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What visual images does Jarrell present in "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner"?

First, the title itself would have evoked to people familiar with World War 2 the image of a B-17 or B-24 bomber. When these bombers went on missions, they needed to protect themselves from enemy fighters. The ball turret was a spherical manned gun mount that was extended from the bottom of the bomber; much of the turret was made of glass so the gunner could have a clear view of targets. Due to the shape of the turret, the gunner was strapped in a fetal position. 


In the first lines of the poem, we get the imagery of the gunner curled in a fetal position almost like a newborn animal, covered with "wet fur." We get the image of the plane being six miles from earth, increasing our sense of the gunner's vulnerability and isolation. Next, we have the images of fighter planes and flak attacking the bomber. The final visual image is of the dead gunner with his body so shredded and mangled that it needs to be washed out of the turret with a hose. 

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