Hewitt T. ‘Shorty’ Wheless and Boyd T. ‘Buzz’ Wagner: World War II Fighter Pilots

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Vandevanter, in the other B-17, arrived over the target three minutes behind Adams. Fortunately for him, Adams had attracted the attention of all the Zero pilots, so Vandevanter was able to make three uncontested runs over the target before more fighters appeared and chased him into a cloud bank. Vandevanter’s plane escaped without a scratch and returned safely to Del Monte.

Meanwhile, the engine trouble that had caused Wheless to drop out of formation had been corrected. Although he was far behind what he thought were the other four B-17s, Wheless chose to continue on to the target, knowing that he would likely be attacking an alerted enemy whose defense might well include fighter planes.

That decision would soon vault his name into virtually every major American newspaper and magazine. In addition, Wheless’ flight would be chronicled in a radio address by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. For the most part, the president’s account was accurate.

Roosevelt:‘By the time [Wheless] arrived over the target, the other four Flying Fortresses had dropped their bombs and stirred up the hornet’s nest of Japanese Zero planes. Eighteen of these Zero fighters attacked our lone Flying Fortress. Despite this mass attack, our plane proceeded on its mission….’

In fact — although Wheless didn’t find it out until two days after the mission — only the two B-17s had made it to the target ahead of him. Although the number of enemy planes that jumped him was estimated at 18, in reality it was probably closer to 12. While the running battle with the enemy fighters was in progress, Wheless headed straight for the six enemy transports neatly lined up off Legaspi. After bombardier R.W. Schlotte released his eight 600-pounders, Wheless’ attention was focused on taking evasive action and giving his gunners a crack at the Japanese fighter pilots.

Roosevelt:‘…As it turned back on its homeward journey, a running fight between the bomber and the 18 Japanese pursuit planes continued for 75 miles. Four pursuit planes of the Japs attacked simultaneously at each side. Four were shot down with the side guns. During this fight the bomber’s radio operator was killed, the engineer’s right hand was shot off, and one gunner was crippled, leaving only one man available to operate both side guns. Although wounded in one hand, this gunner alternately manned both side guns, bringing down three more Japanese Zero planes.’

W.G. Killin, the radio operator and belly gunner in what was called the ‘bathtub’ position in the Fortress D-model, had the top of his head blown off and his gun put out of action. Gunners Russell Brown and W.W. Williams each claimed a Zero before being wounded. Williams, who was hit by a 20mm shell from one of the enemy planes, had his leg ripped open, knocking him out of the fight. Brown, whose right hand had been nearly shot off, was unable to operate his gun. The job of firing both waist guns went to Sergeant John Gootee, who though himself wounded in the right wrist, kept firing both guns until helped by the bombardier, Schlotte.

The seven enemy planes claimed by Wheless and the four claimed by Adams in his brief fight may seem hard to believe in light of later WWII statistics. Remember, however, that this was the first time the Japanese had tangled with a B-17. The Zero pilots were unfamiliar with the Fortress’ firepower and the location of its guns. On the other hand, the system of authenticating a kill by a witness had not yet been put in place by the U.S. Army Air Forces. Had it been, the count might have been reduced to five or less. Also, it was apparently not possible for a large number of planes to literally swarm all over a B-17. Saburo Sakai, the Japanese ace who shot down Colin Kelly, said: ‘It was impossible for (a large number of Zeros) to make a concerted attack against the bomber, for in the rarified air we could easily overcontrol and collide with each other. Instead, we swung out in a long file, and made our firing passes one after another, each plane making its run alone.’ This was particularly easy against the D-model B-17, since it had no tail gun, relying instead on the gun in the bathtub position to help cover the tail.

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Tags: Aerial Combat, Aviation History, Historical Conflicts, World War II

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