He went down on this mornings mission he won't be back.

He went down on this mornings mission. He won't be back.


When Paul, Bob and I arrived at the 344th we were assigned to the 494th
squadron and given separate quarters along the squadron street. I entered mine
and dumped my stuff on the one empty bunk there. I unpacked my B-4 bag, hung up
my uniforms and put stuff on the shelf including personal photographs and
shaving stuff. Then I went to the officers mess where I was supposed to meet
Bob and Paul for evening chow. Bob showed up. We waited for Paul then decided
to go ahead knowing he would be along soon, It took quite a while. When he
showed up he was white as a ghost and obviously shaken. Bob and I looked at
each other and finally asked Paul what happened. Paul just shook his head,
obviously quite sad and unhappy. He then told us the story of what had happened
when he entered his quarters. When he went in there were 4 bunks, but all were
neatly made up with clothes, foot lockers and personal effects such as
photographs of family. Paul thought he was in the wrong place since there were
no empty bunks. Just as he was leaving one of the guys in there said, "C'mon
back Lieutenant, you are in right place." Paul said that there were no empty
bunks. The guy said "That one over there is yours. The guy who was sleeping
there went down on this mornings mission. He won't be back. The Padre and the
Officer of the guard will be here soon to collect his stuff. You can have his
bunk as soon as it is cleared out." We understood Paul's sadness. We were sad
too. We flew our first mission the next morning, but never, to this day ever
forgot that bunk with family snapshots and personal efects that wasn't cleared
out. And there would be more as the war went on.
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Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer