LEFT WAIST GUNNER
Sgt. William E. Schwartz

Born February 19, 1912.  Schwartz manned the left waist gun, and also the bendix remote gun turret.  Age thirty in 1942, everyone called  him "Pappy". He survived the war. Passed away September 29, 1970 in Illinois. All photos via Diane Soffietti.

Daughter Diane Soffietti adds:
"I know that after [the February 23rd mission], he was sent home and stationed in El Paso, Texas or a base close to there, and that's where my sister was born in Aug of 1945. I knew he went down and walked out of the swamp with the help of the natives in PNG.  I remember looking at his silver star and the bars for his Pacific tour of duty. I lived in  Australia for 3 1/2 years but never got to Townsville. My dad died in 1970  from a blood clot and heart attack. I was in college at the time, and my sister was having her second child in Florida. Dad didn't talk too much about the war and he didn't go to any reunion, but he had some friends from his base in Texas. I think if dad was alive, he would have liked to your website about his B-17."