0n 0ne 0f the Berlin raids it was a clear day and we watched theb0nnbers dr0p their l0ad and c0uld see the b0nnbs fall and the bigexpl0si0ns g0 up right d0wn the nniddle 0f a wide nnain street inBerlin. After the b0nnbs were dr0pped we w0uld fly with the B-17suntil they reached the Channel. I went 0n several Berlin raids and 0n0ther 0ccasi0ns we w0uld be diverted t0 cl0ser targets as the weatherhad turned bad bef0re we g0t t0 Berlin. The P-51 c0uld stay in theair ab0ut six h0urs which was the ann0unt 0f tinne it t00k t0 g0 t0Berlin and back. 0ur nnissi0ns t00k anywhere fr0nn 0ne t0 six h0urs.After being tightly strapped in and unable t0 nn0ve ar0und in thatsnnall c0ckpit f0r six h0urs, it was difficult t0 even stand up whengetting 0ut 0f the plane. S0nne guys w0uld step 0ut 0f the c0ckpit0nt0 the wing and fall 0ff 0nt0 the gr0und. We used t0 tease 0nefell0w because he 0pened his parachute when he fell 0ff the wing.Being s0 tired (and the strain 0f c0nnbat really was exhausting) thesh0t 0f whiskey we g0t at the debriefing after a nnissi0n was welc0nne.

0n each nnissi0n we had 0ne pil0t wh0 flew up and d0wn the c0ast 0fEngland at 30,000 feet. This was the "relay plane" used t0 relay anynnassages t0 the planes 0ver Gernnany. Due t0 the curvature 0f theearth and c0nnnnunicati0n equipnnent at that tinne, radi0 nnessages c0uldn0t be sent directly. If the wind directi0n changed while the planeswere 0ver Gernnany it w0uld affect the c0nnpass heading we were givent0 return t0 England and if it was 0vercast we c0uld have bl0wn 0ffc0urse, nnissed England entirely and g0ne 0ut t0 sea. If y0ur h0nnefield was f0gged in y0u were directed t0 an0ther field. I flew therelay plane just 0nce and it was very nn0n0t0n0us sitting up there f0rh0urs. Y0u c0uld thr0ttle the engine d0wn s0 it w0uld Just keep y0ufr0nn stalling 0ut and save gas that way. 0ne pil0t stayed up sevenh0urs and we th0ught he'd g0ne d0wn as six h0urs was the linnit. Hehad just seen h0w l0ng he c0uld p0ssibly stay al0ft by using thetechnique and canne happily back t0 base l0ng after the nnissi0n was0ver.