ummm that happened the day you guys let me in. I should of known something was up when you issued me that B38 to fly. (Image removed from quote.)
Willam Mettle from Akron, Ohio, had a dry sense of humor. He too had no fat to spare and was about an inch taller than Aycock. Mettler, a P-38 lover, hated the P-47 with a burning vengeance. One time when Bill was OD (officer of the day), he demonstrated his dislike.For twenty four hours the OD performed routine daily duties for the commanding officer. He wore a black band lettered OD on his left arm, wore side arms, had a jeep and a driver at his disposal, inspected camp, ate at the enlisted men's mess, acted important, and stayed awake all night. His most challenging duty was an after-midnght inspection of the guards posted at each plane.At night, guarding a plane parked in a remote jungle was a lonely and spooky job. These outlying revetments because a playground for the jungle's crawly things. They jumped, slithered, and hopped. If the invading critters didn't unnerve you, the screeches and cries coming the the nighttime jungle world would. There were other disturbing sounds. During the day the plane's metal, heated by the scorching tropical sun expanded. At night it cooled and shrank. The plane, with no one near, crunched and thumped. Our guards were air corps men. Most of them had joined the air corps to escape infantry duties - now there in New Guinea holding a rifle and guarding airplanes. They were unhappy, scared, not adept at handling a carbine, and ready to shoot at anything that moved. Guard inspection by the OD was dangerous. For an inspection, there was a prescribed routine to follow: the OD approached the guard, the guard challenged the OD, they then exchanged the nights passwords. After they had successfully identified each other, the OD often had a chat with the lonely air corps guard to relieve the tension. On this particular night, Mettle went through the formal exchange and then he had an urge. Bill was a man of action. He walked up to the guard and with a straight face said. "Soldier, do you now what you are supposed to do if the enemy comes out of this jungle and tries to steal one of these 47's?"Standing with his rifle at the attention position, the guard blinked, his Adam's apple went up and down a couple times, and he cleared his throat. Before he could answer Mettler continued, "Soldier, I'll tell you what you are supposed to do. Help him up there into that cockpit, and if he can't get it started, show him how." Bill looked up at the detested plane. "on this one it takes an extra shot of prime. Well, young man, after he gets it started, you guide him as he taxis down to the end of the runway. Get him lined up good. Give plenty of warm-up time. We want him to get back to Tokyo. When we are sure he can make it, drop your hand, and start him on his way. When his takeoff has cleared the end of the runway and he is airborne, your duty is done. Do you understand?"There was a weak, "Yes, sir"Mettler threw him a snappy salute, did a toe-at-the-heel, official about-face , and with a wry smile on his face walked back to the jeep.
I see DrBone has found a new Sith apprentice. Good, good, let the hate flow through you.
