Subject: THE DAY THE 344TH STOPPED PATTON
From: Dana Miller
Date: 9/7/03 7:47 PM Pacific

Get a grip. AA didn't actually TARGET the bridge, it just happened to
be there when he jettisoned. At low altitude, with the salvo decision
taken as a forced snap-judgement, there might not be a chance to look
for a "safe" place to drop.

Let tell you how a hung up bomb is "kicked out". The Bombardier climbs back
into the bomb bay. A hung up bomb can become armed if the fuse end is what is
dangling and the arming wire has pulled out. The entire plane and crew are one
small move away from death under these circumstances. The bombardier is now in
the bombay with bombay doors open and a 180 mph relative wind beating on him..
He reaches back with his left hand and grips the bomb axe mounted on the bomb
bay wall, He pulls it loose and engages the end of the axe into the slot in the
A-2 shackle. Now he twists hard. If all goes well the shackle will now spring
open and the bomb will fall free. The bomb is armed of course since the arrming
wire has already piulled out and the arming vanes have been spinning at high
speed in the relative wind for some time. The bombardier can't look down to see
what is below. In fact he has no vision other then the bomb. His first concern
is to get the bomb out and save the plane and the crew. For an actual account
of one such actual occurance, go to my website and read, "After 58 years this
still burns my ass".


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer