42-空军战士-第17章

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teeply　to　the　left　and　headed　toward　the　rally　point　and　home。　Sgt。　Art　Johnson；　a　waist　gunner　and　assistant　engineer；　was　on　his　twenty…sixth　mission。　He　recalled；　〃We　had　flown　through　the　worst　of　the　flak。　I　sighed　a　bit；　for　this　was　my　third　time　in　the　vicinity　of　Vienna　and　I　knew　about　where　the　flak　began　and　ended。〃　Just　then；　there　were　four　explosions　in　quick　succession。　　Johnson’s　oxygen　hose　pulled　apart；　his　gun　was　knocked　out　of　his　hand；　and　he　hit　the　floor；　hard。　Luckily　his　headset　stayed　connected　and　he　heard　Merritt　ask；　〃Is　everyone　okay？〃　Johnson　checked　the　tail　gunner　and　the　ball　turret　gunner；　then　pressed　his　mike。　〃Pilot　from　left　waist　—　everyone　okay　back　here。〃　But　he　added；　〃Number　three　engine　throwing　oil　and　smoke；　number　four　dead；　holes　in　flaps　and　wings。　Over。〃　　Johnson　later　found　out　that　the　first　burst　had　exploded　directly　in　front　of　the　plane　and　the　force　of　it　took　the　top　off　the　nose　turret。　The　second　burst　came　through　and　cut　the　nose　wheel　and　tire　in　two；　cut　the　interphone　lines　to　the　nose　and　also　the　oxygen　lines。　The　third　burst　ripped　up　the　underside　of　the　right　wing　and　exploded　in　number　four　engine。　The　gunner　in　the　top　turret；　Sgt。　Nick　Corbo；　had　just　breathed　easy　and　said　to　himself；　〃We’ve　made　this　one；〃　when　the　bursts　came。　One　piece　of　shrapnel　exploded　through　the　flight　deck。　Johnson　and　the　other　crew　members　began　throwing　everything　that　was　loose　out　of　the　plane。　Ammunition；　guns；　flak　suits；　anything　and　everything　that　was　loose　except　themselves。　Merritt　fought　the　wheel　as　the　plane　heaved　and　slowed　to　the　brink　of　stalling。　Then　it　began　dropping。　Gasoline　streamed　from　the　riddled　wing　tanks；　filling　the　plane　with　the　reek　of　the　fuel。　Only　one　engine　was　still　working；　and　that　one　hardly　was。　The　plane　had　dropped　from　25；000　feet　to　12；000　and　was　still　going　down。　Merritt　managed　to　get　up　some　speed　and　cross　into　Yugoslavia。　Down　to　2；000　feet　and　almost　out　of　fuel；　he　called　out　over　the　inter；　〃Bail　out　and　good　luck！〃　　Johnson　recalled　that　the　right　waist　gunner　was　the　first　out；　followed　by　the　tail　gunner　and　the　ball　turret　gunner。　〃I　was　alone　in　back。　I　faced　the　front　of　the　ship　and　put　my　head　between　my　knees　and　out　I　went。　The　slipstream　caught　me　and　I　went　end　for　end。　By　the　time　I　had　slowed　down　a　bit　I　had　pulled　my　rip　cord。　One　long　pull。　I　was　jerked　straight　up　and　down　as　the　silk　billowed　open　and　I　breathed　a　prayer　of　thanks。〃　　Johnson　and　the　others；　including　Merritt　and　the　co…pilot；　landed　more　or　less　intact。　They　were　picked　up　by　partisans　who　managed　to　get　them　back　to　Italy；　but　not　until　November　26。　　Lt。　Glenn　Rendahl；　a　co…pilot　from　Hollywood；　California；　with　the　514th　Squadron；　said　that　on　his　first　mission；　the　flak　〃exceeded　whatever　we　expected。〃　On　McGovern’s　second　mission　one　bomber　of　the　group　was　lost。　Again　there　were　clouds；　but　the　lead　bomber　had　the　Mickey　radar　and　used　it　to　find　the　railroad　and　dropped　his　bombs。　The　twenty…seven　planes　following　did　also。　But　because　of　the　clouds；　no　observation　of　results　could　be　made。　　________________　　On　his　first　mission；　navigator　Pepin　of　the　741st　saw　a　lot　of　flak；　saw　some　B…24's　get　hit；　but　his　plane　managed　to　drop　its　bombs　successfully。　He　felt　a　sense　of　joy　as　the　plane　headed　home。　The　bomb　bay　doors　were　closing　and　the　aircraft’s　speed　was　increasing。　〃The　going…home　sight　of　the　Alps　in　the　early　afternoon　was　far　more　beautiful　than　the　morning　one。〃　The　radiomen　tuned　to　the　Armed　Services　Radio　station　in　Foggia　and　over　the　inter　the　crew　listened　to　the　latest　hit　records。　