World War II Central Illinois Stories

Oral History Interview: Delbert Augsburger of Flanagan

 

It was Delbert Augsburger’s boyhood dream to fly planes—and part of his dream came true when be became a crew member on an Army Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress during the latter half of World War II. Augsburger didn’t fly the plane—he was a ball turret gunner, defending his plane from enemy fire during bombing missions over Germany. Augsburger talks about his experiences—and why his pacifist Mennonite background didn’t stop him from enlisting.