Harold “Red” McKinney: The Forgotten Gunner in the Glass Belly of a B-17

On November 2, 1943, the skies over Schweinfurt, Germany, became a battlefield of thunderous explosions and streaking enemy fighters. Among the chaos, 19-year-old Private Harold “Red” McKinney sat curled inside the ball turret of a B-17 Flying Fortress—a cramped sphere of steel and glass suspended beneath the bomber like a fragile eye. His position was one of the most dangerous aboard the aircraft, isolated and exposed to enemy fire. Red’s job was simple: defend the underbelly. His reality, however, was brutal—cold steel pressing against his spine, deafening flak bursts rattling the plane, and the ever-present threat of death thousands of feet below.

Red had trained for this moment in the deserts of Arizona, where the vast open skies were a stark contrast to the claustrophobic confines of the ball turret. The turret demanded that he contort his body into unnatural positions, his knees bent tightly, feet resting on narrow pedals, and twin .50 caliber machine guns braced against the cold. The turret offered little protection, and Red was completely exposed to enemy fire from below. As the bomber flew deeper into German territory, flak bursts exploded around them, shaking the plane violently. Enemy Messerschmitt fighters appeared like blurs in the sky, darting in to attack. Red gripped the guns tightly, firing bursts of ammunition in their direction, praying his rounds would find their mark.

Schweinfurt was a critical target during World War II, home to factories that produced ball bearings essential for the Nazi war machine. The mission was high-stakes, but it came at an immense cost. The skies over Schweinfurt were heavily defended, and the Luftwaffe was determined to protect the factories at all costs. That day, Red’s squadron lost five planes, each carrying ten men. The losses were devastating, and the survivors returned to base with heavy hearts, knowing many of their comrades had perished. Red, miraculously, survived the mission, but the experience left scars that would remain with him for the rest of his life.

The ball turret was unforgiving, physically and mentally. The cramped space twisted Red’s spine, leaving him with lasting pain. The relentless noise of flak and the terror of enemy fighters haunted his sleep, replaying the worst moments of the mission in vivid detail. But perhaps the deepest wound was the silence that followed. Like many veterans of World War II, Red never spoke of his experiences. The horrors he had witnessed remained locked away, buried beneath layers of stoic silence. He carried the memories alone, choosing not to share the weight of his trauma with others.

After the war, Red returned home and tried to leave the past behind. The only tangible reminder of his time as a ball turret gunner was a photograph tucked away in the family attic. The image showed a young man folded into steel, staring through the glass at eternity. It was a haunting snapshot of a moment frozen in time—a testament to the courage and sacrifice of a 19-year-old boy thrust into the unimaginable reality of war. Though Red never spoke of the war, the photograph spoke for him, capturing the vulnerability and bravery of those who served in one of the most dangerous positions aboard a B-17.

Red’s story is emblematic of countless young men who served in World War II, many of whom faced extraordinary danger and carried their experiences silently. Ball turret gunners, in particular, endured some of the harshest conditions. Suspended beneath the plane, they were completely exposed to enemy fire, with little chance of escape if the bomber was hit. Their position demanded immense courage, yet their contributions often went unrecognized. Red’s silence mirrors the experience of many veterans who returned home carrying invisible wounds—memories too painful to share and traumas that shaped the rest of their lives.

Today, Red’s photograph stands as a poignant reminder of his sacrifice. It tells a story of bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, of a young man who confronted death thousands of feet above the ground, and of the lasting impact of war on those who endure it. Though Red may have chosen silence, his image speaks volumes—a tribute to the forgotten heroes of the Second World War, whose courage and resilience shaped history.

Harold “Red” McKinney’s story is one of quiet heroism, a testament to the bravery of those who fought in the skies over Europe. His silence was not a lack of courage but a reflection of the weight he carried. Though the war left its mark on his spine, his sleep, and his soul, his legacy endures. Through his photograph, we are reminded of the sacrifices made by those who served and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardship. Red’s story may have been silent, but it is one that deserves to be heard.