The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-03-28
BY S. ]. WOOLF
NEA Staff Correspondent

An A. A. F. FIGHTER CON-
MAND STATION, England, March
28-They took off for Berlin at 10
o'clock in the morning, acting like
crowd of schoolboys starting on a
holiday. A rodeo would be tame
compared with this herd of Mus
tangs and their daring riders. They
were the first to fly over Germany's
capital and they have gone farther
into the country and brought down
more of the LuftWaffe than any
other American fighter group.
The pilots of these tiny planes
are different lot from those who
handle our big bombers. No older
in years, they seem younger in
spirit. They are impetuous, reck-
less and carefree. Many seem to
be fatalistS. Some are supersti-
tious. Not many are deeply relig-
ious. For all, life is a glorious
adventure, and the more the thrills
the more glorious it is.
FIGHTERS TAKE CHANCES
1--WE can take chances that the
boys who fly our big fellows can't
take" Capt. David Perron of
Claremont, Calf, said, because
the safety of others does not de-
pend on us, and we know we can
look after ourselves" Perron is
a snub-nosed kid of "a. A year
ago he crashed, and doctors said
he never would be able to fly
again. Now he has three victories to
his credit.
But 1t is not only the pilots who
display this spirit The same devil
may-care attitude marks every one
connected with the station. no
ticed 1t as I sat with Lieut.. Tanner
Lame Of the Headquarters Staff
waiting the return of the planes.
Lame is boisterouS Texan who
wrote a sports column for The Mid
land Reporter Telegram. The day
after Pearl Harbor he enlisted. He
has been second lieutenant for
Is months, but he can still grin as
he says: II didn't quit my newspa-
per job for promotion, but just to
fight
We were sitting in the pilots
room of one of the thee squad
ronS which make up this group.
Through the windows one got con-
fused picture of peace and war.
Massive horses were pulling print
tive blows over large fields, and
Army trucks were dashing over
newly-made roads. There were hay
stacks close by hangers and tin
| huts not far from thatch-roofed
cottages. And there were the long
runway and the banked hard
stands where the planes rest be-
tween missions.
On a mound Of freshly turned
earth saw three members of
ground crews scanning the sky.
Then there was the distant hum
of planes. Within a few minutes
the pilots began to come into the
room in which sat.
The trip had not tired them.
Nor had it affected their spirits.
There was the same joshing there
had been at the start, and the in
terrogation period was more like
a talk fest, as they crowded about
a counter for coffee and sand
wichecs, than an Army formality.
THEY AREN'T SCARED
Later they and the pilots from
the other two squadrons got to-
gether in the officers lounge and
compared notes. They spoke of
previous missions as well as the
days.
Flying over Berlin is much the
same as flying over any other place
except that you feel it is something
to write home about. Scared? Not a
bit. Those ferries can fight, but
they haven't got the machines we
have. There's always temptation
to strafe the people you see on the
streets, but you can't do it because
you think how lousy 1t would be for
any one to do it in yuor home town.
'It's different when a guy is
coming after you. Then it is
either he or you. When you get
him and see him drop, you may
wonder If anyone is going to cary
over him. But you can't think
about that for long. If you do.
the chances are that somebody
will be crying over you.'