After
bombs away we headed for land's end. As we reached the
relative security of the water, we discovered that several
bombs had hung up in the still open bomb bays. Due to
hydraulic lines that had been severed by flak, the doors
could not be closed. Bernie Greene, with the help of others,
somehow managed to free the bombs from their hangers.
We limped back to Iwo assessing the damage to wheels,
brakes and controls as well as diminishing fuel supply.
"Tut" and I attached our parachutes to the aft part of
the aircraft and popped both out the hatches as we hit
the runway at Iwo Jima. They helped to slow us down somewhat
although we dropped off the end of the runway into a ditch.
This did little damage to the gear but the crew of "Four
Aces" were not especially happy about our messing up their
airplane. This would be the first of many landings on
Iwo for fuel and/or repairs. The tiny pork-chop shaped
island would be a welcome sight for others and us in times
of emergencies.
For
this mission against Kobe, we received the DFC. It had
been truly a Baptism of Fire experience for this green
rookie crew. Even though this had been a close one, many
more frightening situations lay ahead. We would lose Tuttle
for a few missions after he received a gunshot wound in
his foot. There was even one mission we had only four
enlisted men on the crew. All the rest of the crew were
officers.
Twenty-two
missions later, the war ended. We were then able to get
a perspective of the extensive damage we had done as well
as the unparalleled destruction dealt out to Hiroshima
by the first atomic bomb.
We
remembered with immense gratitude our hard-working unsung
ground crews that had kept us flying and were so instrumental
to our safe return. Our dedicated ground crew consisted
of Norman Brug, Joe Hanna, Alan Niedhardt, Jeff Caron,
and Jerome Jacobs. Each contributed a tremendous amount
of skill and untold hours in the hat tropical sun to keep
us in the air. The challenge of engine problems, as well
as a multitude of others, was constant and unrelenting
as they labored to have our plane ready for that next
mission. I am sorry that they and we never had time to
get better acquainted.
As
much as I abhor war, then as well as now, I will never
forget these two and a half years that changed me from
a rural youngster into a proud and mature member of the
Air Force. I will always remember and love those ten other
guys that shared this special part of my life with me.
Our aircraft, "Little Bully," so appropriately named after
Clarence Beevers our flight engineer would also live forever
in my memory.
Upon
return to civilian life, with thanks to Uncle Sam's "GI
Bill." l was able to attend Ohio State University, graduating
in 1950. It has been my good Fortune to work in the field
of my choice - commercial art, encompassing the areas
of advertising, art and education. In working with both
professional people and high school students, I have been
stimulated and challenged making my vocation a happy and
satisfying one.
My
marriage to Marge for over forty years has been both enduring
and fulfilling. Our two sons and two granddaughters have
been an added reward and further fuel my realization that
I have been blessed in so many ways.
And
now that we have rekindled old service friendships with
buddies never forgotten, it is added frosting on the cake.
The chats and reminiscences with long ago comrades at
our reunions have been, and continue to be, a rewarding
part of my later life. I look forward each year with anticipation
to these cherished reunions. Hopefully there will be many
more of them with increasing numbers of our comrades joining
us.
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