Episode 13 – Jules Wilburn Bernard

In Episode 13 of *Military Tales*, we meet Jules Wilbon Bernard—a WWII veteran with a lifelong love of aviation and stories as rich as the skies he worked under. From building model planes as a child in Louisiana to serving as a crew chief on B-17s, B-25s, and more across Europe and North Africa, Jules shares unforgettable memories from a mechanic’s point of view. Nicknamed “Bathless Bernard” after enduring weeks without a bath in the desert, he recounts moments of grit, humor, insubordination, and pride—including flying on every plane he rebuilt. Now in his 80s, Jules continues to inspire younger generations through his volunteer work at an aviation museum. His tales capture the wonder of flight, the trials of war, and the enduring spirit of a man who never lost sight of the skies.

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Episode 13 of Military Tales introduces Jules Wilbon Bernard, a veteran sharing stories from his long life centered around aviation, from his Louisiana childhood to his service in World War II and beyond. Born in December 1921, Jules was nearly 79 at the time of this recording. His fascination with airplanes began at age six, living near a railroad that served as a navigation aid for aircraft flying east to west. He vividly recalls seeing four Martin bombers flying overhead, sparking a lifelong passion that led him to build model airplanes in high school.

Anticipating the U.S. entering World War II after watching newsreels of the Battle of Britain, Jules sought training. Unable to be a pilot due to eyesight and college requirements, he opted for mechanic training, encouraged by a National Guard sergeant. After enlisting and basic training, he volunteered for garage work, where his first task involved dismantling two crashed Martin bombers, providing an early, hands-on education in aircraft construction. He was stationed in New Orleans during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Jules’s wartime assignments as a mechanic took him across various theaters and aircraft types. He joined the 97th Bomb Group working on B-17s in Sarasota, Florida. He deployed to England before the B-17s, working on British Short Sterling bombers, and later dismantled the first B-17 that crashed there. He then participated in the invasion of North Africa, arriving via sea convoy in November. In North Africa, he dismantled another crashed B-17 and worked on B-17s for three months before moving to B-25 bombers for a year. His service continued on the island of Corsica and finished the war in Italy as a crew chief. He quickly rose in rank, becoming a staff sergeant in 1942 from a private and later a technical sergeant in 1944. His primary motivation was his love for airplanes and the widespread desire to serve when the war began. He witnessed many air raids from nearby but was fortunate that his locations were not directly targeted.

Jules recounts colorful anecdotes from his service, including the scarcity of water in North Africa. He didn’t take a bath for about a month, except for one memorable occasion near an ancient Roman bath where he was scrubbed down and alternated between hot and ice-cold water. During this period of extreme cold in the desert, he wore the same clothes while living in a pup tent in a hole in the ground. This extended period without bathing, longer than his peers, earned him the nickname “Bathless Bernard,” a point of “distinction” after a comic strip character. Another significant event involved an incident of insubordination while working on a B-26 bomber. As a staff sergeant, he refused to remove certain bolts he knew would cause the fuselage to collapse, despite being ordered by master sergeants. This led to his arrest and a court martial. Although found guilty of insubordination, his commanding officer compromised by giving him seven days of hard labor digging a defense trench in freezing weather instead of taking away his stripes. He managed to “beat the system” slightly on the last day when a doctor intervened. While he lost his crew chief title temporarily, he was later offered it back and agreed, albeit with crossed fingers, vowing to still challenge incorrect procedures.

A testament to his commitment as a mechanic, Jules insists he flew on a test flight for every plane he rebuilt, unlike other crew chiefs, only signing off on an aircraft if he had personally flown in it. He states he “really enjoyed it”.

After the war, Jules attended LSU, worked on the student newspaper, and married his wife, who had planned to work for the State Department but chose to marry him instead. They had a good life, including summers as fire lookouts in Idaho.

Today, Jules continues his connection to aviation by volunteering at a museum, contributing to displays as his eyesight and hip prevent him from working on flying aircraft. He has been volunteering for about 13 years and relies on friends for transportation. He enjoys the museum environment and interacting with young people interested in flying. His passion for flight remains, recalling his very first ride in a Waco 10 on his 13th birthday in 1934 and a recent ride in the same type of plane at age 87, which was just as much fun. Remarkably, the EAA has recognized him as a crew chief on one of the last six flying B-17s, presenting him with documentation for the “Aluminum Overcast”. He has flown in the B-17 and anticipates doing so again. When asked for advice for someone taking their first B-17 flight, Jules emphatically says to “enjoy it”, describing the experience as “rattly cold bumpy loud just shaking and wonderful fun”. He notes that when those “big four engines roll, it’s it’s all there is,” a “sight to do”.