re: I've seen some pretty amazing stories about the B-17 but....

My uncle was a navigator on a B-17. He was on a bombing run over Italy when his plan was shot down and crashed in the ocean. He was captured by the Germans and sent to a pow camp. He lost his hair and teeth from malnutrition. He was shipped to the camp in a cattle car that was so packed he couldn't even move. He spent 2 years as a pow. In some of his runs his gunner mate was sucked out his turret and my uncle was sucked out one time and his belt buckle got cought on the door and saved him.