NEWSCM:
|
Many unusual
stories have come out of this war and many more will be revealed as
time goes by...Tonight, "The Home Patrol" presents a different
story...He is Tech Sergeant James Conner,
of Madison, Georgia, who is stationed
at Boca Raton Army Air Field, a technical school of the AAF Training Command.
Sergeant Conner, you were based in Italy with the 15th Air Force, weren't
you?
|
CONNER:
|
That's right, Jack....I was a radio operator on a B-24... Flew 31 missions,
seven of them over Ploesti.
|
NEWSCM:
|
You really-saw action then...some of the hottest targets of this war
were at Ploesti...but tell me, what is your job at Boca Raton
Field now?
|
CONNER:
|
I am assistant non-com
in charge of shipping graduates from the field after they have
completed their training. They're sort of anxious to know what they will run
into overseas and are always asking a lot
of questions... I tell them what I can.
|
NEWSCM:
|
With all your overseas experience I'd say they have
placed you in the correct job...You
certainly are in a position to
tell men going overseas what they can expect on the other side...But let's
get on with your story...You say you flew 31 missions...It took 50 to
complete a tour of duty in that
theater didn't it?
|
CONNER:
|
Yes it did, but I was shot down on my 31st mission...It
was on one of those Ploesti raids I told you about... and what a hot
mission...We were hit by flak over the target...Three engines were shot
out...The ship was shaking like the devil I was standing by the camera hatch
when the order came to bail out. We were scrambling out of every piece of
extra equipment...the tail gunner came up behind me and started ripping off my
flak suit and than I rolled out the hatch...
|
NEWSCM:
|
That really called for action...how high were you when
you bailed out?
|
CONNER:
|
We were up 23,000 feet...I didn't wait long before I
pulled the ripcord on my chest chute. I was kind of anxious to see if it was
going to open---and boy, when it did...I had fallen about 3,000 feet and it
felt good to know that much of the trip was over...It was so quiet hanging up
there in the air...So much had happened all at once...Then all of a sudden I
heard
s-w-i-s-h as something went hurtling past me...Looking
down about
3,000 feet below I saw a parachute open...it was the tail
gunner.
|
NEWSCM:
|
I'll bet that gave you a scare...what happened then?
|
CONNER:
|
Well, it wasn't long before I hit the ground... and a
Rumanian reception committee was waiting for
me...They seemed quite friendly although I knew I was their prisoner.
They gave me a short beer, some eggs and milk and did it taste good...The
milk was hot, but it helped a lot. I had sprained my ankle when I landed and
it was aching pretty badly.
|
NEWSCM:
|
So what did they do with you then?
|
CONNER:
|
They took me off to a prison camp in Bucharest...but the
Russian Balkan offensive was closing in on the Germans so we were released 22
days later and flown back to our base
in Italy.
|
NEWSCM:
|
You were a prisoner of war only a short time then...But
no doubt it was the most exciting experience of your combat.
|
CONNER:
|
Well, it was exciting Jack….but to tell you the truth, for
thrills I had another experience I'll never forget….if you don't mind I'd
like to tell you about that….There were four of us of our crew that took part
in the operation. Lt. Vernon Mikkelson, our pilot from Garske, N. Dakota: Lt.
George Nosal, co-pilot, a West Virginian, Tech. Sergeant Edward Rogers, our
engineer, from Chicago and myself….it all started when our group C.O. was having
a conference in his headquarters….
