Lt. Col Robert ‘Rosie’ Rosenthal was a legend within the 8th Air Force during WW2. He was awarded a total of 16 awards for valor, including 2 Purple hearts, 2 Silver Stars and the DSC. He flew over 52 bombing missions with his B17 during the European campaign.
On October 10, 1943, just on his third mission with the 100th BG, his plane was the only one to return, while every other bomber was shot down over Germany. He managed to fly back to base with over 200 enemy fighters on his tail. He land his aircraft with only 2 engines, destroyed radio and oxygen system, and with the right wing almost coming apart.
He was shot down numerous times and always managed to escape, opting to return to duty as fast as he could to be with his men.
On another mission, his bomber took a direct hit and became completely engulfed in flames. Despite this, he flew the crippled bomber over the target, dropped the payload and then stayed with the plane until the rest of the crew bailed out. He was the last man to exit the aircraft at barely 1000ft, which subsequently exploded after he bailed.
On Feb 3, 1945, he led 1,000 B17s on a massive bombing mission over Berlin.
He volunteered to fly B29s over the Pacific but the war had ended by then. After the war, he prosecuted the Nazis at Nuremberg.
His story, along with others from the Bloody 100th Bomber Group, will be portrayed in the upcoming mini series Masters of the Air, the 3rd installment to the Band of Brothers franchise (about fucking time).
#ww2 #b17 #mastersoftheair #stayzero #zerofoxtrot