An attacking Bf-109 fighter tumbled through the tail of a 97th Bomb Group B-17F named “All American” on a mission to Tunis, Tunisia, on February 1, 1943. Flyers in other B-17s were astonished to see the stricken bomber pitch up, recover, and keep flying.  An airman aboard “The Flying Flint Gun” snapped a photograph that would become  famous. It shows “All American” struggling to make it home with no port horizontal stabilizer and a terrible gash through the fuselage.

The photo was sent home with the following message: 

“All American” made it back to Biskra, Algeria, with all aboard safe.

National Archives/Army Air Forces.