空军战士-第24章

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get　was　Linz；　Austria；　not　so　terribly　far　away；　without　any　known　antiaircraft　batteries　to　fly　over；　and　not　so　well　protected　itself。　It　could　be　what　the　men　called　a　〃milk　run。〃　Later　in　the　war　Linz　would　become　one　of　the　most　heavily　defended　targets　in　Europe。　　Colonel　Snowden　got　the　men　to　quiet　down　and　gave　way　to　the　weather　officer；　who　described　what　the　cloud　cover　and　winds　were　likely　to　be　like　over　Linz。。　Then　he　went　over　conditions　on　the　route　and　what　to　expect　on　the　way　home　and　what　it　would　be　like　over　Cerignola　when　they　got　back。　Next　the　operations　officer　described　the　nature　of　the　marshaling　yards　they　were　going　after　and　explained　that　the　mission　was　important　because　the　Germans　were　moving　men　and　materiel　through　Linz　on　their　way　to　the　Italian　front。　He　warned　the　pilots　and　bombardiers　to　make　every　possible　effort　to　avoid　hitting　the　cultural　sites　and　educational　buildings。　By　this　stage　of　the　war；　the　bombardiers　in　the　squadron　would　toggle　their　switches　when　they　saw　the　lead　plane；　with　the　best　navigator　and　bombardier；　drop　its　bombs。　　Next　the　men　were　told　who　would　be　the　pilot　of　the　lead　plane。　He　was　always　a　good　pilot。　Sometimes　he　was　a　major；　but　often　Colonel　Snowden　would　lead　the　missions　—　when　that　happened；　the　men　would　again　mummer　their　approval。　The　briefing　would　conclude　with　the　group　chaplain　leading　them　in　a　prayer。　　Dismissal　came　from　Snowden；　but　only　after　he　had　the　men　〃hack〃　their　watches。　They　would　pull　the　stems　of　their　watches　when　the　second　hand　reached　12。　Snowden　would　have　them　set　the　minute　and　hour　hands　to　correspond　to　his；　then　count　to　ten　and　call　〃hack；〃　and　they　would　push　the　stems　back　in。　They　filed　out　of　the　briefing　room；　to　go　to　another　briefing　—　one　for　pilots　and　co…pilots；　another　for　radio　operators；　another　for　navigators　and　bombardiers；　still　another　for　gunners。　　The　men　climbed　into　trucks　for　the　ride　to　the　storage　sheds　just　off　the　runway　where　their　flying　equipment　and　parachutes　were　located。　Each　crew　got　out　and　dressed　for　the　mission。　They　were　going　up　to　20；000　feet　or　even　higher　and　it　was　going　to　be　cold　up　there；　between　20　and　50　degrees　below　zero　Fahrenheit。　McGovern　and　the　others　pulled　on　heavy　winter　underwear。　Next　they　put　on　long　wool　socks　and　a　wool　military　uniform；　slacks　and　shirts　　olive　drab。　Then　a　leather　jacket　and　leather　trousers；　both　lined　with　sheepskin；　then　sheepskin…lined　heavy　boots。　Big；　heavy　silk…lined　leather　gloves　followed。　The　sheepskin…lined　helmet　came　down　over　the　ears。　Surbeck　and　McGovern　wore　Colt　。45　pistols　in　a　shoulder　holster；　then　put　on　backpacks　containing　their　parachutes。　The　other　crew　members　picked　up　their　parachutes　in　chest　packs；　which　they　carried　into　the　plane　by　hand。　They　could　snap　them　on　if　needed。　The　parachute　packers　made　their　standard　joke　when　giving　them　out；　〃If　it　doesn’t　work；　bring　it　back　and　I’ll　give　you　another。〃　　Dressed；　they　walked　to　their　plane　on　its　hard　stand。　Surbeck；　accompanied　by　the　chief　of　the　ground　crew；　walked　around　the　B…24；　checking　it　out　visually。　The　navigator；　bombardier；　radioman；　and　gunners　would　check　out　their　equipment。　　Later；　when　the　plane　had　gotten　up　to　10；000　feet；　the　pilots　and　crew　put　on　their　oxygen　masks。　It　covered　the　nose。　They　plugged　electric　cords　from　their　electrically　heated　flight　suits　into　an　outlet　on　the　plane　—　the　four　engines　created　the　power　for　the　electricity。　They　could　adjust　the　heat；　turning　it　down　a　little　or　up　a　bit　as　needed。　