Charles "Chuck" Richardson

Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer

originally published 14 August 2017, reprinted and revised 6 June 2024

The crew of "Good O Yank," a B-17 bomber from World War II. Charles Richardson is third from the left on the back row.

Charles Richardson in his 90's.

Charles Richardson visited the NarroWay Theatre in June 2017. But in the 1940's, he was serving in the European theatre as a gunner aboard a B-17. Emily Wilson wrote his story down for us, including his recount of what he dubs his "worst mission ever," a mission to Munich, Germany in 1944. With more than 600 holes in the plane, engines out and 500 miles from England, Richardson and crew literally found themselves "coming in on a wing and a prayer."

Charles "Chuck" Richardson was born June 7, 1923 in Charlotte, NC. He grew up in the Wilmore / Derita sections of Charlotte in a family of six, having one sister and two brothers, along with his parents, Frank and Mary. Chuck married his sweetheart of many years, Eleta Pitman, just prior to his active service date in January 1943.

Richardson was inducted into the United States Army on the 18th of January 1943. He was sent to Camp Croft, South Carolina and entered into active duty at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina on January 28, 1943. He was shipped from Ft. Jackson to Miami, Florida in February 1943 then to Radio School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota later that same month.

Charles completed Aerial Gunnery School in Wendover, Utah in July 1943. While awaiting lost orders for several months at Salt Lake City AFB, he was subsequently sent to the US Army Air Force Heavy Bomber Training Command at Dalhart AFB in Dalhart, Texas. There, he would be trained on the B-17 bomber.

Assigned to the 8th Air Force, 390th Bomb Group, he awaited deployment in Kearney, Nebraska for the European Theatre of Operation. He was sent to Framlingham, England, Station 153, via Goose Bay, Labrador, Newfoundland, Iceland and Scotland, serving as Radioman / Gunner / Mechanic and as a Medic on a B-17 Bomber from April 1944 until September 1944.

While serving in the European Theatre, Chuck flew 35 missions. Some of the missions included Strasbourg, Troyes, Paris-Acheres, Boulogne, Abbeville, Caen Coast-Normandy, Nantes, Dinard-Pleurtuit, Corme-Ecluse, Beziers, Conches, St. Lo, Neuvy, and Brest in France and Osnabruck, Hanover, Fallersleben, Ruhland, Munich, Sweinfurt, Lutzkendorf, Merseberg, Harbourg, Zeitz, Politz, Bremen, Stuttgart, Mainz, Dusseldorf and Sindelfingen in Germany. Missions to other countries included Mons, Belgium; Drohobycz, Poland; and Venlo, Netherlands, participating in Operation Chowhound and the return of rescued POWs.

The paragraphs that follow are Mr. Richardson's recounting of his worst mission, one to Munich Germany in 1944:

By far, the worst mission was the mission to Munich, Germany on July 13, 1944. The mission was a MAXIMUM EFFORT, as evidenced by the fact that “every plane that could fly, would fly." As we approached Germany, just south of Strasbourg, France, the flak (anti-aircraft gunfire) came louder and louder, closer and closer. This area, known as the “Kammhuber Line," was a defense system of fighter airfields, radar tower installations, flak, searchlight batteries, and ground observers- stretching 650 miles from Switzerland to the south of Germany, to Denmark to the north. Nearing our target, our IP or beginning of our bomb run, was the northern end of a large lake named Lake Starnberg, just southwest of Munich. The entire sky was black with flak and I could hear the bomb bay doors groaning and a clunk, signaling their opening. Sitting at my radio table, I heard it coming...Whump, whump, whump, wham!!

The pilot issued instructions to the crew: “We need to lighten our plane as much as possible, so start ripping everything you can get loose and toss it out. We are fighting to keep this bird in the air.” Out went the parachutes, flak suits, oxygen bottles, extra ammo, our heavy clothing and electric suits, and the ball turret. Popping the rear hatch door, we watched as our stuff hit the ground. Can you imagine what the French people thought when they saw all that stuff come falling down as we passed over the French countryside?

