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flew with him。 It was his tent that Rounds； with McGovern on board； had
torn in half with his jeep； but Surbeck never mentioned it to McGovern。
Surbeck let McGovern do quite a bit of the flying from his co…pilot
’s seat； sometimes half the mission。 The experience taught McGovern 〃more
about what it ’s like to have all that gear on and to go to 25；000 feet
in sub…zero temperatures and stay in formation and get shot at and all the
other things that go with bat missions。〃 Surbeck 〃brought me along。〃
McGovern’s first mission was November 11； 1944 — Armistice Day。 The
night before he checked and saw his name on the assignment sheet。 The morning
began for him when the operations sergeant came into his tent at 4：00 A。M。
to wake him。 On his first five missions； Rounds and Adams could stay in
the sack； as they were not going。 McGovern went to the mess hall for a powdered
egg breakfast。 Then he climbed into a truck for the drive to the group’
s operations room for the briefing。 At the door； an MP examined his identification
and checked his name on the assignment sheet； then opened the door so McGovern
and those from his truck could enter。
Inside； the 300 or so crew sat on planks placed over cinder blocks。
When a staff officer announced that they were all present and accounted
for； the door was locked。 The Group mander by the Fall of 1944 was Col。
William Snowden。 He was in his mid…forties； a 〃grandfather〃 figure to the
pilots and crews。 He had gray hair but a manding presence。 McGovern said
he had 〃the total confidence of everyone in our group。 A good man and a
good leader。 Just the way he moved around； he was reassuring without being
condescending。〃
When Colonel Snowden strode in； everyone stood at attention。 Snowden
climbed onto
the platform； put the men at ease； and after saying good morning motioned
to a member of his staff to pull a draw string。 Behind the curtain was a
large map of southern and central Europe。 The pilots and crew members saw
their route and the target drawn on the map with erasable marks。 When it
was Vienna； or Munich； or any other target known to be well defended by
antiaircraft guns； or if it was four or more hours flying time from Cerignola；
a dismal groan slowly became audible； but on this occasion there were murmurs
of approval because the target 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 bee 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。
mpanel（1）；
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； acpanied
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 adj