Below　15；000　feet　the　crew　took　off　their　oxygen　masks。　Surbeck　and　McGovern　kept　theirs　on　until　they　were　down　to　10；000　feet。　At　that　altitude；　all　the　smokers　lit　their　cigarettes。　The　smoke　was　so　thick　it　looked　like　there　was　a　fire。　　The　bombs　had　been　loaded　during　the　night　into　the　bomb　bay　by　the　ground　crew　led　by　an　ordnance　officer。　They　assembled　the　bombs　by　taking　the　stabilizing　fins；　stored　in　a　separate　box；　and　screwing　them　on　the　bombs。　Using　winches　and　tractors；　the　ground　crews　had　hoisted　the　unwieldy；　blunt…nosed　500　pound　bombs　into　their　racks。　They　were　inserted　into　the　B…24's　womb　in　a　horizontal　position　and　attached　to　the　metal　racks。　They　had　a　cardboard　tag　between　the　bomb　and　the　nose　fuse；　and　at　the　back　end　a　wire…arming　pin。　The　tail　gunner　would　crawl　out　on　the　cat　walk　over　the　bomb　bay　door　to　pull　the　tag　and　then　the　pin。　　Climbing　into　the　B…24　with　those　big　heavy　boots　and　the　layers　of　clothes　was　always　cumbersome；　as　the　men　waddled　ponderously。　They　carried　flak　jackets；　mandatory　since　Ploesti。　The　crew　members　had　difficulty　getting　themselves　into　and　adjusted　in　their　cramped　positions；　especially　the　nose　turret　and　the　tail　gunner。　The　belly　turret　gunner　waited　until　they　were　in　the　air　before　squeezing　—　with　the　help　of　the　waist　gunner　—　into　his　bubble。　Surbeck　and　McGovern　settled　into　their　seats；　with　their　parachutes　serving　as　a　sort…of　back　rest。　The　seats　were　encased　in　cast　iron。　The　iron　came　up　to　the　knees；　then　under　the　seat　and　up　the　back。　It　was　there　in　the　event　that　flak　hit　the　plane　on　the　bottom　side　so　that；　in　McGovern’s　words；　〃the　pilot　and　co…pilot　would　have　some　chance　of　survival　because　somebody　has　to　fly　the　airplane。　It　wasn’t　that　they　were　worth　more　than　anybody　else　on　the　crew；　but　if　both　got　killed　or　badly　injured；　that　plane　is　going　to　go　down。〃　　The　moment　Surbeck　got　into　the　plane；　went　to　his　seat；　and　put　on　his　earphones　and　mike　—　attached　to　his　helmet　—　he　was；　in　McGovern’s　words；　〃totally　in　command；　of　the　officers　and　sergeants。〃　McGovern　already　knew　that；　but　watching　Captain　Surbeck　go　through　his　routine　reinforced　the　point。　McGovern　explained；　〃It　had　to　be　that　way　because　the　pilot　was　the　only　one　with　his　hands　on　the　controls　that　determined　where　the　plane　was　going　to　go　and　how　it　was　going　to　be　flown。〃　Of　course　he　had　help；　especially　from　the　navigator　and　bombardier；　the　radio　operator　and　the　flight　engineers；　〃but　the　request　for　their　help　came　from　Surbeck。〃　It　was　his　job　to　check　on　the　crew；　frequently。　He　needed　to　make　sure　that　nobody’s　oxygen　hose　had　come　unhooked；　if　a　tail　gunner　or　someone　else　failed　to　answer　when　the　pilot　called　to　him　on　the　intercom；　he　might　well　have　passed　out　from　a　lack　of　oxygen　or　frozen　because　his　electric　plug　had　come　out；　without　ever　noticing　that　his　hose　or　wire　was　unhooked。　These　and　other　things　Surbeck　did　as　a　matter　of　routine；　McGovern　noted。　　To　get　the　engines　started；　Surbeck　would　signal　to　the　flight　engineer；　who　would　start　the　single…cylinder　gasoline…powered　unit　on　the　B…24。　It　was　called　the　〃putt…putt〃　and　gave　a　boost　to　the　batteries。　Engine　number　three；　the　one　nearest　McGovern；　started　first。　It　powered　the　generators　which　helped　start　the　other　engines。　When　all　were　operating；　Surbeck　did　a　〃run　up；〃　checking　on　each　engine’s　performance；　magnetos；　temperature　and　pressure　checks　of　fuel；　oil　and　hydraulic　systems。　When　a　flare　went　up　planes　began　to　move　out　of　their　hard　stands　over　the　taxiway　and　onto　the　runway；　looking　like　elephants　getting　ready　fo