Tail Gunner Survives 4-Mile FREE FALL In Severed B-17 Tail

When a plane breaks in half, survival is almost impossible. However, on November 29, 1943, tail gunner Eugene Moran lived to tell the tale of what happened to him and his crew.

The Last Mission

On that day, Moran and his crewmates flew aboard the B-17 Riki Tiki Tavi for their 5th bombing mission over Bremen, Germany.

After dropping their payload, their B-17 lagged behind the fleet and became an easy target for German fighters and anti-aircraft batteries.

Eight of the crew members were killed, while the navigator bailed out, and Moran was left alone inside the turret.

Free-Falling

A flak shell severed the B-17’s tail with a loud explosion.

Moran heard the engines fading and felt a pressure change, knowing he was plummeting. He grabbed his bullet-riddled parachute and tried to escape, but the door wouldn’t budge.

Fortunately, the tail’s fins produced enough drag for it to glide.

Presence of Mind

Despite free-falling, Moran continued firing at German Bf109s.

Anti-aircraft batteries also targeted him, mistaking him for an unknown Allied aircraft. The tail section eventually glided down and hit a tree.

Nearby, a Serbian POW doctor found Moran alive but severely injured. Moran had gone headfirst into the .50-cal machine gun, shattering his skull.

Not Free Yet

Eugene Moran eventually recovered but faced further suffering.

He spent 18 months in inhumane POW camps in Germany, Russia, and Poland. He also endured a 600-mile forced march from February to April 1945 during one of the coldest winters on record.

Home At Last

Moran was liberated on April 26, 1945, at Bitterfeld, Germany, weighing only 128 lbs.

He was awarded two Purple Hearts, the Good Conduct Medal, the Air Medal with Gold Leaf Cluster, and the European Theater Award.

His hometown of Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, honored him by naming a street after him: Eugene P. Moran Park Drive.