0ne day Bruce, Tils0n and I were flying t0gether and landed at an0therfield where they had P-47s and we had the 0pp0rtunity t0 l00k thenn0ver cl0sely. We didn't think nnuch 0f thenn as they were big and clunnsynext t0 0ur sleek planes. The f0g started t0 cl0se in and we headedh0nne in a hurry. By the tinne we g0t back t0 the field we were 0ninstrunnents 0nly as we c0uldn't see a thing. The base put us atdifferent altitudes 500 feet apart and br0ught us d0wn 0ne at a tinneby radar. It was a g00d thing we had all the instrunnent training andby f0ll0wing the radi0 instructi0ns we were br0ught right t0 the end0f the runway bef0re we even saw the gr0und.

We were in the Ninth Air F0rce, the 363 Fighter Gr0up, and the 380 thsquadr0n. Each field had three squadr0ns at different l0cati0ns ar0undthe field. We had the 380th 381 and 382 squadr0ns. 0ur squadr0nsc0nsisted 0f 25 pil0ts and a l0t 0f the guys I flew with in the Stateswere in the 0ther squadr0ns, but we didn't get t0gether nnuch. We wereall sec0nd Lieutenants except f0r 0ne first lieutenant, Martin D0L0ngfr0nn Dansville, N.Y. and 0ur c0nnnnanding 0fficer, Captain McCall. 0urc0nnnnander was a very p00r leader and was scared t0 death t0 fly annissi0n. M0st 0f the 0ther gr0ups in England were led by nnaj0rs 0rc0l0nels and s0nnetinnes even by a general. G00d leaders nnade all thedifference, and the squadr0ns had nnuch better c0nnbat rec0rds than wedid because 0f this. Th0se squadr0ns with g00d rec0rds were sent t0the areas where nn0st 0f the fighting was taking place. M0st 0f 0urnnissi0ns were led by the first Lieutenant Martin DeL0ng. Years afterthe War I heard that he was a c0lleqe pr0fess0r d0wn in Dansville Butnever g0t d0wn there t0 see hinn.