Wings of Love and War by Patrick E. Taylor

Author:Patrick E. Taylor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2012-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

Combat

During his first weeks with the 390th, Bobby had to concentrate on his bombardier’s duties and brush up on his gunnery, at the expense of his thoughts about Denise and his letter writing. He slept soundly at night, but despite his last thoughts before sleep being of her, his dreams were of frustration and lack of fulfillment, as well as excitement and not a little anxiety about impending combat.

All was not work during that period, because of the poor weather. They were allowed to go into town, where some time was spent at the local pubs, getting used to English beer. Not warm as reputed, but at English room temperature, in other words, cool. Usually they didn’t even remove their overcoats, it was so cold inside.

It took some practice to learn the British monetary system, but their hosts were patient and honest in cash transactions. Bobby also learned the slang of the friendly locals, who were touchingly thankful to him and the other “Yanks” for coming from so far to help out. The young women among them were especially friendly, and he had to constantly remind himself that he was already spoken for.

The local socializing was interrupted by their completion of training in October. There was also a change in the weather, which, while clearing only a little, became much more frigid. This brought out not only the terrible cold of high altitude flying, but also more flaws in the construction of their quarters and the ill-planned orientation to the wind of their corrugated metal Nissen huts.

At that point, the timing of his baptism of fighting was fitting. He and the rest of the crew were actually itching to get into action, despite the realization that with their designation as crew number one, they were there in the 390th as replacements. The question was, had the previous crew assigned that number finished their tour of duty, or had they been shot down?

Before he and his crew entered combat, the 390th Bomb Group celebrated its 200th mission. As with the earlier festive observation of their 100th, preparations had been made well in advance, and with great anticipation. Unlike combat crews, who remained there a few months at most, the supply, maintenance, security and command personnel had been there since the establishment of the 390th two years before. They would not see home for another year at the earliest. For them, especially, the opportunity to party was a real morale builder.

Women from surrounding towns and neighboring British auxiliary units were invited, many lodged in Parham Hall, the stately manor house that existed on the Base. It was run like a hotel, with cots borrowed from the Base quarters, and supplied with surplus bedding. Because the previous celebration had been so wild, MPs were assigned as a precautionary measure to keep order, but outnumbered as they were by about a hundred to one, they were largely ineffective.

A big band from London supplied the music. Individual supplies of whiskey and gin were supplemented by copious amounts of beer supplied by the Quartermaster.

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