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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| The U.S. Air Force's Last Tail Gunner Has Retired |
| 2022-08-02 |
| [TheDrive] Chief Master Sergeant Rob Wellbaum had been the last airman still on duty to have served as an aerial defense gunner. Whenever someone retires, it marks the end of an era in their personal life. When U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Rob Wellbaum leaves the service he’ll end an entire era of aerial combat as America’s last bomber tail gunner. On May 12, 2017, Wellbaum retired after three decades in the Air Force. When he first joined up in 1987, the non-commissioned officer had signed up for Specialty Code 111X0—Aerial Defense Gunner. “I went into the recruiter’s office and asked them what jobs they had for enlisted [personnel] to fly,” Wellbaum recalled in an interview. “My recruiter listed off loadmaster, boom operator, and B-52 aerial defensive gunner. The gunner job sounded like the coolest job out of the three so that is what I applied for.” For the next five years, he served in that role on a B-52 Stratofortress bomber. This aircraft – more lovingly referred to as the Big Ugly Fat Fellow, or BUFF – was the last in service to even have a tail gun. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #4 ^ OP, that's awesome. I was reading the other day about Operation Niagara. One of yours? |
| Posted by: Matt 2022-08-02 21:46 |
| #3 As someone who's planned ARCLIGHT boxes, I prefer the term "Sudden Death". |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2022-08-02 21:36 |
| #2 Update: Big Beautiful Bomb-Birthing... whatever. Bustard? |
| Posted by: Hupomosing Trotsky9444 2022-08-02 19:36 |
| #1 "Fellow" eh? Heh... |
| Posted by: Anomalous Sources 2022-08-02 19:22 |