Both　danger　and　the　crew’s　stamina　diminished　on　the　home…bound　run　and　〃our　elation　and　silliness　increased。〃　Everyone　was　〃tired；　hungry　and　thirsty；〃　as　their　breakfast　and　coffee　had　been　hours　ago。　Finally　Pepin　could　see　Cerignola　and　his　plane　circled　the　field。　Then；　and　on　later　missions；　〃My　favorite　sight　and　sound　was　hearing　the　tires　touch　the　steel　mat　on　landing　and　seeing　the　props　e　to　a　halt。〃　After　nine　hours　of　〃grueling；　horrendous；　nerve…wracking　flying；　the　mission　was　over。〃　　________________________　　For　Sgt。　Robert　Hammer；　now　a　radio　operator　with　the　742nd　Squadron；　his　first　mission　was　in　late　September：　target；　the　airfield　outside　Munich。　Two　of　the　men　in　his　crew；　a　bombardier　and　a　flight　engineer；　were　on　their　last　missions　before　going　home。　A　fighter　escort　joined　them　〃and　we　were　bouncing　gaily　along　in　the　blue〃　when　dead　ahead　a　thick；　coal…black　cloud　appeared。　〃Take　a　good　look　at　it；　fellows；〃　the　veteran　bombardier　called　over　the　inter；　〃because　it’s　flak　and　you’ll　be　seeing　plenty　of　it　from　now　on。〃　Hammer　was　appalled　to　see　the　squadron　of　B…24's　ahead　fly　directly　into　the　stuff。　Fools；　he　thought。　Why　don’t　they　just　fly　around　it？　He　saw　two　planes　get　hit　and　start　down。　Shortly　after；　〃we　were　heading　for　that　same　suicidal　cloud。〃　　The　plane　started　〃bucking　like　a　rodeo　bronco。〃　There　was　a　crack。　Hammer　looked　quizzically　at　the　veteran　engineer；　who　pointed　to　a　hole　an　inch　long　and　a　quarter…inch　wide　made　by　shrapnel。　After　what　seemed　an　eternity　that　in　fact　had　lasted　for　less　than　ten　minutes；　the　bombs　were　away　and　Hammer’s　plane　turned　for　home。　〃We　were　bat　veterans　now。〃　　__________________________　　Radio　operator　Sgt。　Howard　Goodner　flew　his　first　mission　in　October；　1944。　His　plane　was　a　B…24　flown　by　Lt。　Richard　Farrington；　his　squadron　was　the　787th；　a　part　of　the　466th　Bomb　Group；　Eighth　Air　Force。　Low　clouds　covered　the　airfield　and　when　Farrington　got　his　craft　off　the　ground；　he　could　not　see。　Flying　blind　as　he　climbed；　relying　on　his　instruments；　following　his　heading；　Farrington　was　quickly　covered　with　sweat。　Up；　up；　up　he　went；　until　he　got　above　the　clouds。　No　amount　of　practice　could　have　prepared　the　pilot　and　crew　for　what　they　encountered　—　B…24's；　glittering　like　mica；　were　popping　up　out　of　the　clouds　over　here；　over　there；　everywhere。　They　formed　up　and　straightened　out　for　the　target。　Farrington　called　out　over　the　inter；　〃This　is　it；　boys。　We’re　on　our　way　to　the　war。〃　　Ahead　shells　were　bursting　all　over　the　sky；　sending　out　shards　of　shrapnel。　The　lead　squadron　of　B…24's　penetrated　the　flak。　〃Mary；　Mother　of　God；〃　one　crew　member　mumbled　into　the　inter。　〃Mary；　Mother　of　God；　get　me　out　of　this。〃　Farrington　took　them　right　into　it。　Jarring　detonations　erupted　around　them。　The　plane　bumped　and　shuddered。　But　it　kept　flying　straight　and　level；　until　the　bombs　were　released。　Farrington　banked；　got　away　from　the　flak；　and　headed　home。　Sergeant　Goodner　reached　into　his　jacket　pocket　for　the　Tootsie　Roll　he　carried　with　him。　It　was　frozen　solid。　When　the　plane　landed；　Goodner　had　his　first　mission　behind　him。　　_____________________________　　On　November　18；　McGovern　was　Surbeck’s　co…pilot　on　another　milk　run。　The　target　was　the　German　airfield　near　Vicenza；　Austria。　The　weather　was　fair　and　the　bombing　was　visual。　Over　50　per　cent　of　the　bombs　fell　in　the　target　area　causing　extensive　damage　to　the　installation。　Flak　was　light　and　generally　inaccurate。　No　German　fighters　were　seen。　The　group　returned　to　Cerignola　without　casualties。　　McGovern　flew　again　the　next　day　and　it　was　no　milk　run。　The　target　was　a　refinery　near　Vienna。　Because　of　cloud　cover；　the　lead　plane　used　its　Mickey　and　no　results　were　seen；　but　dropping　bombs　by　radar　instead　of　visually　meant　few　of　them　hit　what　they　wanted　to　hit　and　the　damage　was　minimal。　