Good thing I learn fast
I was in the 373rd Squadron, 308th Bomb Group, based
in Yangkai, China.
Our crew was on the fourth mission
when we had to bail out over Japanese held territory in
French-Indo China.
We later discovered that we had
landed about 36 miles apart from each other.
I landed in heavy jungle in the mountains and to make
matters worse, I was hanging in a tree I cut my shrowd lines
to fall to the ground, then pulled what I could
of my chute down and tore off two panels to stuff inside
my jacket, as it was quite cold. I stayed hidden in the
underbrush until daylight, at which time I slid down the
hill to a trail or footpath I had noticed.
For complete details of the story I will put
a link at the bottom of this page, which will be called "walkout"
This photo taken the morning after reaching our home
base in Yangkai, China.
I am the one in the front row with a bandage
on my finger
The picture is the flag from the back of my flight
jacket, and the back of the flag which is translated
below
This is to certify that on 14 dec 1943 an Allied Air Force Pilot was forced
to parachute at Nia Po Fong village in Kuei Chow City,
(in
the same state as Chung King) due to aircraft accident. The County
The County Commisioner, Mr. Chen Hop Sung , the Special
Political Commisioner, Mr.Cheung Kwok Kwong, and the
Hospital Principal, Mr. Lau, on behalf of the military,and the villsge people,came to welcome him.
The whole community expressed their thankfulness and kindness to the
Allied Air Force.
(signed)Cheung Kwok KwongSpecial Political
CommissionerAt Nai Po Fong villiage
24 December 1943
When we were traveling thru
China, we stopped in a small village on top of a mountain where a
man with an old box camara on a tripod wanted our picture.
The natives there had never seen a white man or an American
so they all ran out to get their picture taken with these strange looking creatures.
I am front row right of center with a piece of white parachute
showing as a scarf
Back of picture
This next picture was taken
in Bangalor when I was
among the crews that went there for R&R and to pick up
planes to replace
those that we had lost.
T-Sgt. Douglas Rodenbaugh
After a total of 59 missions, I was sent back to
the USA and landed in Miami Fl. From there I was sent to
the convalescent rehabilitation center in at Bowman Field , in Louisville, Ky. then
to St. Petersburg, Fl. convalescent hospital which is now "DON CESEARS".
I was discharged from there July 31, 1945.
I liked it in Florida, so stayed and and eventually became
Chief of Police in the beach cities.
I was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, for which I had recieved
all the paperwork, but they were out of medals.
Fifty years later I was presented with the medal
Jim Roof, Douglas Rodenbaugh, Mary Rodenbaugh
Today I am a member of the Flying Tigers 14th Air Force Assn.,
and we still meet in a different city in the U.S. annualy.
.
GO TO WALKOUT
Email: tiger2@cox-internet.com
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