|
|
(FADE OUT - SHORT MUSIC – FADE IN – COLONELS OFFICE)
|
COLONEL:
|
… make it all the way back...too many engines gone. Some
of them bailed out and some of them rode the ship in a belly lending. They
came down in this clearing and skidded right through it.…and ended up well
into the trees. The plane is a total loss, but, fortunately, the men seem to
be all right except for a severe shaking up...Now, here's the problem. They
are so close to the front lines that if they stay there overnight there is a
good chance that Gerry patrols will pick them up. Another thing....this
clearing is in the center of a heavily-wooded area that is nothing but a
swamp to all intents and purpose. There isn't a road within twenty miles. It's
going to take several days for any ground transport to reach them. The men
have no food or water….and there is also a good chance that some of them
might be hurt worse than we think, so we will have to forget about reaching
them by any ground conveyance. They will have to be brought out by air
somehow. The best way would be by using Cubs….the artillery spotters. I've
tried to get some of them but they are so far away that they wouldn't be able
to get into that field until tomorrow. I hate to leave those men there until
then….but it looks as though there is no hope for it.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Pardon me, Colonel, but why don't we get them out in one
of our own B-24's?
|
COLONEL:
|
I've thought of that, Mikkelson.. .that's the first thing
that occurred to me, but that's out of the question. We sent some fighters up
there to look things over and their report is pretty discouraging. This
clearing is nothing but a wheat field. It's fairly wide, but is just a little
better than 3,000 feet long. High trees are solid on both ends of the
strip...if you can call it that. The ground is sure to be soft...that might
help on a landing...but it would certainly make a takeoff plenty difficult.
We know that Cubs can get it...our fighters pilots reported that they saw
wheel marks where they had landed...but I'm afraid that they're the only
planes that can make it...
|
MIKKELSON:
|
I'm sorry, Sir………………..but I think you are being a little
conservative. You probably don't want to risk any of our necks... but I think
that any pilot who was worth a nickel could pull it off.
|
COLONEL:
|
That's a pretty strong statement, Lieutenant. . .and I
think a little impulsive. Don't let the fact that you have just been made
Flight Leader and are supposed to be a hot-rock pilot ..... go to your head.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
I'm not, Sir.... I just think that it can be done in a
B-24
|
COLONEL:
|
Well. . .if you are so sure Mikkelson . . . . would you
like to try it?
|
MIKKELSON:
|
It's okay by me, sir.
|
COLONEL:
|
Better think it over... I'll let you back out.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
I'll get a B-24 in and out.
|
COLONEL:
|
Okay. . . .go ahead. It's your show. . .go figure it out.
|
|
(FADE OUT - SHORT MUSIC – FADE IN – MIKKELSON'S VOICE)
|
MIKKELSON:
|
..... And that's the story, men....I'll never learn to
keep my big mouth shut. I've got to have that ship as light as possible so
I've just picked you three to go along. Anyone of you can back out if you
want to... and I'll try to get somebody to take your place from another crew.
How about it, Nosal? I've got to have a co-pilot.
|
NOSAL:
|
I'll go Mike.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Got to have an engineer ..... What do you say, Rogers?
|
ROGERS:
|
If you think you can make it sir, that's enough for me.
|
CONNER:
|
That goes for me too sir.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Thanks, Conner....Let's get going....We aren't going to be
able to lighten the ship much....we haven't time enough. We've got 200 miles
to go and we'll have to get in and out before dark. Throw out what you can
while we are warming her up….Let's go.
|
|
(FADE OUT - SHORT MUSIC
BREAK – FADE IN - SOUND OF ENGINES RUNNING IN BACKGROUND)
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Conner....Call the base and tell them that we have sighted
the
clearing.......................
|
CONNER:
|
Yes, Sir............................. I see the
men......See them, Lieutenant...
over
there at the side of the strip............................................... they're
waving something.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
I got
it... .How many are there... .can you make them out.
|
NOSAL:
|
There's
nine, Mike.....Where's the tenth?
|
MIKKELSON:
|
That's
all there are....they went out short one man on the mission....Are you
sending all this information back?
|
CONNER:
|
Yes,
Sir....they want to know if you think you can make it.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
It's
going to be tight....but will do....Nosal, give me those flaps when I say the
word....I've got to stall this baby in...........................................
|
NOSAL:
|
Got
it, Mike.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Start
praying....everybody....Here we go....