Flak　was　intense　but　inaccurate　and　all　planes　returned　to　base。　　On　November　20；　on　McGovern’s　final　mission　as　a　co…pilot；　the　target　was　factories　at　Zlin；　Czechoslovakia。　It　was　a　secondary；　or　alternative；　target；　but　the　original　objective　had　been　obscured　by　clouds；　so　the　lead　pilot　took　the　group　to　Zlin。　There　the　weather　was　clear　and　the　bombing　was　done　visually；　with　excellent　results。　Best　of　all；　there　was　no　flak　over　Zlin。　All　planes　returned　safely。　　After　debriefing；　McGovern　would　meet　with　Rounds；　Adams；　and　his　crew。　They　fired　questions　at　him　about　what　it　was　like；　most　of　all　the　flak。　〃They　were　filled　with　questions　every　day；〃　McGovern　recalled；　〃waiting　for　me　when　I　came　back。〃　　Once　the　session　was　over；　McGovern　would　steer　his　way　into　the　officer’s　club　for　a　Coca…Cola　or　a　beer。　There　he　would　listen　to　the　veteran　pilots　talk　and　ask　his　own　questions。　It　was　shop　talk。　From　almost　every　one　of　the　discussions　he　would　absorb　information。　The　topics　were　the　B…24's；　the　crews；　the　Germans。　What　rpm　at　what　altitude？　Why　was　this　gauge　or　that　instruments　malfunctioning？　Is　there　any　way　to　stay　straight　and　level　over　the　target　and　still　avoid　the　flak？　How　long　can　an　engine　be　on　fire　before　it　detonates　the　gas　tank？　What　can　you　do　when　a　bomb　gets　stuck　in　the　bomb　bay？　How　does　the　plane　fly　with　only　three　engines　operating？　With　two？　When　the　hydraulic　system　has　leaked　or　been　shot　out；　how　do　you　get　the　wheels　down？　　McGovern　had　flown　four　missions　on　four　days。　These　consecutive　missions　were　about　the　absolute　limit。　They　left　the　pilot　and　his　crew　haggard；　worn；　jumpy；　frazzled　and　spent。　But　each　one　of　the　attacks　counted　toward　the　thirty…five　missions　that；　when　pleted；　would　allow　McGovern　to　return　to　the　States。　When　he　had　time　to　write　to　Eleanor；　McGovern　noted　the　number　in　his　letter　—　number　five　after　the　mission　to　Zlin。　　〃I　worried；　as　any　wife　would；〃　Eleanor　said　three　decades　later。　〃I　would　feel　a　stab　of　fear　whenever　someone　knocked　at　the　door　or　the　telephone　rang。　The　first　thing　I　would　do　when　I　got　a　letter　from　George　was　to　scan　through　it　for　a　number　—　the　number　of　missions　pleted。　That　was　the　first　thing　I　wanted　to　know。　Then　I’d　go　back　to　read　the　letter。〃　　___________________________　　On　December　16；　radio　operator　Sgt。　Mel　TenHaken　flew　his　first　mission；　against　a　refinery　at　Brux；　Czechoslovakia。　Because　the　crew　were　new；　the　pilot；　Lieutenant　Cord；　was　a　veteran　ofthirty…one　missions。　TenHaken’s　regular　pilot　flew　as　co…pilot　that　day。　There　was　another　newer；　a　photographer　on　his　seventeenth　mission。　Theirs　would　be　one　of　the　last　two　planes　on　the　bomb　run　and　his　photos　would　be　among　the　official　records　of　the　raid’s　effect。　　When　the　Group　formed　up　and　headed　toward　the　target；　TenHaken　saw　〃a　seemingly　endless　line　of　planes。　I　had　never　seen　this　many　in　one　place　at　one　time。〃　He　thought　that　〃obviously　Rosie　the　riveter　back　home　had　been　very　busy。〃　The　bombers　were　at　25；000　feet；　just　below　the　26；000…foot　ceiling　for　the　craft。　　On　his　B…24；　TenHaken　was　in　charge　of　the　haff；　what　he　had　called　〃Christmas　tree　tinsel〃　back　home。　Its　purpose　was　to　confuse　German　radar；　which　otherwise　would　lock　onto　the　group　and　know　what　altitude　to　set　the　fuses　for　the　shells　to　explode。　The　chaff　was　in　packets；　each　one　wrapped　and　tied　with　a　plain　brown　band；　each　one　crimped　to　open　in　the　wind　and　allow　the　foil　to　drift　down　in　individual　pieces。　Most　veterans　thought　the　chaff　didn’t　do　much　if　any　good；　but　they　tossed　them　out　of　the　plane　with　great　gusto　anyway。　　When　his　plane　got　to　the　initial　point　and　turned；　then　straightened　for　the　bomb　run；