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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 mand； 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 e unhooked； if a tail gunner or someone
else failed to answer when the pilot called to him on the inter； he might
well have passed out from a lack of oxygen or frozen because his electric
plug had e 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 for a circus parade。 Surbeck
called out the final checklist to McGovern：
〃Booster pumps〃 — 〃On〃
〃Mixture〃 — 〃Auto rich〃
〃Props〃 — 〃Full high〃
〃Superchargers〃 — 〃Set〃
〃Half flaps〃 — 〃Set〃
and so on。
Surbeck lined his plane up on the taxi strip； behind some planes and
ahead of others — there were 28 in the group； seven in each squadron。 The
454th Bomb Group was on the other side of the runway； parallel to the 455th；
so that the planes from each group could take off side by side。 Setting
the brakes； Surbeck pushed the throttle to get the engines running at maximum。
When his turn to take off arrived； the roar was almost deafening。 The plane
vibrated as every nut and bolt； every rivet and tube rattled and shook。
Twenty or at most thirty seconds after the plane ahead of him began
to roll down the runway； Surbeck released the brakes。 A modern air traffic
controller； or a pilot of a mercial airliner； would be appalled at the
sight； but for the bomber pilots of World War II that was how close to each
other they were。 Down the strip Surbeck started rolling； picking up speed
until he reached 160 mph。 He had his flaps set at 20 degrees； brought the
engines to maximum power； and at the end of the runway he pulled the nose
off the ground and became airborne。 With the bomb load； the full tanks of
fuel； the weight of the crew and their equipment； including the 。50 caliber
machine guns and ammunition for them； Surbeck had to fight to gain altitude。
It seemed to McGovern that he would not get the plane above tree…top altitude；
but he did。 Barely； but he did。 Once the plane was in the air； even if only
just； McGovern as co…pilot had the task of raising the landing gear and
bringing up the flaps。
Surbeck circled； as did all the other pilots； their planes looking rather
like hawks over a marsh。 And he climbed。 The gunners tested their guns。
They were Browning M…2 。50 caliber machine guns。 Each gun had about 150
working parts and the men had been required to strip and reassemble it blindfolded
wearing gloves。 The guns weighed sixty…four pounds and fired 800 rounds
of ammunition per minute at a range of 600 yards。 Sgt。 Louie Hansen； a tail
gunner in the 743rd Squadron； once discovered that both his guns were jammed
— the cocking levers had been put in backward after the guns had been cleaned
from the previous mission。 He described what he did。 〃There was only space
in the turret to get one hand through to a gun。 I did one with my right
hand； the other with my left。 Sweat started to trickle down my back； my
goggles steamed over which made no difference as there was no way to see
what I was doing。 The intense cold made me afraid to remove my gloves。 But
I got the job done and； as most bat crew members know； one can sweat
at 50 degrees below。〃 Fortunately for Surbeck and McGovern； the guns on
their Liberator tested okay。
After an hour or so； Surbeck’s plane had bee a part of the formation。
It was a squadron box of seven aircraft。 There were two three…plane echelons。
The lead plane had a wingman just behind and on either side。 Surbeck was
one of those on the wing of the leader。 The second echelon was forty feet
below and forty feet back of the lead echelon。 The seventh aircraft； known
as 〃Tail End Charlie；〃 was behind the second echelon。 Flying the wing； even
for Surbeck； was more difficult than being in the lead； but easier than
flying Tail End Charlie。 As the last plane in the squadron； Tail End Charlie
was the most vulnerable if German fighters attacked； and it was the hardest
position to hold。 Usually new pilots and crews got that assignment。 On the
wing； Surbeck wanted to stay close to the plane he was flying on so as to
make as small and infrequent power changes as possible； to save the engines
and save fuel。 Pilot Lt。 John Smith； said that 〃in due course flying formation
became a reflex like driving a car。〃 The group consisted of four squadrons；
the lead box； the high box； the low box and the middle box。
More climbing； to 20；000 and eventually 25；000 feet over the Adriatic。
Then off for the target。 When the group got to the initial point it turned。
But clouds had moved in over Linz and the lead pilot decided to abort。 He
turned； so did the others； and returned to base； still fully loaded with
the bombs。
________________________
McGovern’s first mission went better than that of Lt。 David Gandin；
a navigator in a B…24。 In his war diar