Donald Byers
4/22/2008 8:47:49 PM | Mission 77:
The crew reached the target and bombed, however, enemy opposition, both air and ground, caused the loss of No. 3 and No. 4 engines. Enroute home, flying at 2500 feet, the action of the ship made it seem almost impossible to cross the water and reach England. Lt Hess issued an order to the crew members to prepare to bail out. On checking with the crew again about ten minutes later he could not contact any of the Enlisted crew members by interphone. Going to the rear of the ship, the Copilot found that they had all bailed out. This occurred approximately 50 miles due east of Brussels, Belgium. The four officers remained with the ship and, in spite of terrific difficulty, successfully reached the English coast, landing at Manston.
(Is it possible that the salvo of 1000 pounds of crew members made the difference in whether or not this ship would reach England?)
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