B-17 flight brings back memories for Arlington WWII vet

EVERETT — The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress’ four engines rumbled as it rolled down the taxiway at Paine Field.

The 71-year-old bomber turned onto the airport’s main runway. The pilots opened up the throttles. The engines’ rumble rose to a roar.

The B-17 “Sentimental Journey” sped down the runway and jumped into the air.

A moment later, 92-year-old Art Unruh, of Arlington, was standing by the .50 caliber machine gun on the right side of the plane just behind the wing — the right waist gun. That’s where he flew 35 combat sorties in Europe during World War II. Fifteen of those were so long that they counted as two missions, meaning Unruh was credited with flying 50 combat missions from February to July 1944 in the 15th Air Force’s 32 Bombardment Squadron.

He was a 20-year-old staff sergeant at the time.

“We were just a bunch of kids,” he said.

They were kids tasked with taking out enemy troops, vital resources and infrastructure. It was a deadly job. Nearly 90,000 U.S. airmen died during the war.

His unit flew out of Foggia, Italy. Their targets included some of the most heavily defended sites under Nazi control, such as Vienna, Munich and the oil fields at Ploesti, Romania.

“I went to Ploesti four times, and thank God, I’m still here,” he said.

Boeing designed the B-17 to be durable and ferocious against enemy fighter planes. The bomber had 11 to 13 .50 caliber machine guns. The idea was it could either shoot down attacking planes or endure whatever damage it suffered.

“You’re ankle deep in shell casings, trying to shoot at enemy fighters,” the Arlington resident said.

On Unruh’s last mission, his plane limped back with much of its vertical fin blown away and more than 600 holes from flak and enemy fighters.

“We were so busy in the air, there was no time to be scared,” he said. “It’s when you get back and start walking around that airplane — it’s butchered and beat up. You get shaky.”

At first, his unit flew without friendly fighters providing cover.

“Then we got lucky,” he said. “We got the Tuskegee Airmen,” a segregated unit of black pilots.

The unit — the 332nd Fighter Group — overcame the American military’s institutional racism at the time to earn a distinguished combat record.

“Our losses went way down” after that, Unruh said.

Monday’s flight was strictly pleasure.

The Commemorative Air Force takes its B-17G, “Sentimental Journey” on tour from May to October. It is at the Flying Heritage Collection at Paine Field through Sunday offering flights to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The plane can accommodate eight passengers, and tickets cost $850 to sit in the nose, $425 for seats in the radio room.

The airplane was built in late 1944 and delivered to the military March 13, 1945, too late to see combat during World War II. It served in a variety of roles until sold as surplus in 1959. It then spent 18 years as a fire bomber, flying thousands of missions against wildfires across the U.S., likely including some in Washington.

The CAF’s Arizona Wing acquired the airplane in 1978 and set about restoring it. Today, it is the most fully operational B-17, according to the group.

Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

The rezoned property, seen here from the Hillside Vista luxury development, is surrounded on two sides by modern neighborhoods Monday, March 25, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Despite petition, Lake Stevens OKs rezone for new 96-home development

The change faced resistance from some residents, who worried about the effects of more density in the neighborhood.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.