World War II Odyssey

By Bill Frankhouser, Navigator, 603rd Squadron

Preface

Acknowledgements

Part 1 Home and Safe
I. My War Background
II. The First Day of the Expanding War in Europe
III. Finishing High School
IV. The Machine Shop
V. Off to College and Into the Military

Part 2 Training For War
VI. Basic Training
VII. Pre-Preflight School
VIII. Classification For Flight Training
IX. Preflight Navigation School
X. Final Navigation Training
XI. Gathering of a B-17 Crew

Part 3 In The Air War
XII. Off to the War Zone
XIII. Introduction to the 398th Bomb Group
XIV. The First Combat Bombing Mission
XV. More Missions and Learning the Routine
XVI. Hut No. 24: New Quarters But Grievous Losses
XVII. Duty Versus Loyalty
XVIII. A Second Crash Plus Loss of the Newman Crew
XIX. Flying Lead
XX. Loss of a Leader
XXI. The New Man
XXII. Finishing a Tour of Duty

Part 4 Home and a Big Surprise
XXIII. Going Home and Recouping
XXIV. Surprise Release From Military Duty
XXV. Back to Penn State

Part 5 Retrospection in 1996
XXVI. Assessments
XXVII. Reflections
XXVIII. Remembrances and Memorials

Epilogue - Who Killed Four Crew Members in November 1944?

Appendix - Military Orders

From World War II Odyssey by Bill Frankhouser, pages vii. Published by Hamilton's, Bedford, VA, 1997, ISBN 1-883912-03-2. WWII Odyssey is available in the 398th PX.

Personal History Information

Veteran: Bill Frankhouser
Navigator, 603rd Squadron
Date of Personal History: August 2003 Web Page submission. Excerpted from World War II Odyssey by Bill Frankhouser.
Author: Bill Frankhouser
Submitted to 398th Web Pages by: Bill Frankhouser