Griego, our tail gunner, said "I'll get it sir". Griego had no idea how to trigger a bomb out of the bomb bays. But he was a tough little guy who would volunteer for anything anytime no matter what. I told him to stay in the tail. I would get it. As the bombardier it was my job.
But we had a replacement armament gunner stationed in the top turret near the bomb bays. He could have been in there in seconds and had that bomb out in a few more seconds, but he sat in silence. Volunteered nothing. I went back and triggered the bomb out. We closed the bomb bay doors and went home. No problem,
But I have never forgotten that armament gunners silence at that moment. There was Griego who would volunteer for everything, And that armament gunner in the top turret who would volunteer for nothing even with our plane in mortal danger. You can tell the measure of a man by how fast he steps forward to get a dirty job done. I have never for a moment forgotten that day and little Emilio Griego, in many ways the biggest man on our crew.
RIP Emilio old friend.
Copyright © 2002 Art Kramer and Coastal Computers, Inc.