on this site.

Take Care
Stay Safe