After the recent JFK Jr. crash, I exchanged e-mail with several pilots who served with me in China during 1944 and 1945 on the subject of flying in bad weather.

One of these men, a recent friend as a result of my getting back in touch with my squadron after 53 years, wrote of an incident in which he was involved. The details immediately brought to memory how I was involved--after the fact.

My friend, Walt Springall, was piloting a C-47 during a thunderstorm, when suddenly the plane was caught in a downdraft losing 6 or 7 thousand feet in about a minute's time, and came close to being inverted in flight.

When I read this part of his e-mail message, I remembered that one of my crew had substituted for the regular crew chief of that aircraft, and had given me a detailed description of that near tragedy. He had told me of an airplane jack (a large piece of equipment used to support the plane during a wheel change, for example) bouncing around, as well as people. His version matched what Walt was telling me 54 or 55 years later.

I became involved after the fact, because I was called on to assist in the repairs required to make the plane airworthy again. The fairing that created the smooth design where wings meet fuselage had all been torn away, and the 144 bolts that hold each wing to the fuselage had all been stretched. These all had to be replaced, and our squadron's sheet metal crew was called on for their expertise in reconstructing the fairing.

Seeing the plane before the work began was unbelievable. It was a wierd looking thing and the appearance of the C-47 had been so changed by this that I couldn't believe my eyes.

My first thought when I saw it was that a miracle had happened to save the crew that day, or there had to be a great pilot to pull through that storm. Maybe some of both. Another thing it did for me: I already had lots of respect for the C-47, but now I had more than ever.

Thanks to Walt for bringing back a memory of another incident where we all said a prayer of thanks, as we did so often over there.

Copyright 1999 H. Thomas Flanagan