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报告错误 42-空军战士-第30章
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ve a better bomb pattern but it also made a concentrated target for the flak gunners。 〃It was just solid black except for flashes of red where shells were exploding；〃 McGovern remembered。 The Germans were using a box…type defense。 Each of the 88s fired into an area as the bombers approached； the shells traveling faster than the speed of sound and set to explode at the group’s altitude。 〃They just boxed it。〃 The boxes were 2；000 feet deep and 2；000 feet wide； sometimes more。 The German antiaircraft units employed almost a million personnel and operated over 50；000 guns； most of them the dreaded 88s。 The shells were time…fused to explode at 20；000 feet； or above or below that altitude according to the flight pattern。 As the shells exploded； sending out hundreds of pieces of steel shrapnel that had a killing zone radius of some thirty feet； the bombers flew into them。 〃Well they had filled that box；〃 McGovern said。 A standard expression from Surbeck or crew members was that 〃the flak was so thick you could walk on it。〃 McGovern 〃often wondered if that’s the way hell looks。〃 Another pilot； Lt。 Robert Reichard； recalled that 〃the barrage was so intense that the daylight disappeared and it was as if someone had cut out the sun。〃 The B…24's had nowhere to hide and with the ground 25；000 feet below； there was no place to dig in。 The bursts around them posed a threat to the airplane； as it had ten 500 pound bombs and over 2；000 gallons of 100 octane gas on board。 When the bombs dropped the plane jumped a few feet。 〃Everything improved when they went away；〃 Lt。 Vincent Fagan remembered。 〃The plane was 5；000 or 6；000 pounds lighter； we were leaving the flak instead of going into it and we could take evasive action — usually a diving turn towards the shortest escape route from the flak area。〃 ____________________ One didn’t always get out of the flak。 On his first mission； October 7； 1944； B…24 pilot J。I。 Merritt； in Liberty Belle； flew over Vienna to hit an oil refinery。 After dropping the bombs； he banked steeply to the left and headed toward the rally point and home。 Sgt。 Art Johnson； a waist gunner and assistant engineer； was on his twenty…sixth mission。 He recalled； 〃We had flown through the worst of the flak。 I sighed a bit； for this was my third time in the vicinity of Vienna and I knew about where the flak began and ended。〃 Just then； there were four explosions in quick succession。 Johnson’s oxygen hose pulled apart； his gun was knocked out of his hand； and he hit the floor； hard。 Luckily his headset stayed connected and he heard Merritt ask； 〃Is everyone okay？〃 Johnson checked the tail gunner and the ball turret gunner； then pressed his mike。 〃Pilot from left waist — everyone okay back here。〃 But he added； 〃Number three engine throwing oil and smoke； number four dead； holes in flaps and wings。 Over。〃 Johnson later found out that the first burst had exploded directly in front of the plane and the force of it took the top off the nose turret。 The second burst came through and cut the nose wheel and tire in two； cut the interphone lines to the nose and also the oxygen lines。 The third burst ripped up the underside of the right wing and exploded in number four engine。 The gunner in the top turret； Sgt。 Nick Corbo； had just breathed easy and said to himself； 〃We’ve made this one；〃 when the bursts came。 One piece of shrapnel exploded through the flight deck。 Johnson and the other crew members began throwing everything that was loose out of the plane。 Ammunition； guns； flak suits； anything and everything that was loose except themselves。 Merritt fought the wheel as the plane heaved and slowed to the brink of stalling。 Then it began dropping。 Gasoline streamed from the riddled wing tanks； filling the plane with the reek of the fuel。 Only one engine was still working； and that one hardly was。 The plane had dropped from 25；000 feet to 12；000 and was still going down。 Merritt managed to get up some speed and cross into Yugoslavia。 Down to 2；000 feet and almost out of fuel； he called out over the inter； 〃Bail out and good luck！〃 Johnson recalled that the right waist gunner was the first out； followed by the tail gunner and the ball turret gunner。 〃I was alone in back。 I faced the front of the ship and put my head between my knees and out I went。 The slipstream caught me and I went end for end。 By the time I had slowed down a bit I had pulled my rip cord。 One long pull。 I was jerked straight up and down as the silk billowed open and I breathed a prayer of thanks。〃 Johnson and the others； including Merritt and the co…pilot； landed more or less intact。 They were picked up by partisans who managed to get them back to Italy； but not until November 26。 Lt。 Glenn Rendahl； a co…pilot from Hollywood； California； with the 514th Squadron； said that on his first mission； the flak 〃exceeded whatever we expected。〃 On McGovern’s second mission one bomber of the group was lost。 Again there were clouds； but the lead bomber had the Mickey radar and used it to find the railroad and dropped his bombs。 The twenty…seven planes following did also。 But because of the clouds； no observation of results could be made。 ________________ On his first mission； navigator Pepin of the 741st saw a lot of flak； saw some B…24's get hit； but his plane managed to drop its bombs successfully。 He felt a sense of joy as the plane headed home。 The bomb bay doors were closing and the aircraft’s speed was increasing。 〃The going…home sight of the Alps in the early afternoon was far more beautiful than the morning one。〃 The radiomen tuned to the Armed Services Radio station in Foggia and over the inter the crew listened to the latest hit records。 Both danger and the crew’s stamina diminished on the home…bound run and 〃our elation and silliness increased。〃 Everyone was 〃tired； hungry and thirsty；〃 as their breakfast and coffee had been hours ago。 Finally Pepin could see Cerignola and his plane circled the field。 Then； and on later missions； 〃My favorite sight and sound was hearing the tires touch the steel mat on landing and seeing the props e to a halt。〃 After nine hours of 〃grueling； horrendous； nerve…wracking flying； the mission was over。〃 �
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