Aviation History - USA (2019-09)

the sound of approaching engines and watching

the sky. There was widespread relief when Ripley’s

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Roddenberry and Jacobs had refused the ride and

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“to feel the earth beneath their feet.”

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search they had encountered what Ripley called a

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ing as far as they could see.

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said Ripley. He supposed he should have turned

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solid sheets and the engines began to sputter. Then

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and I were pushing the sticks full forward. Then

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In the nose navigator Joe Jacobs was on the roof

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had been out of the nose and was now unable to

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pilots’ seats. Engineer Harry Scotidas was “dodg-

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had the terrifying experience of looking past

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whipping the cockpit windows. Then as if by a

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through the front.

“There was a cushion of air right on top of the

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a strong Jap air base any day but never through a

tropical front like that again.” Roddenberry was

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Theme Song of the 394th Bomb Squadron

I wanna go home

I wanna go home

Ack-ack and Zeros are driving me mad

You can’t eat the chow and the liquor is bad

Take me back to ‘Frisco

That’s where we’re longing to go

Oh Ma, I’m too young to die

I wanna go home

I wanna go home

I wanna go home

Our B-17s are breaking to bits

They won’t hold together for many more trips

Let’s go back and sell Bonds

And cheer the war heroes on

Oh Ma, I’m too young to die

I wanna go home

I wanna go home

I wanna go home

We’re through with the Shortlands and old

Bougainville

If the Japs don’t get you, the weather sure will

Even Texas is better than this

A land of comparative bliss

Oh Ma, I’m too young to die

I wanna go home

I wanna go home

I wanna go home

The Flight Surgeon tells me I’m ready to fly

The Chaplain tells me I’m ready to die

But we’ll take none of that stuff

We know when we’ve had enough

Oh Ma, I’m too young to die

I wanna go home

I wanna go home

I wanna go home

“Time” tells us that ack-ack’s a beautiful sight

“Life” printed a picture of tracers at night

But the stuff that we see is real

From up close it loses appeal

Oh Ma, I’m too young to die

I wanna go home

I WANNA GO HOME

AH 41

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September 2019

“I’LL GO OVER

A STRONG JAP

AIR BASE ANY

DAY BUT NEVER

THROUGH A

TROPICAL

FRONT LIKE

THAT AGAIN.”

AIRMEN AT EASE

Roddenberry (center)

and fellow copilots

raise a glass in the

Nadi officers’ club.