Evening star., 1944-06-07
Reporter on Air Troop Carrier
Says Trip Was No Milk Run
Germans Were Ready
This Time Cowon
Reports on Return
BY HOWARD COWAN,

Associated Press War Correspondent.
AT A 9th UNITED STATES AIR
FORCE TROOP CARRIER BASE,
June THE Allied Expeditionary
Air Force had just completed an
other airborne landing behind ene-
my lines in Nazi-occupied France,
but unlike the first operation, this
was no milk run"
I know. I few in the leading
ship of group commanded by a
crackerjack pilot from my home
town, 1t. Col. John Neale of Shaw
nee, Okla. He is the brother of
Billy Neale, who Is in the automo-
bile supply business with Champ
Johnson. The Army borrowed him
from the Pennsylvania Central Air
lines, Of which he is vice president
and chief pilot.
When we came back to England
the metal hide of our powerful twin
engined CAT was badly battered.
The radio and electrical systems
were damaged but nobody was
hurt.
We were lucky. Some came home
with dead and wounded aboard.
Some didn't come home. The Ger
mans were ready this time. Hun
dreds Of planes had been in ahead
of us and it seemed we few down an
avenue lined with machine guns and
fountains on both sides.
First Time Under Fire.
Red and green tracers overlapped
in huge arcs that reminded you Of
an old-fashioned grape arbor. Flares
from flax bursts made you jump,
but they were far off and they were
so far of there was no noise and
didn't seem to matter much-at least
not like the 20-millimeter shell
which sawed through the fuselage
next to my window and then went
on like an indoor firecracker expaQ-,,
sion. sass assssss
This may sound as If was scared.
Well, I was. It was the first time
any of us had been under fire.
Besides Col. Neale, others III fh1.
crew were Co-pilot Capt. spay
Creamer of Tulsa, Okla, and
Shreveport, La; Navigator 1t.
Charles r. Chester of Santa Bar
bara, Calf; 1t. Eugene A. Waterfill
Of Lawrenceburg, KY; Sergt. Nor
man Sablon Of East Orange, N. j.,
and Grew Chief Sergt. Dennis Hal
peska Of Victoria, Tex.
The pilot of big force of gliders
was 1t. Joe Heritage of Bonham,
Tex, and Flight Cfficer Howard M.
David Of Hollywood, Calf. his as
sistant.
First Burst Of Ack-A -Ack.
I had an invitatio nto fly on the
invasion opening paratroop opera
ton, but I explained it would be
pretty dark and there would not be
much to see and write about. I
really had thought that after a day
or so 1t would be little more like
q sightseeing tour.
It was that-until we reached
the French coast.
But 1t was different story when
the Cherbourg Peninsula came in
sight. From tiny island of shore
came the first ack ack, but the
bursts were far away.
Now we were over. The door was
opened and dust and acrid smoke
like that from a burning building
swirled inside. T counted a dozen
fires on the perimeter at this end
OF the Allied beachhead. Occasion
ally there was a big flash and puffs
OF smoke, but that was about all
there was to see on the ground.
Then we got over enemy lines and
the machine guns started. We
hadn't touched loose the glider vet
and our speed still left something to
be desired. was on my knees peer
ing out window, bundled up in
a Mae West life preserver. para
chute and flax suit.
The latter garment isn't a suit at
all, but a steel-ribbed canvas vest
fashioned along the lines of an UNI
pire's chest protector. Only it also
takes care of your back. That sure
leaves arms, legs and ribs feeling
awful naked.
Tracers Drift Up.
Red and green tracers-they are
not as fast as in the movies-drift-
ed upon the right at an angle of
about As degrees we'll ahead of our