· RUEL SK

The Preparation
17
would take-off and land, taking passengers on IS-minute rides. The cost was $3.00 but, in
the middle of the Depression, very few people could afford the price of an airplane ride.
Today, however, his ride would be free.
Staff Sergeant John W. Knox, T/Sgt. Fabian S. Mack:, and S/Sgt. Harty F. Tachovsky
were waiting to receive communion from Father Joseph Quinlan, the Base Catholic
Chaplain. They needed all the help they could get.
Along with his Catholic missal, 1st Lt. Frank J. Bertram always carried a miniature
baseball glove, a gift from his wife. Another of the men who attended the service before
each mission was 2nd Lt. Bobby C. McGough.
Meanwhile, the early birds were slowly swallowing their breakfasts. Some just
could not eat - butterflies had taken over their stomachs like planes on their hardstands.
Others were grumbling about the chow, and particularly about the powdered eggs.
One day, T ISgt. Robert L. Sims had eaten in the ground crew mess and found this a
terrible experience. So Sims swiped food from the officers' mess and cooked it on the hut's
small coal stove. He did it so well that the officers of the crew joined them for dinner.
Lieutenant George thought it was not a question of ingredients; it was a question of
cooks. Sometimes, he removed his wings to eat in the ground officers' mess hall where he
found the food excellent and well prepared. Today he ate only a small portion of canned
peaches.
Technical Sergeant Sammy S. Weiner sat down to the usual breakfast. "I had no
stomach for the pancakes, those soggy cold cakes, but gulped a cup of coffee. I had flown
over the Channel two days in succession."
The sack lovers hurried themselves to the mess hall where others were already
waiting in line. Lieutenant Pouliot pushed a plateful of messy looking powdered eggs
aside, and ate a peanut butter sandwich between gulps of coffee.
Tail turret guIUler S/Sgt. Frank T. Plesa never missed a briefmg, even when a black
cat had crossed his path en route to his first one. Even that was not enough to temper the
enthusiasm of this airplane lover, who was so eager he could hardly wait to enlist in the
aviation cadet program offered after graduation from high school. He wanted to be a fighter
pilot but he also wanted to help his older brothers, cousins, close friends, and, in fact,
everyone to end this awful war.