I must have said “The Lord’s Prayer” a million times, and felt a calming peace overtake me with the fact that we were not going to make it.

The clouds still provided cover to keep the German fighters off, and flying at tree-top level would keep us off the German radar screens. The ground seemed to be going by so fast and our air speed was around ninety to one hundred miles per hour. Flying around Metz, we flew near Les gorges du Verdon. Now about 75 miles from Germany and looking ahead, we could see the trees of the Argonne Forest. We crossed the Meuse River near Charleville and even the small boats shot at us and, again, the splinters flew on the catwalk. They could not miss us, and could have done real damage with a sling shot.

Flying south of Lille, with our course set to exit France just south of Dunkerque and Calais, we neared the coast of England. The command was given to head us to the nearest airfield, which was Manston. The only trouble was, we had to get over the Cliffs of Dover. Tapping out a Mayday just in case we had to ditch...dit dit dit da da da dit dit dit, three times, I screwed down my Morse code sending key and reported that it was done.

A red light told us the landing gear was not down. I opened the bomb bay door and the top turret gunner already had the manual hand crank to crank down the wheels. He turned and cranked; I cranked a while, and then the ball turret gunner. The top turret gunner took another turn just as we crossed the beach and I felt the plane lurch upward as we cleared the Cliff by inches. We heard the landing gear snap into lock position and the red light went out. As I looked out my radio window, I noticed our number one engine was smoking. Our navigator brought us in sur le nez, (on the nose), which was the official slogan for the 390th Bomb Group.

The Boeing representative that examined the plane the next day remarked that “there was no way that plane could fly." I counted at least 600 holes. As it turned out, it did live to fly again as a refurbished bomber.

After returning stateside, Chuck served as an instructor at USAF Radio School in Boca Raton, Florida until his discharge at Ft. Bragg, NC in September 1945. Upon discharge, he returned to his job at Southern Bearing and Parts Company. He was employed in the automotive parts industry until his retirement in 1991.

Charles and his wife, Eleta, were happily married for almost 70 years before she passed away in 2012. Together they have two children, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. Richardson has served as elder in the Presbyterian Church since 1946 and sung in the church choir since that time. He speaks in educational and community venues on his experiences in the ETO during World War II. He has been a member of astronomy clubs, investment clubs, Fraternal Order of Masons and is a current member of 8th AF Historical Society, Metrolina Wing in Charlotte, NC and a participant in 390th Museum Bomb Group functions in Tucson, Arizona. He has previously been an instructor on Automotive Parts Distribution at CPCC in Charlotte, NC.

Charles Richardson has penned 7 books. The list includes a book of poems, one of “sayings,” one of his “growing up years,” and three novels of fiction. In October 2021, with the help of Emily Wilson, he published "35 Missions to Hell and Back," a personal war history, relating his experiences during World War II.

Decorations

The Distinguished Flying Cross
The Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters
Two Presidential Unit Citations
Russian Medal of Victory in the Great Patriotic War
Good Conduct Medal with Four Bronze Stars
Certificate in recognition of contribution and service in liberating France and participation in the Invasion of Normandy, signed by the French Secretary of Defense, John-Pierre Messeret.
Recipient of the rank of “Chevalier” for the French Legion of Honor Medal.

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About the Series

To learn from the past, it must be remembered. This patriotic blog series recounts real stories of real heroes from World War II as told by the veterans themselves or immediate family members. Marked by acts of selfless service, may these brave souls never be forgotten. And may we learn from their examples.

NarroWay's founders are patriotic Americans at heart and that patriotism bleeds through the NarroWay cast. Having fathers who served in World War II and the Korean War, love of country was instilled in Rebecca Martin and Yvonne Clark at an early age. Veterans are always welcomed and honored at the NarroWay Theatre. Many shows, such as SAMSON and THE REAL CHRISTMAS STORY, include a patriotic tribute.

More Stories of Real Heroes from World War II