REMEMBERING THE FLIGHT CREW
By Robert J. Blair
Upper Turret Gunner, B-24
I felt pretty much alone manning the twin 50-caliber machine guns in
the top turret of the B-24 bomber. Only the Plexiglas dome between me and
the Wild Blue Yonder. In spite of the four powerful engines powering the
B-24, all seemed so quiet. On the long trip to the target we would sometimes
hear Axis Sally broadcasting from Germany, telling us she "knew where we
were headed" and asking "how are your girlfriends at home?" and other things
that made us wonder, where is this information coming from? I remember
the flak sent up by the enemy anti-aircraft - when the shells exploded,
we could see the puff but not hear a sound. When our plane was hit by flak
and pilot badly injured, I had the utmost confidence in the officers and
crew members; Red Baker, Flight Engineer, gave first aid and helped in
bringing the plane down in Northern Italy after we dumped our bombs in
the sea. About a week later we were flown back to our base. Sam Carbone
and I promptly got ourselves in trouble with the M.P.s when we went to
town without a pass - we soon got our sailing orders for America on a ship
that also carried comedian Red Skelton. On arriving in America, I can still
remember the Andrews Sisters singing "Rum and Coca-Cola." Thanks to all
the crew who helped bring us home.
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