The Fly Boys

                   The Fly Boys

Suzanne Marsh

December 7, 1941

“A day that shall live in infamy.” Seven o’clock on the morning of December seventh the United States was deliberately attacked by Japan. “Remember Pearl Harbor” became the cry of war.

The Philippine Islands 1942

“Attention all pilots, prepare to launch aricraft.” Mac Holland worried about his responsibilites to his crew; keeping them safe was part of the job of the pilot. He thought about the B-17’s most of the ones that survived Pearl Harbor were here at Clark. The ones that were salvaged had problems with the engines. He also knew that they had to stop the Japanese before they gained control of the Philippines, that would be disastorous for the Americans. Mac had, had a sinking feeling that this mission was going to fail. The bomber he was flying was Mac’s girl; the crew had painted the name on the bomber earlier in the day.

Mac, as pilot and Bill MacNamara his copilot had their note books ready for the instructions for this raid. The Imperial Japanese heavy cruiser Kako, had been spotted by PBY 135. The opportunity of sinking a heavy cruiser was appealing to Mac and Bill. The CAG began:

“BPY 135 spotted the heavy cruiser Kako at 12:00 hours in the South China Sea. Your

mission is to sink her. A squadron of P47’s will accompany the B17’s. Good Luck men.”

A cold shiver went down Mac’s back. Bill watched Mac’s face as they strode toward Mac’s girl.

“Hey Mac, you okay?”

“Yeah Bill, just tired.”

“I know the feeling, this is our seventh run in as many days.”

“Yeah I guess we should warm the old girl up.”

Bill climbed in first; Mac followed. They began their check list. Once completed they were ready for take off. Bill carried a rabbits foot for good luck. Mac wore a Saint Christopher medal to protect him. His Mom had given it to him just before he shipped out to the Philippines to “keep him safe”. He hoped it would on this bomb run. Something did not feel right about this run. Mac began the preinspection. The old “Bucket of Bolts” was ready for take off.

The B17 took off leveling off at 25,000 feet. Her speed was 287. Mac turned toward Luzon. Communications with headquarters was vital to this mission. If mission failed Luzon would fall to the Japanese; making it harder for the Americans in the Philippines to survive. Mac joined the squadron in box formation. Thus far everything was going well.

Out of seemingly no where, Nicks the call name for KI-45 Toryu. Japanese fighters began to attack. Bullets began to fly everywhere. Tim Cotter, one of the lower turret gunners moaned as he felt a bullet pierce his chest. Bob Griffin, radioman and bombardier called frantically to their fighter escort. Fear began to take over. The lower turret gunner pounded several KI-45’s. Three KI45’s were shot down. The crew knew this was no time to relax; they had to keep shooting or be shot down themselves.

Bullets began to rain down on the B 17. Bill looked out the window, the right engine was hit. Flames shot out from the engine. Another burst of bullets and the B17; Mac began to lose control of the plane. He began to pray that if they crashed, the plane would stay afloat; at lest for five minutes. He would do what ever he had to; he managed to pull the release for the bombs. Bob Griffin used the Norden Bombsight to line the bombs up. The Kako was the primary target. The bombs began to descend on the Kako. Several of the bombs from Mac’s Girl scored direct hits. The Kako was sinking before their eyes.

Mac’s Girl pulled up to 25,000 feet hoping to dodge several of the KI-45’s still looming in the sky. Things were looking great until the right engine began to smoke again. Mac was going to limp home to the USS Hornet. His wing man Dick Porter watched carefully:

“Mac, that right engine is gone, all you have is the left. Bail out I repeat bail out.”

Those words sent chills down Mac and Bill’s spine. They were not going to make it back to the Hornet. Mac was in a quandry; if he had the crew bail out now the suction from the Kako would take them down. They would drown; Mac replied:

“I am going to try flying toward Luzon; they bail out now they’ll drown. I won’t do that.”

“Can you hold until we return to the Hornet?”

“I don’t think so; I keep loosing altitude.”

“God be with you both and your crew.”

“Thanks Dick. Looks like we are going down now.”

The nose of Mac’s Girl began to dive into the South China Sea. The command to put their heads down came:

“Men, we are going down. There is not a great deal we can do. Make sure the rafts are

dropped we will have to swim for it.”

The jolt from the plane hitting the water was difficult. Mac held it steady as the crew prepared to jump into the water. Mac’s Girl landed on her belly; she would float for at least five minutes; enough time for the crew to jump into the rafts. The black rubber rafts reminded Bill of rafting on the Colorado River when he was a boy.

The crew bailed out. Mac could see their heads bobbing in the water. They began to swim toward the rafts. Mac held her steady on the deck. Once the crew were on the rafts, Mac began to move toward the back of the bomber. The bomber began its decent into the South China Sea. Mac held onto the Saint Christopher medal. Dick watched as tears filled his eyes. He continued to fly overhead hoping to see Mac surface. He then flapped his wings to alert the men in the rafts that he would send help. They waved as he headed back to the USS Hornet.

Upon his return to the carrier Dick was told to report to the Captain:

“Captain you sent for me sir.”

“Yes Dick I did. Tell me about Mac and the crew.”

“Mac never made it out of the plane. He went down with her.”

“The rest of the crew?”

“Made it out of the plane. We need to send a search plane for them.”

“Dick, I am going to put Mac in for the Congressional Medal of Honor, he earned it.”

Mac’s Mother was invited to the White House where President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented the Medal of Honor to her.