Evening star., 1942-10-11
BY WILLIAM b. KING,

BY WILLIAM b. KING,
Associated Press War Correspondent.
WITH THE UNITED STATES
BOMBER COMMAND IN ENG
LAND, Oct. 1O.-A 19-year-old en-
gineer gunner of a United States
Liberator who plugged a hole in a
fuel line with his hands was given
credit tonight for enabling his great
four -motored bomber to return from
yesterdays Lille raid despite dam
age by innumerable machine-gun
bullets and cannon shells.
The Liberator made a belated re-
turn to its base today, and members
of the crew told how slender Aron
F. Moses of Monroe, Ind, held his
hands over a broken gas line until
they froze.
He groped through a shower of
gasoline to reach the break in the
lint and then stayed at his pre-
carious post despite intense cold.
The Liberator, known as the Ball
of Fire" was commanded by a West
Pointer, 1t. j. S. Tate, a. of St.
Augustine, Fla. 1t shot down three
Focke Wulf fighters and damaged
several others in a scramble which
followed an attack by about 30
Nazi planes as the bomber turned
from successful run over ware
houses and railway yards of Lille.
"One 20-millimeter cannon shell
hit our tail and couple went into
the bomb bay. cutting cables and
tearing a 3inch rip in the gas
line" 1t. Tate said.
Then another 20-millimeter came
in right under the pilots seat. When
it blew up it busted our oxygen
lines"
Emergency Supply Used.
1t. Tate kept the ship at from
10000 to $4,000 feet, and instructed
the crew to use emergency supplies
of oxygen in "walk-about bottles
and "bailout TASKS"
|: After we got to safe territory
and we're about half way back across
the channel, Moses crawled from
his upper gun turret and down
through the bomb bay" 1t. Tate
continued. Gas squirting from the
broken line blew into his face,
binding him, but he kept feeling
about until he found the hole"
BY that time gasoline was half an
inch deep in the bomb bay.
At freezing attitudes Moses held
, the break closed until he was re-
| lieved by 1t. Orval Huff of Water
man. Ill.,, bombardier. Then turns
holding the line were taken by 1t.
Thaddeus Isaiah Hawkins. jr, of
Griffin, Ca, navigator, and Staff
Sergt. Edward w. Eichmann, Mil
waukee. gunner.
Co-pilot 1t. Alfred Asch, %, of
Beaverton, Mich also was rated a
hero by his mates for his quick ac-
ton in taking over control of the
ship when 1t Tate passed out from
lack of oxygen.
"Asch took over the controls. and
at the same time fed me oxygen
from bailout bottle Et. Tate said
Meanwhile, in the nose of the
plane, 1t. Hawkins was performing
a similar service for 1t. Huff, who
lsot consciousness when the oxy-
gen lines were hit.
Hawkins took over all three guns.
and gave Huff spare mask" 1t.
Tate said. But Huff was too weak
to put on the mask. so between TAX
Ing shots at the attacking enemy
| Hawkins had to kick him back into
consciousness with the help of the
mask"
1t. Tate brought the stricken
plane down on fighter field both
tires punctured, and there was a
momentary danger of crashing into
a group of grounded Spitfres. But
quick action by 1t Asch locked one
of the wheels, causing the plane
to swerve.
Members of the excited Polish
ground crew dashed to the assistance
of the plane, talking Polish as they
ran.
Il was just foggy enough to think
for moment that I had landed in
Germany" 1t, Tate said, at was a
relief to find out these fellows were
| Poles"
staff Sergt. Cleibornu Booker of
Augusta, Ga, engineer. and Sergt.
Gorbett Wright of Indianola, Miss,
radio man, made up the remainder
OF the crew. None was hurt.
| Gunner's Hands Frozen,
Sergt. Ernest Kish of DuQuesne
Pa, who manned the tail gun in the
bomber called "Peggie Ann" piloted
by Squadron Commander Col. E. J
Timberlake, jr., of San Antonio, on
the Lille raid today was nursing
hands which froze when he shed his
gloves to repair a jammed gun.
He put the gun back into action
quickly enough to send bullets crash
ing into the belly of a Nazi fighter.
II saw tracers hit the fuselage, but
I didn't bring him down." Kish said
Holding two wing positions behind
Timberlake, who at 80 is reputed
to be the youngest full colonel in the
United States Army, were 1t. Will
liam Keefer, % of Los Angeles, COM
manding Liberty Lad" and 1t
David S. Thayer. %, of Houston
Tex. flying Liberty Lass"
And both of us came back with
out a hole in our planes" Thayer