Evening star., 1942-06-17
Kennedy
Continued From First PageD

said, leaving the first one for two
other flights, We had expected to
drop bombs so feet apart, but we
got such a marvellous target we let
them all go and then saw smoke
pouring out from aft,
The second flight tackled the
first battleship and the third fight,
seeing one smoking decided to go
at the cruiser and destroyer.
I'VE saw the cruiser aflre and as
We were leaving the British planes
came in. giving it a torpedo, and
later Il was sunk by a submarine.
I'VE coasted down almost to the
surface of the water and were going
home when two MeSSerschmitts-
one a 109-F and one two-motored
l10-got on our tails. We were fly
ing in a most unorthodoX formation
and we must have puzzled them.
They came down several times
and drew back as though not quite
sure what we we're. Then they made
up their minds and swooped on us.
We got the 1l0 and saw it plunge
into the water. The tail gunner of
one of our ships and the upper tur-
rent of another seemed to have got
shots into it together
The only damage they did to us
was TO send bullet between the
legs of one rear gunner.
Used Oxygen Two Hours.
I'VE used oxygen before and dur
ing the attack for two hours in all.
We were not so high that it was
necessary, but at that height it in
creases efficiency.
1T was a perfect operation. There
was not a single hitch. Even gaso-
line consumption was exactly what
we had figured.
1T went as smoothly as a COM
mercial airflight. The boys had
with me we're marvellous. I have
been flying for years and some of
those boys are Just out of training,
but they are as good as I am any
day.
1T was a revelation of what those
American training schools are doing
They are turning out finished flyers"
The Americans have been here in
full operating force only two weeks.
During that time they have been
confined close to their work and
their desert barracks. They have not
even had Cairo leave since their ar
rival.
Some are veterans of Java and
India, some bright-faced boyish fly
ers just out of training schools-but
all are ready for action.
Commanding the full detachment
Is Col. H. A. Halverson of Boone,
Iowa, who remained in the back
ground and let Maj. Kalberer tell the
story of the raid which he led.
Others in Detachment.
Second in command is 1t. Col.
George Mcguire of Coffeyville,
Kans. Among other members of the
staff are Majs. Paul Davis of At
lanta. John Payne of Austin, Tex,
and Capts. Francis B. Rang of Al
buquerque, N. Mex; John w. Wilk-
inSon of Burnside, KY. and James
W. Sibert of Indianapolis,
Another of the high officers is 1t.
Col. C. r. Feldmann of Sabetha,
Kans.
Also in the detachment are Its.
George Uhrich, Brighton, Colo;
Charles Brown, Scottsbluff, Nebr.;
j. R. Taylor, youngstown, Ohio;
John r. Wilcox, Tyler, Tex;
Thomas A. Shumaker, Los Angeles;
H. A. Kysar. Fort Worth, Tex; w.
H. Hiatt, John w. Kidd, Spirit Lake.
Iowa; Ernest M. Duckworth, Grams
ton, R. l.; Charles Peek, Tecumseh,
Nebr.; S. R. Oglesby, Great Falls,
S. c.; K. w. Butler, Lenox, Iowa;
George Whitlock, Boise, Idaho; T.
D. Brown, Plant City. Fla: w. P.
Dwyer, Randolph, Nebr.; Norman
Davis, New York; r. L. Rhoades,
Wakita. Okla; NJ R. Anderson,
New York; Edward S. Crouchly,
Providence, r. l.; William r. JOY
ner, Salem, Va; r. G. Miller. Ell
Paso, Tex; H. E. Ebertjo, Winches-
ter, Va.
Maj. Kalberer numbers more
than 100000 air miles as United
Air Lines pilot among his flying
experiences.
He went to work for United in
1927 in the early airmail days, fly
ing a Tulsa -Ponca City (Okla) run.
He went from there to the Kansas
City-Chicago run, and in 1884 be-
came a captain on the New York
Chicago run.
In 1887 he went to the Neither
lands as pilo. for kim tthe Royal
Dutch airline) and few between
Naples and Batavia until Italy en-
tered the war. He then went to
Java as a commercial pilot for the
Dutch Indies line, and from there
entered the United States Army
Air Forces.