Cap Mandrake
Posts: 23184
Joined: 11/15/2002 From: Southern California Status: offline
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******Aboard USS Allen, Amchitka Is., April 10, 1943******* Sweeping for mines in Amchitka Harbor in wartime, and within range of Jap bombers, no less, was a far cry from another conference on "New Concepts in Active Deguassing, 1943(b)", which the good professor was scheduled to attend, but this was FAR more exciting and he would have not been anywhere else. This was HIS baby. The idea had struck him like a religious epiphany. He had heard from a friend that, because of a house rule on restrictions on upgrading to 4 engine bombers, the USAAF had hundreds of unused B-24's. What if floats were added..and a rudder? With their aluminum frame, they could be used as manned, steerable, demining sleds! Months of meetings and training followed, culminating in their first operational use..and he was there! He held the binoculars up to his eyes and was pleased to see how well the two B-24's fared in rough seas, one to port and one to starboard 600 yds astern. Waves splashed over the wings and into the engine cowlings, draining back down in white foam. Beautiful! ......."ENGINE COWLINGS! OH DEAR GOD!" Huge, nearly simultaneous fountains ov water erupt astern of the ship. TF 1078 encounters mine field at Amchitka Island (96,36) Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses B-24D Liberator: 2 destroyed Allied Ships DD Allen
< Message edited by Cap Mandrake -- 1/5/2009 8:41:51 PM >
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