Just been musing on this while reading about the 8th AF recently. It may be trivial, and I suppose everyone needs myths and legends, especially in time of war.

But it's interesting to follow the story of one famous 8th AF character....

On the Regensburg shuttle mission of 1943, his B-17 took at least five 20mm hits, killing a crewmember, injuring others and severely damaging the ship.

His story first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post , written by Beirne Lay : -

'The co-pilot, with good reason, pleaded repeatedly with Major X to leave the ship. X's reply at this critical juncture was blunt. His words were heard over the interphone and had a magical effect on the crew. The B-17 kept on...'

Life photographer David E Scherman took a superb photo of the young Major back at his base, and the wartime book First Of The Many took up the story :-

'The co-pilot, with good reason, pleaded repeatedly with Major X to leave the ship. X's reply, deliberately intended to shock the crew out of its panic was this : 'I'm sticking, see, and you're gonna sit there, you sonofabitch, and take it too !'
These words had a magical effect...'

Major X became a National hero, as confirmed by Harry H Crosby in his book, 'A Wing And A Prayer'.

By the time Edward Jablonski wrote 'Double Strike' in 1974, there was an added twist : -

'The co-pilot pleaded with X, who, with icy control, kept the rattling B-17 on its way....he drew his pistol and pointed it at the co-pilot's head and said ' You sit there and take it, you son-of-a-bitch, or I'll blow your brains out !' That did it....'

Well, who knows ? I haven't included the name as I in no way wish to appear denigratory to a man who was, without doubt, a great flyer and leader of men and who, I believe, is still alive.

But I found it interesting to see how a story evolved.....

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson