A Young Hero S Anguish

[W]e got hit. The cockpit filled with smoke and I told the boys in back to get their parachutes on. They didn’t answer at all, but I looked around and couldn’t see Ted in the turret so I assumed he had gone below to get his chute fastened on. I headed the plane out to sea and put on the throttle so as we could get away from the land as much as possible. I am not too clear about the next parts. I told them to bail out, and then I called up the skipper and told him I was bailing out. My crewmen never acknowledged either transmission, and yet the radio gear was working–at least mine was and unless they had been hit back there theirs should have been, since we had talked not long before … I turned the plane up in an attitude so as to take pressure off the back hatch so the boys could get out. After that I straightened up and started to get out myself. At that time I felt certain that they had bailed out. The cockpit was full of smoke and I was choking from it. I glanced at the wings and noticed that they were on fire. I still do not know where we got hit and never will. I am now beginning to think that perhaps some of the fragments may have either killed the two in back, or possibly knocked out their communications … I stuck my head out first and the old wind really blew me the rest of the way out. As I left the plane my head struck the tail …

There was no sign of Del or Ted anywhere around. I looked as I floated down and afterwards kept my eye open from the raft, but to no avail … I sat in my raft and sobbed for awhile. It bothers me so very much. I did tell them and when I bailed out I felt that they must have gone, and yet now I feel so terribly responsible for their fate … Last nite I rolled and tossed. I kept reliving the whole experience. My heart aches for the families of those two boys with me …

As time goes by, I shall add bits to this letter and will mail it at my earliest possible convenience. I shall do the same by Bar … It’s a funny thing how much I thought about her during the whole experience. What I wouldn’t give to be with her right now.

title: “A Young Hero S Anguish” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-07” author: “George Mackey”

[W]e got hit. The cockpit filled with smoke and I told the boys in back to get their parachutes on. They didn’t answer at all, but I looked around and couldn’t see Ted in the turret so I assumed he had gone below to get his chute fastened on. I headed the plane out to sea and put on the throttle so as we could get away from the land as much as possible. I am not too clear about the next parts. I told them to bail out, and then I called up the skipper and told him I was bailing out. My crewmen never acknowledged either transmission, and yet the radio gear was working–at least mine was and unless they had been hit back there theirs should have been, since we had talked not long before … I turned the plane up in an attitude so as to take pressure off the back hatch so the boys could get out. After that I straightened up and started to get out myself. At that time I felt certain that they had bailed out. The cockpit was full of smoke and I was choking from it. I glanced at the wings and noticed that they were on fire. I still do not know where we got hit and never will. I am now beginning to think that perhaps some of the fragments may have either killed the two in back, or possibly knocked out their communications … I stuck my head out first and the old wind really blew me the rest of the way out. As I left the plane my head struck the tail …

There was no sign of Del or Ted anywhere around. I looked as I floated down and afterwards kept my eye open from the raft, but to no avail … I sat in my raft and sobbed for awhile. It bothers me so very much. I did tell them and when I bailed out I felt that they must have gone, and yet now I feel so terribly responsible for their fate … Last nite I rolled and tossed. I kept reliving the whole experience. My heart aches for the families of those two boys with me …

As time goes by, I shall add bits to this letter and will mail it at my earliest possible convenience. I shall do the same by Bar … It’s a funny thing how much I thought about her during the whole experience. What I wouldn’t give to be with her right now.