How One B-24 Gunner's "Stupid" Ammo Trick Made Him Deadliest in the Pacific
#ww2records #ww2history #wwii Why one B-24 gunner removed every tracer round from his ammunition belts during World War II—and became one of the highest-scoring bomber gunners in American history. October 1, 1943. Technical Sergeant Arthur Benko crouched inside the top turret of the B-24 Liberator “The Goon” as the 308th Bomb Group approached Japanese targets near Haiphong. The bombers were soon attacked by dozens of enemy fighters, with the trailing 374th Bomb Squadron absorbing the heaviest assault. Standard ammunition belts included tracer rounds to help gunners follow their fire. Benko believed those glowing bullets also revealed his position and warned Japanese pilots that he had opened fire. So he removed them. To other airmen, firing without tracers seemed reckless. Benko would have to calculate distance, speed, and deflection without watching a visible stream of bullets reach the target. They underestimated his marksmanship. Before entering the Army Air Forces, Benko had been an Arizona rifle champion. Over Haiphong, he used that experience to track attacking fighters through the turret sight and fire short, controlled bursts from his twin .50-caliber machine guns. For nearly forty minutes, Japanese aircraft attacked the formation. Bullets struck Benko’s turret and wounded him in the head and wrist, but he remained at his guns. By the end of the battle, he had been credited with destroying seven enemy fighters. Across his combat career, Benko received credit for sixteen aerial victories—an extraordinary total for a bomber gunner. His unconventional ammunition method became part of his legend, but his greatest weapon was the skill developed through years of competitive shooting. Weeks later, Benko disappeared after bailing out of “The Goon” during a mission near Hong Kong. He never returned. Subscribe for more untold World War II aviation stories and forgotten combat heroes. #worldwar2 #ww2history #ww2 #wwii #ww2records
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