A Yankee Flier Over Berlin

h mansion set on a little hill. It stood in the middle of well-kept ground

e," he said in mo

gathered around an open fire lounging in easy chairs

lflowers," he sai

h of us, lollin' in the lap o' luxur

it?" St

mitted. "Sit down while I

n described the mission. He loaded hi

ust plow along through the muck and hope the boys will ba

you get?" O'

n flaming and we saw the boys bail out. I thought we were slipping through pretty nicely when an Me winged us with an explosive cannon shell. After that we got hit plenty. We picked up a shel

been tough,

ut a thousand feet a minute and nothing the

ood job of it gettin'

to the top turret man and told him to get the gunners together in the radio compartment. I fig

and came right on home, smoking like a torch. As we came in, we found we had a be

hurt?" St

is in the hospital. I forgot to say we dumped our guns and everything else we could pry loose. I gues

. "You jest sit there an' take it. You

x Jerries and there was plenty of shootin

p a bit of excite

are, not the Battle of Britain or the Pacific. They'll bounce you high

an answered. "But we plan to

eep secret,"

and Allison chatted about the changes and the amazing way the Eighth ha

Holt. They found him in the mess looking very dour and gloomy. He was alone. None of the othe

down, sir?

motioned to

an ordered coffee and

ape for supper," he said when Stan

y you fellows flew it, but the way the Germans have eve

ol Jerry," S

ow

em loose about the time the show should start. We know their ta

busy as soon as you hit the coast. Kicking off a tank can

ds. The others can cover for us. We'd s

ve been proud to have thou

something there. The element of surprise and al

y said. "I'm speak

to think we have too much handling out of the control room." He bent forward and his smile

you down, sir,

shly. "I got a date with th

es. Oversee it yourselves. I'll put throu

an said. "Now we'll r

w much tank capacity you'll need and how many m

ea. We intended to take it up with Lieutenant Sim Jones first

hat's fine of you boys. Mind if I

least," St

r through regular channels. I see you

'Malley grinned. "Slick work, Stan," he sa

either," Stan remarked as

that little could be done to keep it in order. The round wood stove leaked ashes on the floor which was always tracked deep with

s where the mechanics worked over the planes. They learned fro

," the sergeant said. He did n

t fer me own ship," O'Mal

like the colonel'

efore, sir," the

happ

g ducks for the Jerries," the sergeant said sourly. "To

around and let you know

should be done and made off. O'Malley did not show up at mess and Stan began to wonder where he had gone.

teak dinner," S

xed up me ship. You know that feller hadn't had a steak for a month. He sure went for it." O'Malley se

oshed through the mud to their hut. During their absence, two other boys, replac

eager for action. Someone had given them the records of Stan and O'Malley. They were both eager to talk to the veterans. S

ot about you fel

you hear in the army," S

ken in by me auld pal Go

in the morning," Stan said. "See you boys over at

get up to poke wood into that

plinters said. They were both disappointed that

ing as they had promised, and the boys did not waken until they were called at three-fifty the next morning. Bugs and

sleep when ye get a c

anding with his fellow officers. The room was filled with a buzz of talk. Something was up and the boys kne

to anyone about the operations planned,

thing up," Bugs sai

e'll give you the s

jective is a fighter station and a plant near Huls. Ordinarily we'd turn back just beyond Antwerp. Today we'll have a flight along which will carry enough extra gasoline to add two-hundred-twe

rinned happily; the others looked their disappo

in under the leadership of Lieutenant Wil

s left. Colonel Holt went over the plan with him, then Stan hurried out to get his gro

eer this, Wils

in command, if that's wha

ou had to take over here,"

n' than you'll ever know," O'Malley c

-range ships. They'll be heavy and gas logged. My planes have to get to use all of

ink you're trying to get yoursel

't care what you think of me, personally, but y

a newcomer the same as Colonel Holt; both had seen much service in other theaters of war. Stan sensed t

hing," O'Malley said out

dn't let him tell this plan to

enetration flight. His boys had been carefully instructed. They were to break away and appear to leave with the othe

and up into the sky. He dropped into place in Sim's flight along with O'Malley. They were separated by

ere many scattered banks of clouds all around. Stan kept his eyes open. Today he was not watching the beauty of the bomber formation, he was checking on his own flight of fighters. S

. A flight of Focke-Wulf 190's broke o

on. Cover speci

close with the Yanks. They were willing to pick off a cripple or a plane cut out from the flight bu

they refused to be pulled into side shows. For once O'Malley was ignoring a Jerry fighter. He was well up in front heading stra

ered. "He's making it his personal

ved down at the tail ships

r and shoo them away. Suddenly Stan realized Sim was not maki

a fight. The Thunderbolt responded awkwardly. Stan reached for the tank release, then his hand froze. If he kicked loose hi

t of the corner of his eye he saw that Sim had banked sharply and was coming back to help him. He also spotted the cloud the Jerries had used to ambush the flight. As he laid over and made for it, one

hit bad. The Jerry banked and went up a bit to get a better dive. He figured he had plenty of time because the Yank was crippled. That was what Stan wanted. He kicked the Thu

aiting for him. Sim was chasing one FW, but three waited for the cripple. When Stan came zooming out of the top of the cloud, th

ant, then broke in two and burst into roaring flames. Stan went over the wreckage and cut in between the other two Jerries. They were alive now and in action. Around the three went, up and over, painting t

w things, but he knew the setup was such that he had to keep his mouth closed. Sim had made an error of judgment in going

before he kicked his tanks loose. He was flight leader of the group headed for Huls. If he went on with

le all three Jerries. You'll h

leased with the idea. "I'll use m

o back," Sim barked.

red. "I'm taking th