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Posted by Al Burnham on March 9, 2008, 5:05 pm, in reply to "Unusual things"
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Of all the things that has slipped my mind two have not. Between Cape Town and heading towards Rio De Janeiro. I was on watch in #5 gun tub about 2am when I saw what looked like a flare shooting up way off in the distance. Then another one went up in the same area. The gunnery officer and Captain were notified. We were not allowed to change course to look for any
survivors from a sunken ship. As German Raiders
and subs used this method to lure a lone ship into their range and we were traveling a lone. And it could been survivors?? Other one took place in the Mediterranean. Just 17yrs old and 4 months into the Navy. My gun station was the gunner on #5- 20 mm on the bridge. We went on General Quarters when the German planes attacked
the convoy. Then all hell let loose as it seemed to me as this was my first time in battle. I did get off more rounds then anybody else as the gunnery officer and signalman were
doing a lot of spotting. What I remember most was the German pilot hanging on to the wing of his plane as he floated by and raising one hand like asking me not to shoot him. My 20mm was lowered and I guess he thought I wss going to blast him. I did raise my hand to say I was not going to shoot him and then he was out of sight. I did hear comments like a few minutes ago he was trying to kill us. As I saw it he was
out of action. So be it. Al
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