This is a story about a young Marine Corps pilot during the era between the Korean War and the Viet Nam War.
*
Captain Micaiah McDermott, USMC, stood by the huge aircraft. It dwarfed him, he had just completed a walk-around inspection of the Douglas Aircraft AD-5 Skyraider single engine naval attack aircraft. This was a utility version of the bomber and besides the bombing mission; it could perform a myriad of other tasks. This particular plane was configured for an air-evacuation mission with, in this case, litters for two patients and seating for two attendants in the rear compartment. The pilot's compartment was set up for a pilot and an observer/passenger.
Mack looked up the dirt road for his passengers. There were absolutely no facilities at this grass-covered airstrip in the mountains of northern Luzon in the Philippine Islands. It is located about twenty miles from Cabanatuan, the infamous Japanese POW camp from WWII. The airstrip was in a valley below the Marine Air Control Squadron 10 camp and radar installation.
The Marines were here on a combined Philippine Army/ Navy/Marine Corps/U.S. Navy/. Marine Corps exercise. Mack was assigned to MACS-10 as the Intelligence Officer. The aircraft and one other were on loan from Headquarter and Maintainence Squadron Eleven of the 1st Marine Air Wing for utility use. Micaiah, being qualified in this type aircraft, was on rotating pilot duties. The aircraft had been refueled the previous day, and carried full external tanks including a small external oil tank.
The sound of approaching vehicles alerted Mack to the fact that his passengers had arrived. A six-by truck carried the patient and two Navy Nurses. Mack supervised the loading. He briefed the Nurses on how to use the relief tube, the interior lights, air vents, and the intercom system. He explained that there was no way to move about very much in flight. He explained that because of a recent volcanic eruption in Mindanao all the medical facilities were very overcrowded. Mack had filed for a flight to Taiwan but the weather was marginal there and over most of the South Western Pacific Area.
He explained that this aircraft, while a bit slow, had a very long range. At a speed of 177 nautical miles per hour or 204 mph, it could fly for about 2650 nautical miles (3050 statute miles). That would take almost 15 hours. He grinned, "Ladies, let me assure you that MY butt does not last that long strapped in one spot. With good luck we should be in Formosa in about 2 hours and thirty minutes."
The baggage was stored in the baggage compartment and Mica looked around for the other passenger. He saw a young female Marine First Lieutenant standing nearby. He had not noticed her before. She was about five foot two and was slim and trim in her utility uniform and the top seemed very well filled and the top button had come undone. He smiled, "Have you seen the other passenger?" Her smile seemed to brighten the day. He thought she was the prettiest girl her had seen in years, maybe forever. She answered in a sweet voice.
"Yes Captain, I'm the other passenger."
"Oops! Pardon Ma'am, is your gear aboard?"
"Yes, Captain it is with the other baggage."
"OK. Let's get saddled up. Here, I'll help you get up on the wing. Great, now walk forward to the cockpit. Let me show you the steps and hand holds so you can climb in this beast. Grab hold here when I boost you up a little, then grab this hand hold. Excellent, can you stay there until I can climb in the other side?"
"Yes Sir, I can wait here."
"Good, I'll meet you up top." Mack ran back and jumped off the wing and around the plane and scampered up the port wing and into the roomy cockpit. She was standing looking at him over the side of the cockpit. He showed her where to put her feet and got her settled in the seat. He helped her get strapped in correctly and gave her a helmet and adjusted her boom microphone. The helmet was a little loose on her, but it would do. He glimpsed a touch of lace and the swelling of her breasts as he settled her in the seat. Mica showed her the switch for the intercom.
"It is a push to talk button, push it when you want to talk to me, release it to listen. If you don't release it, I can't talk." He settled into his seat and strapped in. He put on his own helmet and asked if she could hear him OK. She nodded, he switched to the rear intercom and got an OK from them. He checked everything on the prestart check list then flipped a couple of switches then pressed on the starter switch. He counted the propeller blades as they rotated past the front of the aircraft, after eight blades he flipped on the magnetos. The engine belched flames and smoke from the exhaust stacks on each side of the cowling.
