The Way It Was

By L Langford Hodges

I have thought of this story for many years. Having been stationed in Corsica and Italy during WW2 I knew some of this from my experiences. Over the years I urged anyone who showed any inclination to write a book to write this story. I usually got the same response, write the book yourself. So that is what I finally did. I hope you find the book entertaining. After I retired I spent a lot of my time traveling by driving all over this country. On one of my trips I drove into Canada and visited with our friendly neighbors up north. Along the way I enjoyed some oil painting until I gave out of wall space. Having played poker all my life [since I waS 15] i started playing at the brick and mortar casino's, many different places, but my favorite place was at the Grand in Biloxi. Katrina broke that up. Then I started playing on-line. The govt. broke that up. I don't think they were getting their cut. By then I decided that if the story was to be told I would have to do it. I had always heard the hardest part was getting started, and I found that to be true. If you have have a story that you want to tell, go ahead and get started.
A high school graduate volunteers to join the Army Air Force to become a fighter pilot. He fights in Italy. He is shot down and bails out safely. Aided by the partisans he gets back to his side of the lines. After the war he goes to Ga Tech on the GI Bill. Graduates his business takes him back to Italy. Hopefully you will find the story interesting. They live happily ever after.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 14, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477208472

L Langford Hodges

I was born in 1921; just in time for the Depression and WW2. I have lived in Georgia all my life except five years that I lived in Mobile. Great fishing in Mobile. I returned from the war on troop ship Hawaiian Shipper. I had been overseas in Corsica and Italy. I enrolled in Ga Tach and graduated in 1950. I worked as a Registered Professional Engineer until I retired in 1987.

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Contents

THE WAY IT WAS

Chapter #2

THE WAY IT WAS

The summer of 1942, John Watson had just joined the Army Air Force to become a fighter pilot. He was excited and apprehensive. He was excited thinking about all the unknown challenges that he would face and apprehensive about his ability to handle the challenges. Mainly deep down, he sub consciously was thinking of this as a life changing adventure and maybe a life ending adventure. He had just graduated from high school and was eighteen years old.

He went down stairs and joined his parents and 12 year old sister for breakfast. The talk was mostly about John going to war. There was not a lot of preparation to be done as everything would be supplied’ by the Army Air Force. A tooth brush, shaving kit, and comb--that was about all that he would need to take.

John’s father owned an Auto Repair Garage. John owned a Ford several years old that he and his Dad had maintained in good condition. They had to decide what to do with the car while he was gone for the next several years. They both realized about the same time that the car was not worth enough to keep and decided for John to sell it. John told his Dad that Perry Weaver had always admired the car so he would ask him if he would like to buy it. Perry was glad to get the car to run around in until he too went into the service.

There were so many young men going to the war that it was not a big deal. No major going away parties were planned for John; he saw all his friends and told them about his enlistment in the Army Air Force and discussed what their plans were. Most planned to wait and see but some had a special service they wanted to join.

The one special person whom he wanted to visit and discuss his situation with and that was his long time friend/girl friend, Margaret. They had known each other all their lives and had gotten to the serious kissing stage. There were tears with all the uncertainty of not knowing what they were saying goodbye to. They promised to write and let each other know what was happening. That would be the only way that John could get news about the other boys who had gone in to the service.

John had been a good athlete in High School and was in top notch condition for an 18 year old, 5/11 tall and 160 pounds. He had gotten a 410 shot gun for Christmas when he was 11 years old. John with his Dad had spent many days hunting, fishing, and camping. He develop good judgment and responsibility. Finally the day came for him to catch the train and report to the West Wind Field at Albany, Georgia. When he came into the gate, he, along with the other cadets, was directed to go to the receiving building. They were checked in to make sure that all the paper work was in order and then they were sworn-in. Now they were officially ready to go and start killing Germans and Japs.

But first before they started killing Germans and Japs: they had to go to stores for the more mundane thing of drawing bedding for their bunk.

John along with 119 other cadets were assigned to a barracks. At 6 o’clock they were ordered to fall out and fall in formation to march to chow. There were 3 drill sergeants that after giving the necessary instructions, formed the cadets into 3 platoons. They would be assigned to the platoon that they were now in for the next 3 months and they would march in formation to chow and all of there places of training in formation.

Their preflight training would included flight, radio, navigation, weather, and bailing out.

