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the bombers were the bait and fighters were to do the job and he didn't care how many bombers were shot down or fighters either one. And we're gonna go out there and blow the German Air Force out of the air. March 31, 1944, I would say that it was a pretty serious one for us because we knew we were in trouble because Rattlesden was socked in - ceiling about ten feet. Eight planes got off, including ours. And so we flew up there because by the time we got up to 6,000 feet or so why the flight was cancelled. But for those of us who'd already gone in the air we were told to keep on flying, well we're going get you another target. And so we did that, we got to 29,000 feet and they told us which target we're supposed to get and then it was about 3,000 feet higher than the B-17s could fly. But we just tried to bust through and try to-we couldn't keep up with people or they couldn't keep up with us or we couldn't go in any direction because it was us. And we couldn't look at a so that makes sense, so okay we'll have to call this off. Go out to the North Sea and drop your bombs and try to find, you know a way back. So we went out far enough to make sure we went past the coastline and dropped our bombs and we turned around and came back towards England. And we were pretty north now, we were incredibly north now. It turned out a little later we got a call that said there's a RAF base 125 miles or so north of us. What we had to do, we were looking for landings. So we headed towards that base and well we found it and we got there and then of course we had instructions from the base that we were supposed to go around the frontline a certain direction. And then when we came to land on the runway why there would be a big light which would direct us down the runway. Well we got to the frontline and we got to the light and just after we
got to the light the lights went out. Now the base was closed and we should turn around and go the opposite direction. And find our own way out towards our own bases to the south and the east. So we did. But on the way out we were hit by, not hit by but we were , I mean our distance was not more than a hundred feet and we finally saw another B-17 in the other direction coming in to the place, not knowing that it had been coming in and we missed its tail by anywhere from, well it was hard to say but by my opinion it was about 100 feet and we went
The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald joined the Army Air Forces and became a bombardier in 1943 and arrived in England later that year. He began flying combat missions over France and Germany. After one mission, Fitzgerald had a meeting with General LeMay about the results of a bomb run. Mostly, Fitzgerald's missions over Europe prior to D-Day were to soften up German defense and industrial capabilities. After completing about 30 combat missions, Fitzgerald rotated back to the US and elected to go to flight school. He was there when the war ended. He then decided to go to college using the G.I. Bill.
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Fitzgerald, Thomas A.Oral History Interview with Thomas Fitzgerald, February 19, 2015,
text,
February 19, 2015;
Fredericksburg, Texas.
(https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1606837/m1/7/:
accessed July 17, 2024),
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.;
crediting National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation.