Out of the Turret and Into Hell
WWII Aerial Gunner's Story - Stalags 7A and 17B - Life of a Prisoner of War
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THEY NICKNAMED HIM THE RASCAL BELLYGUNNER His name is Earl Benson.. and he was a B-17 ball-turret gunner fighting in World War II... until his bomber was shot down over Antwerp, Belgium on the fifth day of April, 1943, his 5th mission, and flying Tail-end Charlie again with no fighter support... the day his journey into Hell began. Captured and interrogated at DuLag Luft, locked up in a tiny, pitch-black cell, he realizes that his childhood nightmares were premonitions. A prisoner of war for 25 months, he plans and executes escape from Stalag 7A, is recaptured, and soon transported by rail to Stalag 17B. He thinks about his four brothers who are also fighting this war, wondering where they are and how it's going for them, and prays that the Benson brothers will all make it back home.... OUT OF THE TURRET is one hellava story, one that;ll shake you to the bottom of your soul, keep you laughing, stir up old memories, put real tears in your eyes, and guarantee a whole new outlook on what really matters in your life. Take and adventure ride with The Rascal.. See you there! OUT OF THE TURRET AND INTO HELL is a ticket back to the simple honesty for which we are all striving. It is the true story of one familie's journey through the difficult times of America's Great Depression, and the son who wanted to fly. Presented as a retrospect from the memory of a young boy who grew to manhood, it recounts with humor and wisdom how five brothers dropped off at an orphanage confirmed: "Us Benson boys are tough," and how a strange childhood premonition helped this young man survive the trauma of battle, capture, and German prison camps. When a story moves one to rekindle a part of his soul he has all but forgotten in the busyness of living, it is more than a story..... it is a gift. If willing, the reader will turn to his inner truths to the peacefulness of remembering that part of himself. OUT OF THE TURRET AND INTO HELL is an invitation for an unforgettable personal journey.
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About the Book
Presented as a retrospective from the memory of a young boy who grew to manhood, it recounts with humor and wisdom, how five young brothers, dropped off at an orphanage, confirmed: "Us Benson boys are tough..." and how a strange, nightmare premonition brought the one who became a WWII ball turret gunner through the trauma of battle, capture and German prison camps.
When a story moves one to rekindle a part of his soul he has all but forgotten in the busyness of living, it is more than a story... it is a gift. If willing, the reader will turn to his inner truths to the peacefulness of remembering that part of himself. Out of the Turret and Into Hell is an invitation for an unforgettable journey.
About the Author
Vicky Elaine Benson visits her 89-year-old, 100% disabled, retired Air Force veteran husband, Earl, every other day at his nursing home in Fairmont, Nebraska. Married over thirty years, she feels her objectivity was well-developed in regards to projecting his life story in a manner that keeps the reader laughing, on the edge of their seat, and feeling as though they are with Earl all the way. "I enjoyed writing this narrative-style, true-life story for Earl and know he'll still be with us as the book becomes recognized, accepted and promoted intensly by screenwriters, producers and world-wide media."
Born in Dearborn, Michigan, in 1951, Vicky began a writing career with this novel. She earned a diploma from the Institute of Children's Literature in 1998, and continues to improve her writing skills. Her goal: "Write well enough to enable a touching of the heart."