Doug Best – RCAF Air Gunner – Lancasters
Doug Best was an RCAF air gunner in Wellington and Lancaster bombers.
This interview is ready for transcription, please contact us if you would like to volunteer to transcribe this interview: info (at) ww2historyproject.org
Date of Interview: January 15, 2011
Interviewer: Heather Steele
Format: Standard Definition Video
Affiliation: Old Bold Pilots Oceanside
Length: 136 minutes
Frank Burger – B-24s – POW
Frank Burger served on B-24’s flying out of Italy and was shot down on the border between Austria and Hungary, was captured and escaped, and was captured again. After interrogation by the Gestapo, Frank ended up as a POW in Stalag Luft IV and then Stalag Luft I.
This interview is ready for transcription, please contact us if you would like to volunteer to transcribe this interview: info (at) ww2historyproject.org
Dates of Interview: Multiple between November, 2011 and January, 2012
Interviewer: Heather Steele
Affiliation: AXPOW
Format: Standard Definition Video
Length: 1,351 minutes
Robert Sweatt – B-24 Gunner & Evader – Shelburn
Bob Sweatt was a B-24 gunner in the lead 389th Bomb Group plane, TROUBLE, on January 7, 1944 as it and 5 other B-24’s crashed southwest of Paris. Bob was the only survivor of his plane. Luckily, he managed to land safely and be taken in by French farmers shortly before German troops arrived and started searching for him. Eventually Bob was moved through the Underground to Paris and an British Intelligence MI9 escape line set up by French Canadians who volunteered to be dropped behind enemy lines to help rescue downed aviators. After more than two months on the ground, Bob and other allied aviators were moved to Brittany, where they were rescued in the deep of the night from a beach by a secret British Motor Gun Boat operation.
Bob was sent to Florida to train new gunners, and met and married his wife Mary. After raising five children, and living a life of service, they are enjoying retirement.
