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Up in the nose of the plane, Mac had his helmet and oxygen mask knocked off by flak and the nose compartment caught fire. Kolker was trying to navigate, and also put the fire out with a carbon tetrachloride fire extinguisher. Little did anyone know at this time but the experts later decided carbon tet on hot metal creates poisonous phosgene gas. Mac got quite a dose of this while he was without his mask and, as I understand it, is still suffering the effects of it to this day. He was probably the only airman to receive a chemical warfare wound, phosgene gas poisoning. The fire wars finally put out. As I recall, engines number two and three were completely knocked out with number two being feathered to cut down wind resistance. Number 3 engine ran away and the pilot ("Moon") pulled off power while trying to control the Aircraft. Power was then slowly applied and the engine stabilized itself, but if the throttle was moved it would run away. I believe engines 1 and 4 were our only functioning engines. We later found out number 3 engine wasn't putting out full power, even though the props were turning, because of a big flak hole in the engine nose, So here we were deep into Germany with a long way to go back to England with a crippled plane. The flight records showed this to be a long trip. Our pilot, Moon Mullen, told us on the intercom to get ready to bail out. The enlisted men in the back, grabbed our chest pack parachutes, hooked them to our harnesses and stood by the waist compartment door, awaiting the actual bailout order. It's funny how you remember the little things, but I remember our ball turret gunner's (Sal Muscarella) saying, "Damn it, I forgot my lighter," and going back to the radio room for his 75ยข PX Zippo lighter while we're waiting for the bail-out order. Copyright © 1998-2026, 486th Bomb Group Association. |