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MySunCountry Vet of the Month

Arnold Schonberg - Dunnellon,FL

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USAAF B-24 Bomber Pilot

8th Air Force in Europe WWII

Arnold recently in his hanger at the Dunnellon Airport. 

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Upon completion of radar training at Langley he flew a B-24 to England and was assigned to the 491st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, at Metfield, England. After the bomb dump exploded at Metfield his unit was moved to North Pickenham, England where he completed his tour in the European Theater of Operations after 31 missions. 

Arnold as a Primary Pilot Training Graduate

Arnold was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, 6 Air Medals, the Presidential Unit Citation, 5 European Theater of Operations Battle Stars, Conspicuous Service Cross NYS, and other medals during his service.  He left the service as a 1st LT. in July 1945 at Ft. Dix, New Jersey and completed Engineering School at New York University. Arnold operated an engineering and construction company in New York City until 1975.  He married Charlotte Hill and in 1956 and has a daughter Jane and son Jeffrey.  Arnold holds an FAA Commercial Pilot License and Instrument Rating for Single Land, Single Engine Seaplane and Multi-engine aircraft and currently flies his own Cessna 172 Skyhawk from the Dunnellon Airport.  He resides in Dunnellon winters and operates his beef cattle farm near Ilion, New York during the summer.

Crew visits Sloppy Joe's in Havana. Arnold is front row fourth from left.

B-24 hit by German anti-aircraft fire.

On one B-24 mission on September 19, 1944, that was thought to be a relatively safe supply drop over Holland, Arnold and his fellow crew members ran into more excitement than they reckoned for. When approaching the drop point at low altitude they encountered heavy enemy machine gun and 20mm anti-aircraft fire (FLAK). The aircraft was badly damaged and the Bombardier and Radio Operator were wounded. After dropping their supply load they turned back but, because of the damage, could not stay with the rest of the formation. The B-24 was vibrating excessively and pulling down and to the left requiring the efforts of both pilots to maintain control.

B-24 on fire.

Upon leaving the target they were again hit by enemy fire that wounded the Navigator. Owing to adverse weather, wounded Navigator and difficulty maintaining control of the aircraft, they became lost. Leaking gas badly, they called for fighter escort but could not give their position. They decided to proceed down the coast of France to assess their damage and find a narrow point in the English Channel to cross if they could. Limping along at low attitude they suddenly found themselves over Dunkirk. They were again hit by heavy flak and machine gun fire. They decided not to bail out over France because of the wounded on board but instead to try to make the nearest field across the channel in England. The first field they saw was Swingfield, an RAF base near Dover, England.

Arnold's B-24 after crash landing at Swingfield.

With the weather closing in, pieces of the aircraft falling off, the number 4 engine on fire, and no airspeed indicator, they landed their crippled B-24 at Swingfield. Upon touching down the right landing gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded to a stop with the right wing ablaze. All crew members except the two pilots were wounded but were  able to quickly exit the blazing B-24 without further injury. RAF Medics immediately cared for the wounded.

Arnold and crew by their badly damaged B-24.

After the fire was extinguished the crew members, that had not been taken to the hospital, assembled for a picture by the badly damaged B-24. Arnold is standing back right in his Class A uniform ready to go to town. Arnold's damage was confined to a "torn out seat of the pants" sustained during his sliding exit off the top of the bullet riddled aircraft. Considering the damage to the aircraft the crew did an amazing and skillful job getting the plane back to England.

German pilot and his American captors by his crashed ME-109. 

Not quite as fortunate, this young German fighter pilot was able to force land but behind Allied Forces battle lines. He is shown at left with his U.S. Army captors shortly after landing his bullet riddled ME-109 fighter plane.

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