Milk Run

In the middle of the night, the air raid siren began blaring about 0300 and didn’t sound all clear until 0400. Screwed up everyone’s sleep and the loading list had to roll out at 0600 for a mission to Etzweiler. Weather was nice when they took off and as there was nothing scheduled for me, went back to the tent and read. Finished “Case of the Curious Heel” before the mission was due back, so went down to the field to sweat ‘em in. It was misty by then and you couldn’t see across the field. Pitied these sons of bitches coming in. Could hear the roar of the engines when the first ships neared the base and then could see some of the planes as they descended. One ship fired off a red flare, pulled out of formation, headed downwind on a left turn to the runway approach. However, instead of dropping down, he maintained his altitude, something under two thousand fee, opened up his bomb bay doors, and out pops three chutes. They yanked their ripcords immediately and came drifting down, swinging a little in the slight breeze. The plane went on around again and descended with wheels still up and his glide path off the side of the runway. Evidently the landing gear’s hydraulic system was damaged and the skipper gave his crew the choice of bailing out or riding it out. The three in the chutes had made the right decision this time, because he dipped his right wing just before touchdown and either the wing tips or the props touched first and tore off the wing near the fuselage. Bursting instantly into flames, it exploded before it stopped moving. The meat wagon and the fire equipment were there immediately, but the crew never had a chance to get out. Ground control kept the balance of the planes in the air for a few more minutes till after the worst of the flames was over. Two more planes came in, then the third plane’s nose wheel buckled as the brakes on the main gear slowed it down. It proceeded on down the runway, pulling to the right, the nose kicking up sparks till the right wheel dropped off into the grass and turned the plane at a ninety degree angle where it stopped, the tail sticking up in the air. The next plane had all three wheels on the runway, but still traveling at a high rate of speed, gunned its engines, pulled back on the stick and leap-frogged the disabled plane and came back down, successfully stopping at the end. The second and third planes came on in - the one ground looped off the left side, gear collapsing and the other actually skidded sidewise till it came to a halt. It happened so fast you felt you watching a movie (a movie camera would have been priceless). The balance of the planes still airborne were diverted east and northeast, but with some anxiety in view of the worsening weather. Back at the tent, I noticed the bandage on my hand was so filthy, I finally took it off. It was blistered, but healing. Circumstances were getting to me.