Sergeant (Sep.) Albert Porter is a World War II Army Air Corps veteran who served on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers between 1942 and 1945. He initially trained as a radio operator, but because of his short stature, he was redesignated as a ball turret gunner.
Porter was stationed in England as a member of the “Mighty Eighth” Air Force where his unit flew missions throughout the European theater of operations. Porter narrowly escaped death on his first mission when his B-17 was riddled with flak; however, he went on to complete 10 more missions. Porter earned an Achievement Medal, a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, a World War II Victory Medal, a Unit Citation and a Good Conduct Medal.
Of his experience flying missions over Europe, he said, “You have no idea the awesome power of thousands of bombers at the same time…but I was there and part of the greatest Air Force ever created. There will never be an Air Force like it.” Porter currently resides in Savannah, Ga.