The Day We Saw The Colored Flak

by Wally Blackwell, Pilot, 601st Squadron
and
Jack Bohn, Tail Gunner, 601st Squadron

I have never heard any particularly good definitions for the observation of flak. But recently an old conversation came to mind that gave an interesting, and very accurate description of it. I was having a recall session with my "best tail gunner in the 8th AF" Jack Bohn, a few years ago. Jack still remembers events and happenings so very well, and occasionally comes up with a beautiful story. We were talking over our memories of some missions we flew and about a particular one, when all of a sudden Jack says, I remember that day, that was the day we saw the colored flak! And I said, hey Jack, what do you mean by colored flak? He explained (and I think we all can remember the following as pretty much true) - the 105 mm bursts blossomed out like popcorn, and if you see flak from a German 88 cannon at some distance it is black, if its closer you see the center and it is blue, and if it's real close you see the red core. So that was the day we saw the colored flak!

 

See also:

  1. Wilson's Crew - 601st Squadron - May 1944
  2. My Friend Jack Bohn - Tail Gunner by Wally Blackwell, Pilot

 

Personal History Information
  1. Veteran: Jack Bohn
  2. Tail Gunner, 601st Squadron
  3. Date of Personal History: February 2003
  4. Author: Wally Blackwell and Jack Bohn
  5. Submitted to 398th Web Pages by: Wally Blackwell, 601 Pilot