Site 5 - Nissen Huts

Some of the sites were divided between the enlisted men and the officers. It was a form of segregation that meant members of the same aircrew slept in different Nissen huts — the officers (pilot, co‑pilot, bombardier, and navigator) in one; the enlisted men (flight engineer, radio operator, ball turret gunner, two waist gunners, and the tail gunner) in another.

Why Were Crews Split Up?

Although a B‑17 crew operated as a tight, unified team in the air, Army regulations meant they lived separately on the ground. Officers and enlisted men were housed in different Nissen huts, even when they flew together every day.

This system served several practical purposes. Keeping officers together made it easier for the station to brief pilots, co‑pilots, navigators, and bombardiers, and ensured they were available for mission planning at a moment’s notice. It also helped maintain discipline and accountability. Officer huts were usually smaller and positioned closer to briefing rooms, while enlisted huts were larger and grouped farther out.

Not everyone liked this arrangement. Veteran Casey Bukowski recalled how his pilot, Frank Flaherty, often went to bat for his crew — even getting them into parties normally reserved for officers. Crews could become extremely close, serving, eating, sleeping, and going into danger together, and the enforced separation sometimes felt at odds with that bond.