My mishap started July 23, 1944. Twenty-three of us jumped from a
B-17 and only four came out alive. It started in Orland, Africa. We
went by convoy to Tunisia, Africa and boarded a B-17 which was to
take us to Naples, Italy. Half of the way crossing the Mediterranean
Sea the plane caught fire. None of us had any instructions on parachute
jumping. When we received the orders to jump from the pilot, all the
seats had been removed and there was a pile of Mae Wests and chutes.
Everyone was milling around knowing what had to be done, but didn't
want to. I took a Mae West and a chute from the pile. The emergency
door in the back of the plane was stuck. So I went forward to look
out the gun turret and I could see that I would hit the tail of the
plane. So I went to the rear doors and turned the knob, which wouldn't
turn. Another soldier named Mulinek put his hand over mine and together
we bent the hinges in the door that had been welded to the pins in
the door. We bent the pins from the pressure.
Finally,
we got the door open. I squeezed my head out thinking I would just
look. But with all the other soldiers pushing I was sucked out into
the air. Somewhere in my life someone had said to count to ten. I
counted down to one and pulled the rip cord. I was so close
to the plane and some of the chute dragged across the tail of the
plane. I was very fortunate and came down in the Mediterranean Sea.
I did everything wrong. I had not disconnected the chute and went
into the water as far as the chute's shroud lines would go, holding
my breath, pulled on the Mae West, which brought me to the surface
covered by the chute. Still holding my breath, I kicked out from under
the chute, discarding it and also my shirt and shoes.
The
sea was real rough and swells tossed me around like a cork. If I hadn't
known how to swim, I wouldn't have lasted long, but I held my breath
and broke through the waves. I did this till darkness set in. There
I was with just my Mae West keeping me afloat. It's a funny thing,
but you are like whole with the waves about you and you see only the
sky above you.
In
the distance I saw a plane looking for me. I waved but they couldn't
see me. Later I saw a ship go by. After dark I saw a ship with a beam
looking for me. I fell asleep and dreamed there was a bar and it had
brass pipes around it. I dreamed that I put my arms around it and
rested until I woke up.
Morning
finally came and with it came sea gulls sitting all around me. I would
say "You're not going to eat me." I tried to lay
quietly in the water and when a sea gull would fly over jump and try
to grab it. I'd have sucked out the blood, I was so thirsty.
I
was laying in the water with my eyes matted shut when I heard a voice
say "You want to be picked up?" It sounded so real. I broke
open my eyes and looked up to see sailors on a ship. I had come to
with [in range of] its bow, a huge American Destroyer. The sailors
threw down a life preserver. I then heard a voice command, "Go
down! He's hurt. Go down and get him!" Four sailors came to get
one, hauling me up a step at a time. When I got aboard ship I passed
out, knowing I was safe.
Later,
I was in a cabin and the officer asked me where did I come from. I
knew then, they found me in the sea and they weren't even looking
for me. I was transferred by basket to a sea-going reserve boat that
took me to the shore when an ambulance was waiting to take me back
to the hospital in Tunisia, Africa. Later, in the day they wrapped
me in gauze from the waist up and covered my eyes with medication.
For thirty days I was hospitalized. Later, I went back to my outfit.
One
other soldier was picked up by a French fishing boat. The other swam
to shore and ended up in my hospital. The fourth man, I don't know
how he got rescued. All of the rest of the men drowned, 19 to be exact.
