Mission 37

April 26, 1943    Brother, what a day. Off at 9:20 to bomb an airport just North of Rome. We flew on the deck till we got almost to Corsica then started climbing to 23,500 feet. We were on the tail end this time but were leading when we came off the target. No one but our squadron dropped the first time so we had to stay with the others while they made another run. Boy it was a rat race if I ever saw one.    The 97th bombed the same target and lost a plane because of a direct hit from flak. It went straight down and was seen to break up. My gunners only saw one chute open.     When I landed and set foot on solid earth again, I was so weak in the knees I could hardly stand up. Seven hours and 20 minutes is a hell of a long mission.

    The birthplace of Napoleon is a beautiful Island with snow capped mountains.