Our patrols took us over Honk Kong and enemy ships and territories. On one patrol an enemy fighter appeared from in the clouds. I first noticed enemy ships ahead. The waist gunner radioed a fighter coming up, and our pilot went for cloud cover. The top turret and nose turret (my position) got all clogged with rain. The waist turret man saw the enemy plane and yelled, “Fire!” Just then, the plane emerged and I swung my turret around firing. He fired back but was unsuccessful in hitting us. Then the fighter made another attempt and came from behind, and our tail gunner fired and he took leave in a hurry.
On one return patrol, we also located a pilot on a single life raft about 700 miles from our base. We dropped provisions for him and radioed his position for a seaplane to pick him up.
One flight we had engine trouble. We threw everything overboard that we could and landed at Mendora, Philippines for repairs. Another guy and I took spark plugs out of a P47 to repair the engine.
After 46 years, I located my pilot, E. E. Carrell, and visited with him for about four hours. He told of the briefings the pilot was given before each flight. These were very confidential and not revealed to crew members. He was instructed that if he found any enemy ship to stay with it and radio for help to come. This would have meant sure death for us, as we would have been shot down or run out of gas. Pilot Carrell said he was sure happy we did not find any Jap ship that trip.
Robert C. Binkley
You Think Too Much! 