211388 S1c William Joseph Turner United States Naval Reserve VPB-103 Fleet Air Wing 7 from:Brooklyn I was at Boot Camp in the Great Lakes '42-'43. At AMM school, Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois, I volunteered for Naval Aircrewman which led to PBY training at NAS Jacksonville, Florida then PB4Y-1 training at Chincoteague, VA. I was assigned to crew with LT(jg) Audra M. Bozarth as pilot. Then to Port Lyautey (French Morocco) and on to Dunkeswell from mid-'44 to March '45 when I was returned to the U.S. for the Navy's V-5 pilot training program.
In early February of '45, at about 1500 hours, ARM3c Tarte picked up the unmistakeable sounds of a submarine. The pilot ordered first torpedoe to be dropped. It hung up in the bomb bay, half in and half out of the aircraft. The second Zombie released and got the sub but because of insufficient light we were unable to photograph the sub's wreckage. British Admiralty credited us with HALF a sub. Darkness...low on fuel...hung up Zombie... Lt. Bozarth was instructed to land at the nearest RAF airfield. Before doing so, our AOM3c Decker climbed out into the bomb bay and defused the bomb. The landing was accompanied by many, many Hail Marys. Glad she responded favorably.
VE-Day found me at the Athens, GA, pre-flight school...then transferred to Iowa City pre-flight where I was at the end of the war. Elected to return to civilian life. There was no call for experienced .50 cal. tail turret gunners, so I re-entered military and retired from the U. S. Air force in 1964 and remained with USAF as a civilian (Pentagon) until final retirement in 1985 after more than 43 years of Federal service. Now I reside in Melbourne, Florida, close to Patrick AFB and its great golf course, yeah, I'm still playing. I celebrated Number 90 last October. Gonna shoot my age one of these days. Thanks for all that you people are doing.
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