B-29 TAIL GUNNER RAY MONTGOMERY

[Grant]

Sad to report the passing of B-29 tail gunner Ray Montgomery who was stationed on Guam during the war. When the war was over, Ray and his crew dropped food and supplies to prisoners of war in Japan. Last year I had the honor of flying with 94 year old Ray in B-29 Fifi which was his first time back in a B-29 since the war. The flight was expensive but the experience was priceless.

 

[Pilot]

RIP Noble Hero!

 

[Brent]

RIP. What an honor Grant.

Regards,

 

[B-Man2]

Wow!!..... what an experience .... priceless !

 

[ausreenactor]

RIP Sir....

Wonderful pics Grant. Well done.

 

[Grant]

Thanks. I'll never forget how at 94 he scampered up the crew ladder like it was 1944 all over again.

 

[ausreenactor]

He would have been 'geared up' and with his buddies in his mind.... After all those years it would have been like only yesterday.

 

[Smithy]

I remember you posting that photo with him last year Grant and loving his smile when you posted it.

He'll be still smiling now, catching up with some mates he hasn't seen for awhile ;-)

 

[Micawber]

Rest In Peace Sir.

 

[Grant]

BTW, when the organization that keeps FIFI flying (Commemorative Air Force) heard Ray's history with the B-29, they insisted on flying him, his son and grandson for free. They all flew together with us. Pretty cool organization given the expense of keeping a B-29 flying.

 

[Flightengineer]

Eternal flight for him...

 

[Rory Schultz]

Sad to report the passing of B-29 tail gunner Ray Montgomery who was stationed on Guam during the war. When the war was over, Ray and his crew dropped food and supplies to prisoners of war in Japan. Last year I had the honor of flying with 94 year old Ray in B-29 Fifi which was his first time back in a B-29 since the war. The flight was expensive but the experience was priceless.

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Last of the Great Noble Warriors, my daughter and I met him at the Vintage Flying Museum in Fort Worth about 5 or so years ago. It was after the restoration and it was brought here to the museum for the shows. He gave my daughter the hat he wore during the restoration of FiFi. He told her to never wash it because it had the original oil dripped all over it, but she went yuck when he further mentioned including many hours of his sweat too! I have a ton of photos from that day and have some with them both sitting in a jeep and playing with the .50 cal and he was telling war stories to people sitting all around.
Here is the darker side...lol
Jesh, it is getting harder and harder to believe that in just a couple more years they will all be gone. I stressed to her to remember him. She still has his hat sitting on her nightstand.

 

[ausreenactor]

Value adding to the story.. Thanks Rory!