|
|
(SOUND - SPEED UP ENGINES - THEN SOFTEN)
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Wheels
down.
|
ROGERS:
|
Gear
down and locked.
|
NOSAL:
|
Gear
handle neutral….light on.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
10
degrees flap
|
NOSAL:
|
10
degrees flap.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
20
degrees flap.
|
NOSAL:
|
20
degrees.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Full
flaps.
|
NOSAL:
|
Full
flaps….Here we go….
|
|
(SOUND – CUT ENGINES TO IRREGULAR BEAT – THEN SOUND INDICATING ROUGH LANDING – SLOW ENGINES IN BACKGROUND)
|
NOSAL:
|
Swell
job, Mike….we're in….but, man….you sure rode those brakes at the end.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Had
to….we haven't much room….Rogers….Open that bomb bay and let those men
aboard….get as many as you can on the flight deck and the rest on the bomb
bay catwalk….we've got to have as good a balance as we can.
|
ROGERS:
|
Yes,
sir.
|
|
(SOUND – BOMB BAY DOORS OPENING….SOUND OF VOICES IN EXCITEMENT OF OPENING)
|
VOICES:
|
Thanks....we
were getting pretty hungry and tired.....Can you get off with this load?
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Sure....Conners - Call base and tell 'em that we've got
'em all and preparing for takeoff.
|
CONNER:
|
H-I-G-E-T
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Everybody set, Rogers.
|
ROGERS:
|
As good as we'll ever be, Lieutenant.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Call off air speeds to me on this takeoff....good and
strong, too....so I can hear 'em.
|
ROGERS:
|
Okay,
sir.
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Nosal....This is going to be tight....I want Full Power
Setting and Full RPM....Also..20 degrees flap...and be plenty quick in
getting that gear up when I call for it.
|
NOSAL:
|
Don't worry Mike....20 degrees flap it is. Here we go back
there....Hang on. Full Power Setting and Full RPM. Full Power Setting and
Full RPM.
|
|
(SOUND - ENGINE SWELLS TO ROAR - SOUND - AS THOUGH BRAKES WERE RELEASED)
|
ROGERS:
|
40…..45…..50…..55…..60…..65 ….70….75….80….Those trees
are close…...85….
|
MIKKELSON:
|
Wheels
up.
|
|
(SOUND - ROAR OF ENGINES - THE SOUND OF EXCITED VOICES IN BACKGROUND - SOUND - REDUCE BEAT - NOISE OF ENGINES)
|
NOSAL:
|
We made
it….we made it.
|
CONNER:
|
those
trees must be following us. Oh Boy, that was close. Beautiful, Mike........................................ Beautiful.
|
|
(FADE OUT – SHORT MUSIC BREAK)
|
CONNER:
|
Well....That
was it, Jack.... I didn't think
we had a chance....we were right on top of those trees.............. Do you .know that when Lt. Nosal pulled those
wheels up on that takeoff we were still on the ground . That plane actually settled and didn't start flying until
about a foot off the ground... .Lt. Mikkelson was really a pilot.
|
NEWSCM:
|
I'll
say he was, Conner.... Any more
trouble getting back?
|
CONNER:
|
None at
all........................ Mikkelson
made a sweet landing and reported
in.....The
men he picked up thanked him plenty, though.... I don't blame them........................................ they
were in a tough spot.
|
NEWSCM:
|
But
you got them out--.... Thanks, Conner
....but I see our
time
is up. Ladies and Gentlemen, the dramatic story you have heard tonight was an
actual experience of Tech.Sergeant
James Conner. The script was prepared by the Public Relations Section of Boca
Raton Army Air- Field, a technical school of the AAF Training Command, and
supporting roles were played by Lt. Copulos, and all from Boca Raton Field.
Lt.Copulos directed its production. The program was made possible through the
courtesy of Colonel Leonard H. Rodieck,Commanding Officer, Boca Raton
Field. "The Home Patrol"
wishes to thank all of you for appearing here tonight.
|
