Marauder Men: In Their Own Words
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1)
Sunday, Nov. 9, from 3-4:30 PM
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Monday, Nov. 10, from 8-9:30 PM
PBS Western Reserve presents a three-episode docuseries spotlighting the Martin B-26 Marauder and the brave World War II pilots who flew them.
A tactical aircraft, this oft-forgotten machine of war flew in support of troops on the ground and was used in operations where precision was essential. In the 1990s, the B-26 Marauder Historical Society videotaped oral histories detailing the experiences of “Marauder Men,” the nickname claimed by Martin B-26 Marauder pilots in celebration of their camaraderie.
The interviews featured in the program detail stories including crash landings, deplorable living conditions, bombing on D-Day and flying during the Battle of the Bulge. Ed Pewitt of the 319 Bomb Group described one of his proudest moments as a pilot of the B-26, targeting the railroad marshaling yards in Florence, Italy: “The reason that we were so proud of what we did there [is] Florence has so many national treasures, and to my knowledge, we stayed pretty close within what we were supposed to hit.”
MARAUDER MEN: IN THEIR OWN WORDS, produced by Steve Mitchell of Uniontown, is narrated by Uniontown resident Chris Billings.