Their day started with reveille at 5 AM, 5:30 ordered to fall out and fall in formation and marched to breakfast. Their preflight training included calisthenics, obstacle course, along with their studies. With lights out at 10:00, every spare minute was spent in studying their training courses. Out of a class of 250 about 1/3 washed out during the preflight period.

Now we are ready to learn to fly. Although it was difficult , they tried not to show their nervousness and excitement. After pre flight they started in AT-6 training planes with 650 HP. engines. Two weeks were spent in the cockpit on the ground, learning all the instruments and levers, and pedals.

Finally they were allowed to crank the AT-6 and run it on the ground to get the feel. Needless to say, they were thrilled. Their hubris was completely gone at this stage and they were giving their full attention to the instructors explanations. They were working up to soloing. What a thrill when the instructor told John that he was ready to solo. Sorry to say, but there were some who did not come up to the instructors expectations and were washed out at this stage.

Now they were ready to start flying combat fighter planes; P-47 2,000 HP 10 ton fighters. The cadets proclaimed 2,000 horses between their legs and a feather in their ---. They learned to fly formation, cross country and combat maneuvers. Dive bombing and strafing were saved for last, the William Tell overture part.

The best for last. John had found his place, he and the fighter fit together perfectly and John felt that they were a perfect killing combination. His years as a High School athlete was paying off. It would not be long before he would start killing Germans.

Many of the cadets had washed out in the final weeks of training. Although they did not make it as fighter pilots, instead of being washed out, many of the cadets were assigned as bomber pilots or transport pilots.

Some who did not make it as pilots were assigned as bombardiers and navigators.

The ones who did not wash out , regardless of what they had been assigned to do; were all commissioned 2nd Lt. at the graduation ceremony. Now they were anxious to get their orders for their new assignment. John received orders to report in 14 days to a staging area in Virginia for shipment overseas. Putting your life on the line; the ultimate excitement and apprehension. John was blessed with courage and confidence. He went home for his 14 day leave before going overseas.

Because of the danger in his combat flying there was an undercurrent that subdued the joy and pride of his accomplishment. Pilots do not have nine lives like a cat, one mistake is usually all they were allowed. A combat fighter pilot has one of the most dangerous job in the service. Several of his class mates had already been killed in training.

They went out to visit all their friends and relatives and show off their Officer Combat Fighter Pilot son.

John spent most of his spare time with Margaret. There was a great deal of levity in spite of his planned journey. They found out that they were much more in love than they had realized. They discussed their future together, but they were mature enough to know that with all the uncertainty, that it was not smart for them to make any plans for the future. As soon as John got his overseas address he would send it to her.

John had the information of the Ferry Service. The Ferry Service flew the transport planes overseas to North Africa. Their headquarters were in Miami. Checking with them, he found out that if he was willing to leave a day early he could hitch a ride with them to North Africa and avoid the dangerous crossing on a crowded packed troop transport ship. This was not an unusual procedure. It was common practice for an Army Air Force enlisted or officer to hitch a ride on a plane going their way. John thought it over and decided that anything would be better than going by the dangerous troop transport. That is what he did , hitched a ride with the Ferry Service.

This was April 1943. The Germans had been cleared out of North Africa. John hitched his way to Algiers, the location of his assigned Headquarters, the 15th Air Force.

Chapter #2

John reported to the receiving building. He had been assigned to squadron #310 before he had left the states. After checking in he went to supply and got his bedding. At receiving he had been assigned to officers quarters and he took his bedding there. Another officer had just arrived. John introduced himself and the other officer introduced himself, He said his name was Howard McGuire from Oklahoma. John told Howard he was from Georgia.

Howard said I have just arrived from the states. I came on a troop ship and was glad to get to -dry land

John ventured It must have been a rough crossing?

Howard explained We could only go as fast as the slowest ship. We were almost like sitting ducks for the German subs. We were in a convoy of 20 ships. We were escorted by 3 destroyers, and those destroyers had. their hands full trying to fend off the sub attacks.

John asked what happened? Howard replied there was one alert after another. For an alert each man dons his life preserver and as many as possible go to the deck.

One troop ship was sunk and a few days later another was damaged. The ship that was sunk lost a few soldiers and crew, but most of them were saved and transferred to the other ships. The second ship that was damaged lost a few men to the torpedo explosion. They tried to tow it with lines secured to two other troop ships , but they were too slow. The damaged ship was evacuated. All the troops and crew were taken off and the ship was sunk."

John with a little grin said" I was lucky to avoid the troop ship route. I hitched a ride with the Ferry Command and made it over in two days,