The “Commando” Gunner
Above is a truly rare and iconic photo taken during World War II aboard a US Navy “Dumbo” PBY in 1944, during a rescue mission in Rabaul Bay, which is located in Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Ocean.
The photo was taken while the crewman was manning his gun, right after he had just jumped into the Bay to rescue a Marine pilot who had been shot down by the Japanese during a bombing mission.
Horace Bristol, a war photographer, captured the timely photo and later recounted some of the story:
“…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 couldn’t have swum very well wearing his boots and clothes. As soon as we could, we took off. We weren’t 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.”
Writer / Quiz Creator
Andrew Nicholas is a passionate reader and writer on the subjects of history and mankind. He is a published author, critic, and poet who grew up in the friendly scenery of rural Ohio. He is a graduate of Wright State University and a regular student of historical curiosities.