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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsThe naked gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944 (nudity)
Looks like a guy that can set priorities.
From https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/naked-gunner-rescue-rabaul-1944/
The naked gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944
PBY Blister Gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944
This young crewman of a US Navy Dumbo PBY rescue mission has just jumped into the water of Rabaul Harbor to rescue a badly burned Marine pilot who was shot down while bombing the Japanese-held fortress of Rabaul. Since Japanese coastal defense guns were firing at the plane while it was in the water during take-off, this brave young man, after rescuing the pilot, manned his position as machine gunner without taking time to put on his clothes. A hero photographed right after hed completed his heroic act. Naked.
Photo taken by Horace Bristol (1908-1997). In 1941, Bristol was recruited to the U.S. Naval Aviation Photographic Unit, as one of six photographers under the command of Captain Edward J. Steichen, documenting World War II in places such as South Africa, and Japan. He ended up being on the plane the gunner was serving on, which was used to rescue people from Rabaul Bay (New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea), when this occurred. In an article from a December 2002 issue of B&W magazine he remembers:
Original title: PBY Blister Gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944.
PBY Blister Gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944
This young crewman of a US Navy Dumbo PBY rescue mission has just jumped into the water of Rabaul Harbor to rescue a badly burned Marine pilot who was shot down while bombing the Japanese-held fortress of Rabaul. Since Japanese coastal defense guns were firing at the plane while it was in the water during take-off, this brave young man, after rescuing the pilot, manned his position as machine gunner without taking time to put on his clothes. A hero photographed right after hed completed his heroic act. Naked.
Photo taken by Horace Bristol (1908-1997). In 1941, Bristol was recruited to the U.S. Naval Aviation Photographic Unit, as one of six photographers under the command of Captain Edward J. Steichen, documenting World War II in places such as South Africa, and Japan. He ended up being on the plane the gunner was serving on, which was used to rescue people from Rabaul Bay (New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea), when this occurred. In an article from a December 2002 issue of B&W magazine he remembers:
we got a call to pick up an airman who was down in the Bay. The Japanese were shooting at him from the island, and when they saw us they started shooting at us. The man who was shot down was temporarily blinded, so one of our crew stripped off his clothes and jumped in to bring him aboard. He couldnt have swum very well wearing his boots and clothes. As soon as we could, we took off. We werent waiting around for anybody to put on formal clothes. We were being shot at and wanted to get the hell out of there. The naked man got back into his position at his gun in the blister of the plane.
Original title: PBY Blister Gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944.
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The naked gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944 (nudity) (Original Post)
sl8
Jan 2020
OP
Boy howdy, I understand the hot, hot 50 Cal casing just tumble out of Browning M2
Brother Buzz
Jan 2020
#5
LaurenOlimina
(1,165 posts)1. THIS IS AWESOME.
Likey likey likey...
Harker
(14,018 posts)2. He isn't naked.
He has his earphones on.
SCVDem
(5,103 posts)3. This is my ass! This is the enemy!
Please don't get them confused!
yes INDEED
Brother Buzz
(36,433 posts)5. Boy howdy, I understand the hot, hot 50 Cal casing just tumble out of Browning M2
Bare feet are one thing, but I'd be concerned about the private parts, too! Desperate times call for desperate measures, Baby!
Paladin
(28,257 posts)6. Brilliant photograph.
The look of utter calm on the young man's face, given the circumstances, is genuinely impressive. I hope he made it home and had a long and happy life---just for that day's work alone.
malthaussen
(17,195 posts)7. There's a photo of the attack on the USS Panay...
... one of the men on the Lewis guns has neglected to put on his trousers.
Ya do what you have to do.
-- Mal