As time went on some of my B-26 pilot friends went on to RB- 57’s at Sembach some went to B-66’s and others just melted into USAFE. Those of us that got to stay at Laon went to B-57 ground school and the altitude chamber and eventually got checked out in the B-57. I had been having so much fun in the Air Base Group that I didn’t look forward to sitting alert at Landstuhl. I must admit that they made it as comfortable as possible. When rooms were available we could bring our wives to share our rooms in the voq, so it was not too bad.

One memorable flight was a night high altitude SHORAN or possibly a RADAR simulated bombing mission, after returning to base Walt Schmuck and I learned that they had closed the airfield because of fog. We over flew Landstuhl and could see the runway lights and taxi way lights perfectly. I talked the weather observer into letting me land. Sure enough we got down fine but at the west end of the runway the fog was so dense that I had to call for a Det One truck come out and lead me in. One end of the runway was completely clear but the other was totally socked in. I saw that again at the Azores some time later.

Another memorable flight was when the oxygen tube connection on my ejection seat had come loose on one end and I was not getting all the oxygen I should have. Walt noticed I was not normal and declared an
emergency and told me to “get us down to a lower altitude now” I remember telling him that I had never flown while drunk before, after a while at a much lower altitude I sobered up and got us on the ground ok
but they took me to the hospital any how, but was soon pronounced OK. Later I was told, maybe by Tom Mahoney who had gone to the hospital with me, “the flight surgeon said you are as healthy Li’l Abner”.

Some of you will remember that they closed our runway one summer for repairs and we used Laon Athies in the interim. All landings and take offs from the main base were from the taxiway. I remember making many flights delivering B-57s to Athies or bringing one back, I guess I was just tenacious enough, wanting to get as much flying time as possible that any time a flight came up I volunteered. Any how you know by, know that I had a ball doing it. It really was fun… Till next time.
Bob