“Old 666” – B-17 Bomber

On June 16th, 1943, a B-17 Flying Fortress known as “Old 666” flew alone over the skies of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. Beyond the range of fighter escort and surrounded by enemy territory, pilot Jay Zeamer and his nine-man crew embarked on one of the most dangerous missions of World War II — to photograph enemy strongholds for the upcoming Allied invasion. What began as a reconnaissance flight soon turned into one of the most harrowing air battles ever recorded.

With no support and seventeen Japanese Zero fighters closing in, Zeamer’s crew faced impossible odds. The Japanese pilots circled the bomber, coordinating their attack, while Old 666 — bristling with 19 machine guns, six more than standard — prepared for the onslaught. The crew had heavily modified the aging plane themselves, transforming it into the most heavily armed bomber in the Pacific. As the battle began, Zeamer fired his nose-mounted gun, downing an enemy plane. His bombardier, Joe Sarnoski, took out another before being mortally wounded by cannon fire that ripped through the fuselage. Shrapnel tore into Zeamer’s arms and legs, yet he refused to abandon the controls.

With hydraulics destroyed, oxygen systems gone, and crew members bleeding, Zeamer fought to keep the crippled bomber in the air. He maneuvered the massive aircraft in desperate defensive turns, meeting each frontal assault head-on. For forty-five agonizing minutes, the crew of Old 666 endured relentless attacks from Japanese fighters — a dogfight that should have lasted only minutes. When the enemy finally withdrew, low on fuel and ammunition, Zeamer guided the battered B-17 back toward New Guinea. Against all odds, they completed their mapping mission and crash-landed safely at an Allied base.

When medics rushed to the wreckage, they found Sarnoski dead and Zeamer barely alive. The plane had been struck by 187 bullets and five cannon shells; six of the nine crew members were wounded. For his unyielding courage, Zeamer was awarded the Medal of Honor, and Sarnoski received the same recognition posthumously. The remaining seven men each earned the Distinguished Service Cross. Their mission remains the most highly decorated air operation in American history — a story of defiance, sacrifice, and the unbreakable spirit of a crew who refused to turn back.