The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1944-04-21
CHAPTER VIII

eAVAAA6 AAVSAs AAORRAA~o A~"~> - -
altitude, and began following 1t back
upcomtry, and then, just on sched-
ule, we made out Samarinda Field
In the late-afternoon sunlight in spite
Of Its camoufage. And it was the
best job we'd ever seen, better than
Malang. We'd had practically no
time for camoufage at all in the
Philippines. But here the Dutch
had hewed this field out Of the tenn
Ing jungle-uprooted the stumps,
ieveled 1t off, planted 1t with grass,
and then covered it with wooden saw
horses that would knock the stuff
ing out Of any plane that tried to
land through them. Only when you
circled the field, out came q crowd
Of natives on the rum suppose
they were wild men Of Borneo the
Dutch had tanned. They would re-
move the sawhorses only from that
particular runway you were sup
posed to use, and the minute your
wheels touched the ground they'd
start recovering the runway behind
you.
Right away we went to pilots
meeting, where we lined out the
mission for Davao Bay.
1.-THE Japs, we knew, seldom flew
at night, but we were flying in v
Of VS.. Jim Connally, George
Schaetzel, and I made up the third
flight, which, I might point out, is
the dirty spot, because in those days
you could expect most Jap attacks
from the rear. Then we started
that long climb for which
means safety for the Fortress, a hell
of a big and vulnerable target near
the ground.
'But while we are still climbing,
George Schaetzel is tagging. Engine
trouble, we later found out. George
drops out entirely, which leaves Jim
Cpnnally and me alone ITO handle the
dirty spot. IN
Presently the formation levels
off, and then ahead of us we see
an enormous black mass of weather
in what is left of the dwindling twi-
light. It's laid out horizontally right
across our path-starting at about
$4,000 feet, 1t seems to 60 on up
forever.
$50 what do we do? Our orders
are to keep in formation, so we can
all hit Davao at the same time. and
not 60 over dispersed at intervals.
where the Zeros, rising at the first
alarm, can slaughter the stragglers.
''But II we 60 into this cloud bank,
maybe 1t goes on for miles and We'll
lose each other inside of it, and new.
er be able to assemble for the at
tack.
1.-THE leader decides Wen try to
60 around it, so, turning, we fly
parallel to it. But it seems end
less, and after flying for forty-five
minutes, we see that in this at
tempted detour we've wasted pre-
cious gasoline-our margin Of safe
ty to get to the target and get home
is down to almost zero.
(Which means we can't go on.
1--WE returned to Samarinda, land
ed, gassed up. and then without any
rest or sleep started to take off
again for Davao at midnight. This
time we were sure we wouldn't
miss.
Again we run into thick fog"
went on Frank, when we go up
next night. My co-pilot Collvin and
! fly alternately-our eyes smarting
and streaming from the strain and
staring through the windshield at
those formation lights Of the planes
ahead, not daring to lose sight of
them for fear we will then be lost
and alone in the night. AS dawn
breaks I see Broadhurst's Fortress
by the number on its tail. It is too
late to 60 on into Davao, just two
of US, so we turn and start mourn
fully back to Samarinda.
''At one o. clock in the morning we
again took off on the long flight to
the target-between four and five
hours. For the first few hours we
were lucky. The clouds were well
stratified and we few between two
layers of them, so we didn't have
to fly both weather and instruments.
This time we arrive at the pre-
viously agreed point where we are
to make that l20-degree turn and
come directly in on Davao, and as
we swing up and over for that sharp
bank, I get my only glimpse of the
target, which ordinarily the pilot
never sees in detail. From where
he sits he can only see the sky and
the distant horizon ahead. It's the
bombardier who can look straight
down and, a little ahead, who pulls
She plane In over that tiny pinpoint
70 be attacked. But now I'm about
to see It for myself-just one look
when my wing In cooked high in the
air.
Ard then I get my only glimpse
sroSsa1Eg fhe stiitedA. side window, the
! At,e = lrNn' the upper Bay Of