Nogales international. [volume] (Nogales, Ariz.) 1926-1979, 1932-11-26

/ Windy settled back in the rear cock
/ pit. satisfied with the service. with
! his commander and with himself.
| Fascinatedly as always. he watched
! the other squadron planes flying in
/ beautiful v formation. and then
changing to echelon with the grace
of flock of birds in flight.
Windy saw Gritfins arm shoot up
and loggle the wing Of the plane as
signal to Johnson and Fisher.
! Windy braced himself. took a deep
| breath and held his mouth wide open
as the plane peeled OFF into a vertical
dive. the plane screaming wildly in
the downward plunge glance
downward showed the target rushing
up at them with startling rapidiry
gaining in sharpness and thickness OF
line. AT signal from Griffin the two
bombs OF plane NO | were released.
| The Commander pulled the plane QUE
| of the dive. and few seconds there
after came the roar OF the exploding
| bombs Both had hit the target.
| CHANGING alofr, Windy saw the other
! two planes diving. ona above the
other: saw No J release It's bombs
while the smoke from the first ones
still assembled and began TO drift away
| from the target. Two more explosions
| mingled with tbs screaming OF esae
diving third plane As Griffin began
ctrcling for landing. Windy watched
! Fishers plane release its bombs and
go out OF the dive.
One bomb fell straight: the second
! dangled from the wing. whipping
back and forth. Something had gone
wrong The dull roar OF single ex-
! ploslon rent the air. The dangling
bomb under the wing of Fishers ship.
swayed dangerously. Would It h!r the
side OF the plane and explode? Or
! drop outside the target. killing and
manning some OF the attendants. de-
! stroy!ng some OF the alrplanes9
| EHrancicaliy. Windy waved and
pointed. trying in vain TO call the at
tention OF Fisher ard Badly to the
+. danger A glance downward and
! Windy saw that the men on the fly
, ing field we're aware OF the dangling.
| unreieased bomb: they darred here
and there. trying 60 Keep from under
Meath the circling plane, Griffin
| landed his machine and r.lxiietl IN.
| Johnson brought his machine TO
| perfect landing. Officers and men
| were Yelling and waving their arms
| franCically as a signal 60 Fisher. but
/ the latter was either unaware OF the
/ unreleased bomb or thought the only
] thing to do was to land as quickly
/ and gently as possible. Amid the
! panlcky scattering OF the men on the
/ field. the plane sank gracefully to
! earth and came 70 rest after skim
ming short distance over the field.
| Windy breathed @ sigh OF relief
! when Fishers plane came to stop
and there was no explosion. Griffin.
| his face set and grim. set off towards
Fishers plane. and WiRdy followed at
his heels. feeling ard acting much
! like a dog that has failed to perform
some task set by his master Yet how
! had he been at fault? The bombs
! had oee1l secured in the usual fashion.
! Griffin went straight to the wing
! under which the unreleased bomb
/ sta syv;ayet. He examined rhe rack.
i Windy at his side. as a crowd OF
officers and men assembled about the
machine as soon as it vas seen there
would be no explosion
Griffin looked up fro:a his inspec-
! ton Of the bomb.
Did you check those racks before
lcading?" he> demanded. stern and
grim.
| Yes, sir" replied Windy.
Did you inspect the bombs after
they were loaded?"
Yes. sir-but those sw!ve!-chair
aviators at Washington sent US lot
Of cockeyed bombs. We oughtta write
EN- letter.
Duke johnson and Steve Nelson
| came out from under the wing where
they had examined the bomb. and as
Windy finished his explanation. Steve
stepped forward
1T isn't the bomb. SIR he said at
Grifin's questioning look. The right
after-detaching lug is out OF align
ment and can't release against the
velocity Of the dive
Windy's eyes narrowed in anger at
Steve's presumption In horning IN
after he himself had made an ex-
PLANTATION. He was too smart: he was
letting himself IN for trouble. and
there was going to be plenty trouble
for that fresh youngster Make
monkey out Of Windy Eiker. chief
c. P. O.. would he?
Nelson's right. Commander" said
Duke Johnson. THE faults IN the
lug"
Steve Nelson showed no evidence OF
malice in the look he gave Windy:
no air OF superiority, but Windy was
too furious with anger. struggling too
hard to retain his composure. to
weigh the seriousness and evenness Of
Steve's demeanor.
Griffin gave Windy long. search
ing look. spoke to him severely:
Check the racks and reload the
planes. Well make car second hop
when they ere ready"
1t cost Windy struggle to take
that rebuke and respond with his GUS
tomary CHEEKY Aye, aye. sir" to any
order given him by Jack Griffin, but
he managed somehow to do it. But
as he turned to obey the order. crest
fallen and shamed in his pride. he
saw Steve Nelson walking away from
the group about the plane. and anger
burned hot in his heart. Uncon-
Sciously his flsts-symbols of his
power and authority over the men