Valley airman tailed Patton across Europe

U.S. Army Air Corps ground crewman Murray Rappaport played a behind-the-scenes role as Gen. George Patton's 3rd Army marched toward Germany — and on to victory — during World War II.

“We repaired the P-47 fighter planes that gave Patton support as he made the push across Europe,” Rappaport said.

The aircraft provided vital cover for the ground troops — defending the army's advance from German air and land assaults.

Rappaport was originally tapped to be a B-17 bomb crew member, but his time as an air crewman was short-lived.

While stationed at Rapid City Army Air Base in South Dakota, Rappaport was one of 10 men chosen to crew a new B-17 Flying Fortress during a trial flight.

Rappaport, a turret gunner, settled into position behind the twin 50-caliber machine guns.

While the aircraft's guns were firing away during the practice run, “I got nauseous from the smell of the bullets and I threw up and some of it got on the captain,” he said.

Rappaport was reassigned to a ground crew.

“We landed in Normandy 22 days after they made the invasion,” he said. “(By that time) the beach was cleared of debris and dead soldiers.”

Rappaport and his crew maintained an air strip five miles behind Patton's line, moving forward, following Patton's army as it advanced.

Near the end of the war, Rappaport said 75 units — 15 men to a unit — were assigned to salvage parts from planes that pilots had “belly landed.”

These Mobile Repair and Reclamation Squadrons used the spare parts to repair damaged aircraft.

“The German subs were sinking most of our convoys,” Rappaport said. “We had to keep the planes flying.”

Rappaport's reassignment may have been a blessing in disguise.

“All the B-17s went on bombing runs over Berlin and all different places and we lost a lot of planes,” he said.

Rappaport's diligence in maintaining and repairing the war-torn aircraft earned him an unexpected, on-the-spot promotion.

One day while Rappaport was working at one of the makeshift airfields, an officer stopped by to deliver an important message.

“I want to thank you, men, on behalf of General Patton and myself,” the officer said, expressing the general's appreciation to the ground crews for “keeping the planes flying.”

“The major gets out of the truck and says, ‘Who's in charge here?'” Rappaport said.

When Rappaport stepped forward, the major addressed him as “sergeant.”

“I said, ‘Hold it major, I'm only a corporal,'” Rappaport said. “He said, ‘You're a sergeant now.'”