The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-10-16
A YANK In
THE R. A. F.
Continued from Page 10l
By HARLAN THOMAS

y AiFN IT dEhf4 AANNNs
Just behind Richardson. sir. A
chuekle could be heard coming over
the air-waves. I've got the love-
lest lacework you ever saw in my
right wing. But she'll hold out
Graves ,"
No answer.
Graves >"
They were flying high now.
He hesitated.
Graves >" Then he went on,
grimly. "Pillby''
Oh. definitely. sir cheerful
voice came back. Nice work. You
blasted one Of those tanks right
past nv window. l recognized the
Made in Czechoslovakia sign on
il"
Graves >" ne tried again.
No answer.
Cease operations. he said
finally. Proceed to second objec-
tive" Then he spoke to Tim. Give
me your course for Gennep Z.
Zone One Section Five =.
At Gennep they were TO hit a
bridge. That meant coming in first
and dropping parachute flares, so
that they could see exactly what
they were doing. Not just any
place about the bridgehead would
do: the structure had to be hit on
the nose.
II was very important bridge.
All evening long a procession of
dim. bulky shadows had been rum
bling across il - tanks and six
wheel troop trucks. at steady
overnight pace of forty miles an
hour. Guards had been posted at
the bridgeheads; anti-aircraft bat
teries and searchlights had been
placed in ring around the vital
artery. Spoilers and gunners stood
in silence at their posts as the
ground shook underfoot with the
passage of huge equipment.
Suddenly the sprawling, secret
scene was illuminated by flares
that floated down from immense
heights. Commands rang out.
Searchlights were switched on. The
long shouts of ack-ack guns swung
restiessly, hunting for the target.
As the flares, carried by para
chutes, sank nearer earth, the can
tilevers of the bridge stood out like
fine web in the pale, new light ;
the truck drivers hurried across /;
the guards could see each others
drawn, tired faces. The bomb at
tack would come in a minute.
Morley and Richardson had drop
ped the flares. Wales and Pillby
were to come in with the heavy
stuff. From a high level they
watched for an opening. They
found sector which the search
lights had just swept ana aban-
doned. They hurried toward it,
zoomed down, got caught in
searchlights and ack : ack anyway
and leveled off and dropped their
sticks. The first salvo whacked
into the river; the second came
dangerously close to the bridge,
but still missed.
Morley poised in the outer dark
ness, called to Tim, Wen have to
get below this muck and make
our run-up at 1000"
They flew off at a distance and
then dropped in. Through the sight
Tim could see the bright-lit bridge
wavering in and out of view,
ringed by puffs of anti-aircraft II
seemed to be rushing up toward
him. Now his windows shone with
searchlight glare. Shells roared
outside them. The plane tossed
wildly.
Left he shouted. Left. okay
now, Steady :"
Morley Strengthened out. Tim
was still automatically calling
Steady" They were right on it
now-and they were so far below
the barrage that they could see
the single girders and trusses. Tim
pressed the button.
Behind them, the stick OF bombs
fell. bracketing the bridge. There
was a dull. violent. huge eruption:
gobs of concrete and matchsticks
of steel hurtled into the air.
Morley grinned. Tim grinned.
They climbed rapidly. and Harry
Baker in the stern. seeing the pam
Drama burst before him, happily
pounded his fist into his palm.
But the searchlight beams were
following them. Morley twisted the
big ship around desperately, trying
TO slip out of their long white
fingers. The fire was growing
closer and heavier; the ship rocked
perilously. Morley grew grim. Sud-
oeniy there was a shudder and a
roar. One Of his motors sputtered,
crunched and died.
TO Be COntinued)