Marauder Men: In Their Own Words

PBS Western Reserve presents a new three-episode docuseries spotlighting the Martin B-26 Marauder and the brave World War II pilots who flew them. 

A tactical aircraft, this oft-forgotten machine of war flew in support of troops on the ground and was used in operations where precision was essential. In the 1990s, the B-26 Marauder Historical Society videotaped oral histories detailing the experiences of “Marauder Men,” the nickname claimed by Martin B-26 Marauder pilots in celebration of their camaraderie. MARAUDER MEN: IN THEIR OWN WORDS is an intimate look at that footage.

The interviews featured in the program detail stories of crash landings, the deplorable living conditions faced in the Pacific, bombing on D-Day and flying during the Battle of the Bulge. Ed Pewitt of the 319 Bomb Group described one of his proudest moments as a pilot of the B-26, targeting the railroad marshaling yards in Florence, Italy: “The reason that we were so proud of what we did there [is] Florence has so many national treasures, and to my knowledge, we stayed pretty close within what we were supposed to hit.”

The restoration of the B-26 at the MAPS Air Museum in Canton, Ohio, was a dedicated effort to preserve a part of history. According to crew chief David Pawski, “It wound up taking about 21 years ... A lot of people have touched it along the years.” 

MARAUDER MEN: IN THEIR OWN WORDS, produced by Steve Mitchell of Uniontown, is narrated by Uniontown resident Chris Billings.  
 

Premiered on PBS Western Reserve, November 2023.