Florida WWII Veteran Bob Russell Reflects on VE Day and His Combat Experience

VE Day and Bob Russell's Service

• 💡 Bob Russell, a 101-year-old WWII veteran from Dunedin, Florida, reflects on Victory in Europe (VE) Day, May 8th, 1944.
• 🎯 He was a fighter/bomber pilot with the U.S. Army Air Corps in Europe, flying a P-47 Thunderbolt.
• 🚀 Russell flew cover for General Patton's army during the Battle of the Bulge, conducting low-level bombing and strafing runs.

Combat Missions and Survival

• ⚠️ Russell's 13th and final mission involved being shot down by an explosive German shell.
• 🛬 He managed a perfect belly landing with Nazi forces on the ground surrounding him, describing it as a situation where he had to "skid till you stop, you know. and uh uh get out and run."
• 🎖️ His squadron, the 405th Fighter Squadron, received air medals for their role in containing German forces during the Battle of the Bulge.

Reflections on War and Loss

• 💔 Russell expresses the heavy weight of the unknowns and the unintentional victims during combat, hoping they never hit any children.
• 😔 He acknowledges the tremendous loss associated with the war, mentioning that a handful of his friends in the 45th were among those who didn't return.
• 🤝 He describes his squadron pals, mostly barely over 20, as the "greatest group of people" he was ever associated with.

Post-War Life and VE Day News

• 🏠 Upon hearing the news of the German surrender while recovering in an Allied hospital in Belgium, Russell recalls there was no surprise or celebration, only a desire to go home.
• 🏡 He has since lived a full life in Pinellas County, building houses and a proud family.