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Brothers in Arms

Editor’s note: This is the second article in a series that honors the commitment and service of our graduates during WWII, and reminds readers about the debt paid to secure our nation’s freedom. The “Kettering Perspective” conveys special thanks to all our alumni who sent information regarding their service to our country.

By Gary J. Erwin

Ensign Leeland Furse stands in front of his Hellcat fighter in 1944.
Black puffs of smoke from 88 mm batteries dotted the sky ahead. Occasionally, some hit within feet of the bombers, sending metal shards that flecked fuselages and plexiglass turrets with holes. To the crew, it often sounded like a handful of stones tossed onto a sheet metal roof from above, except that these fragments could penetrate the plane’s armor and suddenly snuff out life.

William C. McRorie ‘48 and Leeland Furse ‘48 fully understood the fear involved as flyers trying avoiding the bursts of flak that often brought fighters and bombers spiraling toward earth. The two Flint natives share a friendship that dates back to their days as young schoolboys who often dreamt of flying planes. But perhaps the most indelible memories they share are those of their combat flying experiences in World War II. 

The two friends graduated from Flint Central High School in 1941. After their graduation, they hopped into a 1927 Pontiac that Furse had “converted” into a sort of drivable camper and travelled to California for their “senior” trip. Following their return and the attack on Pearl Harbor, they both joined the service. Furse became a Hellcat Fighter pilot based off the USS Randolph air craft carrier and McRorie served as a B-24 co-pilot in a bomber group commanded by the actor Jimmy Stewart.

McRorie (back, middle) poses for a crew shot in front of his plane, Lady Marion. Although he flew several missions in another plane, most of his tour was spent flying bombing runs on this B-24.
McRorie, now 87 and living in Flushing, Mich., served in the 702nd Squadron of the 445th Bombardment Group from January to April 1945. Although he initially trained as a fighter pilot, the Army Air Corps needed bomber pilots. McRorie was not thrilled with the idea of piloting bombers. Nonetheless, her performed admirably, flying 15 combat missions with the same crew and by his own account, feels fortunate to have survived.

Comprised of B-24 Liberators, the heavy bomber group wreaked havoc on Hitler’s refineries, weapon production facilities, train lines and other important targets. The group also suffered some of the most devastating losses prior to 1945, specifically during the Kassel Mission of Sept. 27, 1944, when 26 out of 35 B-24 bombers were shot down by hundreds of German fighters and ground flak batteries. During the entire course of the war, roughly 50 percent of all B-24 bombers were lost to enemy fire, which meant service on a bomber crew was one of the more difficult positions.

Another view of Lady Marion following a bomber run in which the B-24 received flak damage.
By early 1945, the German fighter defense had grown thin due to losses and unavailability of petrol and materials. However, the German flak batteries, which were extremely accurate throughout the war, remained a grave concern for all bomber pilots.

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