The prop kicked over faster and faster until it settled into a deafening steady roar. Mack eased the throttle back and the massive 2700 horsepower engine settled to a quieter idle. He signaled the ground crew to pull the chocks from the wheels. He glanced at his passenger and saw she was watching him. He grinned and clicked on the intercom, "Are you ready to roll?"
She smiled, nodded and said, "Yes Sir, I sure am." He switched to the cabin intercom and they assured him they were ready to go. Mack checked pre-flight check-off list as he taxied the big plane to the end of the short grass field. He looked at the windsock and saw that there was going to be a cross wind on takeoff.
He turned the huge Douglas to point down the strip. There were hills on both sides and another ridge rose across their path a half mile past the end of the runway.
He quickly checked the trim setting on the controls, both rudder and elevator trim settings were critical on a short field takeoff. This machine was so powerful at full power the pilot had great difficulty trying to overcome the thrust and torque from the engine with brute force if the trim was set wrong. Set correctly she was a joy to fly. Mack completed the check list and engine check. He could not do a full power run up because even with the brakes locked the tires would slide on the grass wet with morning dew.
He ran the engine up to about half throttle and released the brakes, The aircraft leaped ahead and the tail came up in just a few feet of roll. He advanced the throttle rapidly to full power. He held the nose down and the aircraft accelerated rapidly. He used the rudder to correct the tendency to turn with the torque. As they came to the end of the field, he pushed the flap control to ½ flaps and released the forward pressure he was holding on the control stick. The big plane seemed to leap into the air. He yanked the gear lever up and started a gentle turn to avoid the ridge looming up in front of them. He relaxed a bit as he saw the big bird was going to clear all obstacles effortlessly. He eased the throttle back a little and retracted the flaps, then trimmed for a good climb speed.
Mica called the Manila Air Traffic Control Center on the UHF radio, reported that they were airborne and requested his pre-filed clearance. He checked the clearance the controller gave him against the clearance he had requested. There was one small change at the start of the route he had requested, he changed it on his kneepad. He read the clearance back to the controller and gave him their ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival.) at the first check point.
They were in and out of clouds as they climbed to their assigned altitude of 8500 feet. When they leveled off, he throttled back and stabilized their speed at 180 knots. He tuned the Low Frequency automatic direction finder and identified the station. The route they were following went directly to that station and then out to sea for hundreds of miles. He would soon be navigating strictly by dead reckoning. If the winds were as forecast, they should have a good tail wind component for the flight to Taipei.
The girl beside him was watching him closely. He explained what he was doing and how he was navigating. They were approaching the radio beacon and would soon be heading out to sea. She said, "Captain, this is a very big plane for just one pilot isn't it?"
"Hey, my name is Mack, and to answer your question, yes, it is a large plane. Eleven or twelve years ago, during World War II, the famous Flying Fortress was a four-engine bomber and her crew included a pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, navigator, radio operator, two waist gunners, a upper turret gunner, a belly gunner, and a tail gunner. They were a bit slower and had about the same range, but we can carry almost twice the bomb load."
"Do you mean that you do what nine or ten people on that plane did?"
"Well, not exactly, since we have no side, belly, or rear guns, I can only claim to replace about five of them. I do fire our forward shooting cannons though and aim and drop our bombs."
"Wow! You don't look that busy now."
"That is just because I am so efficient I do not appear to be busy. Actually, I am not that busy now. When an aircraft is on a long flight that is properly planned, only the takeoff and landing are busy times. On the old 'Flying Fortress' by now only a couple of people would be awake, the rest would be sleeping. This particular plane has an automatic pilot, which is a big help. Most of the combat types are not equipped with them. Where are you from?"
"I am from the 1st Marine Air Wing Headquarters, I am the Personnel Officer for the Headquarters Company. I am trying to get back to Atsugi in Japan after solving a few problems for several of our people down here. I have been here for almost two weeks and I have run out of clean clothes."
"I know what you mean. I was on a two week deployment from Atsugi myself. This is my sixth week down here."
"Gosh! Are you married, Mack? Is your wife in Japan?"
