Harold Bell

See Document 1 below to read a story told by Harry about his time with the 757th BS

Completed 50 missions, 38 sorties. Survived a crash landing. So happy when the 50 were done

Harry Bell Enlisted in the U.S. Air Force Reserve on January 1, 1943 as an Aviation Cadet, was washed out along with 499 other cadets! They were sent to aerial gunnery schools. (Harry had already passed the commercial pilot test in civilian life! He feels they just needed more crew for the B-24 being built by Ford at the rate of one per hour!). Initial aerial gunnery training was at Gulf Port, MS, then Kansas City, then and Tucson, AZ. In Lincoln NE he and a crew flew a new B-24 across the Atlantic to Cherignola, Italy. (Girls were stomping grapes in a nearby vineyard while they were getting briefed on their mission). He was in the 757th bomb Squadron of the 459th Bomb Group of the 15th Air Force. By October 1944 he had flown 50 missions (38 sorties over Europe, 3 of which were to the Ploesti oil fields). After the engineer was shot on a mission, he became the engineer and top turret gunner. He came home for Christmas in 1944. He went back to Biloxi, MS for Mechanics school. He was discharged soon after the A-bomb. He received 7 Air Medals and 7 Battle Stars. (Currently Harry is a flight instructor and owns a Piper Tomahawk at Whiteman Airport).

T/Sgt. Harold A Bell was assigned to the 459th BG 757th Squadron.
Military Occupational Specialty (MOS): Engineer/Gunner.

The following information on Harold Bell is gathered and extracted from military records. We have many documents and copies of documents, including military award documents. It is from these documents that we have found this information on T/Sgt. Bell. These serviceman's records are nowhere near complete and we are always looking for more material. If you can help add to Harold Bell's military record please contact us.