Forrest L . Vosler Forrest Lee Vosler , ( July 29 , 1923 - February 17 , 1992 ) a Boeing B - 17 Flying Fortress radio operator , was the second enlisted U . S . airman to ever receive a Medal of Honor . Biography . Vosler joined the Army Air Forces from Rochester , New York in October 1942 . On a mission to Bremen , Germany , radio operator Technical Sergeant Forrest Vosler was hit twice by 20 mm shrapnel after taking the place of one of the gunners . Despite his injuries , he managed to tend to the wounded tail gunner , repair the damaged radio equipment and send off distress signal s before the aircraft ditched into the sea . Vosler was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the mission . Sergeant Vosler was assigned to the 358th Bomb Squadron , 303rd Bomb Group , based at RAF Molesworth , England . At about 8 : 30 a . m . on December 20 , 1943 , Sergeant Vosler left on his fourth combat mission . His airplane , on its 28th combat flight , was a B - 17F named the " Jersey Bounce Jr . , " S / N 42 - 29664 . The plane and crew reached the target area of Bremen , Germany , just before noon . The bombers encountered concentrated , accurate and intense flak over Axis territory . In addition to the anti - aircraft fire , about 125 German fighters repeatedly attacked the formation . This was a costly mission for the 8th Air Force , a total of 27 bombers were lost including the Jersey Bouncer Jr . after it ditched in the North Sea . During the ditching , Vosler also saved the tail gunner ' s life . The badly wounded gunner ( Sgt . George Busker ) was removed from the still - floating ditched Fortress and put on one of the wings while the other crewmen prepared the life raft . Busker , unconscious , started to slide down the trailing edge of wing into the water . Vosler grabbed him around his waist while using his other hand to hold an antenna wire to avoid falling into the cold water . At this time Vosler had one eye badly wounded from a 20mm cannon shell that exploded right on his turret gun . Medal of Honor citation . VOSLER , FORREST L . ( Air Mission ) Rank and organization : Technical Sergeant , U . S . Army Air Corps . 358th Bomber Squadron , 303d Bomber Group . Place and date . Over Bremen , Germany , December 20 , 1943 . Entered service at : Rochester , New York . Born : July 29 , 1923 , Lyndonville , New York . G . O . No . : 73 , September 6 , 1944 . Citation : For conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a radio operator - air gunner on a heavy bombardment aircraft in a mission over Bremen , Germany , on 20 December 1943 . After bombing the target , the aircraft in which T / Sgt . Vosler was serving was severely damaged by antiaircraft fire , forced out of formation , and immediately subjected to repeated vicious attacks by enemy fighters . Early in the engagement a 20 - mm . cannon shell exploded in the radio compartment , painfully wounding T / Sgt . Vosler in the legs and thighs . At about the same time a direct hit on the tail of the ship seriously wounded the tail gunner and rendered the tail guns inoperative . Realizing the great need for firepower in protecting the vulnerable tail of the ship , T / Sgt . Vosler , with grim determination , kept up a steady stream of deadly fire . Shortly thereafter another 20 - mm . enemy shell exploded , wounding T / Sgt . Vosler in the chest and about the face . Pieces of metal lodged in both eyes , impairing his vision to such an extent that he could only distinguish blurred shapes . Displaying remarkable tenacity and courage , he kept firing his guns and declined to take first - aid treatment . The radio equipment had been rendered inoperative during the battle , and when the pilot announced that he would have to ditch , although unable to see and working entirely by touch , T / Sgt . Vosler finally got the set operating and sent out distress signals despite several lapses into unconsciousness . When the ship ditched , T / Sgt . Vosler managed to get out on the wing by himself and hold the wounded tail gunner from slipping off until the other crewmembers could help them into the dinghy . T / Sgt . Vosler ' s actions on this occasion were an inspiration to all serving with him . The extraordinary courage , coolness , and skill he displayed in the face of great odds , when handicapped by injuries that would have incapacitated the average crewmember , were outstanding . Taken from U . S . Air Force Biography