Prep and Fear of the Take-Off and Mission

On daylight raids when the enemy anti- aircraft batteries were firing at us instead of seeing a burst of flame as in night raids we would see a burst of black smoke known as flak. Our concern as to whether we would be over the target in daylight or at nighttime would be answered soon after entering the briefing hall, which was also used for religious services. Once all the crews had assembled in the hall we would be talking among ourselves when a strong commanding voice from the rear of the hall would yell, “attention”. We would immediately stand at attention and remain standing until our commanding officer, Colonel Gibson proceeded down the center isle and up onto the stage where all the data concerning our upcoming mission was covered. He would turn to us and say, “At ease”.

At this point we would all sit down. Several different officers would then make presentations concerning first the target, then anticipated weather conditions from Tinian to the target, the altitudes we should fly at and what we could expect in the way of enemy anti- aircraft fire and enemy fighter plane opposition. At any point during these presentations we were allowed to ask questions. At this point the pilots, navigators, bombardiers, flight engineers, radio operators, and gunners would have brief meetings to cover anything pertinent to their position on the plane. I was a dual rated navigator / radar bombardier which meant that on all night missions or day missions where clouds were obscuring the target I would direct the plane’s course to the target and call off the dropping angles to the bombardier who would make any necessary adjustments to his Norden bombsight.

Before each mission the mess sergeants would try to give us an especially good meal. We would then check out our parachutes and Mae West inflatable vests. Fortunately, we never had to use our Mae West inflatable vests, but they were nice to have on should we need to “ditch” our plane. Having been fed, briefed on the mission, and obtained our gear we would then board two crews to a truck for a five-minute drive to the flight line and our respective planes. After we stored our gear in the plane all the crew with the exception of the two pilots and the flight engineer would assemble in front of the plane and do what we used to jokingly call ”winding up the propellers”. The first man would start pushing the propeller followed by the rest of those in line. When the last man had completed his turn we would move on the next propeller. We would do this to all four propellers. This procedure was done to detect any oil locks in the engine cylinders before the pilot could start the engine. Although we did it on every mission from the first to the 35th our crew never encountered a problem. Finding no problem we would board the plane and proceed to our stations

I  USED TO WONDER IF THIS MIGHT BE THE MISSION WE MIGHT NOT SURVIVE

At that point we would hear the airplane commander say,” clear right starting engine number one.” The waist gunners could see from their positions if any mechanic or person whom the airplane commander couldn’t see were dangerously close to the propeller. The gunner would respond,” Engine one clear.” The airplane commander would proceed to start the engine. The same procedure would be followed for each of the four engines. Now with all four engines reaching moderate RPM’s the airplane commander would order the bombardier to close the Bombay doors and we would start to taxi toward our take off position approximately a half mile away. Having nothing else to do I would usually climb up into the astrodome and look forward and back and be comforted to know that there were many other crews flying the same mission. I also used to wonder if including my own crew members they or the other planes in back and in front of us was just as apprehensive, as I that this might be the mission we might not survive.

As we finally taxied into take-off position I would look out my window and I would see a man standing about one hundred yards holding a red signal light. I would usually wave to him, but being such a distance away he probably did not see me, although there were a few day time missions that I thought I saw him wave back at me. Our airplane commander Maki would also be watching him. When the signal light turned green Maki would take his feet off the brakes and we would feel the plane start to move forward slowly at first and then very quickly increase in its speed as we headed down the runway. The description of this take-off procedure was pretty much the same for both day and night missions. Whether it is day or night we were loaded with over 7,000 gallons of high-octane gasoline and an average of about 10 tons of bombs.

I WOULD THEN MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS, PRAY THAT MOM WAS WITH ME

Superstitions were very common right from the start. Washing your flying suit was considered unlucky. The cap the Seabees gave me went on all 35 missions. As we approached a target and put on our flak helmets and flak jackets similar to bullet proof jackets worn by police officers, I would remove the Seabee cap, spit on it and throw it on my worktable. I would then make the sign of the cross, pray that Mom was with me.

FROM OUR FIRST TO OUR 35TH MISSION WE REALIZED EACH TIME WE STARTED DOWN THE RUNWAY WE COULD HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT

About three days after arriving at Tinian we went down to the airfield because we had heard that there had been a B-29 that crashed during take-off (see Explosive B-29 Crashes). Although the white coral runway had been cleared of the debris there was a big black scorched area where the plane had crashed. We also observed bits of yellow rubber and the remnants of someone’s Mae West jacket. It was not a pretty sight.

From our first to our 35th mission we realized each time we started down the runway we could have a fatal accident. A little better than halfway down the run-way which extended over a mile long the airplane commanders would hit a point that if an engine failed or a tire blew they would have to make a decision quickly as to whether to continue or not. By this time we would be rolling along at between 140 and 150 miles per hour.

THE TENSION OF THE TAKE-OFFS WITH ABOUT 138,000 POUNDS GROSS WEIGHT INCLUDING OVER 7,000 GALLONS OF HIGH OCTANE GAS AND TEN TONS OF BOMBS CAN NEVER BE PASSED ON TO A READER OF THESE MEMOIRS

The tension of the take-offs with about 138,000 pounds gross weight including over 7,000 gallons of high octane gas and ten tons of bombs can never be passed on to a reader of these memoirs. It can’t be done. You yourself would have had to have been there as we bounced down the runway hoping and praying. The only voices to be heard were those of the airplane commander and the pilot as they checked off increasing airspeed, etc. The rest of the crew were praying in silence. “Dear God please help us to survive another take off, another mission and return us safely to Tinian, Amen.”

It’s unfortunate you have to have wars, but it seems human nature that wars will always be with us.